midnight
But , alas ! after four days a sentinel of ours saw , too late , an English knight with nine men slip through the vines , under cover of darkness , and win a postern gate in the town wall . Soon we heard a joy - fire of guns within Clermont town , and foreboded the worst . At midnight came a peasant to Xaintrailles , with tidings that a rescue was riding to Clermont , and next morning it was boots and saddles and away , so hastily that we left behind us the great bombards of the Burgundians . On this they made much mirth ; but they laugh best who laugh last , as shall he seen . And the cause of our going was that the Earl of Huntingdon had ridden out of Gournay , in Normandy , with a great force of English , to deliver Clermont . Against foes within the town and foes without the town the captains judged that we were of no avail .