The governor rode in state, attended by his guards, and the news of
it went everywhere, and made a great sensation, and modified the
scoffings of the people of quality and raised Joan’s credit higher
than ever.
The governor had made up his mind to one thing: Joan was either a
witch or a saint, and he meant to find out which it was. So he
brought a priest with him to exorcise the devil that was in her in
case there was one there. The priest performed his office, but
found no devil. He merely hurt Joan’s feelings and offended her
piety without need, for he had already confessed her before this,
and should have known, if he knew anything, that devils cannot
abide the confessional, but utter cries of anguish and the most
profane and furious cursings whenever they are confronted with
that holy office.
The governor went away troubled and full of thought, and not
knowing what to do. And while he pondered and studied, several
days went by and the 14th of February was come. Then Joan went
to the castle and said:
“In God’s name, Robert de Baudricourt, you are too slow about
sending me, and have caused damage thereby, for this day the
Dauphin’s cause has lost a battle near Orleans, and will suffer yet
greater injury if you do not send me to him soon.”
The governor was perplexed by this speech, and said:
“To-day, child, to-day? How can you know what has happened in
that region to-day? It would take eight or ten days for the word to
come.”
“My Voices have brought the word to me, and it is true. A battle
was lost to-day, and you are in fault to delay me so.”
The governor walked the floor awhile, talking within himself, but
letting a great oath fall outside now and then; and finally he said:
“Harkye! go in peace, and wait. If it shall turn out as you say, I will
give you the letter and send you to the King, and not otherwise.”
Joan said with fervor:
“Now God be thanked, these waiting days are almost done. In nine
days you will fetch me the letter.”
Already the people of Vaucouleurs had given her a horse and had
armed and equipped her as a soldier. She got no chance to try the
horse and see if she could ride it, for her great first duty was to
abide at her post and lift up the hopes and spirits of all who would
come to talk with her, and prepare them to help in the rescue and
regeneration of the kingdom. This occupied every waking moment
she had. But it was no matter. There was nothing she could not
learn–and in the briefest time, too. Her horse would find this out
in the first hour. Meantime the brothers and I took the horse in turn
and began to learn to ride. And we had teaching in the use of the
sword and other arms also.
On the 20th Joan called her small army together–the two knights
and her two brothers and me–for a private council of war. No, it
was not a council, that is not the right name, for she did not
consult with us, she merely gave us orders. She mapped out the
course she would travel toward the King, and did it like a person
perfectly versed in geography; and this itinerary of daily marches
was so arranged as to avoid here and there peculiarly dangerous
regions by flank movements–which showed that she knew her
political geography as intimately as she knew her physical
geography; yet she had never had a day’s schooling, of course, and
was without education. I was astonished, butg thought her Voices
must have taught her. But upon reflection I saw that this was not
so. By her references to what this and that and the other per4son
had told her, I perceived that she had been diligently questioning
those crowds of visiting strangers, and that out of them she had
patiently dug all this mass of invaluable knowledge. The two
knights were filled with wonder at her good sense and sagacity.
She commanded us to make preparations to travel by night and