"But is not a good time for an assault; it is noon-day, and the sun glows too hotly. Dunois himself would be glad to breathe awhile out of his helmet!" returned the duke.

"It is always time when it pleases God, which is now; for look how pale and fearfully the English stare at us from the ruins;" returned Jeanne. "Forward, fair duke, to the assault ! Or dost thou fear? Hearken: I promise, faithfully, to bring thee back safe and sound to thy wife—whom thou shouldst love better than to call Jeanne 'sweetheart,' or to gaze so doatingly askew on the Lady of Beauty! I will take thee to her in as good or better estate than I now see thee; and to prove it, draw back now, or thou art but dead!”

"What ails me, that I should flee my post like a runagate?" returned the duke, without stirring a foot.

"Dost thou mark yonder bombard? It hath thee very fairly in its eye, duke, and the English cannoneer is lighting his match;" replied Jeanne."

of the sexes, he only made a laughing observa- It is not thou, nor I, who conducts the conflict, tion to Jeanne, when they parted, that, as he had but the Almighty One above! If I thought not lent her his sword, she ought to leave him her so, I would much rather be minding my sheep, distaff. The Lady of Beauty laughed and said, than amidst these horrors and perils !" she would teach him how to amuse himself instead, with embroidering a tapestry she meant to work, of Hercules spinning to amuse Dejanira. Thus lightly on one side-but with what conflicting and tumultuous thoughts on the otherparted the warlike prophetess and the King for whom she proceeded to face danger and death! The army advanced, in the first instance,. on the town of Jargeau, whither Suffolk had retired with a large fraction of the defeated host of Orleans. Almost from the moment they lost sight of the towers of Loches, and of the streaming kerchief of the Lady of Beauty, the Duke of Alençon commenced the prosecution of a plan he had secretly formed with many principal captains of his army. Alençon was handsome, royal, and sprightly-he had encountered little but success in matters of a personal nature, hitherto, and he now labored with singular diligence to insinuate himself into the familiarity and favor of the simple country girl of Domremy. But the warmer and kinder he waxed, the colder and sterner she became the more reserved and lofty of demeanor, until at length even the vanity of Alençon discerned that he was moving on a hopeless tack. Meanwhile with almost equal ill success the duke, and others in the secret, commenced an unceasing series of complaints and upbraidings against La Trimouille and his policy. Save that the Maid seemed a little surprised to hear that the very same men, whose tongues were apparently given merely to flatter him, could now find no revilings sufficiently depreciative to speak of the minister, she took no notice of what was said. Or, being much pressed and queried, she would answer that she came into France to fight the king's enemies, and not to judge his friends. Jeanne insisted on leading the storming party In this manner, the army of Alençon approach- with Alençon and Dunois, and she was the first ed Jargeau; but the French soldiery, confiding to set her ladder in the ditch, and essay to mount absolutely in the fortunes of their inspired leader, the shattered wall. She bore her standard aloft neglected all common precautions. An advanced —a circumstance which possibly saved her life. guard, rashly pushing on, was met in the suburbs A huge stone, dashed down among the assailants, of the city by the Earl of Suffolk's brother, Alex-struck on its pole and turned aside the full vioander de la Pole, and driven back, in great confu-lence of a blow that, nevertheless, alighted on sion, on the main body. Yet the mere appearance her casque, and hurled her into the ditch. of Jeanne, with her standard, sent them back to assailants paused in consternation, but she arose the conflict with such frenzied impetus, that the again, almost as instantly. Upon them; upon English were in turn compelled to take refuge in them, friends!" she shouted, as if raised by ditheir walls. vine power with increased energies. "God has condemned the invaders! Courage, courage! From this instant they are ours!"

"In sooth, it eyes me as lovingly as even thou fanciest I eyed the Lady of Beauty!" said Alençon, laughing and stepping aside.

