We now come to the closing fight of the day, to the story of the fate of the noblest victim of all. It was next the turn of the _Ville de Paris_ herself. Between half-past five and six o'clock the course of the pursuit had brought the headmost of Rodney's ships well up with the rearmost group of the enemy, close astern of De Grasse himself and the little group of ships that kept company with the _Ville de Paris_. There were ships both of Rodney's own squadron and of Hood's squadron among the British at that point, although most of them were Hood's, hustled forward in chase by their chief's incessant signals during the afternoon. The _Barfleur_ herself, with every inch of canvas set and stu'ns'ls out aloft and alow, was following among the foremost and eagerly pressing on. The _Formidable_ and great part of Rodney's squadron were in rear, a little way off. As they neared the enemy the headmost ships came streaming on and firing briskly, steering to overlap the French on either side. The French, for their part, were in a straggling line, with irregular gaps between the ships. They comprised the _Ville de Paris_, originally in the centre but now fallen back to be almost last ship; the _Triomphante_, De Vaudreuil's flagship; De la Charette's _Bourgogne_, Macarty Macteigne's _Magnifique_, De Rions' _Pluton_, and the _Marseillais_, commanded by De Castellane-Majastre. All these belonged to De Vaudreuil's squadron, and had rallied with their chief to try and help the admiral. Three of De Grasse's own ships were with them--all that had stood by the chief,--the _Languedoc_ and the _Couronne_ (the _Ville de Paris's_ two 'seconds' in the original line of battle) and the younger De Vaudreuil's _Sceptre_. Like his brother, that officer was at the post of greatest danger, in accordance with the traditions of his House. The last three had dropped back to join De Grasse about four o'clock. None of Bougainville's ships were near De Grasse; the only one that had tried to reach him had been the _Ardent_, now, as the result, in Rodney's hands. Round this devoted band of nine ships the British attack concentrated, and for a second time the battle blazed up fiercely. The encounter was, however, too one-sided to endure. Stout-heartedly as they defended themselves, and most of them were fighting both broadsides at once, the French last-hope band were thrown into disorder and broken up.