CHAPTER XIII. HOW THE MAID WON A NEW NAME.
"Entrez, entrez--de la part de Dieu--all is yours!"
Thus spoke the Maid, as we rushed the tower of the boulevard, theEnglish flying this way and that before us. The Maid found herselfface to face with the commander--that Sir William Glasdale, who hadcalled her vile names a few days before, and had promised to burnher for a witch if once she fell into his hands.
But she had no ill words for him, as she saw him, sword in hand,seeking to make a last stand upon the drawbridge leading to LesTourelles.
"Now yield you, Classidas," she said; "I bear you no ill will. Ihave great pity for your soul. Yield you, and all shall be well."
But he would not listen; his face was black like a thundercloud,and with his picked bodyguard of men, he retreated backwards, swordin hand, upon the bridge, seeking to gain the other tower, notknowing its desperate condition, and hoping there to make a laststand.
But he was not destined to achieve his end. Suddenly the bridgegave way beneath his feet, and he and his men were all precipitatedinto the water. It looked to us as though a miracle had beenwrought before our eyes; as though the gaze of the Maid had doneit. But the truth was afterwards told us, that a fire ship from thecity had been sent across and had burned the bridge, cutting offthe retreat of the English that way.
And now we heard the din of battle going on within Les Tourelles;for La Hire had crossed the repaired bridge with a gallant band ofsoldiers, and our men, hearing the shouts of their comrades, andthe cries of the trapped English, flung themselves into boats, orswam over, sword in mouth, anything to get to the scene of thefray; whilst others set to work with planks, and whatever theycould lay hands upon, to mend the broken drawbridge that they mightswarm across into Les Tourelles and join in the final act ofvictory, that should free Orleans from the iron grip in which shehad been held so long.
But the face of the Maid was troubled, as she looked into the darkwater which had closed over the head of Glasdale and his men. Shehad seized upon a coil of rope; she stood ready to fling it towardsthem when they rose; but encased as they were in their heavy mail,there was no rising for them. Long did she gaze into the black,bloodstained water; but she gazed in vain; and when she raised hereyes, I saw that they were swimming in tears.
"I would we might have saved them," she spoke, with a little catchin her voice, "I have such great pity for their souls!"
These were the first words I heard the Maid speak after herwonderful victory had been won; and whilst others went hither andthither, mad or drunk with joy, she busied herself about thewounded, making no distinction betwixt friend or foe, sendingurgent message into the city for priests to come forth and bringthe last Sacraments with them, and so long as there were any dyingto be confessed or consoled, or wounded to be cared for andtransported into the city, she seemed to have no thought for aughtbeside. Thankful joy was indeed in her heart, but her tenderwoman's pity was so stirred by sights of suffering and death thatfor the moment she could think of nothing else.
Thus the daylight faded, and we began to think of return. How shallI describe the sight which greeted our eyes in the gathering dusk,as we looked towards the city? One might have thought that theEnglish had fired it, so bright was the glare in which it wasenveloped; but we knew better. Bonfires were blazing in everysquare, in every open place. Nay, more, from the very roofs oftower and church great pillars of flame were ascending to theheavens.
Joy bells had rung before this, but never with such a wildjubilation, such a clamour of palpitating triumph. The city hadgone mad in its joy--and it was no marvel--and all were awaitingthe return of the Maid, to whom this miraculous deliverance wasdue. Eight days--eight days of the Maid--and the seven-months'siege was raised! Was it wonderful they should hunger for herpresence amongst them? Was it wonderful that every house shouldseek to hang out a white banner in honour of the Angelic Maid, andher pure whiteness of soul and body?
"I will come to you by the bridge," had been her own word; and now,behold, the bridge was there! Like Trojans had the men workedbeneath the eagle eyes of La Hire. An army had already crossed fromthe city; now that their task was done, the Maid's white chargerhad been led across, and the cry was all for her, for her; that sheshould let the people see her alive and well, now that her task wasaccomplished and Orleans was free!
She let us mount her upon her horse, and D'Aulon marched in frontwith the great white standard. Weary and white and wan was she,with the stress of the fight, with the pain and loss of blood fromher wound, above all, with her deep, unfailing pity for thesufferings she had been forced to witness, for the souls gone totheir last account without the sacred offices of the Church.
All this weighed upon her young spirit, and gave a strange,ethereal loveliness to her pale face and shining eyes. Methoughtshe seemed almost more like some angelic presence in our midst thana creature of human flesh and blood.
