And Madame Boucher, being a mother and a true woman, understood; and answered by taking the Maid in her arms and kissing her.  And so, as long as the Maid remained in Orleans, she shared the little white bedroom of the child of the house, which opened from that of the mother, and the bond which grew up between the three was so close and tender a one, that I trow the good Treasurer and his wife would fain have regarded this wonderful Maid as their own daughter, and kept her ever with them, had duty and her voices not called her elsewhere when the first part of her task was done.

Now Bertrand and I, together with Pierre, her brother, and the Chevalier d’Aulon and Sir Guy de Laval, were lodged in the same house, and entertained most hospitably by the Treasurer, who sat up with us far into the night after our arrival, listening with earnest attention to all we could tell him respecting the Maid, and telling us on his part of the feeling in Orleans anent her and her mission, and what we might expect to follow her arrival here.

“The townsfolk seem well-nigh wild for joy at sight of her,” spoke De Laval, “and the more they see of her, the more they will love her and reverence her mission.  I was one who did openly scoff, or at least had no faith in any miracle, until that I saw her with mine own eyes; and then some voice in my heart—­I know not how to speak more plainly of it—­or some wonderful power in her glance or in her voice, overcame me.  And I knew that she had in very truth come from God, and I have never doubted of her divine commission from that day to this.  It will be the same here in Orleans, if, indeed, there be any that doubt.”

“Alas! there are—­too many!” spoke the Treasurer, shaking his head, “I am rejoiced that our two greatest Generals, Dunois and La Hire, have become her adherents, for I myself believe that she has been sent of God for our deliverance, and so do the townsfolk almost to a man.  But there are numbers of the lesser officers—­bold men and true—­who have fought valiantly throughout the siege, and who have great influence with the soldiers they lead, and these men are full of disgust at the thought of being led by a woman—­a girl—­and one of low degree.  They would be willing for her to stand aloft and prophesy victory for their arms, but that she should arm herself and lead them in battle, and direct operations herself, fills them with disgust and contempt.  There is like to be trouble, I fear, with some of these.  There is bold De Gamache, for example, who declares he would sooner fold up his banner and serve as a simple soldier in the ranks, than hold a command subservient to that of a low-born woman!”

That name as applied to the Angelic Maid set our teeth on edge; yet was it wonderful that some should so regard her?

“Let them but see her—­and they will change their tune!” spake Bertrand quickly.  “A low-born woman!  Would they speak thus of the Blessed Virgin?  And yet according to the wisdom of the flesh it would be as true of one as of the other.”