Compiegne surrendered, and hauled down the English flag.  On the 14th we camped two leagues from Senlis.  Bedford turned and approached, and took up a strong position.  We went against him, but all our efforts to beguile him out from his intrenchments failed, though he had promised us a duel in the open field.  Night shut down.  Let him look our for the morning!  But in the morning he was gone again.

We entered Compiegne the 18th of August, turning out the English garrison and hoisting our own flag.

On the 23d Joan gave command to move upon Paris.  The King and the clique were not satisfied with this, and retired sulking to Senlis, which had just surrendered.  Within a few days many strong places submitted—­Creil, Pont-Saint-Maxence, Choisy, Gournay-sur-Aronde, Remy, Le Neufville-en-Hez, Moguay, Chantilly, Saintines.  The English power was tumbling, crash after crash!  And still the King sulked and disapproved, and was afraid of our movement against the capital.

On the 26th of August, 1429, Joan camped at St. Denis; in effect, under the walls of Paris.

And still the King hung back and was afraid.  If we could but have had him there to back us with his authority!  Bedford had lost heart and decided to waive resistance and go an concentrate his strength in the best and loyalest province remaining to him—­Normandy.  Ah, if we could only have persuaded the King to come and countenance us with his presence and approval at this supreme moment!

  40 Treachery Conquers Joan

Courier after courier was despatched to the King, and he promised to come, but didn’t.  The Duke d’Alencon went to him and got his promise again, which he broke again.  Nine days were lost thus; then he came, arriving at St. Denis September 7th.

Meantime the enemy had begun to take heart:  the spiritless conduct of the King could have no other result.  Preparations had now been made to defend the city.  Joan’s chances had been diminished, but she and her generals considered them plenty good enough yet.  Joan ordered the attack for eight o’clock next morning, and at that hour it began.

Joan placed her artillery and began to pound a strong work which protected the gate St. Honor,.  When it was sufficiently crippled the assault was sounded at noon, and it was carried by storm.  Then we moved forward to storm the gate itself, and hurled ourselves against it again and again, Joan in the lead with her standard at her side, the smoke enveloping us in choking clouds, and the missiles flying over us and through us as thick as hail.

In the midst of our last assault, which would have carried the gate sure and given us Paris and in effect France, Joan was struck down by a crossbow bolt, and our men fell back instantly and almost in a panic—­for what were they without her?  She was the army, herself.

Although disabled, she refused to retire, and begged that a new assault be made, saying it must win; and adding, with the battle-light rising in her eyes, “I will take Paris now or die!” She had to be carried away by force, and this was done by Gaucourt and the Duke d’Alencon.