第36章 THE CORONATION.JULY 17,1429.(1)

The road was now clear，and even the most timid of counsellors could not longer hold back the most indolent of kings.Jeanne had kept her word once more and fulfilled her own prophecy，and a force of enthusiasm and certainty，not to be put down，pressed forward the unwilling Court towards the great ceremonial of the coronation，to which all except those most chiefly concerned attached so great an importance.Charles would have hesitated still，and questioned the possibility of resistance on the part of Rheims，if that city had not sent a deputation of citizens with the keys of the town，to meet him.

After this it was but a triumphal march into the sacred place，where the great cathedral dominated a swarming，busy，medi？val city.King and Archbishop had a double triumph，for the priest like the monarch had been shut out from his lawful throne，and it was only in the train of the Maid that this great ecclesiastic was able to take possession of his dignities.The King alighted with the Archbishop at the Archevêchéwhich is close to the cathedral，an immense，old palace in which the heads of the expedition were lodged.There is a magnificent old hall still remaining in which no doubt they all assembled，scarcely able to believe that their object was accomplished and that the King of France was actually in Rheims，and all the prophecies fulfilled.The Archbishop marched into the city in the morning；Charles and his Court，and all his great seigneurs，and the body of his army，in which there were many fighting men half armed，and some in their rustic clothes as they had left their fields to join the King in his march--poured in in the evening，after the ecclesiastical procession，filling the town with commotion.Jeanne rode beside the King，her banner in her hand.It was July，the vigil of the Madeleine，and every church poured forth its crowd to witness the entry，and the populace，half troubled，half glad，gazed its eyes out upon the white warrior at the side of the King.Her father and uncle were there to meet her at the old inn in the Place，which still proudly preserves the record of the peasant guests：two astonished rustics，no doubt，were thrust forth from some window to watch that incredible sight--Jacques who would rather have drowned his daughter with his own hands，than have seen her thus launched among men，gazing still aghast at the resplendent figure of the chevalière at the head of the procession.

This was very different from what he had thought of when his village respectability was tortured by the idea of his girl among the troopers，yet probably the rigid peasant had never changed his mind.

We are told by M.Blaze de Bury of an ancient custom which we do not find stated elsewhere.A platform was erected，he tells us，outside the choir of the cathedral to which the King was led the evening before the coronation，surrounded by his peers，who showed him to the assembled people with a traditional proclamation："Here is your King whom we，peers of France，crown as King and sovereign lord.And if there is a soul here which has any objection to make，let him speak and we will answer him.And to-morrow he shall be consecrated by the grace of the Holy Spirit if you have nothing to say against it."The people replied by cries of "No？l，No？l！"It is not to be supposed that the veto of the people of Rheims would have been effectual had they opposed：but the scene is wonderfully picturesque.No doubt Jeanne too was there，watching over her King，as she seems to have done，like a mother over her child，at this crisis of his affairs.

That night there was little sleep in Rheims，for everything had to be prepared in haste，the decorations of the cathedral，the provisions for the ceremonial.Many of the necessary articles were at Saint Denis in the hands of the English，and the treasury of the cathedral had to be ransacked to find the fitting vessels.Fortunately it was rich，more rich probably than it is now，when the commonplace silver of the beginning of this century has replaced the ancient vials.Through the short summer night everyone was at work in these preparations；and by the dawn of day visitors began to flow into the city，great personages and small，to attend the great ceremonial and to pay their homage.The greatest of all was the Duke of Lorraine，he who had consulted Jeanne about his health，husband of the heiress of that rich principality，and son of Queen Yolande who was no doubt with the Court.All France seemed to pour into the famous town，where so important an act was about to be accomplished，with money and wine flowing on all hands，and the enthusiasm growing along with the popular excitement and profit.Even great London is stirred to its limits，many miles off from the centre of proceedings，by such a great event；how much more the little medi？val city，in which every one might hope to see something of the pageant，as one shining group after another，with armour blazing in the sun，and sleek horses caracoling，arrived at the great gates of the Archevêché：and lesser parties scarcely less interesting poured in in need of lodging，of equipment and provisions；while every housewife searched her stores for a piece of brilliant stuff，of old silk or embroidery，to make her house shine like the rest.