In other matters, too, the Maid knew her mind, and spoke it with calm decision.  The Queen of Sicily had not been content with ordering the Maid’s dress alone, she had also given orders to the first armourer in Tours to fashion her a suit of light armour for the coming strife.  This armour was of white metal, and richly inlaid with silver, so that when the sun glinted upon it, it shone with a dazzling white radiance, almost blinding to behold.  The King, also, resolved to do his share, had ordered for her a light sword, with a blade of Toledo steel; but though the Maid gratefully accepted the gift of the white armour, and appeared before all the Court attired therein, and with her headpiece, with its floating white plumes crowning it all, yet, as she made her reverence before the King, she gently put aside his gift of the sword.

“Gentle Dauphin,” she said, “I thank you from my heart; but for me there is another sword which I must needs carry with me into battle; and I pray you give me leave to send and fetch it from where it lies unknown and forgotten.”

“Why, Maiden, of what speak you?” he answered; “is not this jewelled weapon good enough?  You will find its temper of the best.  I know not where you will find a better!”

“No better a sword, Sire,” she answered; “and yet the one which I must use; for so it hath been told me of my Lord.  In the church of Fierbois, six leagues from hence, beneath the high altar, there lies a sword, and this sword must I use.  Suffer me, I pray you, to send and fetch it thence.  Then shall I be ready and equipped to sally forth against the foes of my country.”

“But who has told you of this sword, my maiden?”

“My Lord did tell me of it, as I knelt before the altar, ere I came to Chinon.  It is in the church of St. Catherine; and suffer only my good knight, Jean de Metz, to go and make search for it, and he will surely bring it hither to me.”

Now I did well remember how, as we knelt in the church at Fierbois in the dimness of the early morn, the Maid had received some message, unheard by those beside her; and gladly did I set forth upon mine errand to seek and bring to her this sword.

When I reached Fierbois, which was in the forenoon of the day following, the good priests of the church knew nothing of any such sword; but the fame of the Maid having reached their ears, they were proud and glad that their church of St. Catherine should be honoured thus, and calling together some workmen, they made careful search, and sure enough, before we had dug deep, the spade struck and clinked against metal, and forth from beneath the altar we drew a sword, once a strong and well-tempered weapon, doubtless, but now covered with rust, so that the good priests looked askance at it, and begged to have it to cleanse and polish.

It was then too late for my return the same day, so I left it to them, and lodged me in the town, where all the people flocked to hear news of the Maid and of the coming campaign.