quitted its safe shelter.  But I could not stay without thee, Brother.  I have greatly longed to look upon thy face again.  I knew that thou wert with the King, and I looked that this meeting should have been at Bordeaux.  But when news was brought that the English ships had changed their course and were to land their soldiers in the north, I could tarry no longer, and we have ridden hard through the land northward to find thee here.  Tell me, why this sudden change of plan?  Surely the King will not let his fair province of Gascony be wrested from his hand without striking a blow in its defence in person?”

Gaston laughed a proud, confident laugh.

“Thou needst scarce ask such a question, Raymond; little canst thou know the temper of our King an thou thinkest for a moment such a thing as that.  But methinks we may strike a harder blow here in the north against the treacherous French monarch than ever we could in the south, where his preparations are made to receive us.  Here no man is ready.  We march unopposed on a victorious career.  The army is far away in the south; the King has but a small force with him in Paris.  Brave Geoffrey of Harcourt, by whose advice we have turned our course and landed here at La Hague, has counselled us to march upon Calais and gain possession of that pirate city.  With the very key of France in our hands, what may not England accomplish?  Wherefore our march is to be upon Calais, and methinks there will be glory and honour to be won ore this campaign closes!”

And, indeed, for a brief space it did seem as though King Edward’s progress was to be one of unchecked victory; for he had already routed the French King’s Constable, sent to try to save Caen; had taken and pillaged that city, and had marched unopposed through Carbon, Lisieux, and Louviers to Rouen, leaving terrible devastation behind, as the soldiers seized upon everything in the way of food from the hapless inhabitants, though not repeating the scenes which had disgraced the English colours at Caen.

But at Rouen came the first of those checks which in time became so vexatious and even perilous to the English army.  The French, in great alarm, had realized that something must be done to check Edward’s victorious career; and as it was plain that if he turned his steps northward there would be no chance of opposing him, their aim and object was to pen him as far in the south as possible, so that the army in Gascony, perhaps, or failing that the new one mustering rapidly round the King in Paris, might close in upon the alien army and cut them to pieces by sheer force of numbers, before they could reach the coast and their ships.  So Philip, recovering from his first panic, sent orders that all the bridges between Rouen and Paris should be broken down; and when Edward reached the former city, intending to cross there to the north side of the Seine, he found only the broken piers and arches of the bridge left standing, and the wide, turbid waters of the great river barring his further progress.