very wary guidance.  Jeanne, it would seem, did not regard his arrival with much pleasure; probably even the increase of her forces did not please her as it would have pleased most commanders, holding so strongly as she did, to the miraculous character of her own mission and that it was not so much the strength of her troops as the help of God that got her the victory.  But it was not her part to reject or alienate any champion of France.  We have an account of their meeting given by a retainer of Richemont, which is picturesque enough.  “The Maid alighted from her horse, and the Constable also.  ‘Jeanne,’ he said, ’they tell me that you are against me.  I know not if you are from God (de la part de Dieu) or not.  If you are from God I do not fear you; if you are of the devil, I fear you still less.’  ‘Brave Constable,’ said Jeanne, ’you have not come here by any will of mine; but since you are here you are welcome.’”

Armed neutrality but suspicion on one side, dignified indifference but acceptance on the other, could not be better shown.

These successes, however, had been attended by various escarmouches going on behind.  The English, who had been driven out of one town after another, had now drawn together under the command of Talbot, and a party of troops under Fastolfe, who came to relieve them, had turned back as Jeanne proceeded, making various unsuccessful attempts to recover what had been lost.  Failing in all their efforts they returned across the country to Genville, and were continuing their retreat to Paris when the two enemies came within reach of each other.  An encounter in open field was a new experience of which Jeanne as yet had known nothing.  She had been successful in assault, in the operations of the siege, but to meet the enemy hand to hand in battle was what she had never been required to do; and every tradition, every experience, was in favour of the English.  From Agincourt to the Battle of the Herrings at Rouvray near Orleans, which had taken place in the beginning of the year (a fight so named because the field of battle had been covered with herrings, the conquerors in this case being merely the convoy in charge of provisions for the English, which Fastolfe commanded), such a thing had not been known as that the French should hold their own, much less attain any victory over the invaders.  In these circumstances there was much talk of falling back upon the camp near Beaugency and of retreating or avoiding an engagement; anything rather than hazard one of those encounters which had infallibly ended in disaster.  But Jeanne was of the same mind as always, to go forward and fear nothing.  “Fall upon them!  Go at them boldly,” she cried.  “If they were in the clouds we should have them.  The gentle King will now gain the greatest victory he has ever had.”