pe on hearing the report.

Meanwhile Jeanne and her escort of six valiant men had halted near
Chinon, while Jeanne wrote and despatched a letter to the Dauphin, in
which she said that they had ridden one hundred and fifty leagues to
bring him good news, and begged permission to enter his province. Then
the next morning they rode into "the little town of great renown," as
Chinon was called, and Jeanne remained at the Inn until the Dauphin
should decide to receive her.

Now Yolande, the King's mother-in-law, was much interested in what she
had heard of Jeanne, the Maid, and she so influenced the Dauphin, that
De Metz and Poulengy were allowed to have audience with him, and told
what a fine and noble character Jeanne was, and what a beautiful spirit
animated her slender frame, and begged him to see and trust her, saying
that she was surely sent to save France. Their plea made a great
impression on the Dauphin, as was evident two hours later when he sent a
number of clergymen to cross-question her on her so-called divine
mission, and through all the tiresome examination Jeanne bore herself
with proud dignity and answered so clearly and so well that they could
only entertain a profound respect for the girl whom they had expected to
scorn. The result of this examination was that by order of the King,
Jeanne was moved from the Inn to a wing of the Castle, and there the
girl-soldier was treated with every respect by the courtiers, who were
all charmed by her frank simplicity and sweetness of manner. But the
King had not yet consented to give her an audience, and two weary weeks
dragged away in the most tedious of all things,--awaiting the Dauphin's
pleasure,--and Jeanne chafed at the delay.

At last one happy day she was led into the great vaulted audience
chamber of the Castle, where torches flared, and the deep murmur of
voices together with the sea of eager upturned faces, might have made a
less self-contained person than the Maid confused and timid. But not so
with Jeanne, for her thoughts were solely on that mission which she had
travelled so far to accomplish. Her page's suit was in sharp contrast to
the brilliant court costumes worn by the ladies of the Court, but of
that she was unconscious, and advanced calmly through the long line of
torch bearers to within a few feet of the throne,--gave a bewildered
glance at the figure seated before her, in the velvet robes of
royalty--then turned away, and with a cry of joy thre