him, said: "You are a wicked man to try to
prevent these people from going out. But whether you will or no, they
will go and will do as well as they did the other day."[1038]

[Footnote 1037: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 108 (Pasquerel's evidence).]

[Footnote 1038: _Ibid._, pp. 116, 117. Evidence of S. Charles. P.
Mantellier, _Histoire du siege_, p. 105.]

Excited by Jeanne's voice and encouraged by her presence, the
citizens, crying slaughter, threw themselves on Gaucourt and his
men-at-arms. When the old baron perceived that he could do nothing
with them, and that it was impossible to bring them to his way of
thinking, he himself joined them. He had the gates opened wide and
cried out to the townsfolk: "Come, I will be your captain."

And with the Lord of Villars and Sire d'Aulon he went out at the head
of the soldiers, who had been keeping the gate, and all the
train-bands of the town. At the foot of La Tour-Neuve, at the eastern
corner of the ramparts, there were boats at anchor. In them
l'Ile-aux-Toiles was reached, and thence on a bridge formed by two
boats they crossed over the narrow arm of the river which separates
l'Ile-aux-Toiles from the Sologne bank.[1039] Those who arrived first
entered the abandoned fort of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, and, while waiting
for the others, amused themselves by demolishing it.[1040] Then, when
all had passed over, the townsfolk gayly marched against Les
Augustins. The bastion was situated in front of Les Tourelles, on the
ruins of the monastery; and the bastion would have to be taken before
the fortifications at the end of the bridge could be attacked. But the
enemy came out of their entrenchments and advanced within two
bow-shots of the French, upon whom from their bows and cross-bows they
let fly so thick a shower of arrows that the men of Orleans could not
stand against them. They gave way and fled to the bridge of boats:
then, afraid of being cast into the river, they crossed over to
l'Ile-aux-Toiles.[1041] The fighting men of the Sire de Gaucourt were
more accustomed to war. With the Lord of Villars, Sire d'Aulon, and a
valiant Spaniard, Don Alonzo de Partada, they took their stand on the
slope of Saint-Jean-le-Blanc and resisted the enemy. Although very few
in number, they were still holding out when, about three o'clock in
the afternoon, Captain La Hire and the Maid crossed the river with the
free-lances. Seeing the French hard put to it, and the English in
battle array, they m