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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared from the 1896 Longmans Green and Company +edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +A MONK OF FIFE + + + + +PREFACE + + + +Norman Leslie of Pitcullo, whose narrative the reader has in his +hands, refers more than once to his unfinished Latin Chronicle. +That work, usually known as "The Book of Pluscarden," has been +edited by Mr. Felix Skene, in the series of "Historians of Scotland" +(vol. vii.). To Mr. Skene's introduction and notes the curious are +referred. Here it may suffice to say that the original MS. of the +Latin Chronicle is lost; that of six known manuscript copies none is +older than 1480; that two of these copies contain a Prologue; and +that the Prologue tells us all that has hitherto been known about +the author. + +The date of the lost Latin original is 1461, as the author himself +avers. He also, in his Prologue, states the purpose of his work. +At the bidding of an unnamed Abbot of Dunfermline, who must have +been Richard Bothwell, he is to abbreviate "The Great Chronicle," +and "bring it up to date," as we now say. He is to recount the +events of his own time, "with certain other miraculous deeds, which +I who write have had cognisance of, seen, and heard, beyond the +bounds of this realm. Also, lastly, concerning a certain marvellous +Maiden, who recovered the kingdom of France out of the hands of the +tyrant, Henry, King of England. The aforesaid Maiden I saw, was +conversant with, and was in her company in her said recovery of +France, and till her life's end I was ever present." After "I was +ever present" the copies add "etc.," perhaps a sign of omission. +The monkish author probably said more about the heroine of his +youth, and this the copyists have chosen to leave out. + +The author never fulfilled this promise of telling, in Latin, the +history of the Maid as her career was seen by a Scottish ally and +friend. Nor did he ever explain how a Scot, and a foe of England, +succeeded in being present at the Maiden's martyrdom in Rouen. At +least he never fulfilled his promise, as far as any of the six Latin +MSS. of his Chronicle are concerned. Every one of these MSS.-- +doubtless following their incomplete original--breaks off short in +the middle of the second sentence of Chapter xxxii. Book xii. Here +is the brief fragment which that chapter contains:- + +"In those days the Lord stirred up the spirit of a certain +marvellous Maiden, born on the borders of France, in the duchy of +Lorraine, and the see of Toul, towards the Imperial territories. +This Maiden her father and mother employed in tending sheep; daily, +too, did she handle the distaff; man's love she knew not; no sin, as +it is said, was found in her, to her innocence the neighbours bore +witness . . . " + +Here the Latin narrative of the one man who followed Jeanne d'Arc +through good and evil to her life's end breaks off abruptly. The +author does not give his name; even the name of the Abbot at whose +command he wrote "is left blank, as if it had been erased in the +original" (Mr. Felix Skene, "Liber Pluscardensis," in the +"Historians of Scotland," vii. p. 18). It might be guessed that the +original fell into English hands between 1461 and 1489, and that +they blotted out the name of the author, and destroyed a most +valuable record of their conqueror and their victim, Jeanne d'Arc. + +Against this theory we have to set the explanation here offered by +Norman Leslie, our author, in the Ratisbon Scots College's French +MS., of which this work is a translation. Leslie never finished his +Latin Chronicle, but he wrote, in French, the narrative which +follows, decorating it with the designs which Mr. Selwyn Image has +carefully copied in black and white. + +Possessing this information, we need not examine Mr. W. F. Skene's +learned but unconvincing theory that the author of the fragmentary +Latin work was one Maurice Drummond, out of the Lennox. The +hypothesis is that of Mr. W. F. Skene, and Mr. Felix Skene points +out the difficulties which beset the opinion of his distinguished +kinsman. Our Monk is a man of Fife. + +As to the veracity of the following narrative, the translator finds +it minutely corroborated, wherever corroboration could be expected, +in the large mass of documents which fill the five volumes of M. +Quicherat's "Proces de Jeanne d'Arc," in contemporary chronicles, +and in MSS. more recently discovered in French local or national +archives. Thus Charlotte Boucher, Barthelemy Barrette, Noiroufle, +the Scottish painter, and his daughter Elliot, Capdorat, ay, even +Thomas Scott, the King's Messenger, were all real living people, +traces of whose existence, with some of their adventures, survive +faintly in brown old manuscripts. Louis de Coutes, the pretty page +of the Maid, a boy of fourteen, may have been hardly judged by +Norman Leslie, but he certainly abandoned Jeanne d'Arc at her first +failure. + +So, after explaining the true position and character of our monkish +author and artist, we leave his book to the judgment which it has +tarried for so long. + + + +CHAPTER I--HOW THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN, AND HOW NORMAN LESLIE FLED OUT +OF FIFE + + + +It is not of my own will, nor for my own glory, that I, Norman +Leslie, sometime of Pitcullo, and in religion called Brother Norman, +of the Order of Benedictines, of Dunfermline, indite this book. But +on my coming out of France, in the year of our Lord One thousand +four hundred and fifty-nine, it was laid on me by my Superior, +Richard, Abbot in Dunfermline, that I should abbreviate the Great +Chronicle of Scotland, and continue the same down to our own time. +{1} He bade me tell, moreover, all that I knew of the glorious Maid +of France, called Jeanne la Pucelle, in whose company I was, from +her beginning even till her end. + +Obedient, therefore, to my Superior, I wrote, in this our cell of +Pluscarden, a Latin book containing the histories of times past, but +when I came to tell of matters wherein, as Maro says, "pars magna +fui," I grew weary of such rude, barbarous Latin as alone I am +skilled to indite, for of the manner Ciceronian, as it is now +practised by clerks of Italy, I am not master: my book, therefore, +I left unfinished, breaking off in the middle of a sentence. Yet, +considering the command laid on me, in the end I am come to this +resolve, namely, to write the history of the wars in France, and the +history of the blessed Maid (so far at least as I was an eyewitness +and partaker thereof), in the French language, being the most +commonly understood of all men, and the most delectable. It is not +my intent to tell all the story of the Maid, and all her deeds and +sayings, for the world would scarcely contain the books that should +be written. But what I myself beheld, that I shall relate, +especially concerning certain accidents not known to the general, by +reason of which ignorance the whole truth can scarce be understood. +For, if Heaven visibly sided with France and the Maid, no less did +Hell most manifestly take part with our old enemy of England. And +often in this life, if we look not the more closely, and with the +eyes of faith, Sathanas shall seem to have the upper hand in the +battle, with whose very imp and minion I myself was conversant, to +my sorrow, as shall be shown. + +First, concerning myself I must say some few words, to the end that +what follows may be the more readily understood. + +I was born in the kingdom of Fife, being, by some five years, the +younger of two sons of Archibald Leslie, of Pitcullo, near St. +Andrews, a cadet of the great House of Rothes. My mother was an +Englishwoman of the Debatable Land, a Storey of Netherby, and of me, +in our country speech, it used to be said that I was "a mother's +bairn." For I had ever my greatest joy in her, whom I lost ere I +was sixteen years of age, and she in me: not that she favoured me +unduly, for she was very just, but that, within ourselves, we each +knew who was nearest to her heart. She was, indeed, a saintly +woman, yet of a merry wit, and she had great pleasure in reading of +books, and in romances. Being always, when I might, in her company, +I became a clerk insensibly, and without labour I could early read +and write, wherefore my father was minded to bring me up for a +churchman. For this cause, I was some deal despised by others of my +age, and, yet more, because from my mother I had caught the Southron +trick of the tongue. They called me "English Norman," and many a +battle I have fought on that quarrel, for I am as true a Scot as +any, and I hated the English (my own mother's people though they +were) for taking and holding captive our King, James I. of worthy +memory. My fancy, like that of most boys, was all for the wars, and +full of dreams concerning knights and ladies, dragons and +enchanters, about which the other lads were fain enough to hear me +tell what I had read in romances, though they mocked at me for +reading. Yet they oft came ill speed with their jests, for my +brother had taught me to use my hands: and to hold a sword I was +instructed by our smith, who had been prentice to Harry Gow, the +Burn-the-Wind of Perth, and the best man at his weapon in broad +Scotland. From him I got many a trick of fence that served my turn +later. + +But now the evil time came when my dear mother sickened and died, +leaving to me her memory and her great chain of gold. A bitter +sorrow is her death to me still; but anon my father took to him +another wife of the Bethunes of Blebo. I blame myself, rather than +this lady, that we dwelt not happily in the same house. My father +therefore, still minded to make me a churchman, sent me to Robert of +Montrose's new college that stands in the South Street of St. +Andrews, a city not far from our house of Pitcullo. But there, like +a wayward boy, I took more pleasure in the battles of the "nations"- +-as of Fife against Galloway and the Lennox; or in games of catch- +pull, football, wrestling, hurling the bar, archery, and golf--than +in divine learning--as of logic, and Aristotle his analytics. + +Yet I loved to be in the scriptorium of the Abbey, and to see the +good Father Peter limning the blessed saints in blue, and red, and +gold, of which art he taught me a little. Often I would help him to +grind his colours, and he instructed me in the laying of them on +paper or vellum, with white of egg, and in fixing and burnishing the +gold, and in drawing flowers, and figures, and strange beasts and +devils, such as we see grinning from the walls of the cathedral. In +the French language, too, he learned me, for he had been taught at +the great University of Paris; and in Avignon had seen the Pope +himself, Benedict XIII., of uncertain memory. + +Much I loved to be with Father Peter, whose lessons did not irk me, +but jumped with my own desire to read romances in the French tongue, +whereof there are many. But never could I have dreamed that, in +days to come, this art of painting would win me my bread for a +while, and that a Leslie of Pitcullo should be driven by hunger to +so base and contemned a handiwork, unworthy, when practised for +gain, of my blood. + +Yet it would have been well for me to follow even this craft more, +and my sports and pastimes less: Dickon Melville had then escaped a +broken head, and I, perchance, a broken heart. But youth is given +over to vanities that war against the soul, and, among others, to +that wicked game of the Golf, now justly cried down by our laws, {2} +as the mother of cursing and idleness, mischief and wastery, of +which game, as I verily believe, the devil himself is the father. + +It chanced, on an October day of the year of grace Fourteen hundred +and twenty-eight, that I was playing myself at this accursed sport +with one Richard Melville, a student of like age with myself. We +were evenly matched, though Dickon was tall and weighty, being great +of growth for his age, whereas I was of but scant inches, slim, and, +as men said, of a girlish countenance. Yet I was well skilled in +the game of the Golf, and have driven a Holland ball the length of +an arrow-flight, there or thereby. But wherefore should my sinful +soul be now in mind of these old vanities, repented of, I trust, +long ago? + +As we twain, Dickon and I, were known for fell champions at this +unholy sport, many of the other scholars followed us, laying wagers +on our heads. They were but a wild set of lads, for, as then, there +was not, as now there is, a house appointed for scholars to dwell in +together under authority. We wore coloured clothes, and our hair +long; gold chains, and whingers {3} in our belts, all of which +things are now most righteously forbidden. But I carried no whinger +on the links, as considering that it hampered a man in his play. So +the game went on, now Dickon leading "by a hole," as they say, and +now myself, and great wagers were laid on us. + +Now, at the hole that is set high above the Eden, whence you see far +over the country, and the river-mouth, and the shipping, it chanced +that my ball lay between Dickon's and the hole, so that he could in +no manner win past it. + +"You laid me that stimy of set purpose," cried Dickon, throwing down +his club in a rage; "and this is the third time you have done it in +this game." + +"It is clean against common luck," quoth one of his party, "and the +game and the money laid on it should be ours." + +"By the blessed bones of the Apostle," I said, 'no luck is more +common. To-day to me, to-morrow to thee! Lay it of purpose, I +could not if I would." + +"You lie!" he shouted in a rage, and gripped to his whinger. + +It was ever my father's counsel that I must take the lie from none. +Therefore, as his steel was out, and I carried none, I made no more +ado, and the word of shame had scarce left his lips when I felled +him with the iron club that we use in sand. + +"He is dead!" cried they of his party, while the lads of my own +looked askance on me, and had manifestly no mind to be partakers in +my deed. + +Now, Melville came of a great house, and, partly in fear of their +feud, partly like one amazed and without any counsel, I ran and +leaped into a boat that chanced to lie convenient on the sand, and +pulled out into the Eden. Thence I saw them raise up Melville, and +bear him towards the town, his friends lifting their hands against +me, with threats and malisons. His legs trailed and his head wagged +like the legs and the head of a dead man, and I was without hope in +the world. + +At first it was my thought to row up the river-mouth, land, and make +across the marshes and fields to our house at Pitcullo. But I +bethought me that my father was an austere man, whom I had vexed +beyond bearing with my late wicked follies, into which, since the +death of my mother, I had fallen. And now I was bringing him no +college prize, but a blood-feud, which he was like to find an ill +heritage enough, even without an evil and thankless son. My +stepmother, too, who loved me little, would inflame his anger +against me. Many daughters he had, and of gear and goods no more +than enough. Robin, my elder brother, he had let pass to France, +where he served among the men of John Kirkmichael, Bishop of +Orleans--he that smote the Duke of Clarence in fair fight at Bauge. + +Thinking of my father, and of my stepmother's ill welcome, and of +Robin, abroad in the wars against our old enemy of England, it may +be that I fell into a kind of half dream, the boat lulling me by its +movement on the waters. Suddenly I felt a crashing blow on my head. +It was as if the powder used for artillery had exploded in my mouth, +with flash of light and fiery taste, and I knew nothing. Then, how +long after I could not tell, there was water on my face, the blue +sky and the blue tide were spinning round--they spun swiftly, then +slowly, then stood still. There was a fierce pain stounding in my +head, and a voice said - + +"That good oar-stroke will learn you to steal boats!" + +I knew the voice; it was that of a merchant sailor-man with whom, on +the day before, I had quarrelled in the market-place. Now I was +lying at the bottom of a boat which four seamen, who had rowed up to +me and had broken my head as I meditated, were pulling towards a +merchant-vessel, or carrick, in the Eden-mouth. Her sails were +being set; the boat wherein I lay was towing that into which I had +leaped after striking down Melville. For two of the ship's men, +being on shore, had hailed their fellows in the carrick, and they +had taken vengeance upon me. + +"You scholar lads must be taught better than your masters learn +you," said my enemy. + +And therewith they carried me on board the vessel, the "St. +Margaret," of Berwick, laden with a cargo of dried salmon from Eden- +mouth. They meant me no kindness, for there was an old feud between +the scholars and the sailors; but it seemed to me, in my +foolishness, that now I was in luck's way. I need not go back, with +blood on my hands, to Pitcullo and my father. I had money in my +pouch, my mother's gold chain about my neck, a ship's deck under my +foot, and the seas before me. It was not hard for me to bargain +with the shipmaster for a passage to Berwick, whence I might put +myself aboard a vessel that traded to Bordeaux for wine from that +country. The sailors I made my friends at no great cost, for indeed +they were the conquerors, and could afford to show clemency, and +hold me to slight ransom as a prisoner of war. + +So we lifted anchor, and sailed out of Eden-mouth, none of those on +shore knowing how I was aboard the carrick that slipped by the +bishop's castle, and so under the great towers of the minster and +St. Rule's, forth to the Northern Sea. Despite my broken head-- +which put it comfortably into my mind that maybe Dickon's was no +worse--I could have laughed to think how clean I had vanished away +from St. Andrews, as if the fairies had taken me. Now having time +to reason of it quietly, I picked up hope for Dickon's life, +remembering his head to be of the thickest. Then came into my mind +the many romances of chivalry which I had read, wherein the young +squire has to flee his country for a chance blow, as did Messire +Patroclus, in the Romance of Troy, who slew a man in anger over the +game of the chess, and many another knight, in the tales of +Charlemagne and his paladins. For ever it is thus the story opens, +and my story, methought, was beginning to-day like the rest. + +Now, not to prove more wearisome than need be, and so vex those who +read this chronicle with much talk about myself, and such accidents +of travel as beset all voyagers, and chiefly in time of war, I found +a trading ship at Berwick, and reached Bordeaux safe, after much +sickness on the sea. And in Bordeaux, with a very sore heart, I +changed the links of my mother's chain that were left to me--all but +four, that still I keep--for money of that country; and so, with a +lighter pack than spirit, I set forth towards Orleans and to my +brother Robin. + +On this journey I had good cause to bless Father Peter of the Abbey +for his teaching me the French tongue, that was of more service to +me than all my Latin. Yet my Latin, too, the little I knew, stood +me in good stead at the monasteries, where often I found bed and +board, and no small kindness; I little deeming that, in time to +come, I also should be in religion, an old man and weary, glad to +speak with travellers concerning the news of the world, from which I +am now these ten years retired. Yet I love even better to call back +memories of these days, when I took my part in the fray. If this be +a sin, may God and the Saints forgive me, for if I have fought, it +was in a rightful cause, which Heaven at last has prospered, and in +no private quarrel. And methinks I have one among the Saints to +pray for me, as a friend for a friend not unfaithful. But on this +matter I submit me to the judgment of the Church, as in all +questions of the faith. + + + +CHAPTER II--HOW NORMAN LESLIE MET NOIROUFLE THE CORDELIER, CALLED +BROTHER THOMAS IN RELIGION: AND OF MIRACLES WROUGHT BY BROTHER +THOMAS + + + +The ways were rude and long from Bordeaux town to Orleans, whither I +had set my face, not knowing, when I left my own country, that the +city was beleaguered by the English. For who could guess that lords +and knights of the Christian faith, holding captive the gentle Duke +of Orleans, would besiege his own city?--a thing unheard of among +the very Saracens, and a deed that God punished. Yet the news of +this great villainy, namely, the leaguer of Orleans, then newly +begun, reached my ears on my landing at Bordeaux, and made me +greatly fear that I might never meet my brother Robin alive. And +this my doubt proved but too true, for he soon after this time fell, +with many other Scottish gentlemen and archers, deserted shamefully +by the French and by Charles de Bourbon, Comte de Clermont, at the +Battle of the Herrings. But of this I knew nothing--as, indeed, the +battle was not yet fought--and only pushed on for France, thinking +to take service with the Dauphin against the English. My journey +was through a country ruinous enough, for, though the English were +on the further bank of the Loire, the partisans of the Dauphin had +made a ruin round themselves and their holds, and, not being paid, +they lived upon the country. + +The further north I held, by ways broken and ruined with rains and +suns, the more bare and rugged grew the whole land. Once, stopping +hard by a hamlet, I had sat down to munch such food as I carried, +and was sharing my meal with a little brown herd-boy, who told me +that he was dinnerless. A few sheep and lean kine plucked at such +scant grasses as grew among rocks, and herbs useless but sweet- +scented, when suddenly a horn was blown from the tower of the little +church. The first note of that blast had not died away, when every +cow and sheep was scampering towards the hamlet and a kind of +"barmkyn" {4} they had builded there for protection, and the boy +after them, running with his bare legs for dear life. For me, I was +too amazed to run in time, so lay skulking in the thick sweet- +smelling herbs, whence I saw certain men-at-arms gallop to the crest +of a cliff hard by, and ride on with curses, for they were not of +strength to take the barmkyn. + +Such was the face of France in many counties. The fields lay weedy +and untilled; the starving peasant-folk took to the highway, every +man preying on his neighbour. Woods had grown up, and broken in +upon the roads. Howbeit, though robbers harboured therein, none of +them held to ransom a wandering poor Scots scholar. + +Slowly I trudged, being often delayed, and I was now nearing +Poictiers, and thought myself well on my road to Chinon, where, as I +heard, the Dauphin lay, when I came to a place where the road should +have crossed a stream--not wide, but strong, smooth, and very deep. +The stream ran through a glen; and above the road I had long noted +the towers of a castle. But as I drew closer, I saw first that the +walls were black with fire and roofless, and that carrion birds were +hovering over them, some enemy having fallen upon the place: and +next, behold, the bridge was broken, and there was neither ford nor +ferry! All the ruin was fresh, the castle still smouldering, the +kites flocking and yelling above the trees, the planks of the bridge +showing that the destruction was but of yesterday. + +This matter of the broken bridge cost me little thought, for I could +swim like an otter. But there was another traveller down by the +stream who seemed more nearly concerned. When I came close to him, +I found him standing up to his waist in the water, taking soundings +with a long and heavy staff. His cordelier's frock was tucked up +into his belt, his long brown legs, with black hairs thick on them, +were naked. He was a huge, dark man, and when he turned and stared +at me, I thought that, among all men of the Church and in religion +whom I had ever beheld, he was the foulest and most fierce to look +upon. He had an ugly, murderous visage, fell eyes and keen, and a +right long nose, hooked like a falcon's. The eyes in his head shone +like swords, and of all eyes of man I ever saw, his were the most +piercing and most terrible. On his back he carried, as I noticed at +the first, what I never saw on a cordelier's back before, or on any +but his since--an arbalest, and he had bolts enough in his bag, the +feathers showing above. + +"Pax vobiscum," he cried, in a loud, grating voice, as he saw me, +and scrambled out to shore. + +"Et cum anima tua," I answered. + +"Nom de Dieu!" he said, "you have bottomed my Latin already, that is +scarce so deep as the river here. My malison on them that broke the +bridge!" Then he looked me over fiercely. + +"Burgundy or Armagnac?" he asked. + +I thought the question strange, as a traveller would scarce care to +pronounce for Burgundy in that country. But this was a man who +would dare anything, so I deemed it better to answer that I was a +Scot, and, so far, of neither party. + +"Tug-mutton, wine-sack!" he said, these being two of many ill names +which the French gave our countrymen; for, of all men, the French +are least grateful to us, who, under Heaven and the Maid, have set +their King on his throne again. + +The English knew this, if the French did not; and their great King, +Harry the Fifth, when he fell ill of St. Fiacre's sickness, after +plundering that Scots saint's shrine of certain horse-shoes, silver- +gilt, said well that, "go where he would, he was bearded by Scots, +dead or alive." But the French are not a thankful people. + +I had no answer very ready to my tongue, so stepped down silent to +the water-edge, and was about taking off my doublet and hose, +meaning to carry them on my head and swim across. But he barred the +way with his staff, and, for me, I gripped to my whinger, and +watched my chance to run in under his guard. For this cordelier was +not to be respected, I deemed, like others of the Order of St. +Francis, and all men of Holy Church. + +"Answer a civil question," he said, "before it comes to worse: +Armagnac or Burgundy?" + +"Armagnac," I answered, "or anything else that is not English. +Clear the causeway, mad friar!" + +At that he threw down his staff. + +"I go north also," he said, "to Orleans, if I may, for the foul +"manants" and peasant dogs of this country have burned the castle of +Alfonse Rodigo, a good knight that held them in right good order +this year past. He was worthy, indeed, to ride with that excellent +captain, Don Rodrigo de Villandradas. King's captain or village +labourer, all was fish that came to his net, and but two days ago I +was his honourable chaplain. But he made the people mad, and a +great carouse that we kept gave them their opportunity. They have +roasted the good knight Alfonse, and would have done as much for me, +his almoner, frock and all, if wine had any mastery over me. But I +gave them the slip. Heaven helps its own! Natheless, I would that +this river were between me and their vengeance, and, for once, I +dread the smell of roast meat that is still in my nostrils--pah!" + +And here he spat on the ground. + +"But one door closes," he went on, "and another opens, and to +Orleans am I now bound, in the service of my holy calling." + +"There is, indeed, cause enough for the shriving of souls of +sinners, Father, in that country, as I hear, and a holy man like you +will be right welcome to many." + +"They need little shriving that are opposite my culverin," said this +strange priest. "Though