They resumed their dice-throwing, but suddenly the bell was heard again. Its strokes followed in rapid succession, and now all the other bells in the city began to ring. From the summits of the towers the watchmen’s horns sounded clear and loud. The storm was about to break. The terrible news spread all over the city that it would be attacked at ten o’clock and given over to fire and sword. There was excitement in every house, and lights suddenly flashed in the windows. The glare of pitchy torches made the streets light as day. The soldiers’ quarters resounded with the shrill din of trumpets, and the guilds in armor marched under their banners to make such resistance as they could. At last the enemy poured through the gates, but the Zurich nobles and their Rupperschwyl allies went down in defeat.