seeking to make a last stand upon the drawbridge leading to Les
Tourelles.

"Now yield you, Classidas," she said; "I bear you no ill will. I
have great pity for your soul. Yield you, and all shall be well."

But he would not listen; his face was black like a thundercloud,
and with his picked bodyguard of men, he retreated backwards, sword
in hand, upon the bridge, seeking to gain the other tower, not
knowing its desperate condition, and hoping there to make a last
stand.

But he was not destined to achieve his end. Suddenly the bridge
gave way beneath his feet, and he and his men were all precipitated
into the water. It looked to us as though a miracle had been
wrought before our eyes; as though the gaze of the Maid had done
it. But the truth was afterwards told us, that a fire ship from the
city had been sent across and had burned the bridge, cutting off
the retreat of the English that way.

And now we heard the din of battle going on within Les Tourelles;
for La Hire had crossed the repaired bridge with a gallant band of
soldiers, and our men, hearing the shouts of their comrades, and
the cries of the trapped English, flung themselves into boats, or
swam over, sword in mouth, anything to get to the scene of the
fray; whilst others set to work with planks, and whatever they
could lay hands upon, to mend the broken drawbridge that they might
swarm across into Les Tourelles and join in the final act of
victory, that should free Orleans from the iron grip in which she
had been held so long.

But the face of the Maid was troubled, as she looked into the dark
water which had closed over the head of Glasdale and his men. She
had seized upon a coil of rope; she stood ready to fling it towards
them when they rose; but encased as they were in their heavy mail,
there was no rising for them. Long did she gaze into the black,
bloodstained water; but she gazed in vain; and when she raised her
eyes, I saw that they were swimming in tears.

"I would we might have saved them," she spoke, with a little catch
in her voice, "I have such great pity for their souls!"

These were the first words I heard the Maid speak after her
wonderful victory had been won; and whilst others went hither and
thither, mad or drunk with joy, she busied herself about the
wounded, making no distinction betwixt friend or foe, sending
urgent message into the city for priests to come forth and bring
the last Sacraments with them, and so long as there w