now I carry but an arbalest, the gun is my +mistress, and my patron is the gunner's saint, St. Barbara. And +even with this toy, methinks I have the lives of a score of goddams +in my bolt-pouch." + +I knew that in these wild days many clerics were careless as to that +which the Church enjoins concerning the effusion of blood--nay, I +have named John Kirkmichael, Bishop of Orleans, as having himself +broken a spear on the body of the Duke of Clarence. The Abbe of +Cerquenceaux, also, was a valiant man in religion, and a good +captain, and, all over France, clerics were gripping to sword and +spear. But such a priest as this I did not expect to see. + +"Your name?" he asked suddenly, the words coming out with a sound +like the first grating of a saw on stone. + +"They call me Norman Leslie de Pitcullo," I answered. "And yours?" + +"My name," he said, "is Noiroufle"--and I thought that never had I +seen a man so well fitted with a name;--"in religion, Brother +Thomas, a poor brother of the Order of the mad St. Francis of +Assisi." + +"Then, Brother Thomas, how do you mean to cross this water which +lies between you and the exercise of your holy calling? Do you +swim?" + +"Like a stone cannon-ball, and, for all that I can find, the cursed +water has no bottom. Cross!" he snarled. "Let me see you swim." + +I was glad enough to be quit of him so soon, but I noticed that, as +I stripped and packed my clothes to carry in a bundle on my head, +the holy man set his foot in the stirrup of his weapon, and was +winding up his arbalest with a windlass, a bolt in his mouth, +watching at the same time a heron that rose from a marsh on the +further side of the stream. On this bird, I deemed, he meant to try +his skill with the arbalest. + +"Adieu, Brother Thomas," I said, as I took the water; and in a few +strokes I was across and running up and down on the bank to get +myself dry. "Back!" came his grating voice--"back! and without your +clothes, you wine-sack of Scotland, or I shoot!" and his arbalest +was levelled on me. + +I have often asked myself since what I should have done, and what +was the part of a brave man. Perchance I might have dived, and swum +down-stream under water, but then I had bestowed my bundle of +clothes some little way off, and Brother Thomas commanded it from +his side of the stream. He would have waited there in ambush till I +came shivering back for hose and doublet, and I should be in no +better case than I was now. Meanwhile his weapon was levelled at +me, and I could see the bolt-point set straight for my breast, and +glittering in a pale blink of the sun. The bravest course is ever +the best. I should have thrown myself on the earth, no doubt, and +so crawled to cover, taking my chance of death rather than the shame +of obeying under threat and force. But I was young, and had never +looked death in the face, so, being afraid and astonished, I made +what seemed the best of an ill business, and, though my face reddens +yet at the thought of it, I leaped in and swam back like a dog to +heel. + +"Behold me," I said, making as brave a countenance as I might in +face of necessity. + +"Well done, Norman Leslie de Pitcullo," he snarled, baring his +yellow teeth. "This is the obedience which the young owe to the +Church. Now, ferry me over; you are my boat." + +"You will drown, man," I said. "Not while you swim." + +Then, unbuckling his frock, he packed it as he had seen me do, bade +me put it on my head, and so stepped out into the water, holding +forth his arm to put about my neck. I was for teaching him how to +lay it on my shoulder, and was bidding him keep still as a plank of +wood, but he snarled - + +"I have sailed on a boat of flesh before to-day." + +To do him justice, he kept still as a log of wood, and so, yielding +partly to the stream, I landed him somewhat further down than the +place where my own clothes were lying. To them he walked, and very +quietly picking up my whinger and my raiment that he gathered under +his arm, he concealed himself in a thick bush, albeit it was +leafless, where no man could have been aware of him. This amazed me +not a little, for modesty did not seem any part of his nature. + +"Now," says he, "fetch over my arbalest. Lying where I am you have +no advantage to shoot me, as, nom de Dieu! I would have shot you had +you not obeyed. And hark ye, by the way, unwind the arbalest before +you cross; it is ever well to be on the safe side. And be sure you +wet not the string." He pushed his face through the bush, and held +in his mouth my naked whinger, that shone between his shining eyes. + +Now again I say it, I have thought over this matter many a time, and +have even laughed aloud and bitterly, when I was alone, at the +figure of me shivering there, on a cold February day, and at my +helpless estate. For a naked man is no match for a man with a +whinger, and he was sitting on my clothes. So this friar, unworthy +as he was of his holy calling, had me at an avail on every side, nor +do I yet see what I could do but obey him, as I did. And when I +landed from this fifth voyage, he laughed and gave me his blessing, +and, what I needed more, some fiery spirits from a water-gourd, in +which Father Thomas carried no water. + +"Well done, my son," he said, "and now we are comrades. My life was +not over safe on yonder side, seeing that the "manants" hate me, and +respect not my hood, and two are better company than one, where we +are going." + +This encounter was the beginning of many evils, and often now the +picture shines upon my eyes, and I see the grey water, and hear the +cold wind whistle in the dry reeds of the river-bank whereon we sat. + +The man was my master, Heaven help me! as surely as Sathanas was +his. And though, at last, I slipped his clutches, as you shall hear +(more readily than, I trow, he will scape his lord in the end, for +he still lives), yet it was an ill day that we met--an ill day for +me and for France. Howbeit we jogged on, he merrily enough singing +a sculdudery song, I something surly, under a grey February sky, +with a keen wind searching out the threadbare places in our raiment. +My comrade, as he called himself, told me what passages he chose in +the history of his life: how he came to be frocked (but 'cucullus +non facit monachum'), and how, in the troubles of these times, he +had discovered in himself a great aptitude for the gunner's trade, +of which he boasted not a little. He had been in one and another of +these armed companies that took service with either side, for hire, +being better warriors and more skilled than the noblesse, but a +curse to France: for, in peace or war, friend or foe, they +plundered all, and held all to ransom. With Rodrigo de +Villandradas, that blood-hound of Spain, he had been high in favour, +but when Rodrigo went to harry south and east, he had tarried at +Ruffec, with another thief of that nation, Alfonse Rodigo. All his +talk, as we went, was of slaying men in fight; whom he slew he cared +not much, but chiefly he hated the English and them of Burgundy. To +him, war was what hunting and shooting game is to others; a cruel +and bloody pastime, when Christians are the quarry! + +"John the Lorrainer, and I, there are no others to be named with us +at the culverin," he would brag. "We two against an army, give us +good cover, and powder and leaden balls enough. Hey! Master John +and I must shoot a match yet, against English targets, and of them +there are plenty under Orleans. But if I make not the better speed, +the town will have fallen, or yielded, rescue or no rescue, and of +rescue there is no hope at all. The devil fights for the English, +who will soon be swarming over the Loire, and that King of Bourges +of ours will have to flee, and gnaw horse's fodder, oats and barley, +with your friends in Scotland." + +This was one of the many ungenerous taunts which the French made +often against us Scots, that have been their ancient and leal +brethren in arms since the days of King Achaius and Charlemagne. + +"The Dauphin," he went on, "for King he is none, and crowned he will +never be, should be in Orleans, leading his men; and lo! he is tied +to the belt of fat La Tremouille, and is dancing of ballets at +Chinon--a murrain on him, and on them that make his music!" Then he +fell to cursing his King, a thing terrible to hear, and so to asking +me questions about myself. I told him that I had fled my own +country for a man-slaying, hoping, may Heaven forgive me! to make +him think the higher of me for the deed. + +"So we all begin," said he; "a shrewd blow, or a fair wench; a +death, or a birth unlawful, 'tis all one forth we are driven to the +world and the wars. Yet you have started well,--well enough, and +better than I gave your girl's face credit for. Bar steel and rope, +you may carry some French gold back to stinking Scotland yet." + +He gave me so much credit as this for a deed that deserved none, but +rather called for rebuke from him, who, however unworthy, was in +religion, and wore the garb of the Blessed Francis. But very far +from fortifying me in virtuous courses, as was his bounden duty, +there was no wickedness that he did not try to teach me, till partly +I hated him, and partly, I fear, I admired one so skilled in evil. +The truth is, as I said, that this man, for that time, was my +master. He was learned in all the arts by which poor and wandering +folk can keep their bellies full wandering by the way. With women, +ugly and terrible of aspect as he was, he had a great power: a +pious saying for the old; a way with the young which has ever been a +mystery to me, unless, as some of the learned think, all women are +naturally lovers of wickedness, if strength and courage go with it. +What by wheedling, what by bullying, what by tales of pilgrimages to +holy shrines (he was coming from Jerusalem by way of Rome, so he +told all we met), he ever won a welcome. + +Other more devilish cantrips he played, one of them at the peasant's +house where we rested on the first night of our common travel. The +Lenten supper which they gave us, with no little kindness, was +ended, and we were sitting in the firelight, Brother Thomas +discoursing largely of his pilgrimages, and of his favour among the +high clergy. Thus, at I know not what convent of the Clarisses, {5} +in Italy, the holy Sisters had pressed on him a relic of Monsieur +St. Aignan, the patron of the good town of Orleans. To see this +relic, the farmer, his wife, and his sons and daughters crowded +eagerly; it was but a little blackened finger bone, yet they were +fain to touch it, as is the custom. But this he would not yet +allow. + +"Perchance some of you," he said, "are already corrupt, not knowing +it, with the poisonous breath of that damnable Hussite heresy, which +is blowing from the east like wind of the pestilence, and ye may +have doubts concerning the verity of this most holy and miraculous +relic?" + +They all crossed themselves, protesting that no such wicked whisper +of Sathanas had ever come into their minds, nor had they so much as +heard of Huss and his blasphemies. + +"Nay," said Brother Thomas, "I could scarcely blame you if it were +partly as I said. For in this latter time of the world, when I have +myself met Jews flocking to Babylon expecting the birth of +Antichrist, there be many false brethren, who carry about feigned +relics, to deceive the simple. We should believe no man, if he be, +as I am, a stranger, unless he shows us a sign, such as now I will +show you. Give me, of your grace, a kerchief, or a napkin." The +goodwife gave him a clean white napkin from her aumbry, and he tore +it up before their eyes, she not daring to stay his hand. + +"Now note this holy relic and its wonderful power," he said, holding +the blackened bone high in his left hand, and all our eyes were +fixed on it. "Now mark," he said again, passing it over the napkin; +and lo! there was a clean white napkin in his hands, and of the torn +shreds not a trace! + +We were still gaping, and crossing ourselves with blessings on this +happy day and our unworthy eyes that beheld a miracle, when he did a +thing yet more marvellous, if that might be, which I scarce expect +any man will believe. Going to the table, and catching up a glass +vessel on which the goodwife set great store, he threw it against +the wall, and we all plainly heard it shiver into tinkling pieces. +Then, crossing the room into the corner, that was dusky enough, he +faced us, again holding the blessed relic, whereon we stared, in +holy fear. Then he rose, and in his hand was the goodwife's glass +vessel, without crack or flaw! {6} + +"Such," he said, "are the properties of this miraculous relic; there +is nothing broken but it will mend, ay, a broken limb, as I can +prove on my own sinful body,"--thrusting out his great brown leg, +whereon, assuredly, were signs of a fracture; "ay, a broken leg, or, +my dear daughters, a broken heart." At this, of course, they were +all eager to touch the blessed relic with their poor rings of base +metal, such as they wear who are not rich. Nay, but first, he said, +they must give their mites for a convent of the Clarisses, that was +building at Castres, by the care of the holy Colette, whom he might +call his patroness, unworthy as he was. + +Then he showed us a safe-conduct, signed with that blessed woman's +own hand, such as she was wont to give to the religious of the Order +of St. Francis. By virtue of this, he said (and, by miracle, for +once he said truly, as I had but too good cause to learn), he could +go freely in and out among the camps of French, English, and +Burgundians. + +You may conceive how joyous they were in that poor cottage, on a +night so blessed, and how Brother Thomas told us of the holy +Colette, that famous nun and Mother in Christ, as he that had often +been in her company. He had seen her body lifted in the air while +she remained in a pious ecstasy, her mind soaring aloft and her +fleshly body following it some way. + +He had often watched that snow-white beast which followed her, such +a creature as is known in no country of the sinful world, but is a +thing of Paradise. And he had tried to caress this wondrous +creature of God, but vainly, for none but the holy sister Colette +may handle it. Concerning her miracles of healing, too, he told us, +all of which we already knew for very truth, and still know on +better warranty than his. + +Ye may believe that, late and at last, Brother Thomas had his choice +of the warmest place to sleep in--by the "four," as is the wont of +pilgrims, for in his humility this holy man would not suffer the +farmer's wife and the farmer to give him their bed, as they desired. +I, too, was very kindly entreated by the young lads, but I could +scarcely sleep for marvelling at these miracles done by one so +unworthy; and great, indeed, I deemed, must be the virtue of that +relic which wrought such signs in the hands of an evil man. But I +have since held that he feigned all by art magic and very sorcery, +for, as we wended next morning on our road, he plainly told me, +truly or falsely, that he had picked up the blackened finger-bone +out of the loathly ashes of the dead in the burned castle near +Ruffec. + +Wherefore I consider that when Brother Thomas sold the grace of his +relic, by the touching of rings, he dealt in a devilish black +simony, vending to simple Christians no grace but that of his +master, Sathanas. Thus he was not only evil (if I guess aright, +which I submit to the judgment of my ecclesiastical superiors, and +of the Church), but he had even found out a new kind of wickedness, +such as I never read of in any books of theology wherein is much to +be learned. I have spoken with some, however, knights and men of +this world, who deemed that he did but beguile our eyes by craft and +sleight-of-hand. + +This other hellish art he had, by direct inspiration, as I hold, of +his master Behemoth, that he could throw his voice whither he would, +so that, in all seeming, it came from above, or from below, or from +a corner of a room, fashioning it to resemble the voice of whom he +would, yet none might see his lips move. With this craft he would +affray the peasants about the fire in the little inns where we +sometimes rested, when he would be telling tales of bogles and +eldritch fantasies, and of fiends that rout and rap, and make the +tables and firkins dance. Such art of speech, I am advised, is +spoken of by St. Jerome, in his comment on the holy prophet the +saint Isaiah, and they that use it he calls "ventriloqui," in the +Latin, or "belly-speakers," and he takes an unfavourable sense of +them and their doings. So much I have from the learned William de +Boyis, Prior of Pluscarden, where now I write; with whom I have +conversed of these matters privately, and he thinks this art a thing +that men may learn by practice, without dealing in nigromancy and +the black magic. This question I am content to leave, as is +fitting, to the judgment of my superiors. And indeed, as at that +time, Brother Thomas spake not in his belly except to make sport and +affray the simple people, soon turning their fears to mirth. +Certainly the country folk never misdoubted him, the women for a +holy man, the men for a good fellow; though all they of his own +cloth shrank from him, and I have seen them cross themselves in his +presence, but to no avail. He would say a word or two in their +ears, and they straightway left the place where he might be. None +the less, with his tales and arts, Brother Thomas commonly so +wrought that we seldom slept "e la belle etoile" in that bitter +spring weather, but we ordinarily had leave to lie by the hearth, +and got a supper and a breakfast. The good peasants would find +their hen-roosts the poorer often, for all that he could snap up was +to him fortune of war. + +I loved these manners little, but leave him I could not. His eye +was ever on me; if I stirred in the night he was awake and watching +me, and by day he never let me out of a bolt's flight. To cut the +string of his wicked weapon was a thought often in my mind, but he +was too vigilant. My face was his passport, he said; my face, +indeed, being innocent enough, as was no shame to me, but an endless +cause of mirth and mockery to him. Yet, by reason of the +serviceableness of the man in that perilous country, and my constant +surprise and wonder at what he did and said, and might do next +(which no man could guess beforehand), and a kind of foolish pride +in his very wickedness, so much beyond what I had ever dreamed of, +and for pure fear of him also, I found myself following with him day +by day, ever thinking to escape, and never escaping. + +I have since deemed that, just as his wickedness was to a boy (for I +was little more), a kind of charm, made up of a sort of admiring +hate and fear, so my guilelessness (as it seemed to him) also +wrought on him strangely. For in part it made sport for him to see +my open mouth and staring eyes at the spectacle of his devilries, +and in part he really hated me, and hated my very virtue of +simplicity, which it was his desire and delight to surprise and +corrupt. + +On these strange terms, then, now drawn each to other, and now +forced apart, we wended by Poictiers towards Chinon, where the +Dauphin and his Court then lay. So we fared northwards, through +Poitou, where we found evil news enough. For, walking into a +village, we saw men, women, and children, all gathered, gaping about +one that stood beside a horse nearly foundered, its legs thrust +wide, its nostrils all foam and blood. The man, who seemed as weary +as his horse, held a paper in his hands, which the priest of that +parish took from him and read aloud to us. The rider was a royal +messenger, one Thomas Scott of Easter Buccleuch, in Rankel Burn, +whom I knew later, and his tidings were evil. The Dauphin bade his +good towns know that, on the 12th of February, Sir John Stewart, +constable of the Scottish forces in France, had fallen in battle at +Rouvray, with very many of his company, and some Frenchmen. They +had beset a convoy under Sir John Fastolf, that was bringing meat to +the English leaguered about Orleans. But Fastolf had wholly routed +them (by treachery, as we later learned of the Comte de Clermont), +and Sir John Stewart, with his brother Sir William, were slain. +Wherefore the Dauphin bade the good towns send him money and men, or +all was lost. + +Such were the evil tidings, which put me in sore fear for my brother +Robin, one that, in such an onfall, would go far, as beseemed his +blood. But as touching his fortunes, Thomas Scott could tell me +neither good nor bad, though he knew Robin, and gave him a good name +for a stout man-at-arms. It was of some comfort to me to hear a +Scots tongue; but, for the rest, I travelled on with a heavier +heart, deeming that Orleans must indeed fall ere I could seek my +brother in that town. + + + +CHAPTER III--WHAT BEFELL OUTSIDE OF CHINON TOWN + + + +My old nurse, when I was a child, used to tell me a long story of a +prince who, wandering through the world, made friends with many +strange companions. One she called Lynx-eye, that could see through +a mountain; one was Swift-foot, that could outrun the wind; one was +Fine-ear, that could hear the grass growing; and there was Greedy- +gut, that could swallow a river. All these were very serviceable to +this gracious prince, of I know not what country, in his adventures; +and they were often brought into my mind by the companions whom we +picked up on the grass-grown roads. + +These wanderers were as strange as the friends of the prince, and +were as variously, but scarce as honourably, gifted. There was the +one-armed soldier, who showed his stump very piteously when it was a +question of begging from a burgess, but was as well furnished with +limbs as other men when no burgess was in sight. There was a +wretched woman violer, with her jackanapes, and with her husband, a +hang-dog ruffian, she bearing the mark of his fist on her eye, and +commonly trailing far behind him with her brat on her back. There +was a blind man, with his staff, who might well enough answer to +Keen-eye, that is, when no strangers were in sight. There was a +layman, wearing cope and stole and selling indulgences, but our +captain, Brother Thomas, soon banished him from our company, for +that he divided the trade. Others there were, each one of them a +Greedy-gut, a crew of broken men, who marched with us on the roads; +but we never entered a town or a house with these discreditable +attendants. + +Now, it may seem strange, but the nearer we drew to Chinon and the +Court, the poorer grew the country, for the Court and the men-at- +arms had stripped it bare, like a flight of locusts. For this +reason the Dauphin could seldom abide long at one place, for he was +so much better known than trusted that the very cordwainer would not +let him march off in a new pair of boots without seeing his money, +and, as the song said, he even greased his old clouted shoon, and +made them last as long as he might. For head-gear he was as ill +provided, seeing that he had pawned the fleurons of his crown. +There were days when his treasurer at Tours (as I myself have heard +him say) did not reckon three ducats in his coffers, and the heir of +France borrowed money from his very cook. So the people told us, +and I have often marvelled how, despite this poverty, kings and +nobles, when I have seen them, go always in cloth of gold, with rich +jewels. But, as you may guess, near the Court of a beggar Dauphin +the country-folk too were sour and beggarly. + +We had to tighten our belts before we came to the wood wherein +cross-roads meet, from north, south, and east, within five miles of +the town of Chinon. There was not a white coin among us; night was +falling, and it seemed as if we must lie out under the stars, and be +fed, like the wolves we heard howling, on wind. By the roadside, at +the crossways, but not in view of the road, a council of our ragged +regiment was held in a deep ditch. It would be late ere we reached +the town, gates would scarce open for us, we could not fee the +warders, houses would be shut and dark; the King's archers were apt +to bear them unfriendly to wandering men with the devil dancing in +their pouches. Resource we saw none; if there was a cottage, dogs, +like wolves for hunger and fierceness, were baying round it. As for +Brother Thomas, an evil bruit had gone before us concerning a +cordelier that the fowls and geese were fain to follow, as wilder +things, they say, follow the blessed St. Francis. So there sat +Brother Thomas at the cross-roads, footsore, hungry, and sullen, in +the midst of us, who dared not speak, he twanging at the string of +his arbalest. He called himself our Moses, in his blasphemous way, +and the blind man having girded at him for not leading us into the +land of plenty, he had struck the man till he bled, and now stood +stanching his wound. + +Suddenly Brother Thomas ceased from his twanging, and holding up his +hand for silence, leaned his ear to the ground. The night was +still, though a cold wind came very stealthily from the east. + +"Horses!" he said. + +"It is but the noise of the brook by the way," said the blind man, +sullenly. + +Brother Thomas listened again. + +"No, it is horses," he whispered. "My men, they that ride horses +can spare somewhat out of their abundance to feed the poor." And +with that he began winding up his arbalest hastily. "Aymeric," he +said to one of our afflicted company, "you draw a good bow for a +blind man; hide yourself in the opposite ditch, and be ready when I +give the word "Pax vobiscum." You, Giles," he spoke to the one- +armed soldier, "go with him, and, do you hear, aim low, at the third +man's horse. From the sound there are not more than five or six of +them. We can but fail, at worst, and the wood is thick behind us, +where none may pursue. You, Norman de Pitcullo, have your whinger +ready, and fasten this rope tightly to yonder birch-tree stem, and +then cross and give it a turn or two about that oak sapling on the +other side of the way. That trap will bring down a horse or twain. +Be quick, you Scotch wine-bag!" + +I had seen many ill things done, and, to my shame, had held my +peace. But a Leslie of Pitcullo does not take purses on the high- +road. Therefore my heart rose in sudden anger, I having all day +hated him more and more for his bitter tongue, and I was opening my +mouth to cry "A secours!"