, always return thanks to her God and His saints for
their succour.

Joan also loved to mix in the crowd of poor citizens, and begged that
the little children should be brought to her. Pasquerel, her
confessor, was always told to remind Joan of Arc of the feast days on
which children were allowed to receive the Communion, in order that
she too might receive it with these innocents.

The army has probably ever been the home of high swearing: the
expression in French of '_ton de garnison_' is an amiable way of
referring to that habit of speech; and we all know ancient warriors
whose conversation is thickly larded with oaths and profanity. This
habit Joan of Arc seems to have held in great abhorrence. We have seen
how she got La Hire to swear only by his stick; to another officer of
high rank, who had been making use of some strong oaths, she said:
'How can you thus blaspheme your Saviour and your God by so using His
name?' Let us hope her lesson bore fruit.

Throughout the land Joan of Arc was now regarded as the Saviour of
France. Nor at this time did the King prove ungrateful. In those days
nobility was highly regarded. It brought with it great prestige, and
much benefit accrued to the holders of titles. Charles now raised the
Maid of Orleans to the equal in rank of a Count, and bestowed upon
her an establishment and household. The grateful burghers of Orleans,
too, loaded her with gifts, all which honours Joan received with quiet
modesty. For herself she never asked anything. After the coronation at
Rheims, when the King begged her to make him a request, the only thing
she asked was, that the taxes might be taken off her native village.

Her father, who came to see her at Rheims, had the satisfaction of
carrying back this news to Domremy.

Although both King and nobles vied in paying honours to Joan of Arc,
it was from the common people, from the heart of the nation, that she
received what seems to have amounted to a feeling approaching
adoration. Wherever she passed she was followed by crowds eager to
kiss her feet and her hands, and who even threw themselves before her
horse's feet. Medals were struck and worn as charms, with her effigy
or coat-of-arms struck on them. Her name was introduced into the
prayers of the Church.

Joan, although touched by these marks of affection, never allowed the
people, as far as in her power lay, to ascribe unearthly influence to
her person. When in the course of her trial the a