David II.—The Story of Black Agnes — книга для чтения (B1)

But Scotland would by no means yield to England, and fighting still went on. Among those who fought most bravely for their country was the Countess of March. She was called Black Agnes because she was so dark. Her husband, the Earl of March, was away fighting for the King, when the English besieged his castle of Dunbar. Dunbar was a very important castle, and Black Agnes made up her mind that nothing would make her yield it.

In those days cannon had not yet come into use. Instead of cannon, armies carried about with them great engines, with which they threw enormous stones at the walls of the castles which they wished to take.

The English brought their strongest engines against Dunbar, but Black Agnes laughed at their big stones. She used to stand on the walls with her ladies and her maids, and when a stone hit the walls, she would bid them wipe the spot with a clean white cloth, as if to say, that she liked to keep her castle clean and tidy, and all the harm the English could do was to make a little dust.