第28章 THE CAMPAIGN OF THE LOIRE.JUNE,JULY,(2)

The result was that Charles kindly promised to set out as soon as the road between him and Rheims should be free of the English，especially the towns on the Loire in which a great part of the army dispersed from Orleans had taken refuge，with the addition of the auxiliary forces of Sir John Fastolfe，a name so much feared by the French，but at which the English reader can scarcely forbear a smile.That the young King did not think of putting himself at the head of the troops or of taking part in the campaign shows sufficiently that he was indeed a /pauvre sire/，unworthy his gallant people.Jeanne，however，nothing better being possible，seems to have accepted this mission with readiness，and instantly began her preparations to carry it out.

It is here that the young Seigneur Guy de Laval comes in with his description of her already quoted.He was no humble squire but a great personage to whom the King was civil and pleased to show courtesy.The young man writes to /ses mères/，that is，it seems，his mother and grandmother，to whom，in their distant chateau，anxiously awaiting news of the two youths gone to the wars，their faithful son makes his report of himself and his brother.The King，he says，sent for the Maid，in order，Sir Guy believes，that he might see her.And afterwards the young man went to Selles where she was just setting out on the campaign.

From Selles，he writes on the 8th June，exactly a month after the deliverance of Orleans：

"I went to her lodging to see her，and she sent for wine and told me we should soon drink wine in Paris.It was a miraculous thing (/toute divine/)to see her and hear her.She left Selles on Monday at the hour of vespers for Romorantin，the Marshal de Boussac and a great many armed men with her.I saw her mount her horse，all in white armour excepting the head，a little axe in her hand.The great black charger was very restive at her door and would not let her mount.'Lead him，'she said，'to the cross which is in front of the church，'and there she mounted，the horse standing still as if he had been bound.Then turning towards the church which was close by she said in a womanly voice (/assez voix de femme/)，'You priests and people of the Church，make processions and prayers to God for us'；then turning to the road，'Forward，'she said.Her unfolded standard was carried by a page；she had her little axe in her hand，and by her side rode a brother who had joined her eight days before.The Maid told me in her lodging that she had sent you，grandmother，a small gold ring，which was indeed a very small affair，and that she would fain have sent you something better，considering your recommendation.To-day M.d'Alen？on，the Bastard of Orleans，and Gaucourt were to leave Selles，following the Maid.And men are arriving from all parts every day，all with good hope in God who I believe will help us.

But money there is none at the Court，so that for the present Ihave no hope of any help or assistance.Therefore I desire you，/Madame ma mère/，who have my seal，spare not the land neither in sale nor mortgage .My much honoured ladies and mothers，Ipray the blessed Son of God that you have a good life and long；and both of us recommend ourselves to our brother Louis.And we send our greetings to the reader of this letter.Written from Selles，Wednesday，8th June，1429.This afternoon are arrived M.de Vend？me，M.de Boussac，and others，and La Hire has joined the army，and we shall soon be at work (/on besognera bient？t/)--May God grant that it should be according to your desire."It was with difficulty that the Duc d'Alen？on had been got to start，his wife consenting with great reluctance.He had been long a prisoner in England，and had lately been ransomed for a great sum of money；"Was not that a sufficient sacrifice？"the Duchess asked indignantly.

To risk once more a husband so costly was naturally a painful thing to do，and why could not Jeanne be content and stay where she was？Jeanne comforted the lady，perhaps with a little good-humoured contempt.

"Fear nothing，Madame，"she said；"I will bring him back to you safe and sound."Probably Alen？on himself had no great desire to be second in command to this country lass，even though she had delivered Orleans；and if he set out at all he would have preferred to take another direction and to protect his own property and province.The gathering of the army thus becomes visible to us；parties are continually coming in；and no doubt，as they marched along，many a little chateau--and they abound through the country each with its attendant hamlet--gave forth its master or heir，poor but noble，followed by as many men-at-arms，perhaps only two or three，as the little property could raise，to swell the forces with the best and surest of material，the trained gentlemen with hearts full of chivalry and pride，but with the same hardy，self-denying habits as the sturdy peasants who followed them，ready for any privation；with a proud delight to hear that /on besognera bient？t/--with that St.Michael at their head，and no longer any fear of the English in their hearts.

The first /besogne/on which this army entered was the siege of Jargeau，June 11th，into which town Suffolk had thrown himself and his troops when the siege of Orleans was raised.The town was strong and so was the garrison，experienced too in all the arts of war，and already aware of the wild enthusiasm by which Jeanne was surrounded.