The Generals formed an advance guard before her. The soldiers followed,rank behind rank, in the rear. We of her household rode immediately inher wake, ready to protect her, if need be, from the too great pressureof the crowd. And so we crossed the hastily-repaired bridge, and enteredby the Bride Gate--or St. Catherine's gate, as it was equally called;for a figure of St. Catherine stands carved in a niche above the porch,and I saw the Maid glance upwards at it as she passed through, a smileupon her lips.
Shall I ever forget the thunder of applause which fell upon ourears as we passed into the city through the bridge? It was like the"sound of many waters"--deafening in volume and intensity. And wasit wonder? Had not something very like a miracle been wrought? Forhad not rumours reached the city many times that day of the deathof the Deliverer in the hour of victory? None well knew what tobelieve till they saw her in their midst, and then the cry whichrent the heavens was such as methinks is heard but once in alifetime.
I know not who first spoke the words; but once spoken, they werecaught up by ten thousand lips, and the blazing heavens echoed themback in great waves of rolling sound:
"THE MAID OF ORLEANS! THE MAID OF ORLEANS! Welcome, honour, glory,praise to THE MAID OF ORLEANS!"
The people were well-nigh mad with joy; they rushed upon her tokiss her hands, her knees, the folds of her banner, the neck or theflanks of her horse. In the red glare of the hundred bonfires thewhiteness of her armour seemed to take a new lustre. The rent uponthe shoulder could be plainly seen, showing where the arrow hadtorn its way. Women sobbed aloud as they looked; men cursed thehand which had shot the bolt; all joined in frantic cheers of joyto see her riding alone, erect and smiling, though with a dreamystillness of countenance which physical lassitude in part accountedfor.
"I thank you, my friends, I thank you," she kept saying, as thoughno other words would come, save when now and again she would add,"But to God must you give your thanks and blessings. It is He whohas delivered you."
It was not far to the house of the Treasurer, and there in thethreshold stood the little Charlotte, a great wreath of bay andlaurel in her tiny hands. She was lifted up in her father's strongarms, and ere the Maid was able to dismount from her horse thelittle one had placed the triumphal wreath upon her fair head.
O, what a shout arose! It was like the mighty burst of some greatthunderstorm. The Maid, blushing now at the tumult of applause,stretched out her arms, took the little one into them, and held herin a close embrace whilst she bowed her last graceful thanks to thejoy-maddened crowd. Then she slipped from her horse, and holdingthe little one fast by the hand, disappeared into the house, whilstthe people reluctantly dispersed to hear the story all over againfrom the soldiers pouring in, each with some tale of his own totell of the prowess of THE MAID OF ORLEANS.
Yes, that was the name by which she was henceforth to be known. Thecity was wild with joy and pride thus to christen her. And she,having crossed by the bridge, as she had said, sat down for a briefwhile to that festal board which had been spread for her. Butfatigue soon over-mastering her, she retired to her room, onlypaus
ing to look at us all and say:
"Tomorrow is the Lord's own day of rest. Remember that, my friends.Let there be no fighting, no pursuit, no martial exercise, whateverthe foe may threaten or do. Tomorrow must be a day of thanksgivingand praise. Look to it that my words are obeyed."
They said she slept like a child that night; yet with the earlylight of day she was up, kneeling in the Cathedral with herhousehold beside her, listening to the sound of chant and prayer,receiving the Holy Sacrament, the pledge of her Lord's love.
Not until we had returned from that first duty did she listen towhat was told her anent the movements of the English. They weredrawn up in battle array upon the north side of the river, spokethose who had gone to the battlements to look. Thinned as weretheir ranks, they were still a formidable host, and from the menaceof their attitude it might be that they expected the arrival ofreinforcements. Would it not be well, spoke La Hire, to go forthagainst them at once, whilst the soldiers' hearts were flushed withvictory, whilst the memory of yesterday's triumphs was green withinthem?
But the Maid, hitherto all in favour of the most dashing and daringpolicy, answered now, with a shake of the head:
"It is Sunday, my Generals," she replied; "the day of my Lord. Theday He has hallowed to His service."
She paused a moment, and added, quite gently, and without reproach,"Had you acted as I did counsel, the English would now have had nofooting on the north side of the river; they must needs have fledaltogether from the neighbourhood of the city. Nevertheless, myLord is merciful. He helps, though men hinder His designs. Let noman stir forth with carnal weapons against the foe this day. Wewill use other means to vanquish them."
