THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 379 



others paralysed by the sudden cold, with faces pale 

 as death and limbs stiff and rigid. But as the fury 

 and violence of the combatants augmented, the by- 

 standers forgot every other feeling in the excitement 

 of the fight, about the result of which they seemed 

 as anxious as those who were actively engaged in it. 

 Even women might be seen encouraging those who 

 were driven back, and urging them once more to the 

 charge ; applauding and cheering them on when they 

 advanced, and assailing those who hung back with 

 vehement reproaches. The uproar and shouting, 

 shrieks and yells, exceeded anything that could be 

 imagined. The partisans had got completely mixed 

 together ; and, instead of the struggle being confined 

 to the foremost ranks of the contending parties, the 

 whole bridge was now one coil of raging combatants. 

 Men fell into the canal by scores, but no one thought 

 of rendering them any assistance. Their places were 

 immediately filled up, and the fight lost none of its 

 fury from their absence. 



Evening was now approaching, and the combat was 

 more violent than it had yet been, or than it had 

 for years been known to be, when Antonio saw the 

 cloaked and mysterious individuals who had already 

 attracted his attention emerge from their lurking- 

 places, and disappear in different directions. Pres- 

 ently he thought he observed some of them on the 

 bridge mingling with the combatants, whose blind 

 rage prevented them from noticing the intrusion. 



