That night the three English youths, unwounded and unscathed, reported themselves to their commander, Lord Clinton. Ah, what a happy meeting was that! And though the English contingent took no leading part in the battle, yet their presence before the town prevented Coligni from succeeding in an attempted sortie from St. Quentin—they did good service. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XII THE FALL OF ST. QUENTIN A vast amount of spoil fell into the hands of the victors: among it were eighty standards and all the artillery save two pieces. The prisoners numbered six thousand men, of whom six hundred were gentlemen of position. Of De Montmorency's fine army of twenty-two thousand men all were slain or captured, save five thousand. Among the slain were some of the noblest of the sons of France, notably Jean de Bourbon, Count d'Enghien, a prince of the blood. On the side of the Spaniards less than a thousand fell, among them being Count Brederode (who perished in the morass, smothered in his armour) and Counts Spiegelbourg and Waldeck. On the next day King Philip himself rode into the camp; he had left Brussels and was at Cambrai when the battle took place. He was received with all the honours of war—with unbounded enthusiasm! The unhappy prisoners were paraded before him in long procession, and the captured standards were placed at his feet—the camp was delirious with joy. A council of war was forthwith held to decide on future operations. With fiery zeal Egmont and Gonzaga urged that an immediate march on Paris should be made. "Send me on with the cavalry, sire, and I promise you that in four days you shall sup in Paris!" cried Egmont. But Philip was as cautious as his renowned father, Charles the Fifth, was adventurous. When the news of the battle reached the abdicated Emperor, his first inquiry was "whether Philip was in Paris." There were many difficulties to be surmounted ere that glorious consummation could be reached, and Philip laid them before the council. "St. Quentin must first be taken! Between them and Paris there existed many a strong fortress, and wide rivers which must be crossed. Moreover, Paris would not surrender lightly—its citizens could man the walls with forty thousand men at least. "Again, Condé and Nevers, with the relics of the broken army, must be reckoned with. Ere long Guise would come to their support." So the King argued, and the council reluctantly agreed that all their efforts should now be concentrated on the capture of St. Quentin. Before the council broke up King Philip called Egmont to him, and taking the collar of the Golden Fleece from his own person, placed it upon the neck of the Count as the real hero of the day!