Then turning to me, she bid me go to the Bishop, and ask him togive her audience; and shortly she was ushered into his presence,and we waited long for her to reappear.
How shall I tell of the wonderful scene which the sun looked downupon that bright May morning, when the purpose of the Maid becamefully revealed to us? Even now it seems rather as a dream, than asan incident in a terrible war.
Out upon the level plain, in full sight of the city, in full viewof the serried ranks of the English army, a great white altar wasset up. The army from Orleans marched out and stood bareheadedbeneath the walls, unarmed by order of the Maid, save for the smallweapon every man habitually carried at his belt, citizen as well assoldier. The townspeople flocked to the walls, or out into theplain, as pleased them best; and from the Renart Gate there issuedforth a grave and sumptuous procession; the Bishop in hisvestments, accompanied by all the ecclesiastics within the citywalls, each of them robed, attended by acolytes swinging censers,the incense cloud ascending through the sunny air, tapers swayingin the breeze, their light extinguished by the brilliance of thesunshine.
The Maid in her white tunic, with a white mantle over hershoulders, followed with bent head, leading the little Charlotte bythe hand succeeded by her household.
And there, in the sight of the rival armies, High Mass wascelebrated by the Bishop, both armies kneeling devoutly, andturning towards the Altar as one man. Never have I witnessed such ascene. Never shall I witness such another.
The Mass over, the procession filed back through the gate, botharmies kneeling motionless till it had disappeared. Then the Maidrose, and we with her, and followed her in its wake, and the Frencharmy, in perfect order, re-entered the city by the appointed gates,as had been ordered.
One hour later and the Maid sent D'Aulon up to the battlements tolook what the English army was doing. He returned to say that theywere still drawn up in rank as before.
"Which way are their faces?" she asked.
"Their faces are turned away from the city," was the reply.
The countenance of the Maid brightened with a great light.
"Then let them go, a part de Dieu!" she answered. "My God, I thankThee for this great grace!"
And so, without further battle or bloodshed, the English armymarched away from Orleans; and upon the next morning not a man ofthe foe was left; and the citizens pouring out from the town,destroyed, with acclamations of joy, those great bastilles, whichhad so long sheltered the foe and threatened the safety of thecity.
It was a day ever to be remembered. The bells pealed ceaselessly,the houses were decked with garlands, white banners or silkenpennons floated everywhere, the townsfolk arrayed themselves inholiday garb, and poured out through the gates to wander at willover the plain, so lately held by the English. Gladness and thewonder of a great relief was stamped upon every face, andconstantly songs of triumph arose or thunders of applause, of whichthe burden always was--THE MAID OF ORLEANS! THE MAID OF ORLEANS!
They would have kept her with them for ever, if it might so havebeen. They talked wildly, yet earnestly, of building her a palace,where she should live at ease all the rest of her days, the objectof universal admiration and homage.
But the Maid listened to such words, when repeated to her, with adreamy smile. Her wound required rest; and for two days sheconsented to remain quiet in the house of the Treasurer, lying forthe most part upon a couch in a great cool chamber, with the littleCharlotte for her companion and playfellow. She sometimes rose andshowed herself at a window in answer to the tumultuous shoutings ofthe crowd without; and she received with pleasure some greatbaskets and bouquets of flowers which the wives and children of thecitizens had culled for her. But she gently put aside allsuggestions of rewards for herself, which some would fain havebestowed upon the Deliverer, and which men of all ranks were buttoo ready to claim and receive for service rendered.
"I have all that I want, myself--and more," she said; "if any wouldoffer gifts, let them be thank offerings to the Lord. Let the poorreceive alms, let Masses be sung for the souls of those killed inthe war; but for me--I want nothing but the love of the people ofFrance. I am come to do the will of my Lord. I ask only Hisapproving smile."
And all the while she was eagerly desirous to return to the King,and urge upon him the need to repair instantly to Rheims, and therereceive his crown. To her he was not truly King till he had beenanointed as such. She knew that the blow to the English arms juststruck must have a paralysing effect upon their forces, and that arapid march with even a small army would be accomplished withoutresistance, if only it were quickly made.
I need not say that the city of Rheims lay in the very heart ofterritory owning the English sway. To reach that city we mustperforce march right through a hostile country, garrisoned by theenemy. But of that the Maid made light.
