charged at full gallop. They
encountered no timid enemy. The large body which they charged consisted
(excepting some mounted officers) entirely of infantry, who, setting the
butt of their lances against their feet, the front rank kneeling, the
second stooping, and those behind presenting their spears over their
heads, offered such resistance to the rapid charge of the men at arms
as the hedgehog presents to his enemy. Few were able to make way through
that iron Wall; but of those few was Dunois, who, giving spur to his
horse, and making the noble animal leap wore than twelve feet at a
bound, fairly broke his way into the middle of the phalanx, and made
toward the object of his animosity. What was his surprise to find
Quentin still by his side, and fighting in the same front with
himself--youth, desperate courage, and the determination to do or die
having still kept the youth abreast with the best knight in Europe; for
such was Dunois reported, and truly reported at the period.

Their spears were soon broken, but the lanzknechts Were unable to
withstand the blows of their long, heavy swords; while the horses and
riders, armed in complete steel, sustained little injury from their
lances. Still Dunois and Durward were contending with rival efforts to
burst forward to the spot where he who had usurped the armorial bearings
of Dunois was doing the duty of a good and valiant leader, when Dunois,
observing the boar's head and tusks--the usual bearing of William de la
Marck--in another part of the conflict, called out to Quentin, "Thou art
worthy to avenge the arms of Orleans! I leave thee the task.--Balafre,
support your nephew; but let none dare to interfere with Dunois's boar
hunt!"

That Quentin Durward joyfully acquiesced in this division of labour
cannot be doubted, and each pressed forward upon his separate object,
followed, and defended from behind, by such men at arms as were able to
keep up with them.

But at this moment the column which De la Marck had proposed to support,
when his own course was arrested by the charge of Dunois, had lost all
the advantages they had gained during the night; while the Burgundians,
with returning day, had begun to show the qualities which belong to
superior discipline. The great mass of Liegeois were compelled to
retreat, and at length to fly; and, falling back on those who were
engaged with the French men at arms, the whole became a confused tide
of fighters, fliers, and pursuers,