about nine o'clock
Presently Joan pointed to it and said : `` Fair duke , step out of your tracks , or that machine will kill you . '' The Duke d'Alencon did as he was bid ; but Monsieur du Lude rashly took his place , and that cannon tore his head off in a moment . Joan was watching all along for the right time to order the assault . At last , about nine o'clock , she cried out : `` Now -- to the assault ! '' and the buglers blew the charge . Instantly we saw the body of men that had been appointed to this service move forward toward a point where the concentrated fire of our guns had crumbled the upper half of a broad stretch of wall to ruins ; we saw this force descend into the ditch and begin to plant the scaling-ladders . We were soon with them .