"Well, my boys," he said, walking up to the group which was waiting for the door to be burst in to rush into the citadel, "we are having a bit of a siege, are we? Peste! you're not attacking a cabin, and it's a good deal of an undertaking for so few of you to try to take a strong place like this."
"We are not alone," said Pagolo, who was dressing his heel; and he pointed to Benvenuto and his three or four companions, who were keeping up such a well sustained fire upon the wall that the stones were falling much less freely than at first.
"I see, I see, Master Achilles," said Jacques Aubry, "for you are like him in being wounded in the heel, in addition to a thousand other points of similarity, no doubt. I see: yes, there's my friend Ascanio, and the master doubtless, on top of the tower yonder."
"Very true," said Pagolo.
"And that fellow banging away at the door so lustily is one of you also, isn't he?"
"That's Hermann," said little Jehan proudly.
"Peste! how he goes on!" said the student. "I must go and congratulate him."
He sauntered along with his hands in his pockets, regardless of the bullets whistling above his head, to the brave German, who kept at his task with the regularity of a machine.
"Do you need anything, my dear Goliath?" said Jacques Aubry. "I am at your service."
"I am thirsty," replied Hermann, without pausing in his work.