At Airaines a pause was made in order to try to discover some bridge or ford by which the river might be passed.  But Philip’s work had been so well done that not a whole bridge could anywhere be found; and the French army was pressing so hard upon the English that in the end they had to break up their camp in the greatest haste, leaving their cooked provisions and tables ready spread for their foes to benefit by.  They themselves hastened on to Abbeville, keeping slightly to the west of the town so as to avoid provoking attack, and be nearer to the coast, though as no English ships could be looked for in the river’s mouth, the seacoast was of small service to them.

Such is the brief outline of the facts of Edward’s well-known march in this campaign, destined to become so famous.  The individual action of our Gascon twins must now be told in greater detail.

Their reunion after so long a separation had been a source of keen delight to both the brothers.  Each had developed in a different direction, and instead of being shadows the one of the other as in old days, they were now drawn together by the force of contrast.  Gaston was above all else a soldier, with a soldier’s high spirit, love of adventure, and almost reckless courage.  He fairly worshipped the King and the Prince, and was high in favour with the youthful Edward, whose first campaign this was.  Raymond, whilst imbued with the same high courage, though of a loftier kind, in that it was as much spiritual as physical, and with much of the chivalrous love of adventure so common to the gallant youths of that age, was far more thoughtful, well instructed, and far-seeing than his brother.  He looked to the larger issues of life.  He was not carried away by wild enthusiasm.  He could love, and yet see faults.  He could throw in his lot with a cause, and ardently strive for the victory, and yet know all the while that there were flaws in that same cause, and admit with sorrow, yet firm truthfulness, that in this world no cause is ever altogether pure, altogether just.  He was not of the stuff of which hot partisans are made.  He had a spirit in advance of his times, and the chances were that he would never rise to the same measure of success as his brother.  For those who try to keep a stainless name in times of strife, bloodshed, and hostile jealousy, seldom escape without making bitter enemies, and suffer the penalty that will ever attend upon those who strive after a higher ideal than is accepted by the world at large.

But if growing apart in character, the bond of warm love was but drawn closer by the sense that each possessed gifts denied to the other.  Raymond found in Gaston the most charming and enlivening comrade and friend.  Gaston began unconsciously to look up to his brother, and to feel that in him was a power possessed by few of those by whom he was surrounded, and to which he could turn for counsel and help if ever the time should come when he felt the need of either.