--a warning to them who were approaching, +when, quick as lightning, Brother Thomas caught me behind the knee- +joints, and I was on the ground with his weight above me. One cry I +had uttered, when his hand was on my mouth. + +"Give him the steel in his guts!" whispered the blind man. + +"Slit his weasand, the Scotch pig!" said the one-armed soldier. + +They were all on me now. + +"No, I keep him for better sport," snarled Brother Thomas. "He +shall learn the Scots for 'ecorcheurs' (flayers of men) "when we +have filled our pouches." + +With that he crammed a great napkin in my mouth, so that I could not +cry, made it fast with a piece of cord, trussed me with the rope +which he had bidden me tie across the path to trip the horses, and +with a kick sent me flying to the bottom of the ditch, my face being +turned from the road. + +I could hear Giles and Aymeric steal across the way, and the +rustling of boughs as they settled on the opposite side. I could +hear the trampling hoofs of horses coming slowly and wearily from +the east. At this moment chanced a thing that has ever seemed +strange to me: I felt the hand of the violer woman laid lightly and +kindly on my hair. I had ever pitied her, and, as I might, had been +kind to her and her bairn; and now, as it appears, she pitied me. +But there could be no help in her, nor did she dare to raise her +voice and give an alarm. So I could but gnaw at my gag, trying to +find scope for my tongue to cry, for now it was not only the +travellers that I would save, but my own life, and my escape from a +death of torment lay on my success. But my mouth was as dry as a +kiln, my tongue was doubled back till I thought that I should have +choked. The night was now deadly still, and the ring of the weary +hoofs drew nearer and nearer. I heard a stumble, and the scramble +of a tired horse as he recovered himself; for the rest, all was +silent, though the beating of my own heart sounded heavy and husky +in my ears. + +Closer and closer the travellers drew, and soon it was plain that +they rode not carelessly, nor as men who deemed themselves secure, +for the tramp of one horse singled itself out in front of the +others, and this, doubtless, was ridden by an "eclaireur," sent +forward to see that the way ahead was safe. Now I heard a low growl +of a curse from Brother Thomas, and my heart took some comfort. +They might be warned, if the Brother shot at the foremost man; or, +at worst, if he was permitted to pass, the man would bear swift +tidings to Chinon, and we might be avenged, the travellers and I, +for I now felt that they and I were in the same peril. + +The single rider drew near, and passed, and there came no cry of +"Pax vobiscum" from the friar. But the foremost rider had, +perchance, the best horse, and the least wearied, for there was even +too great a gap between him and the rest of his company. + +And now their voices might be heard, as they talked by the way, yet +not so loud that, straining my ears as I did, I could hear any +words. But the sounds waxed louder, with words spoken, ring of +hoofs, and rattle of scabbard on stirrup, and so I knew, at least, +that they who rode so late were men armed. Brother Thomas, too, +knew it, and cursed again very low. + +Nearer, nearer they came, then almost opposite, and now, as I +listened to hear the traitorous signal of murder--"Pax vobiscum"-- +and the twang of bow-strings, on the night there rang a voice, a +woman's voice, soft but wondrous clear, such as never I knew from +any lips but hers who then spoke; that voice I heard in its last +word, "Jesus!" and still it is sounding in my ears. + +That voice said - + +"Nous voile presqu'arrives, grace e mes Freres de Paradis." + +Instantly, I knew not how, at the sound of that blessed voice, and +the courage in it, I felt my fear slip from me, as when we awaken +from a dreadful dream, and in its place came happiness and peace. +Scarce otherwise might he feel who dies in fear and wakes in +Paradise. + +On the forest boughs above me, my face being turned from the road, +somewhat passed, or seemed to pass, like a soft golden light, such +as in the Scots tongue we call a "boyn," that ofttimes, men say, +travels with the blessed saints. Yet some may deem it but a +glancing in my own eyes, from the blood flying to my head; howsoever +it be, I had never seen the like before, nor have I seen it since, +and, assuredly, the black branches and wild weeds were lit up bare +and clear. + +The tramp of the horses passed, there was no cry of "Pax vobiscum," +no twang of bows, and slowly the ring of hoofs died away on the road +to Chinon. Then came a rustling of the boughs on the further side +of the way, and a noise of footsteps stealthily crossing the road, +and now I heard a low sound of weeping from the violer woman, that +was crouching hard by where I lay. Her man struck her across the +mouth, and she was still. + +"You saw it? Saints be with us! You saw them?" he whispered to +Brother Thomas. + +"Fool, had I not seen, would I not have given the word? Get you +gone, all the sort of you, there is a fey man in this company, be he +who he will. Wander your own ways, and if ever one of you dogs +speak to me again, in field, or street, or market, or ever mention +this night . . . ye shall have my news of it. Begone! Off!" + +"Nay, but, Brother Thomas, saw'st thou what we saw? What sight +saw'st thou?" + +"What saw I? Fools, what should I have seen, but an outrider, and +he a King's messenger, sent forward to warn the rest by his fall, if +he fell, or to raise the country on us, if he passed, and if +afterward they passed us not. They were men wary in war, and +travelling on the Dauphin's business. Verily there was no profit in +them." + +"And that was all? We saw other things." + +"What I saw was enough for me, or for any good clerk of St. +Nicholas, and of questions there has been more than enough. Begone! +scatter to the winds, and be silent." + +"And may we not put the steel in that Scotch dog who delayed us? +Saints or sorcerers, their horses must have come down but for him." + +Brother Thomas caught me up, as if I had been a child, in his arms, +and tossed me over the ditch-bank into the wood, where I crashed on +my face through the boughs. + +"Only one horse would have fallen, and that had brought the others +on us. The Scot is safe enough, his mouth is well shut. I will +have no blood to-night; leave him to the wolves. And now, begone +with you: to Fierbois, if you will; I go my own road--alone." + +They wandered each his own way, sullen and murmuring, starved and +weary. What they had seen or fancied, and whether, if the rest saw +aught strange, Brother Thomas saw nought, I knew not then, and know +not till this hour. But the tale of this ambush, and of how they +that lay in hiding held their hands, and fled--having come, none +might say whence, and gone, whither none might tell--is true, and +was soon widely spoken of in the realm of France. + +The woods fell still again, save for the babble of the brook, and +there I lay, bound, and heard only the stream in the silence of the +night. + +There I lay, quaking, when all the caitiffs had departed, and the +black, chill night received me into itself. At first my mind was +benumbed, like my body; but the pain of my face, smarting with +switch and scratch of the boughs through which I had fallen, awoke +me to thought and fear. I turned over to lie on my back, and look +up for any light of hope in the sky, but nothing fell on me from +heaven save a cold rain, that the leafless boughs did little to ward +off. Scant hope or comfort had I; my whole body ached and +shuddered, only I did not thirst, for the rain soaked through the +accursed napkin on my mouth, while the dank earth, with its +graveyard smell, seemed to draw me down into itself, as it drags a +rotting leaf. I was buried before death, as it were, even if the +wolves found me not and gave me other sepulture; and now and again I +heard their long hunting cry, and at every patter of a beast's foot, +or shivering of the branches, I thought my hour was come--and I +unconfessed! The road was still as death, no man passing by it. +This night to me was like the night of a man laid living in the +tomb. By no twisting and turning could I loosen the rope that +Brother Thomas had bound me in, with a hand well taught by cruel +practice. At last the rain in my face grew like a water-torture, +always dropping, and I half turned my face and pressed it to the +ground. + +Whether I slept by whiles, or waked all night, I know not, but +certainly I dreamed, seeing with shut eyes faces that came and went, +shifting from beauty such as I had never yet beheld, to visages more +and more hideous and sinful, ending at last in the worst--the fell +countenance of Noiroufle. Then I woke wholly to myself, in terror, +to find that he was not there, and now came to me some of that ease +which had been born of the strange, sweet voice, and the strange +words, "Mes Freres de Paradis." + +"My brethren of Paradise"; who could she be that rode so late in +company of armed men, and yet spoke of such great kinsfolk? That it +might be the holy Colette, then, as now, so famous in France for her +miracles, and good deeds, and her austerities, was a thought that +arose in me. But the holy Sister, as I had heard, never mounted a +horse in her many wanderings, she being a villein's daughter, but +was carried in a litter, or fared in a chariot; nor did she go in +company with armed men, for who would dare to lay hands on her? +Moreover, the voice that I had heard was that of a very young girl, +and the holy Sister Colette was now entered into the vale of years. +So my questioning found no answer. + +And now I heard light feet, as of some beast stirring and scratching +in the trees overhead, and there with a light jingling noise. Was +it a squirrel? Whatever it was, it raced about the tree, coming +nearer and going further away, till it fell with a weight on my +breast, and, shivering with cold, all strained like a harp-string as +I was, I could have screamed, but for the gag in my mouth. The +thing crawled up my body, and I saw two red eyes fixed on mine, and +deemed it had been a wild cat, such as lives in our corries of the +north--a fell beast if brought to bay, but otherwise not hurtful to +man. + +There the red eyes looked on me, and I on them, till I grew giddy +with gazing, and half turned my head with a stifled sob. Then there +came a sharp cry which I knew well enough, and the beast leaped up +and nestled under my breast, for this so dreadful thing was no worse +than the violer woman's jackanapes, that had slipped its chain, or, +rather, had drawn it out of her hand, for now I plainly heard the +light chain jingle. This put me on wondering whether they had +really departed; the man, verily, thirsted for my life, but he would +have slain me ere this hour, I thought, if that had been his +purpose. The poor beast a little helped to warm me with the heat of +his body, and he was a friendly creature, making me feel less alone +in the night. Yet, in my own misery, I could not help but sorrow +for the poor woman when she found her jackanapes gone, that was +great part of her living: and I knew what she would have to bear +for its loss from the man that was her master. + +As this was in my mind, the first grey stole into the sky so that I +could see the black branches overhead; and now there awoke the cries +of birds, and soon the wood was full of their sweet jargoning. This +put some hope into my heart; but the morning hours were long, and +colder than the night, to one wet to the bone with the rains. Now, +too, I comforted myself with believing that, arrive what might, I +was wholly quit of Brother Thomas, whereat I rejoiced, like the man +in the tale who had sold his soul to the Enemy, and yet, in the end, +escaped his clutches by the aid of Holy Church. Death was better to +me than life with Brother Thomas, who must assuredly have dragged me +with him to the death that cannot die. Morning must bring +travellers, and my groaning might lead them to my aid. And, indeed, +foot-farers did come, and I did groan as well as I could, but, like +the Levite in Scripture, they passed by on the other side of the +way, fearing to meddle with one wounded perchance to the death, lest +they might be charged with his slaying, if he died, or might anger +his enemies, if he lived. + +The light was now fully come, and some rays of the blessed sun fell +upon me, whereon I said orisons within myself, commanding my case to +the saints. Devoutly I prayed, that, if I escaped with life, I +might be delivered from the fear of man, and namely of Brother +Thomas. It were better for me to have died by his weapon at first, +beside the broken bridge, than to have lived his slave, going in +dread of him, with a slave's hatred in my heart. So now I prayed +for spirit enough to defend my honour and that of my country, which +I had borne to hear reviled without striking a blow for it. Never +again might I dree this extreme shame and dishonour. On this head I +addressed myself, as was fitting, to the holy Apostle St. Andrew, +our patron, to whom is especially dear the honour of Scotland. + +Then, as if he and the other saints had listened to me, I heard +sounds of horses' hoofs, coming up the road from Chinon way, and +also voices. These, like the others of the night before, came +nearer, and I heard a woman's voice gaily singing. And then awoke +such joy in my heart as never was there before, and this was far the +gladdest voice that ever yet I heard, for, behold, it was the speech +of my own country, and the tune I knew and the words. + + +"O, we maun part this love, Willie, +That has been lang between; +There's a French lord coming over sea +To wed me wi' a ring; +There's a French lord coming o'er the sea +To wed and take me hame!" + + +"And who shall the French lord be, Elliot?" came another voice, a +man's this time, "though he need not cross the sea for you, the +worse the luck. Is it young Pothon de Xaintrailles? Faith, he +comes often enough to see how his new penoncel fares in my hands, +and seems right curious in painting." + +It may be deemed strange that, even in this hour, I conceived in my +heart a great mislike of this young French lord, how unjustly I soon +well understood. + + +"O, nae French lord for me, father, +O, nae French lord for me, +But I'll ware my heart on a true-born Scot, +And wi' him I'll cross the sea." + + +"Oh, father, lo you, I can make as well as sing, for that is no word +of the old ballant, but just came on to my tongue!" + +They were now right close to me, and, half in fear, half in hope, I +began to stir and rustle in the grass, for of my stifled groaning +had hitherto come no profit. Then I heard the horses stop. + +"What stirring is that in the wood, father? I am afraid," came the +girl's voice. + +"Belike a fox shifting his lair. Push on, Maid Elliot." The horses +advanced, when, by the blessing of the saints, the jackanapes woke +in my breast. + +The creature was used to run questing with a little wooden bowl he +carried for largesse, to beg of horsemen for his mistress. This +trick of his he did now, hearing the horses' tramp. He leaped the +ditch, and I suppose he ran in front of the steeds, shaking his +little bowl, as was his wont. + +"Oh, father," sounded the girl's voice, "see the little jackanapes! +Some travelling body has lost him. Let me jump down and catch him. +Look, he has a little coat on, made like a herald's tabard, and +wears the colours of France. Here, hold my reins." + +"No, lass. Who can tell where, or who, his owner is? Take you my +reins, and I will bring you the beast." + +I heard him heavily dismount. + +"It will not let itself be caught by a lame man," he said; and he +scrambled up the ditch bank, while the jackanapes fled to me, and +then ran forward again, back and forth. + +"Nom Dieu, whom have we here?" cried the man, in French. + +I turned, and made such a sound with my mouth as I might, while the +jackanapes nestled to my breast. + +"Why do ye not speak, man?" he said again; and I turned my eyes on +him, looking as pitifully as might be out of my blood-bedabbled +face. + +He was a burly man, great of growth, with fresh red cheeks, blue +eyes, reddish hair, and a red beard, such as are many in the Border +marches of my own country, the saints bless them for true men! +Withal he dragged his leg in walking, which he did with difficulty +and much carefulness. He "hirpled," as we say, towards me very +warily; then, seeing the rope bound about me, and the cloth in my +mouth, he drew his dagger, but not to cut my bonds. He was over +canny for that, but he slit the string that kept the cursed gag in +my mouth, and picked it out with his dagger point; and, oh the +blessed taste of that first long draught of air, I cannot set it +down in words! "What, in the name of all the saints, make you here, +in this guise?" he asked in French, but with a rude Border accent. + +"I am a kindly Scot," I said in our own tongue, "of your own +country. Give me water." And then a dwawm, as we call it, or +fainting-fit, came over me. + +When I knew myself again, I was lying with my head in a maiden's +lap, and well I could have believed that the fairies had carried me +to their own land, as has befallen many, whereof some have returned +to earth with the tale, and some go yet in that unearthly company. + +"Gentle demoiselle, are you the gracious Queen of Faerie?" I asked, +as one half-wakened, not knowing what I said. Indeed this lady was +clad all in the fairy green, and her eyes were as blue as the sky +above her head, and the long yellow locks on her shoulders were +shining like the sun. + +"Father, he is not dead," she said, laughing as sweet as all the +singing-birds in March--"he is not dead, but sorely wandering in his +mind when he takes Elliot Hume for the Fairy Queen." + +"Faith, he might have made a worse guess," cried the man. "But now, +sir, now that your bonds are cut, I see nothing better for you than +a well-washed face, for, indeed, you are by ordinary "kenspeckle," +and no company for maids." + +With that he brought some water from the burn by the road, and +therewith he wiped my face, first giving me to drink. When I had +drunk, the maid whom he called Elliot got up, her face very rosy, +and they set my back against a tree, which I was right sorry for, as +indeed I was now clean out of fairyland and back in this troublesome +world. The horses stood by us, tethered to trees, and browsed on +the budding branches. + +"And now, maybe," he said, speaking in the kindly Scots, that was +like music in my ear--"now, maybe, you will tell us who you are, and +how you came into this jeopardy." + +I told him, shortly, that I was a Scot of Fife; whereto he answered +that my speech was strangely English. On this matter I satisfied +him with the truth, namely, that my mother was of England. I gave +my name but not that of our lands, and showed him how I had been +wandering north, to take service with the Dauphin, when I was set +upon, and robbed and bound by thieves, for I had no clearness as to +telling him all my tale, and no desire to claim acquaintance with +Brother Thomas. + +"And the jackanapes?" he asked, whereto I had no better answer than +that I had seen the beast with a wandering violer on the day before, +and that she having lost it, as I supposed, it had come to me in the +night. + +The girl was standing with the creature in her arms, feeding it with +pieces of comfits from a pouch fastened at her girdle. + +"The little beast is not mine to give," I went on, seeing how she +had an affection to the ape, "but till the owner claims it, it is +all the ransom I have to pay for my life, and I would fain see it +wear the colours of this gentle maid who saved me. It has many +pretty tricks, but though to-day I be a beggar, I trow she will not +let it practise that ill trick of begging." + +"Sooner would I beg myself, fair sir," she said, with such a courtly +reverence as surprised me; for though they seemed folks well to see +in the world, they were not, methought, of noble blood, nor had they +with them any company of palfreniers or archers. + +"Elliot, you feed the jackanapes and let our countryman hunger," +said the man; and, blushing again, she made haste to give me some of +the provision she had made for her journey. + +So I ate and drank, she waiting on me very gently; but now, being +weary of painful writing, and hearing the call to the refectory, and +the brethren trampling thither, I must break off, for, if I be late, +they will sconce me of my ale. Alas! it is to these little cares of +creature comforts that I am come, who have seen the face of so many +a war, and lived and fought on rat's flesh at Compiegne. + + + +CHAPTER IV--IN WHAT COMPANY NORMAN LESLIE ENTERED CHINON; AND HOW HE +DEMEANED HIMSELF TO TAKE SERVICE + + + +Not seemly, was it, that I should expect these kind people, even +though they were of my own country, to do more for me than they had +already done. So, when I had eaten and drunk, I made my obeisance +as if I would be trudging towards Chinon, adding many thanks, as +well I might. + +"Nay, countryman," said the man, "for all that I can see, you may as +well bide a while with us; for, indeed, with leave of my graceless +maid, I think we may even end our wild-goose chase here and get us +back to the town." + +Seeing me marvel, perhaps, that any should have ridden some four +miles or five, and yet speak of returning, he looked at the girl, +who was playing with the jackanapes, and who smiled at him as he +spoke. "You must know," said he, "that though I am the father of +your Fairy Queen, I am also one of the gracious Princess's obedient +subjects. No mother has she, poor wench," he added, in a lower +voice; "and faith, we men must always obey some woman--as it seems +now that the King himself must soon do and all his captains." + +"You speak," I said, "of the gracious Queen of Sicily and +Jerusalem?"--a lady who was thought to be of much avail, as was but +right, in the counsels of her son-in-law, the Dauphin, he having +married her gentle daughter. + +"Ay; Queen Yolande is far ben {7} with the King--would he had no +worse counsellors!" said he, smiling; "but I speak of a far more +potent sovereign, if all that she tells of herself be true. You +have heard, or belike you have not heard, of the famed Pucelle--so +she calls herself, I hope not without a warranty--the Lorrainer +peasant lass, who is to drive the English into the sea, so she gives +us all fair warning?" + +"Never a word have I heard, or never marked so senseless a bruit if +I heard it; she must be some moonstruck wench, and in her wits +wandering." + +"Moon-struck, or sun-struck, or saint-struck, she will strike down +our ancient enemy of England, and show you men how it is not wine +and wickedness that make good soldiers!" cried the girl whom he +called Elliot, her face rose-red with anger; and from her eyes two +blue rays of light shot straight to mine, so that I believe my face +waxed wan, the blood flying to my heart. + +"Listen to her! look at her!" said her father, jestingly. "Elliot, +if your renowned maid can fright the English as you have affrayed a +good Scot, the battle is won and Orleans is delivered." + +But she had turned her back on us pettishly, and was talking in a +low voice to her jackanapes. As for me, if my face had been pale +before, it now grew red enough for shame that I had angered her, who +was so fair, though how I had sinned I knew not. But often I have +seen that women, and these the best, will be all afire at a light +word, wherein the touchiest man-at-arms who ever fought on the turn +of a straw could pick no honourable quarrel. + +"How have I been so unhappy as to offend mademoiselle?" I asked, in +a whisper, of her father, giving her a high title, in very +confusion. + +"Oh, she will hear no bourde nor jest on this Pucelle that all the +countryside is clashing of, and that is bewitching my maid, +methinks, even from afar. My maid Elliot (so I call her from my +mother's kin, but her true name is Marion, and the French dub her +Heliote) hath set all her heart and her hope on one that is a young +lass like herself, and she is full of old soothsayings about a +virgin that is to come out of an oak-wood and deliver France--no +less! For me, I misdoubt that Merlin, the Welsh prophet on whom +they set store, and the rest of the soothsayers, are all in one tale +with old Thomas Rhymer, of Ercildoune, whose prophecies our own folk +crack about by the ingle on winter nights at home. But be it as it +may, this wench of Lorraine has, these three-quarters of a year, +been about the Sieur Robert de Baudricourt, now commanding for the +King at Vaucouleurs, away in the east, praying him to send her to +the Court. She has visions, and hears voices--so she says; and she +gives Baudricourt no peace till he carries her to the King. The +story goes that, on the ill day of the Battle of the Herrings, she, +being at Vaucouleurs--a hundred leagues away and more,--saw that +fight plainly, and our countrymen fallen, manlike, around the +Constable, and the French flying like hares before a little pack of +English talbots. When the evil news came, and was approved true, +Baudricourt could hold her in no longer, and now she is on the way +with half a dozen esquires and archers of his command. The second- +sight she may have--it is common enough, if you believe the red- +shanked Highlanders; but if maiden she set forth from Vaucouleurs, +great miracle it is if maiden she comes to Chinon." He whispered +this in a manner that we call "pauky," being a free man with his +tongue. + +"This is a strange tale enough," I said; "the saints grant that the +Maid speaks truly!" + +"But yesterday came a letter of her sending to the King," he went +on, "but never of her writing, for they say that she knows not "A" +from "B," if she meets them in her voyaging. Now, nothing would +serve my wilful daughter Elliot (she being possessed, as I said, +with love for this female mystery), but that we must ride forth and +be the first to meet the Maid on her way, and offer her shelter at +my poor house, if she does but seem honest, though methinks a +hostelry is good enough for one that has ridden so far, with men for +all her company. And I, being but a subject of my daughter's, as I +said, and this a Saint's Day, when a man may rest from his paints +and brushes, I even let saddle the steeds, and came forth to see +what ferlies Heaven would send us." + +"Oh, a lucky day for me, fair sir," I answered him, marvelling to +hear him speak of paint and brushes, and even as I spoke a thought +came into my mind. "If you will listen to me, sir," I said, "and if +the gentle maid, your daughter, will pardon me for staying you so +long from the road, I will tell you that, to my thinking, you have +come over late, for that yesterday the Maiden you speak of rode, +after nightfall, into Chinon." + +Now the girl turned round on me, and, in faith, I asked no more than +to see her face, kind or angry. "You tell us, sir, that you never +heard speak of the Maid till this hour, and now you say that you +know of her comings and goings. Unriddle your riddle, sir, if it +pleases you, and say how you saw and knew one that you never heard +speech of." + +She was still very wroth, and I knew not whether I might not anger +her yet more, so I louted lowly, cap in hand, and said - + +"It is but a guess that comes into my mind, and I pray you be not +angry with me, who am ready and willing to believe in this Maid, or +in any that will help France, for, if I be not wrong, last night her +coming saved my life, and that of her own company." + +"How may that be, if thieves robbed and bound you?" + +"I told you not all my tale," I said, "for, indeed, few would have +believed the thing that had not seen it. But, upon my faith as a +gentleman, and by the arm-bone of the holy Apostle Andrew, which +these sinful eyes have seen, in the church of the Apostle in his own +town, somewhat holy passed this way last night; and if this Maid be +indeed sent from heaven, that holy thing was she, and none other." + +"Nom Dieu! saints are not common wayfarers on our roads at night. +There is no "wale" of saints in this country," said the father of +Elliot; "and as this Pucelle of Lorraine must needs pass by us here, +if she is still on the way, even tell us all your tale." + +With that I told them how the "brigands" (for so they now began to +call such reivers as Brother Thomas) were, to my shame, and maugre +my head, for a time of my own company. And I told them of the +bushment that they laid to trap travellers, and how I had striven to +give a warning, and how they bound me and gagged me, and of the +strange girl's voice that spoke through the night of "mes Freres de +Paradis," and of that golden "boyn" faring in the dark, that I +thought I saw, and of the words spoken by the blind man and the +soldier, concerning some vision which affrayed them, I know not +what. + +At this tale the girl Elliot, crossing herself very devoutly, cried +aloud - + +"O father, did I not tell you so? This holy thing can have been no +other but that blessed Maiden, guarded by the dear saints in form +visible, whom this gentleman, for the sin of keeping evil company, +was not given the grace to see. Oh, come, let us mount and ride to +Chinon, for already she is within the walls; had we not ridden forth +so early, we must have heard tell of it." + +It seemed something hard to me that I was to have no grace to behold +what others, and they assuredly much more sinful men than myself, +had been permitted to look upon, if this damsel was right in that +she said. And how could any man, were he himself a saint, see what +was passing by, when his head was turned the other way? Howbeit, +she called me a gentleman, as indeed I had professed myself to be, +and this I saw, that her passion of anger against me was spent, as +then, and gone by, like a shower of April. + +"Gentleman you call yourself, sir," said her father; "may I ask of +what house?" + +"We are cadets of the house of Rothes," I answered. "My father, +Leslie of Pitcullo, is the fourth son of the third son of the last +laird of Rothes but one; and, for me, I was of late a clerk studying +in St. Andrews." + +"I will not ask why you left your lore," he said; "I have been young +myself, and, faith, the story of one lad varies not much from the +story of another. If we have any spirit, it drives us out to fight +the foreign loons in their own country, if we have no feud at home. +But you are a clerk, I hear you say, and have skill enough to read +and write?" + +"Yea, and, if need were, can paint, in my degree, and do fair +lettering on holy books, for this art was my pleasure, and I learned +it from a worthy monk in the abbey." + +"O day of miracles!" he cried. "Listen, Elliot, and mark how finely +I have fallen in luck's way! Lo you, sir, I also am a gentleman in +my degree, simple as you see me, being one of the Humes of Polwarth; +but by reason of my maimed leg, that came to me with scars many, +from certain shrewd blows got at Verneuil fight, I am disabled from +war. A murrain on the English bill that dealt the stroke! To make +up my ransom (for I was taken prisoner there, where so few got +quarter) cost me every crown I could gather, so I even fell back on +the skill I learned, like you, when I was a lad, from a priest in +the Abbey of Melrose. Ashamed of my craft I am none, for it is +better to paint banners and missals than to beg; and now, for these +five years, I am advanced to be Court painter to the King himself, +thanks to John Kirkmichael, Bishop of Orleans, who is of my far-away +kin. A sore fall it is, for a Hume of Polwarth; and strangely +enough do the French scribes write my name--"Hauves Poulvoir," and +otherwise, so please you; but that is ever their wont with the best +names in all broad Scotland. Lo you, even now there is much ado +with banner-painting for the companies that march to help Orleans, +ever and again." + +"When the Maiden marches, father, you shall have banner-painting," +said the girl. + +"Ay, lass, when the Maid marches, and when the lift falls and smoors +the laverocks we shall catch them in plenty. {8} But, Maid or no +Maid, saving your presence, sir, I need what we craftsmen (I pray +you again to pardon me) call an apprentice, and I offer you, if you +are skilled as you say, this honourable post, till you find a +better." + +My face grew red again with anger at the word "apprentice," and I +know not how I should have answered an offer so unworthy of my +blood, when the girl broke in - + +"Till this gentleman marches with the flower of France against our +old enemy of England, you should say, father, and helps to show them +another Bannockburn on Loire-side." + +"Ay, well, till then, if it likes you," he said, smiling. "Till +then there is bed, and meat, and the penny fee for him, till that +great day." + +"That is coming soon!" she cried, her eyes raised to heaven, and so +fair she looked, that, being a young man and of my complexion +amorous, I could not bear to be out of her company when I might be +in it, so stooped my pride to agree with him. + +"Sir," I said, "I thank you heartily for your offer. You come of as +good a house as mine, and yours is the brag of the Border, as mine +is of the kingdom of Fife. If you can put your pride in your pouch, +faith, so can I; the rather that there is nothing else therein, and +so room enough and to spare. But, as touching what this gentle +demoiselle has said, I may march also, may I not, when the Maid +rides to Orleans?" + +"Ay, verify, with my goodwill, then you may," he cried, laughing, +while the lass frowned. + +Then we clapped hands on it, for a bargain, and he did not insult me +by the offer of any arles, or luck penny. + +The girl was helped to horse, setting her foot on my hand, that +dirled as her little shoe sole touched it; and the jackanapes rode +on her saddle-bow very proudly. For me, I ran as well as I might, +but stiffly enough, being cold to the marrow, holding by the +father's stirrup-leather and watching the lass's yellow hair that +danced on her shoulders as she rode foremost. In this company, +then, so much better than that I had left, we entered Chinon town, +and came to their booth, and their house on the water-side. Then, +of their kindness, I must to bed, which comfort I sorely needed, and +there I slept, in fragrant linen sheets, till compline rang. + + + +CHAPTER V--OF THE FRAY ON THE DRAWBRIDGE AT CHINON CASTLE + + + +During supper, to which they called me, my master showed me the best +countenance that might be, and it was great joy to me to eat off +clean platters once again, on white linen strewn with spring +flowers. As the time was Lent, we had fare that they called meagre: +fish from the Vienne water, below the town, and eggs cooked in +divers fashions, all to the point of excellence, for the wine and +fare of Chinon are famous in France. As my duty was, I waited on my +master and on the maid Elliot, who was never silent, but babbled of +all that she had heard since she came into the town; as to where the +Pucelle had lighted off her horse (on the edge-stone of a well, so +it seemed), and where and with what goodwife she lodged, and how as +yet no message had come to her from the castle and the King; and +great joy it was to watch and to hear her. But her father mocked, +though in a loving manner; and once she wept at his bourdes, and +shone out again, when he fell on his knees, offering her a knife and +baring his breast to the stroke, for I have never seen more love +between father and child, my own experience being contrary. Yet to +my sisters my father was ever debonnair; for, as I have often +marked, the mothers love the sons best and the sons the mothers, and +between father and daughters it is the same. But of my mother I +have spoken in the beginning of this history. + +When supper was ended, and all things made orderly, I had no great +mind for my bed, having slept my fill for that time. But the maid +Elliot left us early, which was as if the light had been taken out +of the room. + +Beside the fire, my master fell to devising about the state of the +country, as burgesses love to do. And I said that, if I were the +Dauphin, Chinon Castle should not hold me long, for my "spur would +be in my horse's side, and the bridle on his mane," {9} as the old +song of the Battle of Harlaw runs, and I on the way to Orleans. +Thereto he answered, that he well wished it were so, and, mocking, +wished that I were the Dauphin. + +"Not that our Dauphin is a coward, the blood of Saint Louis has not +fallen so low, but he is wholly under the Sieur de La Tremouille, +who was thrust on him while he was young, and still is his master, +or, as we say, his governor. Now, this lord is one that would fain +run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, and this side of him is +Burgundian and that is Armagnac, and on which of the sides his heart +is, none knows. At Azincour, as I have heard, he played the man +reasonably well. But he waxes very fat for a man-at-arms, and is +fond of women, and wine, and of his ease. Now, if once the King +ranges up with the Bastard of Orleans, and Xaintrailles, and the +other captains, who hate La Tremouille, then his power, and the +power of the Chancellor, the Archbishop of Rheims, is gone and +ended. So these two work ever to patch up a peace with Burgundy, +but, seeing that the duke has his father's death to avenge on our +King, they may patch and better patch, but no peace will come of it. +And the captains cry "Forward!" and the archbishop and La Tremouille +cry "Back!" and in the meantime Orleans will fall, and the Dauphin +may fly whither he will, for France is lost. But, for myself, I +would to the saints that I and my lass were home again, beneath the +old thorn-tree at Polwarth on the green, where I have been merry +lang syne." + +With that word he fell silent, thinking, I doubt not, of his home, +as I did of mine, and of the house of Pitcullo and the ash-tree at +the door, and the sea beyond the ploughed land of the plain. So, +after some space of silence, he went to his bed, and I to mine, +where for long I lay wakeful, painting on the dark the face of +Elliot, and her blue eyes, and remembering her merry, changeful +ways. + +Betimes in the morning I was awakened by the sound of her moving +about through the house, and having dressed and gone forth from my +little chamber, I found her in the house-place, she having come from +early Mass. She took little heed of me, giving me some bread and +wine, the same as she and her father took; and she was altogether +less gay and wilful than she had been, and there seemed to be +something that lay heavy on her mind. When her father asked her if +the gossips at the church door had given her any more tidings of the +Maid, she did but frown, and soon left the chamber, whence my master +led me forth into his booth, and bade me show him my hand in +writing. This pleased him not ill, and next I must grind colours to +his liking; and again he went about his business, while I must mind +the booth, and be cap in hand to every saucy page that came from the +castle with an order from his lord. + +Full many a time my hand was on my whinger, and yet more often I +wished myself on the free road again, so that I were out of ill +company, and assuredly the Lorrainer Maid, whatever she might be, +was scarcely longing more than I for the day when she should unfurl +her banner and march, with me at her back, to Orleans. For so +irksome was my servitude, and the laying of colours on the ground of +banners for my master to paint, and the copying of books of Hours +and Missals, and the insolence of customers worse born than myself, +that I could have drowned myself in the Vienne water but for the +sight of Elliot. Yet she was become staid enough, and betimes sad; +as it seemed that there was no good news of her dear Maid, for the +King would not see her, and all men (it appeared), save those who +had ridden with her, mocked the Pucelle for a bold ramp, with a bee +in her bonnet. But the two gentlemen that had been her escort were +staunch. Their names were Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy, +good esquires. + +Of me Elliot made ofttimes not much more account than of her +jackanapes, which was now in very high favour, and waxing fat, so +that, when none but her father could hear her, she would jest and +call him La Tremouille. + +Yet I, as young men will, was forward in all ways to serve her, and +to win her grace and favour. She was fain to hear of Scotland, her +own country, which she had never seen, and I was as fain to tell +her. And betimes I would say how fair were the maidens of our own +country, and how any man that saw her would know her to be a Scot, +though from her tongue, in French, none might guess it. And, +knowing that she loved wildflowers, I would search for them and +bring them to her, and would lead her to speak of romances which she +loved, no less than I, and of pages who had loved queens, and all +such matters as young men and maids are wont to devise of; and now +she would listen, and at other seasons would seem proud, and as if +her mind were otherwhere. Young knights many came to our booth, and +looked ill-pleased when I served them, and their eyes were ever on +the inner door, watching for Elliot, whom they seldom had sight of. + +So here was I, in a double service, who, before I met Brother +Thomas, had been free of heart and hand. But, if my master's +service irked me, in that other I found comfort, when I could devise +with Elliot, as concerning our country and her hopes for the Maid. +But my own hopes were not high, nor could I mark any sign that she +favoured me more than another, though I had the joy to be often in +her company. And, indeed, what hope could I have, being so young, +and poor, and in visible station no more than any 'prentice lad? My +heart was much tormented in these fears, and mainly because we heard +no tidings that the Maid was accepted by the Dauphin, and that the +day of her marching, and of my deliverance from my base craft of +painting, was at hand. + +It so fell out, how I knew not, whether I had shown me too +presumptuous for an apprentice, or because of any other reason, that +Elliot had much forborne my company, and was more often in church at +her prayers than in the house, or, when in the house, was busy in +divers ways, and I scarce ever could get word of her. Finding her +in this mood, I also withdrew within myself, and was both proud and +sorely unhappy, longing more than ever to take my own part in the +world as a man-at-arms. Now, one day right early, I being alone in +the chamber, copying a psalter, Elliot came in, looking for her +father. I rose at her coming, doffing my cap, and told her, in few +words, that my master had gone forth. Thereon she flitted about the +chamber, looking at this and that, while I stood silent, deeming +that she used me in a sort scarce becoming my blood and lineage. + +Suddenly she said, without turning round, for she was standing by a +table gazing at the pictures in a Book of Hours - + +"I have seen her!" + +"The Pucelle?--do you speak of her, gentle maid?" + +"I saw her and spoke to her, and heard her voice"; and here her own +broke, and I guessed that she was near to weeping. "I went up +within the castle precinct, to the tower Coudraye," she said, "for I +knew that she lodged hard by, with a good woman who dwells there. I +passed into the chapel of St. Martin on the cliff, and there heard +the voice of one praying before the image of Our Lady. The voice +was even as you said that day--the sweetest of voices. I knelt +beside her, and prayed aloud for her and for France. She rested her +hand on my hair--her hair is black, and cut "en ronde" like a man's. +It is true that they say, she dresses in man's garb. We came forth +together, and I put my hand into hers, and said, "I believe in you; +if none other believes, yet do I believe." Then she wept, and she +kissed me; she is to visit me here to-morrow, la fille de Dieu--" + +She drew a long sob, and struck her hand hard on the table; then, +keeping her back ever towards me, she fled swiftly from the room. I +was amazed--so light of heart as she commonly seemed, and of late +disdainful--to find her in this passion. Yet it was to me that she +had spoken--to me that she had opened her heart. Now I guessed +that, if I was ever to win her, it must be through this Pucelle, on +whom her mind was so strangely bent. So I prayed that, if it might +be God's will, He would prosper the Maid, and let me be her loyal +servitor, and at last bring me to my desire. + +Something also I dreamed, as young men will who have read many +romances, of myself made a knight for great feats of arms, and +wearing in my salade my lady's favour, and breaking a spear on +Talbot, or Fastolf, or Glasdale, in some last great victory for +France. + +Then shone on my eyesight, as it were, the picture of these two +children, for they were little more, Elliot and the Maid, kneeling +together in the chapel of St. Martin, the gold hair and the black +blended; and what were they two alone against this world and the +prince of this world? Alas, how much, and again how little, doth +prayer avail us! These thoughts were in my mind all day, while +serving and answering customers, and carrying my master's wares +about the town, and up to the castle on the cliff, where the +soldiers and sentries now knew me well enough, and the Scots archers +treated me kindly. But as for Elliot, she was like her first self +again, and merrier than common with her father, to whom, as far as +my knowledge went, she said not a word about the meeting in the +crypt of St. Martin's chapel, though to me she had spoken so freely. +This gave me some hope; but when I would have tried to ask her a +question, she only gazed at me in a manner that abashed me, and +turned off to toy with her jackanapes. Whereby I went to my bed +perplexed, and with a heavy heart, as one that was not yet +conversant with the ways of women--nay, nor ever, in my secular +life, have I understood what they would be at. Happier had it been +for my temporal life if I had been wiser in woman's ways. But +commonly, when we have learned a lesson, the lore comes too late. + +Next day my master had business at the castle with a certain lord, +and took me thither to help in carrying his wares. This castle was +a place that I loved well, it is so old, having first been builded +when the Romans were lords of the land; and is so great and strong +that our bishop's castle of St. Andrews seems but a cottage compared +to it. From the hill-top there is a wide prospect over the tower +and the valley of the Vienne, which I liked to gaze upon. My +master, then, went in by the drawbridge, high above the moat, which +is so deep that, I trow, no foeman could fill it up and cross it to +assail the walls. My master, in limping up the hill, had wearied +himself, but soon passed into the castle through the gateway of the +bell-tower, as they call it, while I waited for him on the further +end of the bridge, idly dropping morsels of bread to the swans that +swam in the moat below. + +On the drawbridge, standing sentinel, was a French man-at-arms, a +young man of my own age, armed with a long fauchard, which we call a +bill or halberd, a weapon not unlike the Lochaber axes of the +Highlandmen. Other soldiers, French, Scottish, Spaniards, Germans, +a mixed company, were idling and dicing just within the gate. + +I was throwing my last piece of crust to a swan, my mind empty of +thought, when I started out of my dream, hearing that rare woman's +voice which once I had heard before. Then turning quickly, I saw, +walking between two gentlemen, even those who had ridden with her +from Vaucouleurs, one whom no man could deem to be other than that +much-talked-of Maid of Lorraine. She was clad very simply, like the +varlet of some lord of no great estate, in a black cap with a little +silver brooch, a grey doublet, and black and grey hose, trussed up +with many points; a sword of small price hung by her side. {10} In +stature she was something above the common height of women, her face +brown with sun and wind, her eyes great, grey, and beautiful, +beneath black brows, her lips red and smiling. In figure she seemed +strong and shapely, but so slim--she being but seventeen years of +age--that, were it not for her sweet girl's voice, and for the +beauty of her grey eyes, she might well have passed for a page, her +black hair being cut "en ronde," as was and is the fashion among +men-at-arms. Thus much have I written concerning her bodily aspect, +because many have asked me what manner of woman was the blessed +Maid, and whether she was beautiful. I gazed at her like one moon- +struck, then, remembering my courtesy, I doffed my cap, and louted +low; and she bowed, smiling graciously like a great lady, but with +such an air as if her mind was far away. + +She passed, with her two gentlemen, but the French sentinel barred +the way, holding his fauchard thwartwise. + +"On what business come you, and by what right?" he cried, in a rude +voice. + +"By the Dauphin's gracious command, to see the Dauphin," said one of +the gentlemen right courteously. "Here is his own letter, and you +may know the seal, bidding La Pucelle to come before him at this +hour." + +The fellow looked at the seal, and could not but acknowledge the +arms of France thereon. He dropped his fauchard over his shoulder, +and stood aside, staring impudently at the Maiden, and muttering +foul words. + +"So this is the renowned Pucelle," he cried; "by God's name" . . . +and here he spoke words such as I may not set down in writing, +blaspheming God and the Maid. + +She turned and looked at him, but as if she saw him not; and then, a +light of joy and love transfiguring her face, she knelt down on the +drawbridge, folding her hands, her face bowed, and so abode while +one might count twenty, we that beheld her being amazed. Then she +rose and bent as if in salutation to one we saw not; next, +addressing herself to the sentinel, she said, very gently - + +"Sir, how canst thou take in vain the name of God, thou that art in +this very hour to die?" + +So speaking, she with her gentlemen went within the gate, while the +soldier stood gazing after her like a man turned to stone. + +The Maid passed from our sight, and then the sentinel, coming to +himself, turned in great wrath on me, who stood hard by. + +"What make you gaping here, you lousy wine-sack of Scotland?" he +cried; and at the word, my prayer which I had made to St. Andrew in +my bonds came into my mind, namely, that I should not endure to hear +my country defamed. + +I stopped not to think of words, wherein I never had a ready wit, +but his were still in his mouth when I had leaped within his guard, +so that he might not swing out his long halberd. + +"Blasphemer and liar!" I cried, gripping his neck with my left hand, +while with two up-cuts of my right I sent his lies down his throat +in company, as I deem, with certain of his teeth. + +He dropped his halberd against the wooden fence of the bridge, and +felt for his dagger. I caught at his right hand with mine; cries +were in my ears--St. Denis for France! St. Andrew for Scotland!--as +the other men on guard came running forth to see the sport. + +We gripped and swayed for a moment, then the staff of his fauchard +coming between his legs, he tripped and fell, I above him; our +weight soused against the low pales of the bridge side, that were +crazy and old; there was a crash, and I felt myself in mid-air, +failing to the moat far below us. Down and down I whirled, and then +the deep water closed over me. + + + +CHAPTER VI--HOW NORMAN LESLIE ESCAPED OUT OF CHINON CASTLE + + + +Down and down I sank, the water surging up into my nostrils and +sounding in my ears; but, being in water, I was safe if it were but +deep enough. Presently I struck out, and, with a stroke or two, +came to the surface. But no sooner did my head show above, and I +draw a deep breath or twain, looking for my enemy, than an arbalest +bolt cleft the water with a clipping sound, missing me but narrowly. +I had but time to see that there was a tumult on the bridge, and +swords out (the Scots, as I afterwards heard, knocking up the +arbalests that the French soldiers levelled at me). Then I dived +again, and swam under water, making towards the right and the castle +rock, which ran sheer down to the moat. This course I chose because +I had often noted, from the drawbridge, a jutting buttress of rock, +behind which, at least, I should be out of arrow-shot. My craft was +to give myself all the semblance of a drowning man, throwing up my +arms, when I rose to see whereabout I was and to take breath, as men +toss their limbs who cannot swim. On the second time of rising +thus, I saw myself close to the jut of rock. My next dive took me +behind it, and I let down my feet, close under the side of this +natural buttress, to look around, being myself now concealed from +the sight of those who were on the bridge. + +To my surprise I touched bottom, for I had deemed that the water was +very deep thereby. Next I found that I was standing on a step of +hewn stone, and that a concealed staircase, cut in the rock, goes +down, in that place, to the very bottom of the moat; for what +purpose I know not, but so it is. {11} I climbed up the steps, +shook myself, and wrung the water out of my hair, looking about the +while for any sign of my enemy, who had blasphemed against my +country and the Maiden. But there was nothing to see on the water +save my own cloth cap floating. On the other side of the fosse, +howbeit, men were launching a pleasure-boat, which lay by a stair at +the foot of the further wall of the fosse. The sight of them made +me glad to creep further up the steps that rounded a sharp corner, +till I came as far as an iron wicket-gate, which seemed to cut off +my retreat. There I stopped, deeming that the wicket must be +locked. The men were now rowing the boat into the middle of the +water, so, without expecting to find the gate open, I tried the +handle. It turned, to my no little amazement; the gate swang +lightly aside, as if its hinges had been newly oiled, and I followed +the stair-case, creeping up the slimy steps in the half-dark. Up +and round I went, till I was wellnigh giddy, and then I tripped and +reeled so that my body struck against a heavy ironed door. Under my +weight it yielded gently, and I stumbled across the threshold of a +room that smelled strangely sweet and was very warm, being full of +the sun, and the heat of a great fire. + +"Is that you, Robin of my heart?" said a girl's voice in French; +and, before I could move, a pair of arms were round my neck. Back +she leaped, finding me all wet, and not the man she looked for; and +there we both stood, in a surprise that prevented either of us from +speaking. + +She was a pretty lass, with brown hair and bright red cheeks, and +was dressed all in white, being, indeed, one of the laundresses of +the castle; and this warm room, fragrant with lavender, whereinto I +had stumbled, was part of the castle laundry. A mighty fire was +burning, and all the tables were covered with piles and flat baskets +of white linen, sweet with scented herbs. + +Back the maid stepped towards the door, keeping her eyes on mine; +and, as she did not scream, I deemed that none were within hearing: +wherein I was wrong, and she had another reason for holding her +peace. + +"Save me, gentle maid, if you may," I cried at last, falling on my +knees, just where I stood: "I am a luckless man, and stand in much +peril of my life." + +"In sooth you do," she said, "if Robert Lindsay of the Scottish +Archers finds you here. He loves not that another should take his +place at a tryst." + +"Maiden," I said, beginning to understand why the gate was unlocked, +and wherefore it went so smooth on its hinges, "I fear I have slain +a man, one of the King's archers. We wrestled together on the draw- +bridge, and the palisade breaking, we fell into the moat, whence I +clomb by the hidden stairs." + +"One of the archers!" cried she, as pale as a lily, and catching at +her side with her hand. "Was he a Scot?" + +"No, maid, but I am; and I pray you hide me, or show me how to +escape from this castle with