Flaminia [pp. 795-810]

Flamninia.
its first trench. Then began in
earnest that terrible siege. Albert
performed prodigies of valor; now
directing a sortie, then driving back
an assault, ever in the foremost
rank, he, as it were, multiplied himself, going on every side; he foresaw
and provided against all emergencies; his courage excited even the
most timid, whilst his unchangeable calm reassured their fears. In
the midst of all this peril, which
seemed endless, he alone seemed at
his ease; so much so, that the Count
of Staremberg used to say,'Oh! that
I had only one hundred knights like
him; for then, in place of resting
here blocked up, like a rat in his
hole, I would drive back, and follow
up these three hundred thousand
Turks to the very walls of Constantinople!' During all this time, notwithstanding the pressing demands of
the Pope, Innocent IX., and in spite
of the necessity which bound the
other Christian nations to prevent
Vienna's fallIng into the hands of
the infidels, the aid so much needed
was but slowly organized. Already
had the siege lasted two months, and
nothing had yet happened to relieve
the despair of the wretched inhabitants, already weakened by famine.
There seemed to them no alternative
between a cruel and lingering death
and ayetmore painful slavery. Almost
were they reduced to the last extremities. It was quite impossible to obtain provisions, and the ammunition
was nearly exhausted, whilst many of
the cannon had become useless for
service; and yet no voice was heard
that spoke of surrender. Soldiers
and citizens, alike excited by the
example and firmness of the chiefs,
supported with courage and resignation all the horrors of a desperate defence. At last the signals and banners of King John Sobieski were
seen from the walls as he came to
their rescue, leading the combined
forces of Europe. It was time! The
King of Poland, notwithstanding the
immense inferiority of his troops in
point of numbers, hesitated not a
moment to take the most favorable
position for giving battle to the
enemy. Mustapha, on his side, divided his troops into two divisions,
the one destined to make a last and
desperate assault upon the city, and
to enter it by main force through the
breaches already made in its walls;
whilst the second division was to stop
the passage of Sobieski, and to hinder him from giving any aid to the
besieged. But the impetuosity of
the attack of the Christians was such
that the battle became but a rout on
the side of the Mussulmans, as they
fled before their pursuers on every
side, and were as soon and as completely dispersed as is a wisp of straw
before a hurricane. Vienna free,
Europe breathed again, being once
more delivered from the immediate
fear of the crescent, whilst awaiting
the day when the Mussulman should
be for ever driven back to the arid
sands from whence he came. This
heroic defence spread a new lustre
upon the arms and reputation of the
order. But none of its knights had
acquired a similar renown to that of
Albert. The name of this young
warrior was in every mouth, his souvenir in every heart, and he shared
with John Sobieski the enthusiastic
ovation made by the Viennese to their
deliverers. The loudest acclamations
of admiration and gratitude greeted
him during the day that he accompanied the King of Poland, who, still
covered with the blood of his enemies, went in solemn state to the
cathedral of St. Stephen, there to
assist at the Te Deum which was
sung in thanksgiving to God for this
miraculous delivery of the city from
the Turks. Mustapha, forced to
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