登陆注册
15705300000049

第49章 OF THE FIGHTING AT LES AUGUSTINS AND THE PROPHECY

Some while I remained with Rutherford,Kennedy,and many others,for what could we avail to help the Maid?and to run has an ill look,and gives great heart to an enemy.Moreover,that saying of the Maid came into my mind,that she should be smitten of a bolt,but not unto death.So I even abode by the fosse,and having found an arbalest,my desire was to win a chance of slaying Brother Thomas,wherefore I kept my eyes on that archere whence he had shot.But no arbalest was pointed thence,and the fight flagged.On both sides men were weary,and they took some meat as they might,no ladders being now set on the wall.

Then I deemed it no harm to slip back to the vineyard where the Maid lay,and there I met the good Father Pasquerel,that was her confessor.He told me that now she was quiet,either praying or asleep,for he had left her as still as a babe in its cradle,her page watching her.The bolt had sped by a rivet of her breast-piece,clean through her breast hard below the shoulder,and it stood a hand-breadth out beyond.Then she had wept and trembled,seeing her own blood;but presently,with such might and courage as was marvel,she had dragged out the bolt with her own hands.Then they had laid on the wound cotton steeped with olive oil,for she would not abide that they should steep the bolt with weapon salve and charm the hurt with a song,as the soldiers desired.Then she had confessed herself to Pasquerel,and so had lain down among the grass and the flowers.But it was Pasquerel's desire to let ferry her across secretly to Orleans.This was an ill hearing for me,yet it was put about in the army that the Maid had but taken a slight scratch,and again would lead us on,a thing which I well deemed to be impossible.So the day waxed late,and few onslaughts were made,and these with no great heart,the English standing on the walls and openly mocking us.

They asked how it went with the Maid,and whether she would not fain be at home among her kine,or in the greasy kitchen?We would cry back,and for my own part I bade them seek the kitchen as pock-puddings and belly-gods,and that I cried in their own tongue,while they,to my great amaze,called me "prentice boy"and "jackanapes."Herein I saw the craft and devilish enmity of Brother Thomas,and well I guessed that he had gotten sight of me;but his face I saw not.

Ill names break no bones,and arrows from under cover wrought slight scathe;so one last charge the Bastard commanded,and led himself,and a sore tussle there was that time on the wall-crest,one or two of our men leaping into the fort,whence they came back no more.

Now it was eight hours of the evening,the sky grey,the men out-worn and out of all heart,and the captains were gathered in council.Of this I conceived the worst hope,for after a counsel men seldom fight.So I watched the fort right sullenly,and the town of Orleans looking black against a red,lowering sky in the west.Some concourse of townsfolk I saw on the bridge,beside the broken arch,and by the Boulevard Belle Croix;but I deemed that they had only come to see the fray as near as might be.Others were busy under the river wall with a great black boat,belike to ferry over the horses from our side.

All seemed ended,and I misdoubted that we would scarce charge again so briskly in the morning,nay,we might well have to guard our own gates.

As I sat thus,pondering by the vineyard ditch,the Maid stood by me suddenly.Her helmet was off,her face deadly white,her eyes like two stars.

"Bring me my horse,"she said,so sternly that I crushed the answer on my lips,and the prayer that she would risk herself no more.

Her horse,that had been cropping the grass near him happily enough,I found,and brought to her,and so,with some ado,she mounted and rode at a foot's pace to the little crowd of captains.

"Maiden,ma mie,"said the Bastard."Glad I am to see you able to mount.We have taken counsel to withdraw for this night.Martin,"he said to his trumpeter,"sound the recall.""I pray you,sir,"she said very humbly,"grant me but a little while";and so saying,she withdrew alone from the throng of men into the vineyard.

What passed therein I know not and no man knows;but in a quarter of an hour's space she came forth,like another woman,her face bright and smiling,her cheeks like the dawn,and so beautiful that we marvelled on her with reverence,as if we had seen an angel.

"The place is ours!"she cried again,and spurred towards the fosse.