my life, and that speedily." + +"Come hither!" she said, drawing me through a door into a small, +square, empty room that jutted out above the moat. "The other maids +are at their dinner," she went on, "and I all alone--the season +being Lent, and I under penance, and thinking of no danger." + +For which reason, I doubt not, namely that the others had gone +forth, she had made her tryst at this hour with Robin Lindsay. But +he, if he was, as she said, one of the Scottish archers that guarded +the gate, was busy enough belike with the tumult on the bridge, or +in seeking for the body of mine enemy. + +"How to get you forth I know not," she said, "seeing that from +yonder room you pass into the kitchen and thence into the guard- +room, and thence again by a passage in the wall behind the great +hall, and so forth to the court, and through the gate, and thereby +there is no escape: for see you the soldiers must, and will avenge +their comrade." + +Hearing this speech, I seemed to behold myself swinging by a tow +from a tree branch, a death not beseeming one of gentle blood. Up +and down I looked, in vain, and then I turned to the window, +thinking that, as better was not to be, I might dive thence into the +moat, and take my chance of escape by the stairs on the further +side. But the window was heavily barred. Yet again, if I went +forth by the door, and lurked on the postern stair, there was Robin +Lindsay's dirk to reckon with, when he came, a laggard, to his love- +tryst. + +"Stop! I have it," said the girl; and flying into the laundry, she +returned with a great bundle of white women's gear and a gown of +linen, and a woman's white coif, such as she herself wore. + +In less time than a man would deem possible, she had my wet hair, +that I wore about my shoulders, as our student's manner was, tucked +up under the cap, and the clean white smock over my wet clothes, and +belted neatly about my middle. + +"A pretty wench you make, I swear by St. Valentine," cried she, +falling back to look at me, and then coming forward to pin up +something about my coif, with her white fingers. + +I reckoned it no harm to offer her a sisterly kiss. + +"'Tis lucky Robin Lindsay is late," cried she, laughing, "though +even were he here, he could scarce find fault that one maid should +kiss another. Now," she said, snatching up a flat crate full of +linen, "carry these, the King's shirts, and sorely patched they are, +on your head; march straight through the kitchen, then through the +guard-room, and then by the door on the left into the long passage, +and so into the court, and begone; they will but take you for a +newly come blanchisseuse. Only speak as little as may be, for your +speech may betray you." She kissed me very kindly on both cheeks, +for she was as frank a lass as ever I met, and a merry. Then, +leading me to the door of the inner room, she pushed it open, the +savoury reek of the kitchen pouring in. + +"Make good speed, Margot!" she cried aloud after me, so that all +could hear; and I walked straight up the King's kitchen, full as it +was of men and boys, breaking salads, spitting fowls, basting meat +(though it was Lent, but doubtless the King had a dispensation for +his health's sake), watching pots, tasting dishes, and all in a +great bustle and clamour. The basket of linen shading my face, I +felt the more emboldened, though my legs, verily, trembled under me +as I walked. Through the room I went, none regarding me, and so +into the guard-room, but truly this was another matter. Some +soldiers were dicing at a table, some drinking, some brawling over +the matter of the late tumult, but all stopped and looked at me. + +"A new face, and, by St. Andrew, a fair one!" said a voice in the +accent of my own country. + +"But she has mighty big feet; belike she is a countrywoman of +thine," quoth a French archer; and my heart sank within me as the +other cast a tankard at his head. + +"Come, my lass," cried another, a Scot, with a dice-box in his hand, +catching at my robe as I passed, "kiss me and give me luck," and, +striking up my basket of linen, so that the wares were all scattered +on the floor, he drew me on to his knee, and gave me a smack that +reeked sorely of garlic. Never came man nearer getting a sore +buffet, yet I held my hand. Then, making his cast with the dice, he +swore roundly, when he saw that he had thrown deuces. + +"Lucky in love, unlucky in gaming. Lug out your losings," said his +adversary with a laugh; and the man left hold of my waist and began +fumbling in his pouch. Straightway, being free, I cast myself on +the floor to pick up the linen, and hide my face, which so burned +that it must have seemed as red as the most modest maid might have +deemed seemly. + +"Leave the wench alone; she is new come, I warrant, and has no +liking for your wantonness," said a kind voice; and, glancing up, I +saw that he who spoke was one of the gentlemen who had ridden with +the Maiden from Vaucouleurs. Bertrand de Poulengy was his name; +belike he was waiting while the King and the nobles devised with the +Maiden privately in the great hall. + +He stooped and helped me to pick up my linen, as courteously as if I +had been a princess of the blood; and, because he was a gentleman, I +suppose, and a stranger, the archers did not meddle with him, save +to break certain soldiers' jests, making me glad that I was other +than I appeared. + +"Come," he said, "my lass, I will be your escort; it seems that +Fortune has chosen me for a champion of dames." + +With these words he led the way forth, and through a long passage +lit from above, which came out into the court at the stairs of the +great hall. + +Down these stairs the Maiden herself was going, her face held high +and a glad look in her eyes, her conference with the King being +ended. Poulengy joined her; they said some words which I did not +hear, for I deemed that it became me to walk forward after thanking +him by a look, and bending my head, for I dared not trust my foreign +tongue. + +Before I reached the gateway they had joined me, which I was glad +of, fearing more insolence from the soldiers. But these men held +their peace, looking grave, and even affrighted, being of them who +had heard the prophecy of the Maiden and seen its fulfilment. + +"Have ye found the body of that man?" said Poulengy to a sergeant- +at-arms. + +"Nay, sir, we deem that his armour weighed him down, for he never +rose once, though that Scot's head was seen thrice and no more. +Belike they are good, peaceful friends at the bottom of the fosse +together." + +"Of what man speak you?" asked the Maiden of Poulengy. + +"Of him that blasphemed as we went by an hour ago. Wrestling with a +Scot on some quarrel, they broke the palisade, and--lo! there are +joiners already mending it. 'Tis old and frail. The gentle Dauphin +is over poor to keep the furnishings of his castle as a king should +do." + +The Maiden grew wan as sun-dried grass in summer when she heard this +story told. Crossing herself, she said - + +"Alas! I warned him, but he died unconfessed. I will do what I may +to have Masses said for the repose of his soul, poor man: and he so +young!" + +With that she wept, for she wept readily, even for a less thing than +such a death as was that archer's. + +We had now crossed the drawbridge, whereat my heart beat more +lightly, and the Maiden told Poulengy that she would go to the house +where she lodged, near the castle. + +"And thence," she said, "I must fare into the town, for I have +promised to visit a damsel of my friends, one Heliote Poulvoir, if I +may find my way thither. Know you, gentle damsel," she said to me, +"where she abides? Or perchance you can lead me thither, if it lies +on your way." + +"I was even going thither, Pucelle," I said, mincing in my speech; +whereat she laughed, for of her nature she was merry. + +"Scots are Heliote and her father, and a Scot are not you also, +damsel? your speech betrays you," she said; "you all cling close +together, you Scots, as beseems you well, being strangers in this +sweet land of France"; and her face lighted up as she spoke the name +she loved, and my heart worshipped her with reverence. + +"Farewell," she cried to Poulengy, smiling graciously, and bowing +with such a courtesy as a queen might show, for I noted it myself, +as did all men, that this peasant girl had the manners of the Court, +being schooled, as I deem, by the greatest of ladies, her friends +St. Margaret and St. Catherine. + +Then, with an archer, who had ridden beside her from Vaucouleurs, +following after her as he ever did, the Maiden and I began to go +down the steep way that led to the town. Little she spoke, and all +my thought was to enter the house before Elliot could spy me in my +strange disguise. + + + +CHAPTER VII--CONCERNING THE WRATH OF ELLIOT, AND THE JEOPARDY OF +NORMAN LESLIE + + + +The while we went down into the city of Chinon, a man attired as a +maid, a maiden clad as a man--strange companions!--we held but +little converse. Her mind, belike, was on fire with a great light +of hope, of which afterwards I learned, and the end of the days of +trouble and of men's disbelief seemed to her to be drawing near. We +may not know what visions of victory and of auxiliary angels, of her +King crowned, and fair France redeemed and at peace, were passing +through her fancy. Therefore she was not fain to talk, being at all +times a woman of few words; and in this, as in so many other +matters, unlike most of her sex. + +On my side I had more than enough to think of, for my case and +present jeopardy were enough to amaze older and wiser heads than +mine. For, imprimis, I had slain one of the King's guards; and, +moreover, had struck the first blow, though my adversary, indeed, +had given me uttermost provocation. But even if my enemies allowed +me to speak in my own defence, which might scarcely be save by +miracle, it was scantly possible for me to prove that the other had +insulted me and my country. Some little hope I had that Sir Patrick +Ogilvie, now constable of the Scottish men-at-arms in France, or Sir +Hugh Kennedy, or some other of our knights, might take up my +quarrel, for the sake of our common blood and country, we Scots +always backing each the other when abroad. Yet, on the other hand, +it was more probable that I might be swinging, with a flock of crows +pecking at my face, before any of my countrymen could speak a word +for me with the King. + +It is true that they who would most eagerly have sought my life +deemed me already dead, drowned in the fosse, and so would make no +search for me. Yet, as soon as I went about my master's affairs, as +needs I must, I would be known and taken; and, as we say in our +country proverb, "my craig would ken the weight of my hurdies." {12} +None the less, seeing that the soldiers deemed me dead, I might +readily escape at once from Chinon, and take to the roads again, if +but I could reach my master's house unseen, and get rid of this +foolish feminine gear of cap and petticoat which now I wore to my +great shame and discomfort. + +But on this hand lay little hope; for, once on the road, I should be +in a worse jeopardy than ever before, as an apprentice fled from my +master, and, moreover, with blood on my hands. Moreover, I could +ill brook the thought of leaving Elliot, to whom my heart went forth +in love, and of missing my chance to strike a blow in the wars for +the Maiden, and against the English; of which reward I had the +promise from my master. Fortune, and fame, and love, if I were to +gain what every young man most desires, were only to be won by +remaining at Chinon; but there, too, the face of death was close to +mine--as, indeed, death, or at least shame and poverty, lay ambushed +for me on all sides. + +Here I sadly remembered how, with a light heart, I had left St. +Andrews, deeming that the story of my life was now about to begin, +as it did for many young esquires of Greece and other lands, +concerning whom I had read in romances. Verily in the tale of my +adventures hitherto there had been more cuffs than crowns, more +shame than honour; and, as to winning my spurs, I was more in point +to win a hempen rope, and in my end disgrace my blood. + +Now, as if these perils were not enough to put a man beside himself, +there was another risk which, even more than these, took up my +thoughts. Among all my dangers and manifold distresses, this raised +its head highest in my fancy, namely, the fear that my love should +see me in my outlandish guise, clad in woman's weeds, and carrying +on my head a woman's burden. It was not so much that she must needs +laugh and hold me in little account. Elliot laughed often, so that +now it was not her mirth, to which she was ever ready, but her wrath +(whereto she was ready also) that I held in awful regard. For her +heart and faith, in a marvellous manner passing the love of women, +were wholly set on this maid, in whose company I now fared. And, if +the Maid went in men's attire (as needs she must, for modesty's +sake, who was about men's business, in men's company), here was I +attending her in woman's gear, as if to make a mock of her, though +in my mind I deemed her no less than a sister of the saints. And +Elliot was sure to believe that I carried myself thus in mockery and +to make laughter; for, at that time, there were many in France who +mocked, as did that soldier whose death I had seen and caused. Thus +I stood in no more danger of death, great as was that risk, than in +jeopardy of my mistress's favour, which, indeed, of late I had been +in some scant hope at last to win. Thus, on all hands, I seemed to +myself as sore bestead as ever man was, and on no side saw any hope +of succour. + +I mused so long and deep on these things, that the thought which +might have helped me came to me too late, namely, to tell all my +tale to the Maiden herself, and throw me on her mercy. Nay, even +when at last and late this light shone on my mind, I had shame to +speak to her, considering the marvellous thing which I had just +beheld of her, in the fulfilment of her prophecy. But now my +master's house was in sight, at the turning from the steep stairs +and the wynd, and there stood Elliot on the doorstep, watching and +waiting for the Maid, as a girl may wait for her lover coming from +the wars. + +There was no time given me to slink back and skulk in the shadow of +the corner of the wynd; for, like a greyhound in speed, Elliot had +flown to us and was kneeling to the Maid, who, with a deep blush and +some anger in her face--for she loved no such obeisances--bade her +rise, and so kissed and embraced her, as young girls use among +themselves when they are friends and fain of each other. I had +turned myself to go apart into the shadow of the corner, as secretly +as I might, when I ran straight into the arms of the archer that +followed close behind us. On this encounter he gave a great laugh, +and, I believe, would have kissed me; but, the Maiden looking round, +he stood erect and grave as a soldier on guard, for the Maiden would +suffer no light loves and daffing. + +"Whither make you, damsel, in such haste?" she cried to me. "Come, +let me present you to this damsel, my friend--and one of your own +country-women. Elliot, ma mie," she said to my mistress, "here is +this kind lass, a Scot like yourself, who has guided me all the way +from the castle hither, and, faith, the way is hard to find. Do you +thank her for me, and let her sit down in your house: she must be +weary with the weight of her basket and her linen"--for these, when +she spoke to me, I had laid on the ground. With this she led me up +to Elliot by the hand, who began to show me very gracious +countenance, and to thank me, my face burning all the while with +confusion and fear of her anger. + +Suddenly a new look, such as I had never seen before on her face in +her light angers, came into her eyes, which grew hard and cold, her +mouth also showing stiff; and so she stood, pale, gazing sternly, +and as one unable to speak. Then - + +"Go out of my sight," she said, very low, "and from my father's +house! Forth with you for a mocker and a gangrel loon!"--speaking +in our common Scots,--"and herd with the base thieves from whom you +came, coward and mocking malapert!" + +The storm had fallen on my head, even as I feared it must, and I +stood as one bereft of speech and reason. + +The Maid knew no word of our speech, and this passion of Elliot's, +and so sudden a change from kindness to wrath, were what she might +not understand. + +"Elliot, ma mie," she said, very sweetly, "what mean you by this +anger? The damsel has treated me with no little favour. Tell me, I +pray, in what she has offended." + +But Elliot, not looking at her, said to me again, and this time +tears leaped up in her eyes--"Forth with you! begone, ere I call +that archer to drag you before the judges of the good town." + +I was now desperate, for, clad as I was, the archer had me at an +avail, and, if I were taken before the men of the law, all would be +known, and my shrift would be short. + +"Gracious Pucelle," I said, in French, turning to the Maiden, "my +life, and the fortune of one who would gladly fight to the death by +your side, are in your hands. For the love of the blessed saints, +your sisters, and of Him who sends you on your holy mission, pray +this demoiselle to let me enter the house with you, and tell my tale +to you and her. If I satisfy you not of my honour and good intent, +I am ready, in this hour, to go before the men of law, and deliver +myself up to their justice. For though my life is in jeopardy, I +dread death less than the anger of this honourable demoiselle. And +verily this is a matter of instant life or death." + +So saying, I clasped my hands in the manner of one in prayer, +setting all my soul into my speech, as a man desperate. + +The Maiden had listened very gravely, and sweetly she smiled when my +prayer was ended. + +"Verily," she said to me, "here is deeper water than I can fathom. +Elliot, ma mie, you hear how gently, and in what distress, this fair +lass beseeches us." + +"Fair lass!" cried Elliot: and then broke off between a sob and a +laugh, her hand catching at her side. + +"If you love me," said the Maid, looking on her astonished, and not +without anger--"if you love me, as you have said, you that are the +first of my comforters, and, till this day, my only friend in your +strange town, let the lass come in and tell us her tale. For, even +if she be distraught, and beside herself, as I well deem, I am sent +to be a friend of all them that suffer. Moreover, ma mie, I have +glad tidings for you, which I am longing to speak, but speak it I +will never, while the lass goes thus in terror and fear of death or +shame." + +In saying these last words, the fashion of her countenance was +changed to a sweet entreaty and command, such as few could have +beheld and denied her what she craved, and she laid her hand lightly +on Elliot's shoulder. + +"Come," said Elliot, "be it as you will; come in with me; and you"-- +turning to myself--"do you follow us." + +They passed into the house, I coming after, and the archer waiting +at the door. + +"Let none enter," said the Maiden to her archer, "unless any come to +me from the King, or unless it be the master of the house." + +We passed into the chamber where my master was wont to paint his +missals and psalters when he would be alone. Then Elliot very +graciously bade the Maiden be seated, but herself stood up, facing +me. + +"Gracious Maiden, and messenger of the holy saints," she said, "this +lass, as you deem her, is no woman, but a man, my father's +apprentice, who has clad himself thus to make of you a mockery and a +laughing-stock, because that you, being a maid, go attired as a man, +by the will of Them who sent you to save France. Have I said +enough, and do I well to be angry?" and her eyes shone as she spoke. + +The Maiden's brows met in wrath; she gazed upon me steadfastly, and +I looked--sinful man that I am!--to see her hand go to the hilt of +the sword that she wore. But, making no motion, she only said - + +"And thou, wherefore hast thou mocked at one who did thee no evil, +and at this damsel, thy master's daughter?" + +"Gentle Maiden," I said, "listen to me for but a little moment. It +may be, when thou hast heard all, that thou wilt still be wroth with +me, though not for mockery, which was never in my mind. But the +gentle damsel, thy friend, will assuredly pardon me, who have +already put my life in peril for thy sake, and for the sake of our +dear country of Scotland and her good name." + +"Thy life in peril for me! How mean you? I stood in no danger, and +I never saw your face before." + +"Yet hast thou saved my life," I said; "but of that we may devise +hereafter. I am, indeed, though a gentleman by blood and birth, the +apprentice of the father of this damsel, thy friend, who is himself +a gentleman and of a good house, but poverty drives men to strange +shifts. This day I went with my master to the castle, and I was on +the drawbridge when thou, with the gentlemen thy esquires, passed +over it to see the King. On that bridge a man-at-arms spoke to thee +shameful words, blaspheming the holy name of God. No sooner hadst +thou gone by than he turned on me, reviling my native country of +Scotland. Then I, not deeming that to endure such taunts became my +birth and breeding, struck him on his lying mouth. Then, as we +wrestled on the bridge, we both struck against the barrier, which +was low, frail, and old, so that it gave way under our weight, and +we both fell into the moat. When I rose he was not in sight, +otherwise I would have saved him by swimming, for I desire to have +the life of no man on my hands in private quarrel. But the archers +shot at me from the drawbridge, so that I had to take thought for +myself. By swimming under the water I escaped, behind a jutting +rock, to a secret stair, whence I pushed my way into a chamber of +the castle. Therein was a damsel, busy with the linen, who, of her +goodwill, clad me in this wretched apparel above my own garb, and +so, for that time, saved my life, and I passed forth unknown; but +yet hath caused me to lose what I prize more highly than life--that +is, the gracious countenance of this gentle lady, thy friend and my +master's daughter, whom it is my honour and duty in all things to +please and serve. Tell me, then, do I merit your wrath as a jester +and a mock-maker, or does this gentle lady well to be angry with her +servitor?" + +The Maiden crossed herself, and murmured a prayer for the soul of +him who had died in the moat. But Elliot instantly flew to me, and, +dragging off my woman's cap, tore with her fair hands at the white +linen smock about my neck and waist, so that it was rent asunder and +fell on the floor, leaving me clad in my wet doublet and hose. + +At this sight, without word spoken, she broke out into the merriest +laughter that ever I heard, and the most welcome; and the Maid too, +catching the malady of her mirth, laughed low and graciously, so +that to see and hear her was marvel. + +"Begone!" cried Elliot--"begone, and shift thy dripping gear"; and, +as I fled swiftly to my chamber, I heard her laughter yet, though +there came a sob into it; but for the Maid, she had already stinted +in her mirth ere I left the room. + +In this strange and unseemly fashion did I first come into the +knowledge of this admirable Maid--whom, alas! I was to see more +often sad than merry, and weeping rather than laughing, though, even +in her utmost need, her heart could be light and her mirth free: a +manner that is uncommon even among brave men, but, in women, never +known by me save in her. For it is the way of women to be very busy +and seriously concerned about the smallest things, whereat a man +only smiles. But she, with her life at stake, could pluck gaiety +forth of danger, if the peril threatened none but herself. These +manners of hers I learned to know and marvel at in the later days +that came too soon; but now in my chamber, I shifted my wet raiment +for dry with a heart wondrous light. My craig {13} was in peril, as +we say, neither less nor more than half an hour agone, but I had +escaped the anger of Elliot; and even, as I deemed, had won more of +her good countenance, seeing that I had struck a blow for Scotland +and for her friend. This thought made me great cheer in my heart; +as I heard, from the room below, the voices of the two girls +devising together very seriously for nigh the space of an hour. +But, knowing that they might have matters secret between themselves +to tell of, for the Maiden had said that she brought good tidings, I +kept coy and to myself in my little upper chamber. To leave the +house, indeed, was more than my life was worth. Now to fly and hide +was what I could not bring myself to venture; here I would stay +where my heart was, and take what fortune the saints might send. So +I endured to wait, and not gladden myself with the sight of Elliot, +and the knowledge of how I now stood with her. To me this was great +penance, but at last the voices ceased, and, looking secretly from +the window, I saw the Maiden depart, her archer following her. + +Now I could no longer bridle in my desire to be with Elliot, and +learn whether I was indeed forgiven, and how I stood in her favour. +So, passing down the stair that led from my cubicle, I stood at the +door of the room wherein she was and knocked twice. But none +answered, and, venturing to enter, I heard the sound of a stifled +sob. She had thrown herself on a settle, her face turned to the +wall, and the afternoon sun was shining on her yellow hair, which +lay loose upon her shoulders. + +I dared to say no word, and she only made a motion of her hand +towards me, that I should begone, without showing me the light of +her countenance. On this I went forth stealthily, my heart again +very heavy, for the Maiden had spoken of learning good tidings; and +wherefore should my mistress weep, who, an hour agone, had been so +merry? Difficult are the ways of women, a language hard to be +understood, wherefore "love," as the Roman says, "is full of anxious +fears." + +Much misdoubting how I fared in Elliot's heart, and devising within +myself what this new sorrow of Elliot's might signify, I half forgot +my own danger, yet not so much as to fare forth of the doors, or +even into the booth, where customers might come, and I be known. +Therefore I passed into a room behind the booth, where my master was +wont to instruct me in my painting; and there, since better might +not be, I set about grinding and mixing such colours as I knew that +he required. + +I had not been long about this task, when I heard him enter the +booth from without, whence he walked straight into my workroom. I +looked up from my colours, whereat his face, which was ruddy, grew +wan, he staggered back, and, being lame, reeled against the wall. +There he brought up, crossing himself, and making the sign of the +cross at me. + +"Avaunt!" he said, "in the name of this holy sign, whether thou art +a wandering spirit, or a devil in a dead man's semblance." + +"Master," I said, "I am neither spirit nor devil. Was it ever yet +heard that brownie or bogle mixed colours for a painter? Nay, touch +me, and see whether I am not of sinful Scots flesh and blood"; and +thereon I laughed aloud, knowing what caused his fear, and merry at +the sight of it, for he had ever held tales of "diablerie," and of +wraiths and freits and fetches, in high scorn. + +He sat him down on a chair and gaped upon me, while I could not +contain myself from laughing. + +"For God's sake," said he, "bring me a cup of red wine, for my wits +are wandering. Deil's buckie," he said in the Scots, "will water +not drown you? Faith, then, it is to hemp that you were born, as +shall shortly be seen." + +I drew him some wine from a cask that stood in the corner, on +draught. He drank it at one venture, and held out the cup for more, +the colour coming back into his face. + +"Did the archers tell me false, then, when they said that you had +fired up at a chance word, and flung yourself and the sentinel into +the moat? And where have you been wasting your time, and why went +you from the bridge ere I came back, if the archers took another +prentice lad for Norman Leslie?" + +"They told you truth," I said. + +"Then, in the name of Antichrist--that I should say so!