At this telling I bethought me of Brother Thomas, but spoke no word concerning him, for my mistress began very gladly to devise of her dear Maid, concerning whom, indeed, she could never long be silent.  “Faithless heart and fickle,” I said in a jest, “I believe you love that Maid more than you love me, and as she wears sword at side, like a man, I must even challenge her to fight in the island.”

Here she stayed my speech in the best manner and the most gracious, laughing low, so that, verily, I was clean besotted with love, and marvelled that any could be so fair as she, and how I could have won such a lady.

“Beware how you challenge my Maid,” said she at last, “for she fights but on horseback, with lance and sperthe, {20} and the Duc d’Alencon has seen her tilt at the ring, and has given her the best steed in his stables, whereon she shall soon lead her army to Orleans.”

“Then I must lay by my quarrel, for who am I to challenge my captain?  But, tell me, hath she heard any word of thee and me?”

Elliot waxed rosy, and whispered—­

“We had spoken together about thee, ere she went to Poictiers to be examined and questioned by the doctors of law and learning, after thou wert wounded.”  Concerning this journey to Poictiers I knew nothing, but I was more concerned to hear what the Maid had said about Elliot and me.  For seeing that the Maid herself was vowed (as men deemed) to virginity, it passed into my mind that she might think holy matrimony but a low estate, and might try to set my mistress’s heart on following her own example.  And then, I thought, but foolishly, Elliot’s love for me might be weaker than her love for the Maid.

“Yes,” my lady went on, “I could not but open my heart about thee and me, to one who is of my own age, and so wise, unlike other girls.  Moreover, I scarce knew well whether your heart was like disposed with my heart.  Therefore I devised with her more than once or twice.”

Hiding her face on my breast, she spoke very low; and as my fancy had once seen the children, the dark head and the golden, bowed together in prayer for France and the Dauphin, so now I saw them again, held close together in converse, and that strange Maid and Prophetess listening, like any girl, to a girl’s tale of the secrets of her heart.

“And what counsel gave the Maid?” I said; “or had she any prophecy of our fortune?”

“Nay, on such matters she knows no more than you or I, or knows but seldom, nor seeks to learn from her counsel.  Only she is bidden that she must rescue Orleans, and lead the Dauphin to his sacring at Rheims.  But she wished me well, and comforted me that your heart was even as my own, as she saw on that day when you wore woman’s gear and slew him that blasphemed her.  And of you she spoke the best words, for that you, who knew her not, took her part against her enemy.  And for your wound she sorrowed much, not knowing, more than I who am simple, whether it would turn to life or death.  And if to life, then, if she could but persuade the doctor and clergy and the King’s counsellors to let her go, she said that you should follow with her to the wars, and she, if so the saints pleased, would be the making of your fortune, you and I being her first friends.”