Joan’s prediction was verified.  It was not a campaign, it was only another holiday excursion.  English strongholds lined our route; they surrendered without a blow; we garrisoned them with Frenchmen and passed on.  Bedford was on the march against us with his new army by this time, and on the 25th of July the hostile forces faced each other and made preparation for battle; but Bedford’s good judgment prevailed, and he turned and retreated toward Paris.  Now was our chance.  Our men were in great spirits.

Will you believe it?  Our poor stick of a King allowed his worthless advisers to persuade him to start back for Gien, whence he had set out when we first marched for Rheims and the Coronation!  And we actually did start back.  The fifteen-day truce had just been concluded with the Duke of Burgundy, and we would go and tarry at Gien until he should deliver Paris to us without a fight.

We marched to Bray; then the King changed his mind once more, and with it his face toward Paris.  Joan dictated a letter to the citizens of Rheims to encourage them to keep heart in spite of the truce, and promising to stand by them.  She furnished them the news herself that the Kin had made this truce; and in speaking of it she was her usual frank self.  She said she was not satisfied with it, and didn’t know whether she would keep it or not; that if she kept it, it would be solely out of tenderness for the King’s honor.  All French children know those famous words.  How naive they are!  “De cette treve qui a ete faite, je ne suis pas contente, et je ne sais si je la tiendrai.  Si je la tiens, ce sera seulement pour garder l’honneur du roi.”  But in any case, she said, she would not allow the blood royal to be abused, and would keep the army in good order and ready for work at the end of the truce.

Poor child, to have to fight England, Burgundy, and a French conspiracy all at the same time—­it was too bad.  She was a match for the others, but a conspiracy—­ah, nobody is a match for that, when the victim that is to be injured is weak and willing.  It grieved her, these troubled days, to be so hindered and delayed and baffled, and at times she was sad and the tears lay near the surface.  Once, talking with her good old faithful friend and servant, the Bastard of Orleans, she said: 

“Ah, if it might but please God to let me put off this steel raiment and go back to my father and my mother, and tend my sheep again with my sister and my brothers, who would be so glad to see me!”

By the 12th of August we were camped near Dampmartin.  Later we had a brush with Bedford’s rear-guard, and had hopes of a big battle on the morrow, but Bedford and all his force got away in the night and went on toward Paris.

Charles sent heralds and received the submission of Beauvais.  The Bishop Pierre Cauchon, that faithful friend and slave of the English, was not able to prevent it, though he did his best.  He was obscure then, but his name was to travel round the globe presently, and live forever in the curses of France!  Bear with me now, while I spit in fancy upon his grave.