oad.

"The plan of the Maid was to make a sortie towards the evening, to
attack Margny and afterwards Clairoix, and then at the opening of the
Aronde valley to meet the Duke of Burgundy and his forces who were
lodged there, and who would naturally come to the aid of his other
troops when attacked. She took no thought for the English, having
already carefully arranged with Flavy how they should be prevented from
cutting off her retreat. The governor provided against any chance of
this by arming the boulevard strongly with archers to drive off any
advancing force, and also by keeping ready on the Oise a number of
covered boats to receive the foot-soldiers in case of a retrograde
movement.

"The action began well: the garrison of Margny yielded in the twinkling
of an eye. That of Clairoix rushing to the support of their brothers in
arms was repulsed, then in its turn repulsed the French; and three times
this alternative of advance and retreat took place on the flat ground of
the meadow without serious injury to either party. This gave time to the
English to take part in the fray;(1) though thanks to the precautions of
Flavy all they could do was to swell the ranks of the Burgundians.
But unfortunately the rear of the Maid's army was struck with the
possibility that a diversion might be attempted from behind, and their
retreat cut off. A panic seized them; they broke their ranks, turned
back and fled, some to the boats, some to the barrier of the boulevard.
The English witnessing this flight rushed after them, secure now on the
side of Compiegne, where the archers no longer ventured to shoot
lest they should kill the fugitives instead of the enemies. They (the
English) thus got possession of the raised road, and pushed on so hotly
after the fugitives that their horses' heads touched the backs of the
crowd. It thus became necessary for the safety of the town to close the
gates until the barrier of the boulevard should be set up again."

*****

These disastrous accidents had taken place while Jeanne, charging in
front with her companions and body-guard, remained quite unaware of any
misfortune. She would hear no call to retreat, even when her companions
were roused to the dangers of their position. "Forward, they are ours!"
was all her cry. As at St. Pierre-le-Moutier she was ready to defeat the
Burgundian army alone. At length the others perceiving something of
what had happened seized her bridle and forced her to retire