l city, as it might be regarded, of the confederates. Indeed,
when the court, then sojourning at Blois, in alarm at the reports sent by
Marshal de Brissac from Rouen, respecting Coligny's conquests and his own
impotence to oppose him, ordered Guise to abandon his undertaking and
employ his forces in crushing out the flames that had so unexpectedly
broken forth in Normandy, the duke declined to obey until he should have
received further orders, and gave so cogent reasons for pursuing the
siege, that the king and his council willingly acquiesced in his
plan.[227] From his independent attitude, however, it is evident that
Guise was of Pasquier's mind, and believed he had gained as much of a
victory in the capture of the constable, his friend in arms, but dangerous
rival at court, taken by the Huguenots at Dreux, as by the capture of the
Prince of Conde, his enemy, who had fallen into his hands in the same
engagement.[228]

[Sidenote: Capture of the Portereau.]

The city of Orleans, on the north bank of the Loire, was protected by
walls originally of no great worth, but considerably strengthened since
the outbreak of the civil war. On the opposite side of the river, a
suburb, known as the _Portereau_, was fortified by weaker walls, in front
of which two large bastions had recently been erected. The suburb was
connected with Orleans by means of a bridge across the Loire, of which the
end toward the Portereau was defended by two towers of the old mediaeval
construction, known as the "tourelles," and that toward the city by the
city wall and a large square tower.[229] Against the Portereau the duke
directed the first assault, hoping easily to become master of it, and
thence attack the city from its weakest side. His plan proved successful
beyond his expectations. While making a feint of assailing with his whole
army the bastion held by the Gascon infantry, he sent a party to scale the
bastion guarded by the German lansquenets, who, being taken by surprise,
yielded an entrance almost without striking a blow. In a few minutes the
Portereau was in the hands of Guise, and the bridge was crowded with
fugitives tumultuously seeking a refuge in the city. Orleans itself was
nearly involved in the fate of its suburb; for the enemy, following close
upon the heels of the fleeing host, was at the very threshold of the
"tourelles," when D'Andelot, called from his sick-bed by the tumult,
posting himself at the entrance with a few gentlemen