in
France when he heard the tidings. He held them to be of ill omen, and
summoned Jean Halbourd of Troyes, minister general of the Trinitarians
or Mathurins, "excellent in astrology," who, having drawn up the
scheme of nativity, could only confirm the King in his doleful
presentiments.[976] And now the time had come. Windsor reigned; all
would be lost. Merlin had predicted that they would be driven out of
France and by a Virgin utterly undone. When the Maid appeared they
grew pale with fright, and fear fell upon captains and soldiers.[977]
Those whom no man could make afraid, trembled before this girl whom
they held to be a witch. They could not be expected to regard her as a
saint sent of God. The best they could think of her was that she was a
very learned sorceress.[978] To those she came to help she appeared a
daughter of God, to those she came to destroy she appeared a horrid
monster in woman's form. In this double aspect lay all her strength:
angelic for the French, devilish for the English, to one and the other
she appeared invincible and supernatural.

[Footnote 973: Martial de Paris, called d'Auvergne, _Vigiles de
Charles VII_, ed. Coustelier, 1724, vol. i, p. 98.]

[Footnote 974: La Curne, under the word _Periapt_. Shakespeare, _Henry
VI_, part i, act v, sc. iii.]

[Footnote 975: Shakespeare, _Henry VI_, part i, act iii, sc. i.]

[Footnote 976: Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. i,
p. 306. Carlier, _Histoire du Valois_, vol. ii, p. 442.]

[Footnote 977: Jarry, _Le compte de l'armee anglaise_, p. 61.]

[Footnote 978: Shakespeare, _Henry VI_, part i, act i, sc. ii.]

In the evening of the 30th she sent her herald, Ambleville, to the
camp of Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils to ask for Guyenne, who had borne
the letter from Blois and had not returned. Ambleville was also
instructed to tell Sir John Talbot, the Earl of Suffolk, and the Lord
Scales that in God's name the Maid required them to depart from France
and go to England; otherwise they would suffer hurt. The English sent
back Ambleville with an evil message.

"The English," he said to the Maid, "are keeping my comrade to burn
him."

She made answer: "In God's name they will do him no harm." And she
commanded Ambleville to return.[979]

[Footnote 979: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 27. _Journal du siege_, p. 79.
_Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 285, 286.]

She was indignant, and, no doubt, greatly disappointed. In truth, she
had never anticip