CHAPTER XI.
THE MAID AT BLOIS--THE LETTER TO THE ENGLISH--THE DEPARTURE FOR ORLEANS With an escort of soldiers of fortune the Maid reached Blois at the same time as my Lord Regnault de Chartres, Chancellor of France, and the Sire de Gaucourt, Governor of Orleans.[874] She was in the domain of the Prince, whom it was her great desire to deliver: the people of Blois owed allegiance to Duke Charles, a prisoner in the hands of the English.

Merchants were bringing cows, rams, ewes, herds of swine, grain, powder and arms into the town.[875] The Admiral, De Culant, and the Lord Ambroise de Lore had come from Orleans to superintend the preparations.

The Queen of Sicily herself had gone to Blois.
Notwithstanding that at this time the King consulted her but seldom, he now sent to her the Duke of Alencon, commissioned to concert with her measures for the relief of the city of Orleans.[876] There came also the Sire de Rais, of the house of Laval and of the line of the Dukes of Brittany, a noble scarce twenty-four, generous and magnificent, bringing in his train, with a goodly company from Maine and Anjou, organs for his chapel, choristers, and little singing-boys from the choir school.[877] The Marshal de Boussac, the Captains La Hire and Poton came from Orleans.[878] An army of seven thousand men assembled beneath the walls of the town.[879] All that was now waited for was the money necessary to pay the cost of the victuals and the hire of the soldiers.

Captains and men-at-arms did not give their services on credit.

As for the merchants, if they risked the loss of their victuals and their life, it was only for ready money.[880] No cash, no cattle--and the wagons stayed where they were.
[Footnote 874: _Trial_, vol.iii, p.