. 12.]

On Saturday the 10th, at daybreak, the Duke of Alencon, with a few
knights, appeared on the bank above the city, where a bridge had been
thrown over the Seine some days earlier. The Maid, always eager for
danger, accompanied the venturesome warriors. But the night before,
the King had prudently caused the bridge to be taken down, and the
little band had to retrace its steps.[1801] It was not that the King
had renounced the idea of taking Paris. He was thinking more than ever
of the recovery of his great town; but he intended to regain it
without an assault, by means of the compliance of certain burgesses.

[Footnote 1801: Perceval de Cagny, pp. 168, 169. Morosini, vol. iii, p.
219, note 4. Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. ii,
p. 120, note 1. G. Lefevre-Pontalis, _Un detail du siege de Paris_,
_loc. cit._]

At this same place of Saint-Denys there happened to Jeanne a
misadventure, which would seem to have impressed her comrades and
possibly to have lessened their faith in her good luck in war. As was
customary, women of ill-fame followed the army in great numbers; each
man had his own; they were called _amietes_.[1802] Jeanne could not
tolerate them because they caused disorder, but more especially
because their sinful lives filled her with horror. At that very time,
stories like the following were circulated far and wide, and spread
even into Germany.

[Footnote 1802: Diminutive of _amie_ (W.S.).]

There was a certain man in the camp, who had with him his _amiete_.
She rode in armour in order not to be recognised. Now the Maid said to
the nobles and captains: "There is a woman with our men." They replied
that they knew of none. Whereupon the Maid assembled the army, and,
approaching the woman said: "This is she."

Then addressing the wench: "Thou art of Gien and thou art big with
child. Were it not so I would put thee to death. Thou hast already let
one child die and thou shalt not do the same for this one."

When the Maid had thus spoken, servants took the wench and conveyed
her to her own home. There they kept her under watch and ward until
she was delivered of her child. And she confessed that what the Maid
had said was true.

After which, the Maid again said: "There are women in the camp."
Whereupon two wantons, who did not belong to the army, and had already
been dismissed from it, hearing these words, rode off on horseback.
But the Maid hastened after them crying: "Ye foolish