It was , therefore , Dick 's business to find and to protect Joanna ; and with that end he looked about him at the faces of his men . The three or four who seemed likeliest to be obedient and to keep sober he drew aside ; and promising them a rich reward and a special recommendation to the duke , led them across the market-place , now empty of horsemen , and into the streets upon the further side . Every here and there small combats of from two to a dozen still raged upon the open street ; here and there a house was being besieged , the defenders throwing out stools and tables on the heads of the assailants . The snow was strewn with arms and corpses ; but except for these partial combats the streets were deserted , and the houses , some standing open , and some shuttered and barricaded , had for the most part ceased to give out smoke . Dick , threading the skirts of these skirmishers , led his followers briskly in the direction of the abbey church ; but when he came the length of the main street , a cry of horror broke from his lips . Sir Daniel 's great house had been carried by assault . The gates hung in splinters from the hinges , and a double throng kept pouring in and out through the entrance , seeking and carrying booty . Meanwhile , in the upper storeys , some resistance was still being offered to the pillagers ; for just as Dick came within eyeshot of the building , a casement was burst open from within , and a poor wretch in murrey and blue , screaming and resisting , was forced through the embrasure and tossed into the street below . The most sickening apprehension fell upon Dick . He ran forward like one possessed , forced his way into the house among the foremost , and mounted without pause to the chamber on the third floor where he had last parted from Joanna . It was a mere wreck ; the furniture had been overthrown , the cupboards broken open , and in one place a trailing corner of the arras lay smouldering on the embers of the fire . Dick , almost without thinking , trod out the incipient conflagration , and then stood bewildered . Sir Daniel , Sir Oliver , Joanna , all were gone ; but whether butchered in the rout or safe escaped from Shoreby , who should say ? He caught a passing archer by the tabard . `` Fellow , '' he asked , `` were ye here when this house was taken ? '' `` Let be , '' said the archer . `` A murrain ! let be , or I strike . '' `` Hark ye , '' returned Richard , `` two can play at that . Stand and be plain . ''
But the man , flushed with drink and battle , struck XXXXX upon the shoulder with one hand , while with the other he twitched away his garment .
Dick Joanna assault embrasure eyeshot fire murrain murrey stools third