第51章 DEFEAT AND DISCOURAGEMENT.AUTUMN,(4)

Jeanne was thus dragged back to St.Denis against her will and every instinct of her being，and there ensued three days of passionate debate and discussion.For a moment it appeared as if she would have thrown off the bonds of loyal obedience and pursued her mission at all hazards.Her "voices，"if they had previously given her uncertain sound，promising only the support and succour of God，but no success，now spoke more plainly and urged the continuance of the siege；and the Maid was torn in pieces between the requirements of her celestial guardians and the force of authority around her.If she had broken out into open rebellion who would have followed her？She had never yet done so；when the King was against her she had pleaded or forced an agreement，and received or snatched a consent from the malevolent chamberlain，as at Jargeau and Troyes.Never yet had she set herself in public opposition to the will of her sovereign.She had submitted to all kinds of tests and trials rather than this.And to have lain half a day wounded outside Paris and to stand there pleading her cause with her wound still unhealed were not likely things to strengthen her powers of resistance."The Voices bade me remain at St.Denis，"she said afterwards at her trial，"and I desired to remain；but the seigneurs took me away in spite of myself.If I had not been wounded Ishould never have left."Added to the force of these circumstances，it was no doubt apparent to all that to resume operations after that forced retreat，and the betrayal it gave of divided counsels，would be less hopeful than ever.These arguments even convinced the bold La Hire，who for his part，being no better than a Free Lance，could move hither and thither as he would；and thus the first defeat of the Maid，a disaster involving all the misfortunes that followed in its train，was accomplished.

Jeanne's last act in St.Denis was one to which perhaps the modern reader gives undue significance，but which certainly must have had a certain melancholy meaning.Before she left，dragged almost a captive in the train of the King，we are told that she laid on the altar of the cathedral the armour she had worn on that evil day before Paris.

It was not an unusual act for a warrior to do this on his return from the wars.And if she had been about to renounce her mission it would have been easily comprehensible.But no such thought was in her mind.

Was it a movement of despair，was it with some womanish fancy that the arms in which she had suffered defeat should not be borne again？--or was it done in some gleam of higher revelation made to her that defeat，too，was a part of victory，and that not without that bitterness of failure could the fame of the soldier of Christ be perfected？I have remarked already that we hear no more of the white armour，inlaid with silver and dazzling like a mirror，in which she had begun her career；perhaps it was the remains of that panoply of triumph which she laid out before the altar of the patron saint of France，all dim now with hard work and the shadow of defeat.It must have marked a renunciation of one kind or another，the sacrifice of some hope.She was no longer Jeanne the invincible，the triumphant，whose very look made the enemy tremble and flee，and gave double force to every Frenchman's arm.Was she then and there abdicating，becoming to her own consciousness Jeanne the champion only，honest and true，but no longer the inspired Maid，the Envoy of God？To these questions we can give no answer；but the act is pathetic，and fills the mind with suggestions.She who had carried every force triumphantly with her，and quenched every opposition，bitter and determined though that had been，was now a thrall to be dragged almost by force in an unworthy train.It is evident that she felt the humiliation to the bottom of her heart.It is not for human nature to have the triumph alone：the humiliation，the overthrow，the chill and tragic shadow must follow.Jeanne had entered into that cloud when she offered the armour，that had been like a star in front of the battle，at the shrine of St.Denis.[2]Hers was now to be a sadder，a humbler，perhaps a still nobler part.

It is enough to trace the further movements of the King to perceive how at every step the iron must have entered deeper and deeper into the heart of the Maid.He made his arrangements for the government of each of the towns which had acknowledged him：Beauvais，Compiègne，Senlis，and the rest.He appointed commissioners for the due regulation of the truce with Philip of Burgundy.And then the retreating army took its march southward towards the mild and wealthy country，all fertility and quiet，where a recreant prince might feel himself safe and amuse himself at his leisure--by Lagny，by Provins，by Bercy-sur Seine，where he had been checked before in his retreat and almost forced to the march on Paris--by Sens，and Montargis：until at last on the 29th of September，no doubt diminished by the withdrawal of many a local troop and knight whose service was over，the forces arrived at Gien，whence they had set forth at the end of June for a series of victories.It is to be supposed that the King was well enough satisfied with the conquests accomplished in three months.

And，indeed，in ordinary circumstances they would have formed a triumphant list.Charles must have felt himself free to play after the work which he had not done；and to leave his good fortune and the able negotiators，who hoped to get Paris and other good things from Philip of Burgundy without paying anything for them，to do the rest.