"I will stand in your very foot-prints, my lord, for an hour, to spoil a prophecy!" said a knight belonging to the Marshal de Raix, who well knew his lord's aversion to Jeanne d'Arc. He stepped lightly forward; and almost at the same instant his head was struck from his shoulders by a cannon ball.

"Forward! to the assault! Jeanne is the only prophetess!" shouted Alençon, raising his battle-ax; and the assault commenced.

The

The siege of Jargeau was regularly formed, and for the first time Jeanne witnessed the full powers of John of Lorraine's art. Friends and The English, who had hitherto defended themfoes stood alike aghast and amazed at the prodi-selves with great courage and obstinacy, lost gious results of his efforts. In as few days as heart on these words, and at the wonderful fury most men had expected weeks to elapse, a of the assault that followed. They resisted but breach was effected. A great tower and huge a brief period, and the French, entering the mass of rampart rolled down; and without demanding any counsel but her own will, Jeanne ordered the trumpets instantly to summon the army to a general assault, while she herself led one into the breach.

town, made a bloody massacre of all they found, excepting some few prisoners, among whom was the Earl of Suffolk. His brother was slain, and nearly a thousand English shared the same disastrous doom. It seemed now a settled thing, on both sides, that neither should expect nor offer quarter.

The Duke of Alençon was of a rash and confident temper, but he, too, was alarmed at the audacity of such an attempt, and disposed from From Jargeau the victorious French proceeded pique to dispute Jeanne's wish. He represented to lay siege to Beaugency. But the terror of the the great number of the English garrison, and sorceress had preceded her, and the numerous the responsibility that attached to him on a fail- garrison abandoned the town, and retired into ure. "We shall not fail, fair duke!" replied the castle, almost as soon as she appeared. Jeanne, haughtily. What should we fear? Thence they sent the most earnest entreaties to

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Talbot, who had become chief commander of him. But yet I dare not consent to remain unless

the English forces by Suffolk's imprisonment, to come to their relief. The activity of that renowned captain, and the private intimations sent by the leaders in Beaugency of the panic-struck state of their troops, made it certain that no time would be lost in this attempt; and yet, when the messenger was seized and his dispatches taken from him, Jeanne ordered them to be restored, and himself to be set at liberty to proceed. "I desire to see Talbot again," she said, laughingly. "Let him come to Beaugency and we will beat all the garrisons of the Loire assembled in battle-array, which will spare us the trouble of going from town to town to seek for them."

thou, Jeanne,-thou to whom the saints have given the fate of France,-determine that we shall stay and receive De Richemont like a brother who has angered his sire in wrath, and returns to crave pity and forgiveness."

Yea, he hath eaten the husks of exile long enough. Let him return and merit the pardon we will all entreat for him, by some noble service!" said Jeanne, whose pastoral and filial reminiscences environed this suggestion with the most affecting associations. "We will go out and meet him with open arms-not like the envious and grudging brother that bemoaned his brother's return to peace and plenty !"

Accordingly the chiefs of the army before BeauThe Duke of Alençon suddenly withdrew his gency, and in fact nearly the whole host, went objections, and consented to the arrangement. forth to meet the Constable and his Bretons on He even purposely protracted the siege, declaring their arrival. Fraternal embraces, shouts, tears, that they could take the castle of Beaugency and the wildest effusions of joy, mingled the two whenever they pleased, and that meanwhile it lines of soldiery long before their captains met. ought to be left untaken, as a lure for Talbot. Nevertheless, the disgraced Constable had conNor was it until it was certainly known in the tinued his advance to the very moment of the camp before Beaugency, that Talbot had col-greeting, in doubt whether his friends or enemies lected an army and was advancing to its relief, prevailed, and whether he should be received with that he ventured on a plan, privately devised blows or embraces. among the enemies of La Trimouille, for the restoration of the Constable to authority.

intrigued so laboriously to bring him thither, were all present, but the Constable and Jeanne d'Arc, from the first instant, noticed only each other. Both alighted, and advanced with a slow step and earnest observation, until they met. "Ah, noble Constable, thou art not come hither by my will," she said, extending her hand. "But since thou art come to battle the enemies of France, thou art welcome!"