--how scaped +you drowning, and how came you here?" + +I told him the story, as briefly as might be. + +"Ill luck go with yon second-sighted wench that has bewitched +Elliot, and you too, for all that I can see. Never did I think to +be frayed with a bogle, {14} and, as might have been deemed, the +bogle but a prentice loon, when all was done. To my thinking all +this fairy work is no more true than that you are a dead man's +wraith. But they are all wild about it, at the castle, where I was +kept long, doing no trade, and listening to their mad clatter." + +He took out of his pouch a parcel heedfully wrapped in soft folds of +silk. + +"Here is this Book of Hours," he said, "that I have spent my +eyesight, and gold, purple, and carmine, and cobalt upon, these +three years past; a jewel it is, though I say so. And I had good +hope to sell it to Hugh Kennedy, for he has of late had luck in +taking two English knights prisoners at Orleans--the only profitable +trade that men now can drive,--and the good knight dearly loves a +painted book of devotion; especially if, like this of mine, it be +adorned with the loves of Jupiter, and the Swan, and Danae, and +other heathen pliskies. We were chaffering over the price, and +getting near a bargain, when in comes Patrick Ogilvie with a tale of +this second-sighted Maid, and how she had been called to see the +King, and of what befell. First, it seems, she boded the death of +that luckless limb of a sentinel, and then you took it upon you to +fulfil her saying, and so you and he were drowned, and I left +prenticeless. Little comfort to me it was to hear Kennedy and +Ogilvie praise you for a good Scot and true, and say that it was +great pity of your death." + +At this hearing my heart leaped for joy, first, at my own praise +from such good knights, and next, because I saw a blink of hope, +having friends at Court. My master went on - + +"Next, Ogilvie told how he had been in hall, with the Dauphin, the +Chancellor Tremouille, and some scores of knights and nobles, a +great throng. They were all waiting on this Lorrainer wench, for +the Dauphin had been told, at last, that she brought a letter from +Baudricourt, but before he would not see her. This letter had been +kept from him, I guess by whom, and there was other clash of marvels +wrought by her, I know not what. So their wisdom was set on putting +her to a kind of trial, foolish enough! A young knight was dressed +in jewels and a coronet of the King's, and the King was clad right +soberly, and held himself far back in the throng, while the other +stood in front, looking big. So the wench comes in, and, walking +straight through the press of knights, with her head high, kneels to +the King, where he stood retired, and calls him "gentle Dauphin"! + +""Nay, ma mie," says he, "'tis not I who am the Dauphin, but his +Highness yonder,"--pointing to the young knight, who showed all his +plumage like a muircock in spring. + +"Nay, gentle Dauphin," she answers, so Ogilvie said, "it is to thee +that I am sent, and no other, and I am come to save the good town of +Orleans, and to lead thee to thy sacring at Rheims." + +"Here they were all struck amazed, and the King not least, who then +had some words apart with the girl. And he has given her rooms in +the Tour Coudraye within the castle; and the clergy and the doctors +are to examine her straitly, whether she be from a good airt, {15} +or an ill, and all because she knew the King, she who had never seen +him before. Why should she never have seen him--who warrants me of +it?--she dwelling these last days nigh the castle! Freits are +folly, to my thinking, and fools they that follow them. Lad, you +gave me a gliff; pass me another stoup of wine! Freits, forsooth!" + +I served him, and he sat and chuckled in his chair, being pleasured +by the thought of his own wisdom. "Not a word of this to Elliot, +though," he said suddenly; "when there is a woman in a house-- +blessings on her!--it is anything for a quiet life! But, "nom +Dieu!" what with the fright you gave me, sitting there, whereas I +deemed you were meat for eels and carp, and what with thy tale--ha, +ha!--and my tale, and the wine, maybe, I forgot your own peril, my +lad. Faith, your neck is like to be longer, if we be not better +advised." + +Hearing him talk of that marvellous thing, wrought through +inspiration by the Maid--whereat, as his manner was, he mocked, I +had clean forgotten my own jeopardy. Now this was instant, for who +knew how much the archer might have guessed, that followed with the +Maid and me, and men-at-arms might anon be at our door. + +"It may be," said I, "that Sir Patrick Ogilvie and Sir Hugh Kennedy +would say a word for me in the King's ear." + +"Faith, that is our one chance, and, luckily for you, the lad you +drowned, though in the King's service, came hither in the following +of a poor knight, who might take blood-ransom for his man. Had he +been La Tremouille's man, you must assuredly have fled the country." + +He took up his Book of Hours, with a sigh, and wrapped it again in +its silken parcel. + +"This must be your price with Kennedy," he said, "if better may not +be. It is like parting with the apple of my eye, but, I know not +well how, I love you, my lad, and blood is thicker than water. Give +me my staff; I must hirple up that weary hill again, and you, come +hither." + +He led me to his own chamber, where I had never been before, and +showed me how, in the chimney-neuk, was a way into a certain black +hole of little ease, wherein, if any came in search for me, I might +lie hidden. And, fetching me a cold fish (Lenten cheer), a loaf, +and a stoup of wine, whereof I was glad enough, he left me, groaning +the while at his ill-fortune, but laden with such thanks as I might +give for all his great kindness. + +There then, I sat, when I had eaten, my ears pricked to listen for +the tramp of armed men below and the thunder of their summons at the +door. But they came not, and presently my thought stole back to +Elliot, who, indeed, was never out of my mind then--nay, nor now is. +But whether that memory be sinful in a man of religion or not, I +leave to the saints and to good confession. Much I perplexed myself +with marvelling why she did so weep; above all, since I knew what +hopeful tidings she had gotten of her friend and her enterprise. +But no light came to me in my meditations. I did not know then that +whereas young men, and many lasses too, are like the Roman lad who +went with his bosom bare, crying "Aura veni," and sighing for the +breeze of Love to come, other maidens are wroth with Love when he +creeps into their hearts, and would fain cast him out--being in a +manner mad with anger against Love, and against him whom they +desire, and against themselves. This mood, as was later seen, was +Elliot's, for her heart was like a wild bird trapped, that turns +with bill and claw on him who comes to set it free. Moreover, I +have since deemed that her passion of faith in the Maid made war on +her love for me; one breast being scantly great enough to contain +these two affections, and her pride taking, against the natural +love, the part of the love which was divine. + +But all these were later thoughts, that came to me in musing on the +sorrows of my days; and, like most wisdom, this knowledge arrived +too late, and I, as then, was holden in perplexity. + + + +CHAPTER VIII--OF CERTAIN QUARRELS THAT CAME ON THE HANDS OF NORMAN +LESLIE + + + +Belike I had dropped asleep, outwearied with what had befallen me, +mind and body, but I started up suddenly at the sound of a dagger- +hilt smitten against the main door of the house, and a voice crying, +"Open, in the name of the Dauphin." They had come in quest of me, +and when I heard them, it was as if a hand had given my heart a +squeeze, and for a moment my breath seemed to be stopped. This +past, I heard the old serving-woman fumbling with the bolts, and +peering from behind the curtain of my casement, I saw that the ways +were dark, and the narrow street was lit up with flaring torches, +the lights wavering in the wind. I stepped to the wide ingle, +thinking to creep into the secret hiding-hole. But to what avail? +It might have served my turn if my escape alive from the moat had +only been guessed, but now my master must have told all the story, +and the men-at-arms must be assured that I was within. Thinking +thus, I stood at pause, when a whisper came, as if from within the +ingle - + +"Unbar the door, and hide not." + +It must be Elliot's voice, speaking through some tube contrived in +the ingle of the dwelling-room below or otherwise. Glad at heart to +think that she took thought of me, I unbarred the door, and threw +myself into a chair before the fire, trying to look like one +unconcerned. The bolts were now drawn below; I heard voices, rather +Scots than French, to my sense. Then the step of one man climbed up +the stair, heavily, and with the tap of a staff keeping tune to it. +It was my master. His face was pale, and falling into a chair, he +wiped the sweat from his brow. "Unhappy man that I am!" he said, "I +have lost my apprentice." + +I gulped something down in my throat ere I could say, "Then it is +death?" + +"Nay," he said, and smiled. "But gliff for gliff, {16} you put a +fear on me this day, and now we are even." + +"Yet I scarce need a cup of wine for my recovery, master," I said, +filling him a beaker from the flagon on the table, which he drained +gladly, being sore wearied, so steep was the way to the castle, and +hard for a lame man. My heart was as light as a leaf on a tree, and +the bitterness of shameful death seemed gone by. + +"I have lost my prentice another way," he said, setting down the cup +on the table. "I had much a do to see Kennedy, for he was at the +dice with other lords. At length, deeming there was no time to +waste, I sent in the bonny Book of Hours, praying him to hear me for +a moment on a weighty matter. That brought him to my side; he +leaped at the book like a trout at a fly, and took me to his own +chamber. There I told him your story. When it came to the wench in +the King's laundry, and Robin Lindsay, and you clad in girl's gear, +and kissed in the guard-room, he struck hand on thigh and laughed +aloud. + +Then I deemed your cause as good as three parts won, and he could +not hold in, but led me to a chamber where were many lords, dicing +and drinking: Tremouille, Ogilvie, the Bishop of Orleans--that holy +man, who has come to ask for aid from the King,--La Hire, +Xaintrailles, and I know not whom. There I must tell all the +chronicle again; and some said this, and some that, and Tremouille +mocks, that the Maid uttered her prophecy to no other end but to +make you fulfil it, and slay her enemy for the sake of her "beaux +yeux." The others would hear nothing of this, and, indeed, though I +am no gull, I wot that Tremouille is wrong here, and over cunning; +he trusts neither man nor woman. Howsoever it be, he went with the +story to the King, who is keen to hear any new thing. And, to be +short, the end of it is this: that you have your free pardon, on +these terms, namely, that you have two score of masses said for the +dead man, and yourself take service under Sir Hugh Kennedy, that the +King may not lose a man-at-arms." + +Never, sure, came gladder tidings to any man than these to me. An +hour ago the rope seemed tight about my neck; one day past, and I +was but a prentice to the mean craft of painting and limning, arts +good for a monk, or a manant, but, save for pleasure, not to be +melled or meddled with by a man of gentle blood. And now I was to +wear arms, and that in the best of causes, under the best of +captains, one of my own country--a lord in Ayrshire. + +"Ay, even so," my master said, marking the joy in my face, "you are +right glad to leave us--a lass and a lameter. {17} Well, well, such +is youth, and eld is soon forgotten." + +I fell on my knees at his feet, and kissed his hands, and I believe +that I wept. + +"Sir," I said, "you have been to me as a father, and more than it +has been my fortune to find my own father. Never would I leave you +with my will, and for the gentle demoiselle, your daughter--" But +here I stinted, since in sooth I knew not well what words to say. + +"Ay, we shall both miss you betimes; but courage, man! After all, +this new life beseems you best, and, mark me, a lass thinks none the +worse of a lad because he wears not the prentice's hodden grey, but +a Scots archer's green, white, and red, and Charles for badge on +breast and sleeve, and a sword by his side. And as for the bonny +Book of Hours--"Master," I said with shame, "was that my ransom?" + +"Kennedy would have come near my price, and strove to make me take +the gold. But what is bred in the bone will out; I am a gentleman +born, not a huckster, and the book I gave him freely. May it profit +the good knight in his devotions! But now, come, they are weary +waiting for us; the hour waxes late, and Elliot, I trow, is long +abed. You must begone to the castle." + +In the stairs, and about the door, some ten of Sir Hugh's men were +waiting, all countrymen of my own, and the noise they made and their +speech were pleasant to me. They gave me welcome with shouts and +laughter, and clasped my hands: "for him that called us wine-sacks, +you have given him water to his wine, and the frog for his butler," +they said, making a jest of life and death. But my own heart for +the nonce was heavy enough again, I longing to take farewell of +Elliot, which might not be, nor might she face that wild company. +Howbeit, thinking it good to have a friend at court, I made occasion +to put in the hand of the old serving-woman all of such small coins +as I had won in my life servile, deeming myself well quit of such +ill-gotten gear. And thereafter, with great mirth and noise, they +set forth to climb the hill towards the castle, where I was led, +through many a windy passage, to the chamber of Sir Hugh Kennedy. +There were torches lit, and the knight, a broad-shouldered, fair- +haired man, with a stern, flushed face, was turning over and gazing +at his new Book of Hours, like a child busy with a fresh toy. He +laid the book down when we entered, and the senior of the two +archers who accompanied me told him that I was he who had been +summoned. + +"Your name?" he asked; and I gave it. + +"You are of gentle blood?" And I answering "Yes," he replied, "Then +see that you are ready to shed it for the King. Your life that was +justly forfeit, is now, by his Royal mercy, returned to you, to be +spent in his service. Rutherford and Douglas, go take him to +quarters, and see that to-morrow he is clad as beseems a man of my +command. Now good night to you--but stay! You, Norman Leslie, you +will have quarrels on your hand. Wait not for them, but go to meet +them, if they are with the French men-at-arms, and in quarrel see +that you be swift and deadly. For the townsfolk, no brawling, +marauding, or haling about of honest wenches. Here we are +strangers, and my men must be respected." + +He bowed his head: his words had been curt, no grace or kindness +had he shown me of countenance. I felt in my heart that to him I +was but a pawn in the game of battle. Now I seemed as far off as +ever I was from my foolish dream of winning my spurs; nay, perchance +never had I sunk lower in my own conceit. Till this hour I had +been, as it were, the hinge on which my share of the world turned, +and now I was no more than a wheel in the carriage of a couleuvrine, +an unconsidered cog in the machine of war. I was to be lost in a +multitude, every one as good as myself, or better; and when I had +thought of taking service, I had not foreseen the manner of it and +the nature of the soldier's trade. My head, that I had carried +high, somewhat drooped, as I saluted, imitating my companions, and +we wheeled forth of the room. + +"Hugh has taken the pride out of you, lad, or my name is not Randal +Rutherford," said the Border man who had guided me. "Faith, he has +a keen tongue and a short way with him, but there are worse +commanders. And now you must to your quarters, for the hour is late +and the guard-room shut." + +He led me to our common sleeping-place, where, among many snoring +men-at-arms in a great bare hall, a pallet was laid for me, and my +flesh crept as I remembered how this was the couch of him whom I had +slain. Howbeit, being well weary, despite the strangeness of the +place, after brief orisons I slept sound till a trumpet called us in +the morning. + +Concerning the strangeness of this waking, to me who had been gently +nurtured, and the rough life, and profane words which I must hear +(not, indeed, that they had been wholly banished from our wild days +at St. Andrews), it is needless that I should tell. Seeing that I +was come among rude neighbours, I even made shift to fall back, in +semblance, on such manners as I had used among the students before I +left Scotland, though many perils, and the fear wherein I stood of +Brother Thomas, and the company of the maid Elliot, had caused me +half to forget my swaggering ways. So, may God forgive me! I swore +roundly; I made as if I deemed lightly of that Frenchman's death, +and, in brief, I so bore me that, ere noon (when I behoved to go +into Chinon with Randal Rutherford, and there provide me with the +rich apparel of our company), I had three good quarrels on my hand. + +First, there was the man-at-arms who had kissed me in the guard- +room. He, in a "bourde" and mockery, making pretence that he would +repeat his insult, got that which was owing him, and with interest, +for indeed he could see out of neither of his squint eyes when I had +dealt with him. And for this cause perforce, if he needed more +proof of my manhood than the weight of my fist, he must tarry for +the demonstration which he desired. + +Then there was Robin Lindsay, and at his wrath I make no marvel, for +the tale of how he came late to tryst, and at second-hand (with many +such rude and wanton additions as soldiers use to make), was noised +abroad all over the castle. His quarrel was no matter for +fisticuffs; so, being attired in helmet, vambrace rerebrace, +gauntlets, and greaves out of the armoury, where many such suits +were stored, I met him in a certain quiet court behind the castle, +where quarrels were usually voided. And now my practice of the +sword at home and the lessons of our smith came handily to my need. +After much clashing of steel and smiting out of sparks, I chanced, +by an art known to me, to strike his sword out of his hand. Then, +having him at an avail, I threw down my own blade, and so plainly +told him the plain truth, and how to his mistress I owed my life, +which I would rather lose now at his hand than hear her honour +blamed, that he forgave me, and we embraced as friends. Neither was +this jest anew cast up against either of us, men fearing to laugh, +as we say, with the wrong side of their mouths. + +After this friendly bout at point and edge, Robin and Randal +Rutherford, being off duty, must needs carry me to the Tennis Court, +where Tremouille and the King were playing two young lords, and that +for such a stake as would have helped to arm a hundred men for the +aid of Orleans. It was pretty to see the ball fly about basted from +the walls, and the players bounding and striking; and, little as I +understood the game, so eager was I over the sport, that a gentleman +within the "dedans" touched me twice on the shoulder before I was +aware of him. + +"I would have a word with you, sir, if your grace can spare me the +leisure." + +"May it not be spoken here?" I asked, for I was sorry to lose the +spectacle of the tennis, which was new to me, and is a pastime +wherein France beats the world. Pity it is that many players should +so curse and blaspheme God and His saints! + +"My business," replied the stranger, "is of a kind that will hardly +endure waiting." + +With that I rose and followed him out into the open courtyard, much +marvelling what might be toward. + +"You are that young gentleman," said my man, "for a gentleman I take +you to be, from your aspect and common report, who yesterday were +the death of Gilles de Puiseux?" + +"Sir, to my sorrow, and not by my will, I am he, and but now I was +going forth to have certain masses said for his soul's welfare": +which was true, Randal Rutherford having filled my purse against +pay-day. + +"I thank you, sir, for your courtesy, and perchance may have +occasion to do the like gentle service for you. Gilles de Puiseux +was of my blood and kin; he has none other to take up his feud for +him in this place, and now your quickness of comprehension will tell +you that the business wherewith I permit myself to break your +leisure will brook no tarrying. Let me say that I take it not upon +me to defend the words of my cousin, who insulted a woman, and, as I +believe, a messenger from the blessed Saints that love France." + +I looked at him in some amazement. He was a young man of about my +own years, delicately and richly clad in furs, silks, and velvets, a +great gold chain hanging in loops about his neck, a gold brooch with +an ancient Roman medal in his cap. But the most notable thing in +him was his thick golden hair, whence La Hire had named him +"Capdorat," because he was so blond, and right keen in war, and +hardy beyond others. And here he was challenging me, who stood +before him in a prentice's hodden grey! + +"Sir," I said, "I could wish you a better quarrel, but not more +courtesy. Many a gentleman seeing me such as I am, would bid me +send, ere he crossed swords with me, to my own country for my bor- +brief, {18} which I came away in too great haste to carry with me. +Nay, I was but now to set forth and buy me a sword and other +accoutrements; natheless, from the armoury here they may equip me +with sword and body armour." + +"Of body-armour take no thought," he answered, "for this quarrel is +of a kind that must needs be voided in our smocks"; he meaning that +it was "e outrance," till one of us fell. + +Verily, now I saw that this was not to be a matter of striking +sparks from steel, as Robin and I had done, but of life and death. + +"I shall be the more speedily at your service," I made answer; and +as I spoke Randal and Robin came forth from the "dedans," the sport +being over. They joined me, and I told them in few words my new +business, my adversary tarrying, cap in hand, till I had spoken, and +then proclaiming himself Aymar de Puiseux, a gentleman of Dauphine, +as indeed my friends knew. + +"I shall wait on you, with your leave, at the isle in the river, +where it is of custom, opposite the booths of the gold-workers," +quoth he, "about the hour of noon"; and so, saluting us, he went, as +he said, to provide himself with friends. + +"Blood of Judas!" quoth Robin, who swore terribly in his speech, +"you have your hands full, young Norman. He is but now crept out of +the rank of pages, but when the French and English pages fought a +valliance of late, under Orleans, none won more praise than he, who +was captain of the French party." + +"He played a good sword?" I asked. + +"He threw a good stone! Man, it was a stone bicker, and they had +lids of baskets for targes." + +"And he challenges me to the field," I said hotly, "By St. Andrew! +I will cuff his ears and send him back to the other boys." + +"Norman, my lad, when were you in a stone bicker last?" quoth +Randal; and I hung my head, for it was not yet six months gone since +the sailors and we students were stoning each other in North Street. + +"Yet he does play a very good sword, and is cunning of fence, for +your comfort," said Randal. So I hummed the old lilt of the +Leslies, whence, they say, comes our name - + + +Between the less lea and the mair, +He slew the knight and left him there; - + + +for I deemed it well to show a good face. Moreover, I had some +conceit of myself as a swordsman, and Randal was laughing like a +foolbody at my countenance. + +"Faith, you will make a spoon or spoil a horn, and--let me have my +laugh out--you bid well for an archer," said Randal; and Robin +counselling me to play the same prank on the French lad's sword as +late I had done on his own, they took each of them an arm of mine, +and so we swaggered down the steep ways into Chinon. + +First I would go to the tailor and the cordwainer, and be fitted for +my new splendours as an archer of the guard. + +They both laughed at me again, for, said they very cheerfully, "You +may never live to wear these fine feathers." + +But Randal making the reflection that, if I fell, there would be +none to pay the shopmaster, they both shouted with delight in the +street, so that passers-by turned and marvelled at them. Clearly I +saw that to go to fight a duel is one thing, and to go and look on +is another, and much more gay, for my heart had no desire of all +this merriment. Rather would I have recommended my case to the +saints, and chiefly to St. Andrew, for whose cause and honour I was +about to put my life in jeopardy. But shame, and the fear of +seeming fearful, drove me to jest with the others--such risks of +dying unconfessed are run by sinful men! + +Howbeit, they helped me to choose cloth of the best colour and +fashion, laughing the more because I, being short of stature and +slim, the tailor, if I fell, might well find none among the archers +to purchase that for which, belike, I should have no need. + +"We must even enlist the Pucelle in our guard, for she might wear +this apparel," quoth Randal. + +Thus boisterously they bore themselves, but more gravely at the +swordsmith's, where we picked out a good cut-and-thrust blade, well +balanced, that came readily to my hand. Then, I with sword at side, +like a gentleman, we made to the river, passing my master's booth, +where I looked wistfully at the windows for a blink of Elliot, but +saw none that I knew, only, from an open casement, the little +jackanapes mopped and mowed at me in friendly fashion. Hard by the +booth was a little pier, and we took boat, and so landed on the +island, where were waiting for us my adversary and two other +gentlemen. Having saluted each other, we passed to a smooth grassy +spot, surrounded on all sides by tall poplar trees. Here in places +daffodils were dancing in the wind; but otherwhere the sward was +much trampled down, and in two or three spots were black patches +that wellnigh turned my courage, for I was not yet used to the sight +of men's blood, here often shed for little cause. + +The friends of us twain adversaries, for enemies we could scarce be +called, chose out a smooth spot with a fair light, the sun being +veiled, and when we had stripped to our smocks, we drew and fell to +work. He was very quick and light in his movements, bounding nimbly +to this side or that, but I, using a hanging guard, in our common +Scots manner, did somewhat perplex