The great Dunois had shown considerable acumen.  He had himself destroyed all the suburbs of the town which lay without the walls, so that the English might find no shelter there, and when they had effected a lodgment on the south side of the river, he had destroyed the greater part of the bridge, thus making it impossible for the enemy to cross and take possession of the town.  But he had not stopped the erection of those threatening towers circling round the city to the north, nor the construction of those still stronger blockading fortresses on the south side, Les Tourelles guarding the fragment of the broken bridge, and Les Augustins not far away.

When I spoke to one grizzled old soldier about it, he shrugged his shoulders and made reply: 

“What would you?  Those English are helped of the devil himself.  We have tried to stand against them, but it is all to no purpose.  Some demon of fighting enters into them, and they know that we shall fly—­and fly we do.  At last there were none who would face them.  Our generals sought in vain to lead them.  You should have heard La Hire swearing at them.  O-he, O-he, he is a master of the art!  Some of us would have followed him; but the rest—­one might as well have asked a flock of sheep to go against the wolf, telling them they were fifty to one!  Not they!  It was witchcraft, or something like it.  They sat still on these ramparts and watched the English working like moles or like ants, and never lifted a finger.  Pouf!  When men get to that they are not fit to fight They had better go home and ply the distaff with the women.”

“And let a woman come and lead their comrades to battle!” I said, laughing.  “Have you seen the wonderful Maid of whom all the world is talking?”

“No; at least, I only caught a gleam of light upon her white armour last night; but as I said to the boys in the guardroom, I care not whether she be woman, witch, or angel; if she will bring back heart and courage, and make men again of all these chicken-hearted poltroons, I will follow her to the death wherever she may lead.  I am sick with shame for the arms of France!”

“Bravely spoken, my friend!” I cried, giving him my hand; “and if that be the spirit of the army, I doubt not but that a few days will see such a turn in the tide of warfare as shall make the whole world stand aghast!”

“Then you believe in her?” quoth the old soldier, looking me shrewdly up and down.

“With my whole heart!” I answered, as I turned and took my way back to my quarters.

That same day the Maid held a council of war, at which all the officers of any importance were permitted to attend; and here it was that she received the first real check since she had received the King’s commission and royal command.

“Let us attack the foe at once, and without delay, messires!” she said, sitting at the head of the council table, fully armed, save for her headpiece, and speaking in her clear, sweet, full tones, wherein power and confidence were blended; “the Lord of Hosts is on our side.  Let us go forth in His strength, and the victory will be ours.”