The stern, spare figure of the Constable, sheathed in steel from head to foot, with vizor raised, On a concerted occasion, the duke presented revealing his severe and portentous countenance, himself with a face of great grief and dismay, to came in sight somewhat in the rear of these deJeanne, and informed her that they must instant-monstrations. The nobles and captains who had ly raise the siege of the castle of Beaugency, and retire from the approach of Talbot. Jeanne calmly inquired wherefore, in the tone of one whose mind is so firmly made upon a point, that he is willing to hear any reasons to the contrary, certain that his opinion cannot be changed. Without replying directly, the crafty duke launched into a bitter invective against La Trimouille, whose personal jealousies and hatreds, he said, would undo all the good that had been done. And after laying a sufficient ground-work of this sort, the duke proceeded to declare, that he had been obliged to plight himself solemnly not to suffer the Constable De Richemont to join the armies of the king, or enter his presence. Nevertheless, he was now approaching with twelve hundred combatants comprising most of the best lances of France, humbly to offer his allegiance and services to the king, and aid in doing battle against his enemies. Alençon protested that he dared not await his arrival, and consequently that they must retire from Beaugency, and abandon all hope of fighting Talbot.

"Jeanne, I am glad to see thee," replied the Constable, drily, and pausing ere he returned her grasp. "Yet I was in truth strangely surprised to hear they had given the powers of mine office to a woman-though nothing done by the mad ape who misguides the realm ought to make men wonder. As to whether thou art of God, as some report, or not, I trouble myself little. If of God, I fear thee in nothing; for God knows my good will; if of the devil, I fear thee less."

"Good is good, whether it blows from east or west !" exclaimed La Hire. "Answer not, brave Jeanne, but hear news that makes all brothers who call French women mothers, and which I reAnd now it was for the first time that the in-served as a sweetmeat for any bitterness! Talbot dignation of the Maid seemed roused against the minister, who, she was yet aware, distrusted and thwarted all her enterprises. "All Frenchmen have the right of dying for France,-all children for their mother-say nay who will!" she exclaimed. "Fly if thou wilt, Alençon, thus basely and cowardly; I will not stir a foot from Beaugency, unless to meet Talbot."

This was exactly as the duke desired it. "Then must I tarry, too! All my captains will witness that I have no power in the host to stir them against aught the Maid determines!" he exclaimed, joyfully. "If the Constable comes, it is no fault of mine; we must take the castle for certain if we would secure this passage of the Loire; and if the Constable joins his battle to ours, and fights on the side of France instead of Talbot, we shall appear to all mankind madmen to try and hinder

is coming-Talbot with all his English hounds at his heels, gathered far and near-so we have our cherries in the basket, and have but to fall to work with a good appetite."

"It is time to take Beaugency, then," replied Jeanne quietly. "And in honor of our guest, let us look on and see how the Constable takes towns, and if his methods be better than ours, we will follow them henceforth."

The Constable smiled, and the gloomy fierceness of his countenance relaxed as he pressed Jeanne's hand in his hard grasp, and replied, "I accept the party, as one of great pleasaunce, if Alençon yields it me. And I think it will be long before I shall see occasion to repent the name of friend, which from this hour I give thee. Thou art honest, Jeanne, but the perfidious counselors whom I slew (De Giac I hung, and threw

into the Loire; and Beaulieu I struck through | pose of; but Jeanne knows my heart, and despishis false heart with my dagger, beneath the be- es its adoration." trayed king's eyes!) were traitors,-all!"

