hts clean out of
mind. The sun shone yellow and slanting down the streets; out of the
shadow of the minster came the bells, ringing for war. The armed
townsfolk thronged the ways, and one man, old and ill-clad, brought to
the Maid a great fish which he had caught overnight in the Loire. Our
host prayed her to wait till it should be cooked, that she might
breakfast well, for she had much to do. Yet she, who scarce seemed to
live by earthly meat, but by the will of God, took only a sop of bread
dipped in wine, and gaily leaping to her selle and gathering the reins,
as a lady bound for a hunting where no fear was, she cried, "Keep the
fish for supper, when I will bring back a goddon {25} prisoner to eat his
part. And to-night, gentle sir, my host, I will return by the
bridge!"--which, as we deemed, might in no manner be, for an arch of the
bridge was broken. Thereon we all mounted, and rode down to the Burgundy
gate, the women watching us, and casting flowers before the Maiden. But
when we won the gate, behold, it was locked, and two ranks of
men-at-arms, with lances levelled, wearing the colours of the Sieur de
Gaucourt, were drawn up before it. That lord himself, in harness, but
bareheaded, stood before his men, and cried, "Hereby is no passage. To-
day the captains give command that no force stir from the town."

"To-day," quoth the Maid, "shall we take Les Tourelles, and to-morrow not
a goddon, save prisoners and slain men, shall be within three leagues of
Orleans. Gentle sir, bid open the gate, for to-day have I work to do."

Thereat Gaucourt shook his head, and from the multitude of townsfolk rose
one great angry shout. They would burn the gate, they cried; they would
fire the town, but they would follow the Maid and the guidance of the
saints.

Thereon stones began to fly, and arbalests were bended, till the Maid
turned, and, facing the throng, her banner lifted as in anger--

"Back, my good friends and people of Orleans," she said, "back and open
the postern door in the great tower on the river wall. By one way or
another shall I meet the English this day, nor shall might of man prevent
me."

Then many ran back, and soon came the cry that the postern was opened,
and thither streamed the throng. Therefore Gaucourt saw well that an
onslaught would verily be made; moreover, as a man wise in war, he knew
that the townsfolk, that day, would be hard to hold, and would go far. So
he even yielded, not un