"The hearts of the people will turn towards us," she said. "Theyhave submitted to the English yoke; but they are Frenchmen still.Once let them see that the power of the enemy is broken, and theywill rally to our standard. But precious time should not be lost.The Dauphin should place himself at the head of such an army as hecan spare for the march, and journey forthwith to Rheims. Thereshall the crown be set upon his head--the pledge and earnest thatone day he shall rule the whole realm of France, as his fathers didbefore him!"
And so, before a week had passed, we set forth with the Maid to goto the King, who had by this time moved his Court from Chinon toLoches, another fortress upon the Loire, where there was space forhis train, and which could, if necessary, be fortified against asiege.
It was a strange journey--more like a triumphal progress thananything we had yet met with. The fame of the Maid and hermiraculous exploit in the matter of the siege of Orleans had gonebefore her, and from every town or village through which she passedthe people flocked out to see her, bearing garlands and banners,crowding about her, asking her blessing, seeking to touch her,pouring out blessings and praises, so that the heart of anyone lessfilled with the humility which comes from above must needs havebeen altogether puffed up and filled with pride.
But it was never so with the Maid. Her gentle courtesy and devouthumility never failed her. Lovingly and gratefully she receivedlove and affection, but praise and honour she set aside, biddingall remember that to God alone belonged the issues from death, andthat she wa
s but an instrument in His mighty hands.
We wondered how she would be received at the Court, and whether LaTremouille and her other adversaries had been convinced of herdivine mission, and would now remove all opposition. As weapproached the fortress we saw that flags were floating from everytower; that the place wore a festive aspect, and that the town waspouring out to welcome us and gaze upon the Maid.
Then, with a great fanfare of trumpets, the gates of the fortresswere flung wide open, and forth came a gay procession, in the midstof which, we could not doubt, rode the King himself.
Yes, there was no doubt of it. The crowd parted this way and that,and we saw how the young King himself was marching towards us, andat the sight of the Maid, not only did every courtier in the trainuncover, but the King himself bared his head, and bowed low to theMAID OF ORLEANS.
She was off her horse in a moment, kneeling at his feet; but heraised her instantly, held her hands in his, gave her thanks withtrue emotion in face and voice, and, turning to her brothers, whorode amongst us of her household, he cried to them in loud tones,saying how he had decreed that the family of the D'Arcs shouldhenceforth have the right to quarter the hues of France on theirarms! An empty honour, perhaps, to simple peasants; and yet anhonour that the proudest families in the land might envy!
They carried her into the fortress. The two Queens and the ladiesof the Court knew not how to make enough of her. They seemed tothink that our coming must be regarded as the signal for anoutburst of merrymaking and carousing, such as the King found somuch to his liking.
It amazed us to find him still wrapped in idle luxury, joyful, itis true, over the relief of Orleans, over the discomfiture of theEnglish; but as indisposed as ever to take the field himself, or toput himself at the head of an army and march to his coronation asthe Maid instantly urged him.
"Gentle Dauphin, the Lord would have you King of your realm; Hewould set the crown upon your head. He has smitten your enemies andscattered them. Then wherefore not do His will and march to theappointed spot? All will be well if you but follow His counsels."
"But, Maiden, I have so few troops; and I have no money; and theway lies through a hostile land," the King would urge, when dayafter day she pleaded with him. "All my counsellors advise delay.Is it not right that I should listen to them as well as to you?Wherefore such haste? Is it not wiser to act with deliberation andprudence?"
"It is right to follow the voice of the Lord," spoke the Maid withgrave and forceful earnestness, "and to put your trust in Himrather than in any child of man."
But the King could not be persuaded; indolence and fear held himcaptive, whilst his traitorous advisers sought by every means toundermine the influence of the Maid. And although in this they werenot successful, for he believed in her mission, admired herprowess, and looked to her for guidance and help, he must needslisten also to these others who were of contrary mind, and so theweary days dragged on, and nothing was done.
"Noble Dauphin," pleaded the Maid at last, "hold not such long orso many councils; or if, indeed, these be needful to you, let me, Ipray you, go forth again with a small army and clear the way. Andwhen all the country betwixt this place and Rheims has submitted toyour power, then follow yourself, and take your kingdom!"
Ah me!--to think that he, a King, could consent again to let her gothus, whilst he remained in ease and indolence surrounded by hisCourt! But so it was. What she could not persuade him to dohimself, she at last obtained leave to do for him, and with ajoyful face she came to us with the news:
"Gentlemen and my good comrades, be ready for a speedy march; wewill go forward and clear the way; and afterwards the Dauphin shallfollow and be made King!"
A Heroine of France: The Story of Joan of Arc Page 13