He looked inquiringly and very earnestly at After more general and joyful greetings with the Maid as he spoke, who with a tranquil conhis friends, the Constable proceeded to make his tempt that filled him with a secret but violent arrangements for a brisk`assault with his own indignation, merely replied, "Ye choose an ill men on the castle of Beaugency. But the dis-time for your wooing, messires, in the face of couragement and alarm of the besieged became battle and death. Reserve these fond speeches so complete when they found that the Bretons for your wives and lady-loves, and let us see had arrived, that their commanders requested which of ye will best deserve to have his folly terms of composition. Jeanne was always eager forgotten, by giving us noble cause to remember to spare the effusion of blood, and the French him!" generals, knowing that Talbot was on his march, thought it best to reserve their strength to abide his shock. Beaugency was allowed to capitulate, and a large corps of those dejected warriors who had conquered France under Henry V. were permitted to leave the castle with their horses and harness, in disgraceful safety!

The vanguard continued its advance to within about a league of a large village called Pataye, without discovering the English enemy. Nevertheless, Talbot and all his army were within a short distance of that fated spot.

The captivity of the Earl of Suffolk had released Talbot from the trammels in which he was kept by the colder and more cautious policy of that general. He had become, by the event, commander-in-chief of the English army on the Loire, and instantly set to work to repair what he considered the errors of his predecessor, by a contrary procedure. Perceiving that the scattered English garrisons would be devoured in detail as they had been at Orleans, he drew out the principal strength of all the towns on the Loire, assembled them in an army, and resolved to march with them to offer battle and relieve Beaugency. It was only the delay of Fastolfe in joining him with a large body, whtch he now com

On the following day the united French hosts, now swelled to formidable numbers and flushed with hope and victory, set out from Beaugency to meet Talbot. It was hoped that he had advanced too far to retire even when he found his purpose of relieving Beaugency forestalled; and bo confident were the French they had taken the right direction to meet him that the vanguard threw out no scouts, but continued to press unweariedly forward. It was led by Jeanne, the Constable, and nearly all the other principal commanders. But when a considerable tract of country had been crossed, and no signs of the English host appeared, the Duke of Alençon pro-manded at Meun, that retarded the operation so posed to halt and send forth intelligencers to as certain their exact position. "It needs not! Advance in the name of God, and if they be hung n the skies we shall have him, for He has ordained their punishment by our swords," exclaimed Jeanne. "Let us on, and my heart tells me that on this day our gentle king shall have the greatest victory that ever alighted, like a plumed eagle, on the crest of France!"

Brave wench! but that I am already wived, I would wed thee to make me father of heroes!" said the Constable delightedly.

"But I am not, my lord, and am of good birth and will win my spurs to-day, and will make Jeanne my wife when this field is won, if she will let me !" said one of the Constable's favorite squires, called De Flavy, a coarse and brutal but very valiant soldier.

"What say you, Jeanne? I could be well pleased to make a Breton woman of thee, and dower thee with a richer fief than ever La Trimouille's greediness will suffer the King to grant!" said De Richemont, with great eager

ness.

"I fight not for rewards that either Kings or Counts can give, and deem a husband one, least of all;" replied Jeanne, with a smile of disdain. "Good esquire, rest satisfied, you are too noble of blood and breeding for a shepherd girl's alliance, and renew not your proffer if you would not have me answer it in rougher guise."

The captains all laughed heartily, but the refusal and the ironical terms in which it was conveyed sunk like a corroding iron into the mean soul of Guillaume de Flavy.

long as to permit the junction of the Constable with the Duke of Alençon.

Fastolfe had received the most earnest entreaties and commands from the Duke of Bedford to waive all complaints with Talbot as to the manner in which he had been treated at Orleans, and advance to his aid. The English power in France had sustained a shock at Orleans which made it even tremble in Paris and in Normandy. Only the glory of some great success could check the ruin which this circumstance announced, and the cautious Bedford himself declared that everything must be hazarded to effect the object.

