taught her. But upon reflection I saw that this was not so. By her
references to what this and that and the other person had told her,
I perceived that she had been diligently questioning those crowds of
visiting strangers, and that out of them she had patiently dug all this
mass of invaluable knowledge. The two knights were filled with wonder at
her good sense and sagacity.

She commanded us to make preparations to travel by night and sleep by
day in concealment, as almost the whole of our long journey would be
through the enemy's country.

Also, she commanded that we should keep the date of our departure a
secret, since she meant to get away unobserved. Otherwise we should
be sent off with a grand demonstration which would advertise us to the
enemy, and we should be ambushed and captured somewhere. Finally she
said:

"Nothing remains, now, but that I confide to you the date of our
departure, so that you may make all needful preparation in time, leaving
nothing to be done in haste and badly at the last moment. We march the
23d, at eleven of the clock at night."

Then we were dismissed. The two knights were startled--yes, and troubled;
and the Sieur Bertrand said:

"Even if the governor shall really furnish the letter and the escort,
he still may not do it in time to meet the date she has chosen. Then how
can she venture to name that date? It is a great risk--a great risk to
select and decide upon the date, in this state of uncertainty."

I said:

"Since she has named the 23d, we may trust her. The Voices have told
her, I think. We shall do best to obey."

We did obey. Joan's parents were notified to come before the 23d, but
prudence forbade that they be told why this limit was named.

All day, the 23d, she glanced up wistfully whenever new bodies of
strangers entered the house, but her parents did not appear. Still she
was not discouraged, but hoped on. But when night fell at last, her
hopes perished, and the tears came; however, she dashed them away, and
said:

"It was to be so, no doubt; no doubt it was so ordered; I must bear it,
and will."

De Metz tried to comfort her by saying:

"The governor sends no word; it may be that they will come to-morrow,
and--"

He got no further, for she interrupted him, saying:

"To what good end? We start at eleven to-night."

And it was so. At ten the governor came, with his guard and arms, with
horses and equipment for me and for the brothers, and gave Joan a