Part 44 (1/2)
The Sire de Gaucourt's men were ranged behind, to cover the besiegers in case the English from the bridge end should come to the aid of their countrymen in Les Augustins. But a quarrel arose in de Gaucourt's company. Some, like Sire d'Aulon and Don Alonzo, judged it well to stay at their post. Others were ashamed to stand idle. Hence haughty words and bravado. Finally Don Alonzo and a man-at-arms, having challenged each other to see who would do the best, ran towards the bastion hand in hand. At one single volley Maitre Jean's culverin overthrew the palisade. Straightway the two champions forced their way in.[1044]
[Footnote 1044: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 215 (Jean d'Aulon's evidence).]
”Enter boldly!” cried the Maid.[1045] And she planted her standard on the rampart. The Sire de Rais followed her closely.
[Footnote 1045: _Ibid._, p. 78 (evidence of Beaucroix). _Journal du siege_, p. 86.]
The numbers of the French were increasing. They made a strong attack on the bastion and soon took it by storm. Then one by one they had to a.s.sault the buildings of the monastery in which the _G.o.dons_ were entrenched. In the end all the English were slain or taken, except a few, who took refuge in Les Tourelles. In the huts the French found many of their own men imprisoned. After bringing them out, they set fire to the fort, and thus made known to the English their new disaster.[1046] It is said to have been the Maid who ordered the fire in order to put a stop to the pillage in which her men were mercilessly engaging.[1047]
[Footnote 1046: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, p. 72. _Journal du siege_, pp. 84, 85. Of doubtful authenticity.]
[Footnote 1047: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291.]
A great advantage had been won. But the French were slow to regain confidence. When, in the darkness by the light of the fire, they beheld for the first time close to them the bulwarks of Les Tourelles, the men-at-arms were afraid. Certain said: ”It would take us more than a month to capture it.”[1048]
[Footnote 1048: Perceval de Cagny, p. 146.]
The lords, captains, and men-at-arms went back to the town to pa.s.s a quiet night. The archers and most of the townsfolk stayed at Le Portereau. The Maid would have liked to stay too, so as to be sure of beginning again on the morrow.[1049] But, seeing that the captains were leaving their horses and their pages in the fields, she followed them to Orleans.[1050] Wounded in the foot by a caltrop,[1051]
overcome with fatigue, she felt weak, and contrary to her custom she broke her fast, although the day was Friday.[1052] According to Brother Pasquerel, who in this matter is not very trustworthy, while she was finis.h.i.+ng her supper in her lodging, there came to her a n.o.ble whose name is not mentioned and who addressed her thus: ”The captains have met in council.[1053] They recognise how few we were in comparison with the English, and that it was by G.o.d's great favour that we won the victory. Now that the town is plentifully supplied we may well wait for help from the King. Wherefore, the council deems it inexpedient for the men-at-arms to make a sally to-morrow.”
[Footnote 1049: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 79 (evidence of Beaucroix).]
[Footnote 1050: _Ibid._, p. 70. _Chronique de la fete_, p. 33.]
[Footnote 1051: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 291.]
[Footnote 1052: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 108.]
[Footnote 1053: The council is mentioned in _La chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292; but this doc.u.ment is a mere echo of Brother Pasquerel's evidence.]
Jeanne replied: ”You have been at your council; I have been at mine.
Now believe me the counsel of Messire shall be followed and shall hold good, whereas your counsel shall come to nought.” And turning to Brother Pasquerel who was with her, she said: ”To-morrow rise even earlier than to-day, and do the best you can. Stay always at my side, for to-morrow I shall have much ado--more than I have ever had, and to-morrow blood shall flow from my body.”[1054]
[Footnote 1054: _Trial_, vol. iii, pp. 108, 109. Brother Pasquerel, whom I follow here, reports Jeanne's saying in the following terms: _Exibit crastina die sanguis a corpore meo supra mammam._ I suspect him of having added to the prophecy. He was too fond of miracles and prophecies. On the 28th of April the Maid says that the wind will change, and it changed. Brother Pasquerel is not satisfied with so moderate a marvel. He relates that Jeanne raised the waters of the Loire. We know on other authority that the Loire was high. It cannot be denied that long before this Jeanne had foretold that she would be wounded. This fact, stated in a letter from Lyon, dated the 22nd of April, 1429, was recorded in a register of La Cour des Comptes of Brabant. But she did not specify the day. _Dixit ... quod ipsa ante Aureliam in conflictu telo vulnerabitur_ (_Trial_, vol. iv, p. 426).]
It was not true that the English outnumbered the French. On the contrary they were far less numerous. There were scarce more than three thousand men round Orleans. The succour from the King having arrived, the captains could not have said that they were waiting for it. True it is that they were hesitating to proceed forthwith to attack Les Tourelles on the morrow; but that was because they feared lest the English under Talbot should enter the deserted town during the a.s.sault, since the townsfolk, refusing to march against Saint-Laurent, had all gone to Le Portereau. The Maid's Council troubled about none of these difficulties. No fears beset Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. To doubt is to fear; they never doubted.
Whatever may be said to the contrary, of military tactics and strategy they knew nothing. They had not read the treatise of Vegetius, _De re militari_. Had they read it the town would have been lost. Jeanne's Vegetius was Saint Catherine.
During the night it was cried in the streets of the city that bread, wine, ammunition and all things necessary must be taken to those who had stayed behind at Le Portereau. There was a constant pa.s.sing to and fro of boats across the river. Men, women and children were carrying supplies to the outposts.[1055]
[Footnote 1055: _Journal du siege_, p. 84.]
On the morrow, Sat.u.r.day the 7th of May, Jeanne heard Brother Pasquerel say ma.s.s and piously received the holy sacrament.[1056] Jacques Boucher's house was beset with magistrates and notable citizens. After a night of fatigue and anxiety, they had just heard tidings which exasperated them. They had heard tell that the captains wanted to defer the storming of Les Tourelles. With loud cries they appealed to the Maid to help the townsfolk, sold, abandoned, and betrayed.[1057]
The truth was that my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d and the captains, having observed during the night a great movement among the English on the upper Loire, were confirmed in their fears that Talbot would attack the walls near the Renard Gate while the French were occupied on the left bank. At sunrise they had perceived that during the night the English had demolished their outwork Saint Prive, south of l'ile-Charlemagne.[1058] That also caused them to believe firmly that in the evening the English had concentrated in the Saint-Laurent camp and the bastion, London. The townsfolk had long been irritated by the delay of the King's men in raising the siege. And there is no doubt that the captains were not so eager to bring it to an end as they were.[1059] The captains lived by war, while the citizens died of it,--that made all the difference. The magistrates besought the Maid to complete without delay the deliverance she had already begun. They said to her: ”We have taken counsel and we entreat you to accomplish the mission you have received from G.o.d and likewise from the King.”
[Footnote 1056: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 109. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 295.]
[Footnote 1057: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 292. _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 215. _Journal du siege_, pp. 84, 85.]
[Footnote 1058: _Chronique de la fete_, in _Trial_, vol. v, p. 293.]
[Footnote 1059: ”_Par l'accord et consentement des bourgeois d'Orleans mais contre l'opinion et volonte de tous les chefs et capitaines_,”