Thence her banner had never gone back,for D'Aulon held it there,to be a terror to the English.Even at that moment he had given it to a certain Basque,a very brave man,for he himself was out-worn with its weight.And he had challenged the Basque to do a vaillance,or boastful deed of arms,as yesterday I and the Spaniard had done.So D'Aulon leaped into the fosse,his shield up,defying the English;but the Basque did not follow,for the Maid,seeing her banner in the hands of a man whom she knew not,laid hold of it,crying,"Ha,mon estandart!mon estandart!"There,as they struggled for it,the Basque being minded to follow D'Aulon to the wall foot,the banner wildly waved,and all men saw it,and rallied,and flocked amain to the rescue.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 安防人的创业史

    安防人的创业史

    本书是中国安防行业第一本歌颂安防企业家的书。书中记叙、描写了湖北省安防行业十二位优秀企业家艰难曲折的创业历程,真实地再现了这些企业家顽强拼搏的感人故事。他们敢想敢做,拥有火一般的热情与果敢执着的气质;他们有永不服输、永不放弃的精神,无畏无惧、勇往直前的勇气;他们创造了自己独特的管理方式、经营战略和企业文化;他们肩负伟大的社会责任感、使命感,为安防事业,为人类生活的和谐与安宁,奉献自己的一份力量。这12位安防创业家,只是众多安防人创业的一个缩影,还有更多成功创业者可歌可泣的故事值得我们去歌颂。
  • 无双道修

    无双道修

    现代穿越至修真世界的音乐高材生,走上一条修真之路。有爱情,有热血,有感动。人族,精灵族,龙族,树族,魔族,兽族,风云再起。让我们共同见证。希望大家能支持。
  • 啸天龙吟

    啸天龙吟

    这是一个五个大陆链接在一起形成的一个超级大陆这是大陆北边的一个山脉这是山脉旁边的一个安逸的小村子这是这个少年的起点他将从这个村子开始谱写出他的新篇章
  • 其实心很痛

    其实心很痛

    将自己的心连同记忆封存于岁月,以为自己已足够坚强,以为自己以足够坚定,可是在微笑和冷漠的背后,其实·······那是无法割舍的心痛!!!
  • 秩序公敌

    秩序公敌

    有这样的一些人,他们行走在古今未来的时空中,他们抓捕因各种原因而偷渡或误入时间空间的穿越者。他们是秩序维护者,他们来自秩序海。
  • 植物店

    植物店

    贪财者说,我想大发横财。延风随手递给他盆摇钱树,说可以。恋权者说,我想掌控生死大权。延风挥了挥手,送给他一枚权梨果,说没问题。这是一家奇葩的植物店,拥有一个奇葩的掌柜。只有你想不到的欲望,没有他给不了的植物。
  • 你不是董小姐

    你不是董小姐

    “咳……咳咳……”牟清咳了几声,他顺势把手中燃烧着的,还剩下多半只的烟丢尽了烟灰缸里。与其说是烟灰缸,倒不如说像是一个类似碗一样的容器里,装了些水,然后就是数不清的烟头。猜的没错,像牟清这样生活规律又有节制的人,跟本是不吸烟的,他也不会吸烟,所以家里没有烟灰缸。之所以这样一根接一根的“吸”着,是因为夏月爱吸烟,仅此而已。
  • 嗜血战神

    嗜血战神

    一个历史的传奇,他伟大名字却淹没在历史的潮流之中,是的他伟大但是不属于这个时代,伴随着响彻的雷鸣他将穿越到最初的人世去寻找自己的归宿。
  • 我的心好冷

    我的心好冷

    这是一部青春题材的小说。女主人公夏沫是一个豆蔻芳华的少女,小说描写了夏沫在亲情、友情和朦胧的暗恋之间徘徊的故事。小说旨在为这个年龄段的女孩子提供青春生活指南,具有积极的现实意义。
  • 生死爱之灼情生花

    生死爱之灼情生花

    “传说冥界有位孟婆神,她熬制的汤药有一种神奇的力量,可以让人忘却一切,我一直想要知道到底有没有这么一种药,可以让人忘记这世间所有执念扎根寄托的事物或人,我用了很多时间,终于研制出一种可以让人忘却执念的药,我把它唤作灼情,只需连续服用七七四十九天,便可以彻底忘记一个人,这四十九天里,你会陷入不同的梦境里,梦到不同的人,爱恨情仇会腐蚀你在这世间最深的执念。”身为女宅的专属大夫,孔笙静静的望着坐在窗前的少女,她轻瞌着眼皮,羽睫轻颤,繁复的银色莲纹堆垒出的轻容遮住了她的容颜。门外花浓树密的院落挡不住满天喜庆的喧嚣。这已经是第十五天了,他带回那个女人的第十五天。