to the gruff old gentleman, 'A pleasanter language
than yours,' they agreed that it was all correct, and that Joan of Arc
was inspired from Heaven. This wonderful circumstance put new heart into
the Dauphin's soldiers when they heard of it, and dispirited the English
army, who took Joan for a witch.

So Joan mounted horse again, and again rode on and on, until she came to
Orleans. But she rode now, as never peasant girl had ridden yet. She
rode upon a white war-horse, in a suit of glittering armour; with the
old, old sword from the cathedral, newly burnished, in her belt; with a
white flag carried before her, upon which were a picture of God, and the
words JESUS MARIA. In this splendid state, at the head of a great body
of troops escorting provisions of all kinds for the starving inhabitants
of Orleans, she appeared before that beleaguered city.

When the people on the walls beheld her, they cried out 'The Maid is
come! The Maid of the Prophecy is come to deliver us!' And this, and
the sight of the Maid fighting at the head of their men, made the French
so bold, and made the English so fearful, that the English line of forts
was soon broken, the troops and provisions were got into the town, and
Orleans was saved.

Joan, henceforth called THE MAID OF ORLEANS, remained within the walls
for a few days, and caused letters to be thrown over, ordering Lord
Suffolk and his Englishmen to depart from before the town according to
the will of Heaven. As the English general very positively declined to
believe that Joan knew anything about the will of Heaven (which did not
mend the matter with his soldiers, for they stupidly said if she were not
inspired she was a witch, and it was of no use to fight against a witch),
she mounted her white war-horse again, and ordered her white banner to
advance.

The besiegers held the bridge, and some strong towers upon the bridge;
and here the Maid of Orleans attacked them. The fight was fourteen hours
long. She planted a scaling ladder with her own hands, and mounted a
tower wall, but was struck by an English arrow in the neck, and fell into
the trench. She was carried away and the arrow was taken out, during
which operation she screamed and cried with the pain, as any other girl
might have done; but presently she said that the Voices were speaking to
her and soothing her to rest. After a while, she got up, and was again
foremost in the fight. When the English who had seen her fal