ted for our
serving men to come up; and as we did so Bertrand said in a low
voice to Sir Guy:

"I pray you, Seigneur de Laval, speak no word to His Majesty of
this maid and her mission, until such time as news may reach him of
her from other sources."

"I will say no word," answered the other, smiling, and so with many
friendly words we parted, and Bertrand and I, with one servant
behind us, turned our horses' heads back along the road by which we
had come.

"Bertrand," I said, as the shadows lengthened, the soft dusk fell
in the forest, and the witchery of the evening hour fell upon my
heart, "I would that I could see this maiden of whom you speak,
this Jeanne d'Arc of the village of Domremy."

He turned and looked me full in the face; I saw his eyes glow and
the colour deepen in his cheeks.

"You would not go to mock, friend Jean de Metz?" he said, for so I
am generally named amongst my friends.

"Nay," I answered truthfully, "there is no thought of mockery in my
heart; yet I fain would see the Maid."

He paused awhile in thought and then made answer:

"At least we may ride together one day to Domremy; but whether or
no we see the Maid will be according to the will of Heaven."

CHAPTER II. HOW I FIRST SAW THE MAID.

I did not forget my desire to see this maiden of Domremy, nor did
Bertrand, I trow, forget the promise, albeit some days passed by
ere we put our plan into action.

Bad news kept coming in to the little loyal township of
Vaucouleurs. There was no manner of doubt but that the English
Regent, Bedford, was resolved to lose no more time, but seek to put
beneath his iron heel the whole of the realm of France. Gascony had
been English so long that the people could remember nothing
different than the rule of the Roy Outremer--as of old they called
him. Now all France north of the Loire owned the same sway, and as
all men know, the Duke of Burgundy was ally to the English, and
hated the Dauphin with a deadly hatred, for the murder of his
father--for which no man can justly blame him. True, his love for
the English had cooled manifestly since that affair of Duke
Humphrey of Gloucester and Jacquelaine of Brabant, in which as was
natural, he took the part of his brother; but although the Duke of
Bedford was highly indignant with Duke Humphrey, and gave him no
manner of support in his rash expedition, yet the Duke of Burgundy
resented upon the English what had been done, and although it did
not