ether.

The good father thereupon stood up, and spoke in a low voice, but so that
all could hear, for we were all hushed to listen.

"There is," he said, "within Paris, a certain Carmelite, a Frenchman, and
a friend of Brother Richard, the Preacher, whom, as you know, the English
drove from the town."

"I saw him at Troyes," said one, "where he kneeled before the Maid, and
they seemed very loving."

"That is the man, that is Brother Richard. Now, as I was busy tending
the wounded, in the skirmish three days agone, this Carmelite was about
the same duty for those of his party. He put into my hand a slip of
paper, wherein Brother Richard commended him to any Scot or Frenchman of
the King's party, as an honest man, and a friend of the King's. When I
had read this, the Carmelite spoke with me in Latin, and in a low voice.
His matter was this: In Paris, he said, there is a strong party of
Armagnacs, who have, as we all know, a long score to settle with them of
Burgundy. They are of the common folk and labourers, but among them are
many rich burgesses. They have banded themselves together by an oath to
take our part, within the town, if once we win a gate. Here is a cedule
signed by them with their names or marks, and this he gave me as a proof
of good faith."

Here he handed a long slip of parchment, all covered with writing, to
Randal, and it went round among us, but few there were clerks, save
myself. I looked on it, and the names, many of them attested by seals
with coat armour, were plain to be read.

"Their counsel is to muster in arms secretly, and to convey themselves,
one by one, into certain houses hard by the Port St. Denis, where certain
of their party dwell. Now, very early to-morrow morning, before dawn,
the purpose of the English is to send forth a company of a hundred men-at-
arms, who will make a sudden onset on the windmill, where the Maid lies
to-night, and so will take her, if they may."

"By St. Bride of Douglas," said one of us, "they will get their kail
through the reek, for our guard is to lie in arms about the windmill, and
be first in the field to-morrow."

"The craft is, then," Father Urquhart went on, "that we shall destroy
this English company with sword or arrow, but with no alarm of culverins
or cannon. Meanwhile, some five score of you will put on to-night the
red cross of St. George, with plain armour, so that the English shall
mistake you for their own men returning from the