share in it."

CHAPTER XII. HOW THE MAID RAISED THE SIEGE.

To tell the tale of how Les Augustins was taken is but to tell
again the tale of St Loup.

I know not precisely what instructions the lesser officers
received, nor what they told their men. But whether from
preconcerted arrangement that the attack was only to be a feint, or
whether from the dash and energy of the English, it appeared at
first as though the tide of war was rolling back in its old track,
and that the prowess of the English as destined to win the day.

For one thing the assault was commenced before the Maid had crossed
the river and could put herself at the head of the men. A large
body of troops had been transported to the south side in boats
during the night, under cover of darkness; and this was all very
well; but they should have waited hen daylight came for the Maid to
march at their head, instead of which they sought to rush the
fortress before ever she had appeared at all; and when we arrived
at the river's bank, it was to see a furious battle raging round
the base of Les Augustins, and ere we were half across the river,
we saw only too plainly that the French were being badly beaten,
were fleeing in all directions from the pursuing foe, and were
making for the river bank once more as fast as their legs could
carry them.

The Maid watched it all, with that strange, inscrutable look upon
her face, and that battle light in her eyes which we were all
learning to know. She was sitting upon her horse; for though a
number of animals had been taken across in the night, no horse of
hers had been so conducted, and we had led the creature with its
rider into the great flat-bottomed boat; so that she was on a
higher level than the rest of us, and could better see what was
passing, though it was plain to all that our soldiers were getting
badly beaten.

"O foolish children, silly sheep!" murmured the Maid as she
watched, "and yet you are not to blame, but those who lead you.
When will they understand? When will they believe?"

We reached the shore, and the Maid, without waiting for any of us
to mount or form a bodyguard round her, leaped her horse to the
bank, and charged up it, her pennon flying, her eyes alight with
the greatness of her purpose.

But even as she climbed the slippery bank, a great rush of flying
soldiers met her, and by their sheer weight forced back horse and
rider almost to the river's brink before they were aware