it. At that moment an
English arrow struck her between the neck and shoulder, and she fell to
the ground. The disheartened soldiers bore her from the field, and
dressed her wound, from which she extracted the arrow with her own hand,
shedding womanly tears meanwhile. After the wound was dressed, a vision
came to her, and with sudden strength she remounted her horse and rode
back to battle.

The English, believing her nearly dead from her wound, were terrified to
see her return, and lost courage from that moment; while the French,
electrified by her unexpected presence, fought with such zeal that
before nightfall the maid led her army into Orleans crowned with
triumph. It was only seven days since she had entered the city, and Joan
had already verified her assertion that she could and would "raise the
siege of Orleans."

The indolent and unworthy dauphin, however, refused to go to Rheims and
be crowned and so fulfil the second part of Joan's mission. He said
there were ports along the Loire which needed to be taken first so the
girl general laid out her campaign and added Beaugency and Jargeau to
her other conquests. The English had become filled with superstitious
fear of her power, attributing it to the devil. But the Dauphin of
France still dallied with light women in his castle, and treated Joan
with coldness and suspicion. The army now became so unanimous in the
desire that the king should go to Rheims, that he finally, with
reluctance, consented. On July 16th, after having taken Troyes and
Chalons on the way, the French army entered Rheims; and there, on the
following day, the dauphin was anointed with holy oil and received the
crown of France.

Happy, but modest and humble in her happiness, rejoicing only in the
prosperity of the king and the country, the sublime saviour of her land
knelt before her sovereign after the ceremonies were concluded and said,
"Gentle king, I wish now that I might return toward my father and my
mother, to keep my flocks and my herds as heretofore." Alas for the
happiness of the poor girl and the honor of two countries, that her
request was not granted!

Joan's father was present on this occasion, and the inn where he lodged
at the king's expense, and the cathedral where the dauphin was crowned,
still exist in Rheims.

[Illustration: Joan of Arc.]

During all Joan's life as a soldier and general, she exhibited a most
touching humanity toward the conquered enemy. She would spring