were astounded not to see either the dauphin or the Duke of Burgundy coming back within their walls, and at being, as it were, forgotten and deserted amidst the universal making-up.  They complained that no armed force was being collected to oppose the English, and that there was an appearance of flying before them, leaving open to them Paris, in which at this time there was no captain of renown.  They were still more troubled when, on the 29th of July, they saw the arrival at the St. Denis gate of a multitude of disconsolate fugitives, some wounded, and others dropping from hunger, thirst, and fatigue.  When they were asked who they were, and what was the reason of their desperate condition, “We are from Pontoise,” they said; “the English took the town this morning; they killed or wounded all before them; happy he whosoever could escape from their hands; never were Saracens so cruel to Christians as yonder folk are.”  It was a real fact.  The King of England, disquieted at the reconciliation between the Duke of Burgundy and the dauphin, and at the ill success of his own proposals at the conference of the 30th of May preceding, had vigorously resumed the war, in order to give both the reunited French factions a taste of his resolution and power.  He had suddenly attacked and carried Pontoise, where the command was in the hands of the lord of Isle-Adam, one of the most valiant Burgundian officers.  Isle-Adam, surprised and lacking sufficient force, had made a feeble resistance.  There was no sign of an active union on the part of the two French factions for the purpose of giving the English battle.  Duke John, who had fallen back upon Troyes, sent order upon order for his vassals from Burgundy, but they did not come up.  Public alarm and distrust were day by day becoming stronger.  Duke John, it was said, was still keeping up secret communications with the seditious in Paris and with the King of England; why did he not act with more energy against this latter, the common enemy?  The two princes in their conference of July 9, near Melun, had promised to meet again; a fresh interview appeared necessary in order to give efficacy to their reconciliation.  Duke John was very pressing for the dauphin to go to Troyes, where the king and queen happened to be.  The dauphin on his side was earnestly solicited by the most considerable burgesses of Paris to get this interview over in order to insure the execution of the treaty of peace which had been sworn to with the Duke of Burgundy.  The dauphin showed a disposition to listen to these entreaties.  He advanced as far as Montereau in order to be ready to meet Duke John as soon as a place of meeting should be fixed.