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ntial and equally important. This is the game, as played: 1. Joan moves to Orleans and Patay--check. 2. Then moves the Reconciliation--but does not proclaim check, it being a move for position, and to take effect later. 3. Next she moves the Coronation--check. 4. Next, the Bloodless March--check. 5. Final move (after her death), the reconciled Constable Richemont to the French King's elbow--checkmate. 34 The Jests of the Burgundians THE CAMPAIGN of the Loire had as good as opened the road to Rheims. There was no sufficient reason now why the Coronation should not take place. The Coronation would complete the mission which Joan had received from heaven, and then she would be forever done with war, and would fly home to her mother and her sheep, and never stir from the hearthstone and happiness any more. That was her dream; and she could not rest, she was so impatient to see it fulfilled. She became so possessed with this matter that I began to lose faith in her two prophecies of her early death--and, of course, when I found that faith wavering I encouraged it to waver all the more. The King was afraid to start to Rheims, because the road was mile-posted with English fortresses, so to speak. Joan held them in light esteem and not things to be afraid of in the existing modified condition of English confidence. And she was right. As it turned out, the march to Rheims was nothing but a holiday excursion: Joan did not even take any artillery along, she was so sure it would not be necessary. We marched from Gien twelve thousand strong. This was the 29th of June. The Maid rode by the side of the King; on his other side was the Duke d'Alencon. After the duke followed three other princes of the blood. After these followed the Bastard of Orleans, the Marshal de Boussac, and the Admiral of France. After these came La Hire, Saintrailles, Tremouille, and a long procession of knights and nobles. We rested three days before Auxerre. The city provisioned the army, and a deputation waited upon the King, but we did not enter the place. Saint-Florentin opened its gates to the King. On the 4th of July we reached Saint-Fal, and yonder lay Troyes before us--a town which had a burning interest for us boys; for we remembered how seven years before, in the pastures of Domremy, the Sunflower came with his black flag and brought us the shameful news of the Treaty of Troyes--that treaty which gave France to England,
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