For awhile Fastolfe had not unreasonably answered the summons of his new chief by reproaching him with the desertion he had suffered in St. Loup. But to the Duke of Bedford he alleged the dejected and heartless condition of the troops which had gathered round him, as a reason for not moving from his quarters. They were indeed composed in great part of the fugitives from Orleans, still in the full terror of defeat, and apprehensions of the supernatural attributes of their overthrower. An instinctive sympathy collected these men in the garrison of Meun around Fastolfe. They felt that he had as little reason as any of them to venture again in the sorceress's destroying path.

It may well be imagined that the triumphs of Jeanne d'Arc had in no wise diminished Fastolfe's belief in her having sold herself to the fiend. All that a mortal and a valiant soldier could do, all that desperation could dare, he felt he had done and dared to withstand her resistless progress at Orleans. Nothing but shame and "Comfort thyself, she has also scorned me, destruction, he was convinced, awaited all who De Flavy;" said the Duke of Alençon, but not opposed her. Towns and fortresses, which unaltogether with the careless vivacity he assumed. der ordinary circumstances ought to have stopped "It is true I never openly offered even my love, armies for months, yielded when she but sumwhich is all that the priests have left me to dis-moned them. The destroying angel could scarce

"None is fitter for the office than the noble Talbot! I dispute it not-nay, I will die to prove it!" he said, with strong emotion. "But what can man against fiends?"

ly have wrought a more rapid and relentless pected a far different conclusion, was moved slaughter. The glory he had acquired, and even to tears. which he was passionately desirous of preserving, made Fastolfe still more unwilling to hazard it on a die loaded by fate against the side he played on. Notwithstanding the entreaties and commands of Talbot, and the arrival of fresh troops from Paris, which the Regent sent him to infuse spirits into his defeated bands, Fastolfe stirred not.

In addition to the feelings and apprehensions he shared in common with the entire English host, the Dragon Knight was secretly haunted by the idea that his state of excommunication exposed both himself and his friends to a hideous danger. He who perished thus, perished eternally the church herself could not revoke the consequences of her curse, if the victim left the earth beneath it! Not only the death of this life but an eternal one was before him, which the horrible fancies of the middle ages surrounded with incalculable suffering and fear. Accordingly he remained immovably in Meun, until finally, Talbot himself, attended by his army, advanced to that city to claim his aid in person, or perhaps to enforce it.

This was a measure which Fastolfe had very little desired or expected from so haughty a and he received the new generalcommander; in-chief, with few marks of cordiality, into his city. Still the deepest indignation and grief swelled in his heart when he heard the tidings Talbot's host brought with it. It was not yet known that the castle of Beaugency had fallen; but the massacre at Jargeau and the vehement entreaties of the captains in the former place, that their countrymen would redeem them from a like fate, wrung the soul of Fastolfe.

"Cross himself, charge and win!" returned Talbot, suddenly clasping Fastolfe in a warrior's embrace. "Let us on; and I swear by the tomb of Henry of Agincourt, that whichever of us proves himself the better knight shall henceforth lead all the rest!"

Fastolfe was carried away by a tide of natural feeling, which triumphed for awhile over every obstacle, and cordially returning the embrace of Talbot, he echoed his cry, and "Let us on!" became the word throughout the English host.

TALBOT, Fastolfe, the Lord Scales, and Sir Thomas Rampstone, were the leaders under whose guidance the English army advanced toward the fatal field of Pataye. The fall of Beaugency was not yet announced, and they expected to find the French beneath the walls of the castle. The army advanced in order of battle over a vast flowery plain, enameled with all the profuse The despairing sentiments in it were, how-mosaic-work of summer, without discovering the ever, yet too strong, and he represented to Tal- least sign of an enemy, and without seeking any, bot and his captains the extreme dejection of the English troops, in contrast with the joyful enthusiasm of the French. He urged the fewness of their numbers, which the least movement in advance would thin, as the jolting of the car shakes the ears from the corn. In conclusion, he advised that the English in Beaugency should make the best terms they could for themselves, and the rest retire to their garrisons to await better times and hopes and reinforcements from England.

so assured were the captains that Beaugency still held out. But suddenly a solitary pursuivant-atarms appeared, pricking his horse in great haste toward the approaching banners. On arriving, he proved to be a messenger, who announced the surrender of the town and castle of Beaugency, and the departure of the garrison, which, at no great distance, had changed into a panic dispersion and flight.

