The King and the Cardinal thought for a moment of converting the blockade into a regular siege with approaches in form, and endeavouring to take La Rochelle by assault. But the council of war which they called to discuss the matter objected that the only part of the fortifications which was approachable was of immense strength, and that to attempt to storm it would only entail a useless sacrifice of life. If Richelieu had been as sure of the officers as he was of the soldiers, he would perhaps have disregarded this advice, but he could not expose himself to the chance of a serious reverse. He therefore decided that there was nothing to be done but to continue the blockade and starve the place out. As for the Italian situation, it was recognised that it was impossible for France to intervene directly so long as La Rochelle remained untaken, but authority was given to raise a force of volunteers, who were to enter Italy by way of the Valtellina and throw themselves into Casale. CHAPTER XXXVII Arrival of the English fleet under the Earl of Denbigh--Its composition--Daring feat of an English pinnace--Retirement of the fleet--Probable explanation of this fiasco--Indignation of Charles I, who orders Denbigh to return to La Rochelle, but this is found to be impossible--The Rochellois approach Bassompierre with a request for a conference to arrange terms of surrender--The arrival of a letter from Charles I promising to send another fleet to their succour causes the negotiations to be broken off--La Rochelle in the grip of famine--Refusal of Louis XIII to allow the old men, women and children to pass through the Royal lines: their miserable fate--Movements in favour of surrender among the citizens suppressed by the Mayor Guiton--Terrible sufferings of La Rochelle--Bassompierre spares the life of a Huguenot soldier who had intended to kill him--Difficulties experienced by Charles I and Buckingham in fitting out a new expedition--Assassination of Buckingham--The vanguard of the English fleet, under the command of the Earl of Lindsey, appear off La Rochelle--Narrow escape of Richelieu and Bassompierre--The King takes up his quarters with Bassompierre at Laleu--Arrival of the rest of the English fleet--Feeble efforts of the English to force their way into the harbour--The Rochellois, reduced to the last extremity, sue for peace--Bassompierre conducts deputies from the town to Richelieu--Surrender of La Rochelle--Bassompierre returns with the King to Paris.