Meanwhile Dunois left for Blois to bring up the bulk of the army, while Joan remained in Orleans, encouraging its inhabitants by her confidence, faith, and courage.  The people, writes the chronicler of the siege, were never sated with the sight of the Maid:  ’ils ne pouvaient saouler de la voir,’ he graphically says.

A second ineffectual effort was made by Joan, this time at a place called the Croix Morin, to negotiate with the English, she again promising them quarter if they would capitulate, but, as might be expected, with no better result than before.

On the 2nd of May, followed by a vast throng, Joan of Arc rode out along the enemy’s forts, and after closely inspecting their defences returned to vespers at the Church of Sainte-Croix.  Certainly among the people there was no want of belief in, and enthusiastic devotion to, the Maid; but she had already enemies among the entourage of the King.  We have already alluded to Tremoille’s feelings with regard to her and her mission.  A still more formidable enemy was the Chancellor of France, the Archbishop of Rheims, Regnault de Chartres; he and Tremoille worked in concert to undermine all the prestige which Joan’s success in revictualling Orleans had caused at Court.  The historian Quicherat, whose work on Joan of Arc is by far the most complete and reliable, considers this man to have been an astute politician, without any moral strength or courage.  When with Joan of Arc, he seems to have shown firmness and even enthusiasm in her mission, but he sank into the role of a poltroon when her influence was withdrawn.  Instead of hastening the despatch of the reinforcements from Blois to Orleans, he threw delay in the way; he seems to have hesitated in letting these troops join those under the Maid, for fear that were she to gain a thorough success his influence at Court would be weakened.  When Joan fell into the hands of her foes, the Archbishop had the incredible baseness publicly to show his pleasure, declaring that her capture by the enemy was a proof of Divine justice.

It was not till the 4th of May, and not until Dunois had ridden in hot haste from Blois, that at length the aid, so long and eagerly expected, arrived.

Joan rode to meet the succouring army some two miles out of the city, bearing her flag, accompanied by La Hire and others of her knights.  After a joyful meeting, they turned, riding right through the enemy’s lines and along the fortified bastilles occupied by the English.  Whether it was fear, or superstition mixed with fear, not a man from the English side stirred, although the English outnumbered the French.  It seemed that a terror had seized on the enemy as they saw her, whom they called the Sorceress, ride by in her white panoply, bearing aloft her mystic banner.