The Maid went forth with a greater glory and honour than has, methinks, ever been bestowed upon woman before—­certainly upon no humbly-born maiden of seventeen years.  Some said that she was actually ennobled in her own person by the grant to quarter the lilies of France, and that her brothers ranked now amongst the knights and nobles.  Others declared that she had refused all personal honours, and that she still remained a humble peasant, though so high in the favour of the King, and so great a personage in the realm.

As for me, I cared nothing for all this.  To me she was always the Angelic Maid, heaven sent, miraculous, apart from the earth, though living amongst us and leading us on to victory.

To the army she was—­and that was enough.  She was the companion and friend of princes, nobles, and knights; but she was never as others were.  An atmosphere of sanctity seemed ever to encompass her.  All who approached her did her unconscious homage.  None could be with her long without being conscious that she was visited by sounds unheard by them, that her eyes saw sights to which theirs were closed.  We were to have added witness to this in the days which followed.

So here we were gathered at Selles upon that bright June morning, just one month after the relief of Orleans.  The King had presented to the Maid a great black charger; a mighty creature of immense strength and spirit, but with something of a wicked look in his rolling eyes which made me anxious as he was led forward.  The Maid in her white armour—­its rent deftly mended, its silver brilliance fully restored—­with her velvet white-plumed cap upon her head and a little axe in her hand, stood waiting to mount.  But perhaps it was the gleaming whiteness of this slender figure that startled the horse, or else the cries and shouts of the populace at sight of the Maid excited him to the verge of terror; for he reared and plunged so madly as his rider approached that it was with difficulty he was held by two stalwart troopers, and we all begged of the Maid not to trust herself upon his back.

She looked at us with a smile, and made a little courteous gesture with her hand; then turning to the attendants she said: 

“Lead him yonder to the cross at the entrance to the church; I will mount him there.”

Snorting and struggling, casting foam flakes from his lips, and fighting every inch of the way, the great charger was led whither the Maid had said.  But once arrived at the foot of the cross, he suddenly became perfectly quiet.  He stood like a statue whilst the Maid approached, caressed him gently with the hand from which she had drawn her mailed gauntlet, and, after speaking kindly words to him, vaulted lightly on his back.

From that moment her conquest of the fierce creature was complete.  He carried her throughout that wonderful week with a gentleness and docility, and an untiring strength which was beautiful to see.  The brute creation owned her sway as well as did men of understanding, who could watch and weigh her acts and deeds.