him, to whom the fashion was new. +One or two scratches we dealt each other, but, for all that, I could +see we were well matched, and neither closed, as men rarely do in +such a combat, till they are wroth with hurts and their blood warm. +Now I gashed his thigh, but not deeply, and with that, as I deemed, +his temper fired, for he made a full sweep at my leg above the knee. +This I have always reckoned a fool's stroke, as leaving the upper +part of the body unguarded, and avoiding with my right leg, I drove +down with all my force at his head. But, even as I struck, came a +flash and the sudden deadness of a deep wound, for he had but +feinted, and then, avoiding me so that I touched him not, he drove +his point into my breast. Between the force of my own blow and this +stab I fell forward on my face, and thence rolled over on my back, +catching at my breast with my hands, as though to stop the blood, +but, in sooth, not well knowing what I did. + +He had thrown down his sword, and now was kneeling by my side. + +"I take you to witness," he said, "that this has befallen to my +great sorrow, and had I been where this gentleman was yesterday, and +heard my cousin blaspheme, I would myself have drawn on him, but--" +And here, as I later heard, he fainted from loss of blood, my sword +having cut a great vein; and I likewise lost sense and knowledge. +Nor did I know more till they lifted me and laid me on a litter of +poplar boughs, having stanched my wound as best they might. In the +boat, as they ferried us across the river, I believe that I fainted +again; and so, "between home and hell," as the saying is, I lay on +my litter and was carried along the street beside the water. Folk +gathered around us as we went. I heard their voices as in a dream, +when lo! there sounded a voice that I knew right well, for Elliot +was asking of the people "who was hurt?" At this hearing I hove +myself up on my elbow, beckoning with my other hand; and I opened my +mouth to speak, but, in place of words, came only a wave of blood +that sickened me, and I seemed to be dreaming, in my bed, of Elliot +and her jackanapes; and then feet were trampling, and at length I +was laid down, and so seemed to fall most blessedly asleep, with a +little hand in mine, and rarely peaceful and happy in my heart, +though wherefore I knew not. After many days of tossing on the +waves of the world, it was as if I had been brought into the haven +where I would be. Of what was passing I knew or I remember nothing. +Later I heard that a good priest had been brought to my bedside, and +perchance there was made some such confession as the Church, in her +mercy, accepts from sinful men in such case as mine. But I had no +thought of life or death, purgatory or paradise; only, if paradise +be rest among those we love, such rest for an unknown while, and +such sense of blissful companionship, were mine. But whether it was +well to pass through and beyond this scarce sensible joy, or whether +that peace will ever again be mine and unending, I leave with +humility to them in whose hands are Christian souls. + + + +CHAPTER IX--OF THE WINNING OF ELLIOT + + + +The days of fever and of dreams went by and passed, leaving me very +weak, but not ignorant of where I was, and of what had come and +gone. My master had often been by my bedside, and Elliot now and +again; the old housewife also watched me by night, and gave me drink +when I thirsted. Most of the while I deemed I was at home, in the +house of Pitcullo; yet I felt there was something strange, and that +there was pain somewhere in the room. But at length, as was said, I +came to knowledge of things, and could see Elliot and remember her, +when she knelt praying by my bed, as oft she did, whiles I lay +between life and death. I have heard speak of men who, being +inflamed with love, as I had been, fell into a fever of the body, +and when that passed, lo! their passion had passed with it, and +their longing. And so it seemed to be with me. For some days I was +not permitted to utter a word, and later, I was as glad in Elliot's +company as you may have seen a little lad and lass, not near come to +full age, who go playing together with flowers and such toys. So we +were merry together, the jackanapes keeping us company, and making +much game and sport. + +Perchance these were my most blessed days, as of one who had +returned to the sinless years, when we are happier than we know, and +not yet acquainted with desire. Now and again Rutherford and +Lindsay would come to visit me, seeming strangely still and gentle, +speaking little, but looking at me with kind eyes, and vowing that +my tailor should yet be paid for his labour. Capdorat also came, +for he had but suffered a flesh wound with much loss of blood, and +we showed each other the best countenance. So time went by, while I +grew stronger daily; and now it was ordained by the leech, a skilful +man, that I might leave my bed, and be clothed, and go about through +the house, and eat stronger food, whereof I had the greatest desire, +and would ever be eating like a howlet. {19} Now, when I was to +rise, I looked that they should bring me my old prentice's gabardine +and hose, but on the morning of that day Elliot came, bearing in her +arms a parcel of raiment very gay and costly. + +"Here is your fine clothing new come from the tailor's booth," she +cried merrily. "See, you shall be as bright as spring, in green, +and white, and red!" + +There was the bonnet, with its three coloured plumes, and the +doublet, with Charles wrought in silver on the arm and breast, and +all other things seemly--a joy to mine eyes. + +She held them up before me, her face shining like the return of +life, with a happy welcome; and my heart beat to see and hear her as +of old it was wont to do. + +"And wherefore should not I go to the wars," she cried, "and fight +beside the Maid? I am as tall as she, if scantly so strong, and +brave--oh, I am very brave "Glacidas, I bid you beware!" she said, +putting the archer's bonnet gallantly cocked on her beautiful head, +and drawing forth the sword from his scabbard, as one in act to +fight, but in innocent unwarlike wise. + +There she stood before me in the sunlight, like the Angel of +Victory, all glad and fair, and two blue rays from her eyes shot +into my heart, and lo! I was no more a child, but a man again and a +lover. + +"O Elliot," I said, ere ever I wist what I was saying, and I caught +her left hand into mine--"O Elliot, I love you! Give me but your +love, and I shall come back from the wars a knight, and claim my +love to be my lady." + +She snatched her hand suddenly, as if angered, out of mine, and +therewith, being very weak, I gave a cry, my wound fiercely paining +me. Then her face changed from rose-red to lily-white, she dropped +on her knees by my bed, and her arms were about my neck, and all +over my face her soft, sweet-scented hair and her tears. + +"Oh, I have slain you, I have slain you, my love!" she sobbed, +making a low, sweet moan, as a cushat in the wild wood, for I lay +deadly still, being overcome with pain and joy. And there I was, my +love comforting me as a mother comforts her child. + +I moved my hand, to take hers in mine--her little hand; and so, for +a space, there was silence between us, save for her kind moaning, +and in my heart was such gladness as comes but once to men, and may +not be spoken in words of this world. + +There was silence between us; then she rose very gently and tossed +back her hair, showing her face wet with tears, but rosy-red with +happiness and sweet shame. Had it not been for that chance hurt, +how long might I have wooed ere I won her? But her heart was molten +by my anguish. + +"Hath the pain passed?" she whispered. + +"Sweet was the pain, my love, and sweetly hast thou healed it with +thy magic." + +Then she kissed me, and so fled from the room, as one abashed, and +came not back that day, when, indeed, I did not rise, nor for two +days more, being weaker than we had deemed. But happiness is the +greatest leech on earth, and does the rarest miracles of healing; so +in three days' space I won strength to leave my bed and my room, and +could sit by the door, at noon, in the sun of spring, that is warmer +in France than in our own country. + +Now it could not be but that Elliot and I must meet, when her father +was in town about his affairs, or busy in the painting-room, and +much work he had then on his hands. But Elliot was right coy, +hiding herself from me, who watched warily, till one day, when my +master was abroad, I had the fortune to find her alone in the +chamber, putting spring flowers in a very fair vessel of glass. I +made no more ado, but coming in stealthily, I caught her boldly +about the body, saying - + +"Yield you, rescue or no rescue, and strive not against me, lest you +slay a wounded man-at-arms." + +For very fear, as I believe, lest she might stir my wound again, she +was still as a bird that lies in your hands when once you have +caught it. And all that passes of kiss and kind word between happy +lovers passed between us, till I prayed of her grace, that I might +tell her father how things stood, for well I had seen by his words +and deeds that he cherished me as a son. So she granted this, and +we fell to devising as to what was to be in days to come. Lackland +was I, and penniless, save for my pay, if I got it; but we looked to +the common fortune of young men-at-arms, namely, spoil of war and +the ransom of prisoners of England or Burgundy. For I had set up my +resolve either to die gloriously, or to win great wealth and honour, +which, to a young man and a lover, seem things easily come by. Nor +could my master look for a great fortune in marriage, seeing that, +despite his gentle birth, he lived but as a burgess, and by the work +of his hands. + +As we thus devised, she told me how matters now were in the country, +of which, indeed, I still knew but little, for, to a man sick and +nigh upon death, nothing imports greatly that betides beyond the +walls of his chamber. What I heard was this: namely, that, about +Orleans, the English ever pressed the good town more closely, +building new bastilles and other great works, so as to close the way +from Blois against any that came thence of our party with victual +and men-at-arms. And daily there was fighting without the walls, +wherein now one side had the better, now the other; but food was +scant in Orleans, and many were slain by cannon-shots. Yet much was +spoken of a new cannonier, lately come to aid the men of Orleans, +and how he and John of Lorraine slew many of the hardiest of the +English with their couleuvrines. + +At this telling I bethought me of Brother Thomas, but spoke no word +concerning him, for my mistress began very gladly to devise of her +dear Maid, concerning whom, indeed, she could never long be silent. +"Faithless heart and fickle," I said in a jest, "I believe you love +that Maid more than you love me, and as she wears sword at side, +like a man, I must even challenge her to fight in the island." + +Here she stayed my speech in the best manner and the most gracious, +laughing low, so that, verily, I was clean besotted with love, and +marvelled that any could be so fair as she, and how I could have won +such a lady. + +"Beware how you challenge my Maid," said she at last, "for she +fights but on horseback, with lance and sperthe, {20} and the Duc +d'Alencon has seen her tilt at the ring, and has given her the best +steed in his stables, whereon she shall soon lead her army to +Orleans." + +"Then I must lay by my quarrel, for who am I to challenge my +captain? But, tell me, hath she heard any word of thee and me?" + +Elliot waxed rosy, and whispered - + +"We had spoken together about thee, ere she went to Poictiers to be +examined and questioned by the doctors of law and learning, after +thou wert wounded." Concerning this journey to Poictiers I knew +nothing, but I was more concerned to hear what the Maid had said +about Elliot and me. For seeing that the Maid herself was vowed (as +men deemed) to virginity, it passed into my mind that she might +think holy matrimony but a low estate, and might try to set my +mistress's heart on following her own example. And then, I thought, +but foolishly, Elliot's love for me might be weaker than her love +for the Maid. + +"Yes," my lady went on, "I could not but open my heart about thee +and me, to one who is of my own age, and so wise, unlike other +girls. Moreover, I scarce knew well whether your heart was like +disposed with my heart. Therefore I devised with her more than once +or twice." + +Hiding her face on my breast, she spoke very low; and as my fancy +had once seen the children, the dark head and the golden, bowed +together in prayer for France and the Dauphin, so now I saw them +again, held close together in converse, and that strange Maid and +Prophetess listening, like any girl, to a girl's tale of the secrets +of her heart. + +"And what counsel gave the Maid?" I said; "or had she any prophecy +of our fortune?" + +"Nay, on such matters she knows no more than you or I, or knows but +seldom, nor seeks to learn from her counsel. Only she is bidden +that she must rescue Orleans, and lead the Dauphin to his sacring at +Rheims. But she wished me well, and comforted me that your heart +was even as my own, as she saw on that day when you wore woman's +gear and slew him that blasphemed her. And of you she spoke the +best words, for that you, who knew her not, took her part against +her enemy. And for your wound she sorrowed much, not knowing, more +than I who am simple, whether it would turn to life or death. And +if to life, then, if she could but persuade the doctor and clergy +and the King's counsellors to let her go, she said that you should +follow with her to the wars, and she, if so the saints pleased, +would be the making of your fortune, you and I being her first +friends." + +"The saints fight for her!" I said, "for we have done our part thus +far, and I would that I may be well ere she raises her standard." + +But here Elliot turned right pale, at the thought of my going to the +wars, she holding my face off and gazing steadily upon me with +wistful eyes. + +"O God, send that the Maid go speedily!" she cried, "for as now you +are not fit to bear arms." + +"Thou wouldst not have me lag behind, when the Maid's banner is on +the wind?" + +"Nay," she said, but slowly, "thee and all that I have would I give +for her and for her cause, and for the saints. But now thou must +not go,"--and her eyes yearned upon me--"now that I could overthrow +thee if we came to war." + +So here she laughed again, being like the weather without--a +changeful thing of shower and shine. + +Thus we continued devising, and she told me that, some days after my +wounding, the Maid had held converse apart with the King, and then +gave him to wit of certain marvellous matters, that none might know +save by heavenly inspiration. But what these matters might be none +could tell, save the King and the Maiden only. + +That this was sooth I can affirm, having myself been present in +later years, when one that affected to be the very Pucelle, never +slain, or re-arisen by miracle, came before the King, and truly she +had beguiled many. Then the King said, "Welcome Pucelle, ma mie, +thou art welcome if thou hast memory of that secret thing which is +between thee and me." Whereon this false woman, as one confounded, +fell on her knees and confessed her treason. + +This that Elliot told me, therefore, while the sun shone into the +chamber through the bare vine-tendrils, was sooth, and by this +miracle, it seems, the Maid had at last won the ear of the King. So +he bade carry her to Poictiers, where the doctors and the learned +were but now examining into her holy life, and her knowledge of +religion, being amazed by the wisdom of her answers. The noble +ladies about her, too, and these mendicant friars that were sent to +hold inquisition concerning her at Domremy, had found in her nothing +but simplicity and holy maidenhood, pity and piety. But, as for a +sign of her sending, and a marvel to convince all men's hearts, +that, she said, she would only work at Orleans. So now she was +being accepted, and was to raise her standard, as we had cause to +believe. + +"But," said Elliot, "the weeks go by, and much is said, and men and +victual are to be gathered, and still they tarry, doing no great +deed. Oh, would that to-day her standard were on the wind! for to- +day, and for these many days, I must have you here, and tend you +till you be fit to bear arms." + +Therewith she made me much good cheer; then, very tenderly taking +her arms from about me, lest I should be hurt again, she cried - + +"But we speak idly, and thou hast not seen the standard, and the +banner, and the pennon of the Maid that my father is painting." + +Then I must lean on her shoulder, as, indeed, I still had cause to +do, and so, right heedfully, she brought me into the painting- +chamber. There, upon great easels, were stretched three sheets of +"bougran," {21} very white and glistering--a mighty long sheet for +the standard, a smaller one, square, for the banner, and the pennon +smaller yet, in form of a triangle, as is customary. + +The great standard, in the Maiden's wars, was to be used for the +rallying of all her host; the pennon was a signal to those who +fought around her, as guards of her body; and about the banner +afterwards gathered, for prayer and praise, those men, confessed and +clean of conscience, whom she had called and chosen. + +These cloths were now but half painted, the figures being drawn, by +my master's hands, and the ground-colours laid; but some portions +were quite finished, very bright and beautiful. On the standard was +figured God the Father, having the globe in His hand; two angels +knelt by Him, one holding for His blessing the lily of France. The +field was to be sown with fleurs-de-lys, and to bear the holy names: +Jhesu--Maria. On the banner was our Lord crucified between the Holy +Virgin and St. John. And on the pennon was wrought the +Annunciation, the angel with a lily kneeling to the Blessed Virgin. +On the standard, my master, later, fashioned the chosen blazon of +the Maid--a dove argent, on a field azure. But the blazon of the +sword supporting the crown, between two lilies, that was later given +to her and her house, she did not use, as her enemies said she did, +out of pride and vainglory, mixing her arms with holy things, even +at Rheims at the sacring. For when she was at Rheims, no armorial +bearings had yet been given to her. Herein, then, as always, they +lied in their cruel throats; for, as the Psalmist says, "Quare +fremuerunt gentes?" + +All these evil tongues, and all thought of evil days, were far from +us as we stood looking at the work, and praising it, as well we +might, for never had my master wrought so well. Now, as I studied +on the paintings, I well saw that my master had drawn the angel of +the pennon in the likeness of his own daughter Elliot. Wonderful it +was to see her fair face and blue eyes, holy and humble, with the +gold halo round her head. + +"Ah, love," I said, "that banner I could follow far, pursuing fame +and the face of my lady!" + +With that we fell into such dalliance and kind speech as lovers use, +wholly rapt from the world in our happiness. + +Even then, before we so much as heard his step at the door, my +master entered, and there stood we, my arm about her neck and hers +about my body, embracing me. + +He stood with eyes wide open, and gave one long whistle. + +"Faith!" he cried, "our surgery hath wrought miracles! You are +whole beyond what I looked for; but surely you are deaf, for my step +is heavy enough, yet, me thinks, you heard me not." + +Elliot spoke no word, but drawing me very heedfully to a settle that +was by the side of the room, she fled without looking behind her. + +"Sir," I said, as soon as she was gone, "I need make no long story-- +" + +"Faith, no!" he answered, standing back from the banner and holding +his hands at each side of his eyes, regarding his work as limners +do. "You twain, I doubt not, were smitten senseless by these great +masterpieces, and the thought of the holy use to which they were +made." + +"That might well have been, sir, but what we had covenanted to tell +you this day we have told unwittingly, methinks, already. I could +not be in your daughter's company, and have the grace of her gentle +ministerings--" + +"But you must stand senseless before her father's paintings? Faith, +you are a very grateful lad! But so it is, and I am not one of +those blind folk who see not what is under their eyes. And now, +what now? Well, I can tell you. You are to be healed, and follow +these flags to war, and win your spurs, and much wealth by ransoms, +and so make my lass your lady. Is it not so?" + +I was abashed by his "bourdes," and could say nought, for, being +still very weak, the tears came into my eyes. Then he drew near me, +limping, and put his hand on my shoulder, but very gently, saying - + +"Even so be it, my son, as better may not be. 'Tis no great match, +but I looked, in this country, for nothing nobler or more wealthy. +That my lass should be happy, and have one to fend for her, there is +my affair, and I am not one of those fathers who think to make their +daughters glad by taking from them their heart's desire. So cheer +up! What, a man-at-arms weeping! Strange times, when maids lead +men-at-arms and men-at-arms weep at home!" + +With these words he comforted me, and made me welcome, for indeed he +was a kind man and a wise; so many there are that cause shrewd +sorrow when there should be joy in their houses! This was never his +way, and wise do I call him, for all that has come and gone. + +In a little time, when I had thanked him, and shown him, I trow, how +he stood in my love, he bade me go to my chamber and be at rest, +saying that he must take thought as to how matters stood. + +"For you are not yet fit to bear arms, nor will be for these many +days. Nor is it seemly, nor our country's custom, that my maid +should dwell here in the house with you, as things are between you, +and I must consider of how I may bestow her till you march with your +troop, if marching there is to be." + +This I dared not gainsay, and so I went to my chamber with a heart +full of grief and joy, for these hours that are all of gladness come +rarely to lovers, and to me were scantly measured. Perchance it was +for my soul's welfare, to win me from the ways of the world. + +But to Elliot and me that night bore no joy, but sorrow, albeit +passing. At supper we met, indeed, but she stayed with us not long +after supper, when my master, with a serious countenance, told me +how he had taken counsel with a very holy woman, of his own kin, +widow of an archer, and how she was going on pilgrimage to our Lady +of Puy en Velay, by reason of the jubilee, for this year Good Friday +and the Annunciation fell on the same day. + +"To-morrow she sets forth, and whatsoever prayer can do for France +and the King shall be done. Always, after this day of jubilee, they +say that strange and great matters come to pass. That there will be +strange matters I make no doubt, for when before, save under holy +Deborah in Scripture, did men follow a woman to war? May good come +of it! However it fall out, Elliot is willing to go on pilgrimage, +for she is very devout. Moreover, she tells me that it had been in +her mind before, for the mother of that Maid is to be at Puy, +praying for her daughter, as, certes, she hath great need, if ever +woman had. And Elliot is fain to meet her and devise with her about +the Maid. And for you, you still need our nursing, and the sooner +you win strength, the nearer you are to that which you would win. +Still, I am sorry, lad, for I remember my courting days and the +lass's mother, blessings on her!" + +To all this I could make no answer but that his will was mine; and +so the day ended in a mingling of gladness and sorrow. + + + +CHAPTER X--HOW NORMAN LESLIE WAS OUT OF ALL COMFORT + + + +My brethren the good Benedictine Fathers here in Pluscarden Priory, +are wont betimes to be merry over my penitents, for all the young +lads and lasses in the glen say they are fain to be shriven by old +Father Norman and by no other. + +This that my brethren report may well be true, and yet I take no +shame in the bruit or "fama." For as in my hot youth I suffered +sorrows many from love, so now I may say, like that Carthaginian +queen in Maro, "miseris succurrere disco." The years of the youth +of most women and men are like a tourney, or jousts courteous, and +many fall in the lists of love, and many carry sorer wounds away +from Love's spears, than they wot of who do but look on from the +safe seats and secure pavilions of age. Though all may seem but a +gentle and joyous passage of arms, and the weapons that they use but +arms of courtesy, yet are shrewd blows dealt and wounds taken which +bleed inwardly, perchance through a whole life long. To medicine +these wounds with kind words is, it may be, part of my poor skill as +a healer of souls in my degree, and therefore do the young resort to +Father Norman. + +Some confessors there be who laugh within their hearts at these +sorrows of lovers, as if they were mere "nugae" and featherweights: +others there are who wax impatient, holding all love for sin in some +degree, and forgetting that Monseigneur St. Peter himself was a +married man, and doubtless had his own share of trouble and amorous +annoy when he was winning the lady his wife, even as other men. But +if I be of any avail (as they deem) in the healing of hearts, I owe +my skill of that surgery to remembrance of the days of my youth, +when I found none to give me comfort, save what I won from a book +that my master had in hand to copy and adorn, namely, "The Book of +One Hundred Ballades, containing Counsel to a Knight, that he should +love loyally"; this counsel offered by Messire Lyonnet de Coismes, +Messire Jehan de Mailly, the Sieur d'Yvry, and many other good +knights that were true lovers. Verily, in sermons of preachers and +lives of holy men I found no such comfort. + +Almost the sorest time of my sorrowing was for very grief of heart +when Elliot set forth on pilgrimage to Puy en Velay, for we were but +newly come together; "twain we were with one heart," as a maker sang +whom once I met in France ere I came back to Scotland; sweetly could +he make, but was a young clerk of no godly counsel, and had to name +Maitre Francoys Villon. Our heart was one, the heart of Elliot and +mine own, and lo! here, in a day, it was torn asunder and we were +set apart by the wisdom of men. + +I remember me how I lay wakeful on the night before the day when +Elliot should depart. Tossing and turning, I lay till the small +fowls brake forth with their songs, and my own thought seemed to +come and go, and come again in my head, like the "ritournelle" of +the birds. At last I might not endure, but rose and attired myself +very early, and so went down into the chamber. Thither presently +came Elliot, feigning wonder to find me arisen, and making pretence +that she was about her housewiferies, but well I wot that she might +sleep no more than I. The old housewife coming and going through +the room, there we devised, comforting each other with hopes and +prayers; indeed we sorely wanted comfort, because never till we were +wed, if ever that should be, might we have such solace of each +other's presence as we desired. Then I brought from the workshop a +sheet of vellum and colours, and the painting tools, and so +fashioned a