Bertrand de Poulengy was his name; belike he was waiting while the King and the nobles devised with the Maiden privately in the great hall.
He stooped and helped me to pick up my linen, as courteously as if I had been a princess of the blood; and, because he was a gentleman, I suppose, and a stranger, the archers did not meddle with him, save to break certain soldiers' jests, making me glad that I was other than I appeared.
"Come," he said, "my lass, I will be your escort; it seems that Fortune has chosen me for a champion of dames." With these words he led the way forth, and through a long passage lit from above, which came out into the court at the stairs of the great hall.
Down these stairs the Maiden herself was going, her face held high and a glad look in her eyes, her conference with the King being ended.

Poulengy joined her; they said some words which I did not hear, for I deemed that it became me to walk forward after thanking him by a look, and bending my head, for I dared not trust my foreign tongue.
Before I reached the gateway they had joined me, which I was glad of, fearing more insolence from the soldiers.

But these men held their peace, looking grave, and even affrighted, being of them who had heard the prophecy of the Maiden and seen its fulfilment.
"Have ye found the body of that man ?" said Poulengy to a sergeant-at-arms.
"Nay, sir, we deem that his armour weighed him down, for he never rose once, though that Scot's head was seen thrice and no more.

Belike they are good, peaceful friends at the bottom of the fosse together." "Of what man speak you ?" asked the Maiden of Poulengy.
"Of him that blasphemed as we went by an hour ago.

Wrestling with a Scot on some quarrel, they broke the palisade, and--lo! there are joiners already mending it.