y differ from other women;[2005] but
they were folk who believed in nothing, and that manner of person is
always outside public opinion.

[Footnote 2004: Notes concerning G. de Flavy, in _Trial_, vol. v, p.
177. _Chronique de Tournai_, in _Recueil des Chroniques de Flandre_,
1856, vol. iii, pp. 415, 416.]

[Footnote 2005: Chastellain, vol. ii, p. 49.]

This time she had not the remotest idea of what was to be done. With
her head full of dreams, she imagined she was setting forth for some
great and noble emprise. It is said that she had promised to discomfit
the Burgundians and bring back Duke Philip prisoner. But there was no
question of that; Captain Baretta and those who commanded the soldiers
of fortune proposed to surprise and plunder the little Burgundian
outpost, which was nearest the town and most accessible. That was
Margny, and there on a steep hill, which might be reached in twenty or
twenty-five minutes along the causeway, was stationed Messire Baudot
de Noyelles. The attempt was worth making. The taking of outposts
constituted the perquisites of men-at-arms. And, albeit the enemy's
positions were very wisely chosen, the assailants if they proceeded
with extreme swiftness had a chance of success. The Burgundians at
Margny were very few. Having but lately arrived, they had erected
neither bastion nor bulwark, and their only defences were the
outbuildings of the village.

It was five o'clock in the afternoon when the French set out on the
march. The days being at their longest, they did not depend on the
darkness for success. In those times indeed, men-at-arms were chary of
venturing much in the darkness. They deemed the night treacherous,
capable of serving the fool's turn as well as the wise man's, and thus
ran the saw: "Night never blushes at her deed."[2006]

[Footnote 2006: _Le Jouvencel_, vol. i, p. 91.]

Having climbed up to Margny, the assailants found the Burgundians
scattered and unarmed. They took them by surprise; and the French set
to work to strike here and there haphazard. The Maid, for her part,
overthrew everything before her.

Now just at this time Sire Jean de Luxembourg and the Sire de Crequy
had ridden over from their camp at Clairoix.[2007] Wearing no armour,
and accompanied by eight or ten gentlemen-at-arms, they were climbing
the Margny hill. They were on their way to visit Messire Baudot de
Noyelles, and all unsuspecting, they were thinking to reconnoitre the
defences of the to