Fastolfe, who had relapsed into his gloomy musings, now earnestly renewed his advice that "What! abandon my valiant soldiers at Beau- the army should retire to the garrisons, since the gency to the French, who promise mercy, and object to be attained by an advance was lost. cut the throats of their unarmed prisoners!" But Talbot more obstinately and furiously reshouted Talbot. "Commence my fields by fused. "Never will I fly before a woman?" he a flight, my captainship by desertion! Repeat, exclaimed. "And our towns are but lost, either on a grander scale, the errors I blamed in Suf-way, if we win not some good field against her. folk and Gladesdale! Fastolfe, it is thy own Desert me if thou wilt, Sir John! and with only heart that trembles, and not those of your sol- my own men, and such as for very shame will not diery! The meanest of them would rather die follow thee, I will advance, and with the aid of many deaths than abandon his comrades in such God and my Lord St. George, battle and discomfit extremity !" them !"

"Take thy lance and sword, Talbot, if thou "Thou shalt be well assured of me, Lord Talart not the coward thou callest me, and I will bot; I will lead the van!" returned Fastolfe. prove that I am none, or thou shalt slay me !""Keep thou but the main battle up with me, returned Fastolfe, furiously roused.

and methinks I cannot fly."

He said this haughtily and angrily, yet with pale and tremulous lips; and goring his spurs with a sudden and uncalled-for stroke in the flanks of his charger, he rode moodily on.

"Yes, Fastolfe! take thy sword and lance, as I will mine, and we will prove-not who deserves so vile a name, which never yet passed Talbot's lips with thine,-but which has the best right to lead the soldiers of Henry V., not Wulfstan of Warbois was, as usual, the close upon each other, but into the ranks of the French attendant on his lord's person, and did not venrenegades!" said Talbot; and Fastolfe, who ex-ture to interrupt the melancholy silence which

had of late become habitual to him. He grew a little surprised and alarmed, however, at last, on observing the ashy paleness of his master's complexion, and the incessant mutter of prayer on his lips, even while continuing the advance so rapidly that few of the men-at-arms could keep

pace.

The Verdurer's own deep apprehensions were rekindled by these signs of alarm in so valiant a leader, and he presumed, at length, in a faltering voice, to inquire by what signs his lord seemed so well assured their enemy was a sorceress? Fastolfe made no reply, for at the moment a singular incident occurred. A stag started from a lair in the thick grass before them, and fled from their approach. With that species of wild gayety that visits men at times in desperate moods, Fastolfe instantly raised a view-halloo, and spurred on his charger, as if to chase it in the heavy panoply of

war.

said the Dragon Knight, shuddering. "Now we battle with a witch who can make darkness at noonday!"

"Thou ravest, Fastolfe, like an old woman in her dotage, to a grandchild!" said Talbot, laughing scornfully. Is it darkness now, or doth the blessed sun show his bright face in the skies, and wink merrily at us if we raise our eyes to him?" "And thou ravest, Talbot, like the atheist and unbeliever men call thee!" retorted Fastolfe, vehemently.

"It is better, methinks, to be of no belief than of one that makes a coward of a valiant man; for coward I will call thee before all the chivalry of the Garter thou wearest, if thou fleest now from a woman's sword!" shouted Talbot.

"I have seen her at her sorceries, I tell thee, Talbot," said Fastolfe, without any flash of the indignation to be expected from this speech. "I have seen her! Let us bide until her time is up, for until then may no man strive with her but to his own destruction! Eternal destruction, O God! for me."

