Now, commandant," he said to Wulf with a smile, "show us
the way into this capture of yours."
Before entering the castle itself Gurth made a detour of the walls, and
upon seeing them was still more surprised than before at the manner in
which the capture had been effected.
"You see, thanes," he said, "the matter hinged on the possession of these
gates through the cross walls. That the rear walls should have been taken
by surprise was a daring action, but it would have availed nothing had the
garrison had time to close even the second of these gates; for though, as
it seems, no more numerous than our men, they could have easily held it
until reinforced from the village below, and would then have turned the
tables on their assailants. The capture was due to the quickness and
boldness with which Wulf and Beorn, with the few men who had obtained a
footing on the wall when the alarm was given, rushed forward and held the
inner gateway until the rest came up."
Gurth paused for a time on the wall above the point where the secret
passage came out on the face of the rock, and having asked many questions
as to how it was that they were so well prepared for Llewellyn and his
followers when they made the attack, he commended Wulf very strongly for
his conduct in this matter.
"Others might have taken the castle as you did, young thane," he said, "but
assuredly most would have lost it again, for having set guards on the walls
they would have given themselves up to feasting and sleep, without a
thought that there might possibly exist a secret passage through this rock,
which looks as if nothing short of a winged army could scale it.
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