And all the while the kitchen of the inn resounded with yells and threatenings, with oaths and cursings.
But Jorian and I drove them steadily back, though they came at us again and again, with spits, iron hooks, and all manner of curious weapons.
Also from out of the corners we saw the gleaming, watchful eyes of a dark huddle of women and children.

Presently the clamorous rabble turned tail suddenly and poured through the door out upon the pathway, quicker than water through a tide-race in the fulness of the ebb.
And lo! in a moment the room was sucked empty, save only for the huddled women in the corners, who cried and suckled their children to keep them still.

And some of the wounded with the axe and the sword crawled to them to have their ghastly wounds bound.

For an axe makes ugly work at the best of times, and still worse on the edges of such a pagan fight as we three had just fought.
So we went back victorious to our inner doors.
Then Jorian looked at me and nodded across at Boris.
"Good!" was all that he said.

But the single word made me happier than many encomiums.
In spite of all, however, we were no nearer than before to getting away that I could see.