the silence of
the streets. Yet the Maid was having us arm her with lightning
speed, and Bertrand had rushed off at the first word for her horse
and ours.

"I know not what they are doing," spoke the Maid, "but my voices
tell me to fly to their succour! Ah! why could they not have told
me before! Have I not ever been ready and longing to lead them
against the foe?"

She was ready now. We were all ready, and the echoes of the quiet
house awoke beneath our feet as we clattered down the staircase to
the courtyard below, where already the horses were standing pawing
the ground with impatience, seeming to scent the battle from afar.
The Maid swung herself lightly to the saddle with scarce a touch
from me.

"My banner! My banner!" she suddenly cried; and looking upwards we
saw a pretty sight. The little Charlotte, her mother beside her,
was hanging out of the window, the light staff of the Maid's white
banneret clasped in her chubby hands; and she was leaning out of
the window, holding it towards the white mailed figure, of whom (in
armour) she always spoke, in hushed tone, as mon ange. The Maid
looked upwards, kissed her gauntletted hand to the little one,
seized the staff of her banner, and then, calling upon her
followers in clear tones of command, dashed out through the gateway
into the street beyond, and without an instant's hesitation turned
towards that gate of the city nearest to the English bastille named
St. Loup. And though we all spurred after her, so that the sparks
flew from under our horses' feet, and the Chevalier d'Aulon brought
up the rear bearing the great white standard, which was to lead the
armies into battle, we none of us knew wherefore we had come forth
nor whither we were going; and the city being yet still and quiet,
the citizens rushed to doors and windows to watch us pass by, and
shouted questions to us which we were not able to answer.

Now, the house of the Treasurer is hard by the Renart Gate, and we
were making for the Burgundy Gate; so you who know Orleans will
understand that we had the whole distance of the city to traverse
ere we cleared the walls. And sure enough, as we approached the
fortifications upon the eastern side, a change came over the spirit
of the scene; signs of excitement and fear and wonder began to show
themselves; the walls were alive with men at arms, gazing fixedly
out eastward, shouting, gesticulating, wild with a tumult of
emotion. Soldiers buckling on their ar