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Wulfstan's professional instinct was immediately on the alert, and he raised a gladsome cheer that made the welkin ring, and was caught up by the scattered parties advancing over the plain. A sprightly chase seemed likely to diversify the march of the vanguard; the stag flew forward, and all followed with joyous shouts, when suddenly, as if raised by the stroke of a magician thee, man! from the plain, the horizon became crowded with banners, and the French host appeared advancing in a vast gleaming line. The surprise had at all events the effect of some such marvel on Fastolfe and his men, who were not aware that a low mountainous swell in the plain had concealed the approach of the French so far. But being apprised of their enemies' nearness by their cries after the stag, the French vanguard, under La Hire, rolled impetuously forward to gain the advantage of the eminence. The stag disappeared from the astonished gaze of the English, and men and steeds halted in confused masses. There wanted little to complete the dismay of all, and that little was supplied by the Verdurer. Now am I certain she is a witch, and know how she has fastened us !" he exclaimed. "It is the stag of Commercy! I saw the yellow gold of my lord's chain round its neck!"

Fastolfe stared at him motionlessly, and after a pause of dismal meditation gave orders to the vanguard to retire. This maneuver was about to be executed with unusual promptitude when Talbot arrived at the speed of his horse, with the Lord Scales and Sir Thomas Rampstone in his company. "Halt!-who dared speak of turning back on these French rascallions?" he said, with a fierce glance at Fastolfe.

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They are not rascallions, but the best chivalry of France! Yonder are the banners of Dunois and the Constable !-to advance is madness!" replied Fastolfe. "We are but a handful against an armful; they have the 'vantage of the ground; a defeat were ruin to us, for it will lose all in an hour that the dead king conquered in France, with such infinite toil, and in so long a time !"

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They are many, it may not be denied," returned Talbot. "But I was with Henry V. at Agincourt; my fathers were with his at Crecy and Poictiers! I see not that there are more French here than David Gam saw at Agincourt;-enow to fight, enow to be slain, and enow to run away!' Your numbers were not more equal at the battle of Herrings, Fastolfe! yet you won it."

"Yea, but we fought then against mortals!"

And I have seen her at her sorceries, which were only in the eyes and fears of fools and dastards!-The friend of Bedford, the victor of Rouvrai, is neither," said Talbot. "Remind At Rouvrai thou didst never pause to count thy living enemies, and the dead outnumbered those who slew them. But be it as it may,-come all earth, and Heaven, and hell!— Talbot will not budge from this field until he has disputed every inch with a drop of blood! I will tarry here with the vanguard until ye come to my aid in this manner: Scales and Rampstone with the main battle, on my right; Fastolfe and the rear-guard on my left to guard my heart, dear brother, for well I know thou art the most trustworthy soldier here! What, give us thy Rouvraì look again! and thou shalt see in the ordonnance of my battle, how well I remember our master's lessons at Agincourt. Between these hedges, with mine archers, I will stop the march of all France, until Rampstone and Scales turn them round the base of the valley, and thy victorious standards glitter among the chestnuts in yonder village of Pataye! Then will we all charge at once, and God and St. George shall give the victory!"

The glorious recollections roused by these words stirred the valiant but darkly shadowed nature of Fastolfe to something of its early vigor. He accepted the office assigned to him, and in a brief council, the battle was formally planned. It was agreed that Talbot and the vanguard should remain in face of the enemy, and fortify themselves by taking possession of some inclosed fields and vineyards, while Rampstone and Scales assailed the enemy on the right, and Fastolfe advanced to the village of Pataye. The French would then be in danger of being surrounded on their mountain, and must make the attack; in sustaining which, the superiority of the English archery gave great advantages that almost always resulted in victory.

These dispositions made, the captains proceeded to execute them, while Talbot advanced with characteristic impetuosity, and took possession of the ground he had assigned himself. Regardless of the circumstance that he placed his troops in imminent danger of being attacked before aid could arrive, he pushed them to the very base of the French position. His flanks were indeed