THE WORD SPREAD like fire from battalion¹ to battalion. Get ready.... Full battle gear. We're going in,tonight !

Tonight, another charge? Weary and frightened soldiers around me moaned in disbelief. Do they think we can see at night what we cannot even shoot during the day?

No, this time it's different, the captain promised. Tonight you'll go to sleep fucking the emir's wife!

The camp sprang alive. There was a traitor² inside Antioch. He would give up the city. Antioch would finally fall. Not from its walls crumbling³ but from treachery and greed.

Is it true? Robert asked, hastily putting on his boots. Do we finally get to pay them back?

Sharpen that knife, I told the eager lad.

Raymond ordered the army to break camp, giving the appearance that we were headed for a raid elsewhere. We pulled back two miles, as far as the river Orontes. Then we held until close to dawn. The signal was spread.Everyone be ready....

Under the shield of darkness, we quietly crept back within sight of the city walls. A sliver⁴ of orange light was just breaking over the hills to the east. My blood was surging. Today, Antioch would fall. Then it was on to Jerusalem. Freedom.

As we waited for the word, I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. Nerves?

The boy shook his head. I fear not.

You may have started the day still a boy, but by its end you'll be a man, I told him.

He grinned sheepishly.

I guess we'll both be men. I winked⁵.

Then a torch waved over the north tower. That was it! Our men were inside.Let's go ! the nobles shouted.Attack !

Our army charged, Frank, Norman, Tafur, side by side, with one purpose, one mind. Show them whose God is One, the leaders cried.

Our battalions⁶ headed toward the north tower, where ladders were hoisted⁷ against the walls and wave after wave of men climbed over. The sound of shouts and vicious fighting erupted from inside. Then, all at once, the big gate opened.Right in front of our eyes. But instead of attacking

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1 battalion
n.营；部队；大队(的人)
参考例句：
The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。 At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

2 traitor
n.叛徒，卖国贼
参考例句：
The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。 He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

3 crumbling
adj.摇摇欲坠的
参考例句：
an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子 The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

4 sliver
n.裂片，细片，梳毛；v.纵切，切成长片，剖开
参考例句：
There was only one sliver of light in the darkness.黑暗中只有一点零星的光亮。 Then,one night,Monica saw a thin sliver of the moon reappear.之后的一天晚上，莫尼卡看到了一个月牙。

5 winked
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮
参考例句：
He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。 He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 battalions
n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍
参考例句：
God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 hoisted
把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。 The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。

8 Moslem
n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的
参考例句：
Moslem women used to veil their faces before going into public.信回教的妇女出门之前往往用面纱把脸遮起来。 If possible every Moslem must make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in his life.如有可能，每个回教徒一生中必须去麦加朝觐一次。

9 streaking
n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹
参考例句：
Their only thought was of the fiery harbingers of death streaking through the sky above them. 那个不断地在空中飞翔的死的恐怖把一切别的感觉都赶走了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26） Streaking is one of the oldest tricks in the book. 裸奔是有书面记载的最古老的玩笑之一。 来自互联网

10 bloody
adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染
参考例句：
He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。 He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

11 malice
n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋
参考例句：
I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。 There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。

12 defender
n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人
参考例句：
He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。 The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

13 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

14 tunics
n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍
参考例句：
After work colourful clothes replace the blue tunics. 下班后，蓝制服都换成了色彩鲜艳的衣服。 来自辞典例句 The ancient Greeks fastened their tunics with Buttons and loops. 古希腊人在肩部用钮扣与环圈将束腰外衣扣紧。 来自互联网

15 pounced
v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击）
参考例句：
As soon as I opened my mouth, the teacher pounced on me. 我一张嘴就被老师抓住呵斥了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The police pounced upon the thief. 警察向小偷扑了过去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 bracelet
n.手镯，臂镯
参考例句：
The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。 She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

17 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

18 intercepted
拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻
参考例句：
Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。 Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

19 amazement
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。 He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

20 warrior
n.勇士，武士，斗士
参考例句：
The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。 A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

21 brandishing
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀
参考例句：
The horseman came up to Robin Hood, brandishing his sword. 那个骑士挥舞着剑，来到罗宾汉面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. 他挥舞着一把小刀，出现在休息室里。 来自辞典例句

22 tugging
n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉，样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险 She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他，一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句