little picture of her, to wear within the breast of my +doublet. A rude thing it was and is, for what gold, however finely +handled, could match with her golden hair, whereof, at my desire, +she gave me a lock; and of all worldly gear from my secular life, +these and the four links of my mother's chain alone are still mine, +and where my heart is there is my treasure. And she, too, must clip +a long curl of my hair, for as yet it was not cut "en ronde," as +archers use to wear it, but when she came again, she said she would +find me shrewdly shaven, and then would love me no longer. Then she +laughed and kissed me, and fell to comforting me for that she would +not be long away. + +"And in three months or four," she said, "the King will be sacred at +Rheims, and the Maid will give you red wine to drink in Paris town, +and the English will be swept into the sea, and then we shall have +peace and abundance." + +"And then shall we be wedded, and never part," I cried; whereat she +blushed, bidding me not be over bold, for her heart might yet +change, and so laughed again; and thus we fleeted the time, till her +father came and sent her about disposing such things as she must +take with her. Among these she was set on carrying her jackanapes, +to make her merry on the road, though here I was of another counsel. +For in so great a gathering there must be many gangrel folk, and +among them, peradventure, the violer woman, who would desire to have +the creature given back to her. But, if it were so, Elliot said she +would purchase the jackanapes, "for I am no lifter of other men's +cattle, as all you Scots are, and I am fain to own my jackanapes +honestly." + +So she carried him with her, the light chain about her wrist, and he +riding on her saddle-bow, for presently, with many banners waving +and with singing of hymns, came the troop who wended together on +pilgrimage. Many townsfolk well armed were there to guard their +women; the flags of all the crafts were on the wind; the priests +carried blessed banners; so with this goodly company, and her +confessor, and her father's old kinswoman, Elliot rode away. The +jackanapes was screeching on her saddle-bow, her yellow hair was +lifted on her shoulder with the light breeze; her father rode the +first two stages with them. Merry enough they seemed that went, and +the bells were chiming, but I was left alone, my heart empty, or +only full of useless longings. I betook myself, therefore, to a +chapel hard by, and there made my orisons for their safety and for +good speed to the Maid and her holy enterprise. + +Thereafter there was no similitude for me and my unhappy estate, +save that of a dog who has lost his master in a strange place, and +goes questing everywhere, and comfortless. Then Randal Rutherford, +coming to visit me, found me such a lackmirth, he said, and my wits +so distraught, that a love-sick wench were better company for a man- +at-arms. + +"Cheer up, man," he said. "Look at me, did I not leave my heart at +Branxholme Mains with Mally Grieve, and so in every town where I +have been in garrison, and do you see me cast down? Off with this +green sickness, or never will you have strength to march with the +Maid, where there is wealth to be won, and golden coronets, and +gaudy stones, such as Saunders Macausland took off the Duke of +Clarence at Bauge. Faith, between the wound Capdorat gave you and +this arrow of Dan Cupid's in your heart, I believe you will not be +of strength to carry arms till there is not a pockpudding left in +broad France. Come forth, and drain a pot or two of wine, or, if +the leech forbids it, come, I will play you for all that is owing +between you and me." + +With that he lugged out his dice and fetched a tablier, but +presently vowed that it was plain robbery, for I could keep no count +of the game. Therewith he left me, laughing and mocking, and saying +that I had been bolder with Robin Lindsay's lass. + +Being alone and out of all comfort, I fell to wandering in the +workroom, and there lit, to my solace, on that blessed book of the +hundred ballades, which my master was adorning with pictures, and +with scarlet, blue, and gold. It set forth how a young knight, in +sorrow of love, was riding between Pont de Ce and Angiers, and how +other knights met him and gave him counsel. These lines I read, and +getting them by rote, took them for my device, for they bid the +lover thrust himself foremost in the press, and in breach, mine, and +escalade. + + +S'en assault viens, devant te lance, +En mine, en eschielle, en tous lieux +Ou proesce les bons avance, +Ta Dame t'en aimera mieux. + + +But reading soon grew a weariness to me, as my life was, and my +master coming home, bade me be of better cheer. + +"By St. Andrew," quoth he, "this is no new malady of thine, but well +known to leeches from of old, and never yet was it mortal! Remede +there is none, save to make ballades and rondels, and forget sorrow +in hunting rhymes, if thou art a maker. Thou art none? Nay, nor +ever was I, lad; but I have had this disease, and yet you see me +whole and well. Come, lend me a hand at painting in these lilies; +it passes not thy skill." + +So I wrought some work whereof I have reason to be proud, for these +lilies were carried wheresoever blows and honour were to be won, ay, +and where few might follow them. Meanwhile, my master devised with +me about such sights as he had seen on the way, and how great a +concourse was on pilgrimage to Puy, and how, if prayers availed, the +cause of France was won; "and yet, in England too, wives are praying +for their lords, and lasses for their lads in France. But ours is +the better quarrel." + +So that weary day went by, one of the longest that I have known, and +other days, till now the leech said that I might go back to the +castle, though that I might march to the wars he much misdoubted. +Among the archers I had the best of greetings, and all quarrels were +laid by, for, as was said, we were to set forth to Orleans, where +would be blows enough to stay the greediest stomach. For now the +Maid had won all hearts, taking some with her piety, and others with +her wit and knowledge, that confounded the doctors, how she, a +simple wench, was so subtle in doctrine, which might not be but by +inspiration. Others, again, were moved by her mirth and good- +fellowship, for she would strike a man-at-arms on the shoulder like +a comrade, and her horsemanship and deftness with sword and lance +bewitched others, she seeming as valiant and fair as these lady +crusaders of whom old romances tell. And others, again, she gained +by bourdes and jests; others by her manners, the fairest and most +courtly that might be, for she, a manant's daughter, bore herself as +an equal before the blood of France, and was right dear to the young +bride of the fair Duc d'Alencon. Yet was there about her such a +grace of purity, as of one descended from the skies, that no man of +them all was so hardy as to speak to her of love, or even so much as +to think thereof in the secret of his heart. + +So all reported of her, and she had let write a letter to the +English at Orleans, bidding them yield to God and the Maid, and +begone to their own country, lest a worse thing befall them. At +this letter they mocked, swearing that they would burn her heralds +who carried the message. But the King had named her chief of war, +and given her a household, with a good esquire, Jean d'Aulon, to +govern it, and all that beseems noble or royal blood. New armour +had been made for her, all of steel and silver, and there was talk +of a sword that she had come by in no common way, but through +revelation of the saints. For she being in Tours had it revealed to +her that a certain ancient sword, with five crosses on the blade, +lay buried behind the altar of St. Catherine of Fierbois. An +armourer of Tours was therefore sent thither, and after much labour +and search they of St. Catherine's Church found that sword, very +ancient, and much bestained with rust. Howbeit, they cleaned it and +made for it a sheath of cloth of gold. Nevertheless, the Maid wore +it in a leathern scabbard. + + + +CHAPTER XI--HOW MADAME CATHERINE OF FIERBOIS WROUGHT A MIRACLE FOR A +SCOT, AND HOW NORMAN RODE TO THE WARS + + + +Now, in this place I cannot withhold me from telling of an adventure +which at this very time befell, though it scarce belongs to my +present chronicle. But it may be that, in time to come, faith will +wax cold, and the very saints be misdoubted of men. It therefore +behoves me not to hold back the truth which I know, and which this +tale makes plain and undeniable even by Hussites, Lollards, and +other miscreants. For he who reads must be constrained to own that +there is no strait so terrible but the saints can bring safely forth +therefrom such men as call upon them. + +There came at this season to Chinon from Fierbois (where the Maid's +sword was found by miracle) a Scottish archer, not aforetime of our +company, though now he took service with us. He was named Michael +Hamilton, and was a tall man and strong, grim of face, sudden in +anger, heavy of hand, walked a little lame, and lacked one ear. +That which follows he himself told to us and to our chaplain, Father +Urquhart, and I myself have read it in the Book of the Miracles of +Madame St. Catherine of Fierbois. {22} + +You must know that Brittany, as at this time, held for the English, +and Michael Hamilton had gone thither reiving and pillaging the +country with a company of Scots men-at-arms. Hard by a place called +Clisson they had seized a deserted tower and held it for some days. +It so fell out that they took a burgess of the country, who was +playing the spy on their quarters; him they put to the torture, and +so learned that the English were coming against them with a great +company of men-at-arms and of the country folk, on that very night. +They therefore delayed no longer than to hang the spy from a +sufficient bough of a tree, this Michael doing what was needful, and +so were hurrying to horse, when, lo! the English were upon them. +Not having opportunity to reach the stables and mount, Michael +Hamilton fled on foot, with what speed he might, but sorely impeded +by the weight of his armour. The country folk, therefore, being +light of foot, easily overtook him, and after slaying one and +wounding more, he was caught in a noose of rope thrown over him from +behind. Now, even as he felt the noose tighten about his arms, he +(though not commonly pious beyond the wont of men-at-arms) vowed in +his heart to make a pilgrimage to Fierbois, and to the shrine of +Madame St. Catherine, if she would but aid him. And, indeed, he was +ever a worshipper of St. Catherine, she being the patroness of his +own parish kirk, near Bothwell. None the less, he was overcome and +bound, whereon he that had thrown the noose, and was son of the spy +whom Michael had hanged, vowed that he would, with his own hands, +hang Michael. No ransom would this manant take, nor would he suffer +Michael, as a gentleman of blood and birth, to die by the sword. So +hanged Michael was; doubt not but it was done in the best manner, +and there he was left hanging. + +Now, that night of Maundy Thursday the cure of Clisson was in his +chamber and was about to go to bed. But as he made ready for bed he +heard, from a corner of the chamber, a clear voice saying, "Go forth +and cut down the Scots man-at-arms who was hanged, for he yet +lives." + +The cure, thinking that he must be half asleep and dreaming, paid no +manner of regard to these commands. Thereon the voice, twice and +thrice, spoke aloud, none save the cure being present, and said, "Go +forth and cut down the Scots man-at-arms who was hanged, for he yet +lives." + +It often so chances that men in religion are more hard of heart to +believe than laymen and the simple. The cure, therefore, having +made all due search, and found none living who could have uttered +that voice, went not forth himself, but at noon of Good Friday, his +service being done, he sent his sexton, as one used not to fear the +sight and company of dead men. The sexton set out, whistling for +joy of the slaying of the Scot, but when he came back he was running +as fast as he might, and scarce could speak for very fear. At the +last they won from him that he had gone to the tree where the dead +Scot was hanging, and first had heard a faint rustle of the boughs. +Not affrighted, the sexton drew out a knife and slit one of +Michael's bare toes, for they had stripped him before they hanged +him. At the touch of the knife the blood came, and the foot gave a +kick, whereon the sexton hastened back with these tidings to the +cure. The holy man, therefore, sending for such clergy as he could +muster, went at their head, in all his robes canonical, to the wild +wood, where they cut Michael down and rubbed his body and poured +wine into his throat, so that, at the end of half an hour, he sat up +and said, "Pay Waiter Hay the two testers that I owe him." + +Thereon most ran and hid themselves, as if from a spirit of the +dead, but the manant, he whose father Michael had hanged, made at +him with a sword, and dealt him a great blow, cutting off his ear. +But others who had not fled, and chiefly the cure, held the manant +till his hands were bound, that he might not slay one so favoured of +Madame St. Catherine. Not that they knew of Michael's vow, but it +was plain to the cure that the man was under the protection of +Heaven. Michael then, being kindly nursed in a house of a certain +Abbess, was wellnigh recovered, and his vow wholly forgotten, when +lo! he being alone, one invisible smote his cheek, so that the room +rang with the buffet, and a voice said to him, "Wilt thou never +remember thy pilgrimage?" Moved, therefore, to repentance, he stole +the cure's horse, and so, journeying by night till he reached +France, he accomplished his vows, and was now returned to Chinon. +This Michael Hamilton was hanged, not very long afterwards, by +command of the Duc d'Alencon, for plundering a church at Jargeau. + +The story I have thought it behoved me to tell in this place, +because it shows how good and mild is Madame St. Catherine of +Fierbois, also lest memory of it be lost in Scotland, where it +cannot but be of great comfort to all gentlemen of Michael's kin and +of the name and house of Hamilton. Again, I tell it because I heard +it at this very season of my waiting to be recovered of my wound. +Moreover, it is a tale of much edification to men-at-arms, as +proving how ready are the saints to befriend us, even by speaking as +it were with human voices to sinful men. Of this I myself, later, +had good proof, as shall be told, wherefore I praise and thank the +glorious virgin, Madame St. Catherine of Fierbois. + +This tale was the common talk in Chinon, which I heard very gladly, +taking pleasure in the strangeness of it. And in the good fortune +of the Maid I was yet more joyful, both for her own sake and for +Elliot's, to whom she was so dear. But, for my own part, the +leeches gave me little comfort, saying that I might in no manner set +forth with the rest, for that I could not endure to march on foot, +but must die by the way. + +Poor comfort was this for me, who must linger in garrison while the +fortune of France was on the cast of the dice, and my own fortune +was to be made now or never. So it chanced that one day I was +loitering in the gateway, watching the soldiers, who were burnishing +armour, sharpening swords, and all as merry and busy as bees in +spring. Then to me comes my master, with a glad countenance, and +glad was I, for these eight days or nine I had no tidings of him, +and knew not if Elliot had returned from pilgrimage. I rose to +greet him, and he took my hand, bidding me be of good cheer, for +that he had good tidings. But what his news might be he would not +tell me; I must come with him, he said, to his house. + +All about his door there was much concourse of people, and among +them two archers led a great black charger, fairly caparisoned, and +covered with a rich silk hucque of colour cramoisie, adorned with +lilies of silver. As I marvelled who the rider might be, conceiving +that he was some great lord, the door of my master's house opened, +and there, within, and plain to view, was Elliot embracing a young +knight; and over his silver armour fell her yellow hair, covering +gorget and rere-brace. Then my heart stood still, my lips opened +but gave no cry, when, lo! the knight kissed her and came forth, all +in shining armour, but unhelmeted. Then I saw that this was no +knight, but the Maid herself, boden in effeir of war, {23} and so +changed from what she had been that she seemed a thing divine. If +St. Michael had stepped down from a church window, leaving the +dragon slain, he would have looked no otherwise than she, all +gleaming with steel, and with grey eyes full of promise of victory: +the holy sword girdled about her, and a little battle-axe hanging +from her saddle-girth. She sprang on her steed, from the mounting- +stone beside the door, and so, waving her hand, she cried farewell +to Elliot, that stood gazing after her with shining eyes. The +people went after the Maid some way, shouting Noel! and striving to +kiss her stirrup, the archers laughing, meanwhile, and bidding them +yield way. And so we came, humbly enough, into the house, where, +her father being present and laughing and the door shut, Elliot +threw her arms about me and wept and smiled on my breast. + +"Ah, now I must lose you again," she said; whereat I was half glad +that she prized me so; half sorry, for that I knew I might not go +forth with the host. This ill news I gave them both, we now sitting +quietly in the great chamber. + +"Nay, thou shalt go," said Elliot. "Is it not so, father? For the +Maid gave her promise ere she went to Poictiers, and now she is +fulfilling it. For the gentle King has given her a household-- +pages, and a maitre d'hotel, a good esquire, and these two gentlemen +who rode with her from Vaucouleurs, and an almoner, Brother Jean +Pasquerel, an Augustine, that the Maid's mother sent with us from +Puy, for we found her there. And the Maid has appointed you to go +with her, for that you took her part when men reviled her. And +money she has craved from the King; and Messire Aymar de Puiseux, +that was your adversary, is to give you a good horse, for that you +may not walk. And, above all, the Maid has declared to me that she +will bring you back to us unscathed of sword, but, for herself, she +shall be wounded by an arrow under Orleans, yet shall she not die, +but be healed of that wound, and shall lead the King to his sacring +at Rheims. So now, verily, for you I have no fear, but my heart is +sore for the Maid's sake, and her wound." + +None the less, she made as if she would dance for joy, and I could +have done as much, not, indeed, that as then I put my faith in +prophecies, but for gladness that I was to take my fortune in the +wars. So the hours passed in great mirth and good cheer. Many +things we spoke of, as concerning the mother of the Maid--how wise +she was, yet in a kind of amazement, and not free from fear, +wherefore she prayed constantly for her child. + +Moreover Elliot told me that the jackanapes was now hers of right, +for that the woman, its owner, had been at Puy, but without her man, +and had sold it to her, as to a good mistress, yet with tears at +parting. This news was none of the gladdest to me, for still I +feared that tidings of us might come to Brother Thomas. Howbeit, at +last, with a light heart, though I was leaving Elliot, I went back +to the castle. There Aymar de Puiseux, meeting me, made me the best +countenance, and gave me a right good horse, that I named Capdorat +after him, by his good will. And for my armour, which must needs be +light, they gave me a maillet--a coat of slender mail, which did not +gall my old wound. So accoutred, I departed next day, in good +company, to Blois, whence the Maid was to set forth to Orleans. +Marvel it was to find the road so full of bestial--oxen, cows, +sheep, and swine--all gathered, as if to some great market, for the +victualling of Orleans. But how they were to be got through the +English lines into the city men knew not. For the English, by this +time, had girdled the city all about with great bastilles, each +joined to other by sunken ways dug in the earth, wherein were +streets, and marts, and chambers with fires and chimneys, as I have +written in my Latin chronicle. {24} There false Frenchmen came, as +to a fair, selling and buying, with store of food, wine, arms, and +things of price, buying and selling in safety, for the cannon and +couleuvrines in the town could not touch them. But a word ran +through the host how the Maid knew, by inspiration of the saints, +that no man should sally forth from among the English, but that we +should all pass unharmed. + +Meantime the town of Blois was in great turmoil--the cattle lowing +in the streets, the churches full to the doors of men-at-arms, +waiting their turn to be shrived, for the Maid had ordained that all +who followed her must go clean of sin. And there was great wailing +of light o' loves, and leaguer lasses that had followed the army, as +is custom, for this custom the Maid did away, and drove these women +forth, and whither they wandered I know not. Moreover, she made +proclamation that all dice, and tabliers, and instruments of +gambling must be burned, and myself saw the great pile yet smoking +in the public place, for this was to be a holy war. So we lodged at +Blois, where the Maid showed me the best countenance, speaking +favourable words of Elliot and me, and bidding me keep near her +banner in battle, which I needed no telling to make me resolve to +do. So there, for that night, we rested. + + + +CHAPTER XII--HOW THE MAID CAME TO ORLEANS, AND OF THE DOLOROUS +STROKE THAT FIRST SHE STRUCK IN WAR + + + +Concerning the ways of the saints, and their holy counsel, it is not +for sinful men to debate, but verify their ways are not as our ways, +as shall presently be shown, in the matter of the Maid's march to +Orleans. + +For the town of Blois, where now we lay, is, as all men know, on the +right bank of the water of Loire, a great river, wider and deeper +and stronger by far than our Tay or Tweed, and the town of Orleans, +whither we were bound, is also on the same side, namely, the right +side of the river. Now, Orleans was beleaguered in this manner: +The great stone bridge had been guarded, on the left, or further +side of the stream, first by a boulevard, or strong keep on the +land, whence by a drawbridge men crossed to a yet stronger keep, +called "Les Tourelles," builded on the last arches of the bridge. +But early in the siege the English had taken from them of Orleans +the boulevard and Les Tourelles, and an arch of the bridge had been +broken, so that in nowise might men-at-arms of the party of France +enter into Orleans by way of that bridge from the left bank through +the country called Sologne. + +Yet that keep, Les Tourelles, had not been a lucky prize to our +enemies of England. For their great captain, the Lord Salisbury, +had a custom to watch them of Orleans and their artillery from a +window in that tower, and, to guard him from arrow-shots, he had a +golden shield pierced with little holes to look through, that he +held before his face. One day he came into this turret when they +who worked the guns in Orleans were all at their meat. But it so +chanced that two boys, playing truant from school, went into a niche +of the wall, where was a cannon loaded and aimed at Les Tourelles. +They, seeing the gleam of the golden shield at the window of the +turret, set match to the touch-hole of the cannon, and, as Heaven +would have it, the ball struck a splinter of stone from the side of +the window, which, breaking through the golden shield, slew my Lord +of Salisbury, a good knight. Thus plainly that tower was to be of +little comfort to the English. + +None the less, as they held Les Tourelles and the outer landward +boulevard thereof, the English built but few works on the left side +of the river, namely, Champ St. Prive, that guarded the road by the +left bank from Blois; Les Augustins, that was a little inland from +the boulevard of Les Tourelles, so that no enemy might pass between +these two holds; and St. Jean le Blanc, that was higher up the +river, and a hold of no great strength. On the Orleans side, to +guard the road from Burgundy, the English had but one fort, St. +Loup, for Burgundy and the north were of their part, and by this way +they expected no enemy. But all about Orleans, on the right bank of +the river, to keep the path from Blois on that hand, the English had +builded many great bastilles, and had joined them by hollow ways, +wherein, as I said, they lived at ease, as men in a secure city +underground. And the skill of it was to stop convoys of food, and +starve them of Orleans, for to take the town by open force the +English might in nowise avail, they being but some four thousand +men-at-arms. + +Thus Matters stood, and it was the Maid's mind to march her men and +all the cattle clean through and past the English bastilles on the +right side of the river, and by inspiration she well knew that no +man would come forth against us. Moreover, she saw not how, by the +other way, and the left bank, the cattle might be ferried across, +and the great company of men-at-arms, into Orleans town, under the +artillery of the English. For the English held the pass of the +broken bridge, as I said, and therefore all crossing of the water +must be by boat. + +Now, herein it was shown, as often again, that the ways of the +saints are not as our ways. For the captains, namely, the Sieur de +Rais (who afterwards came to the worst end a man might), and La +Hire, and Ambroise de Lore, and De Gaucourt, in concert with the +Bastard of Orleans, then commanding for the King in that town, gave +the simple Maid to understand that Orleans was on the left bank of +the river. This they did, because they were faithless and slow of +belief, and feared that so great a company as ours might in nowise +pass Meun and Beaugency, towns of the English, and convey so many +cattle through the bastilles on the right bank. Therefore, with +many priests going before, singing the Veni Creator, with holy +banners as on a pilgrimage; with men-at-arms, archers, pages, and +trains of carts; and with bullocks rowting beneath the goad, and +swine that are very hard to drive, and slow-footed sheep, we all +crossed the bridge of Blois on the morning of April 25th. + +Now, had the holy saints deemed it wise and for our good to act as +men do, verily they would have spoken to the Maid, telling her that +we were all going clean contrary to her counsel. Nevertheless, the +saints held their peace, and let us march on. Belike they designed +that this should turn to the greater glory of the Maid and to the +confusion of them that disbelieved, which presently befell, as I +shall relate. + +All one day of spring we rode, and slept beneath the stars, the Maid +lying in her armour, so that as one later told me who knew, namely, +Elliot, her body was sorely bruised with her harness. Early in the +morning we mounted again, and so rode north, fetching a compass +inland; after noontide we came to a height, and lo! beneath us lay +the English bastilles and holds on the left bank, and, beyond the +glittering river and the broken bridge, the towers and walls of +Orleans. Then I saw the Maid in anger, for well she knew that she +had been deceived by them who should have guided her. Between us +and the town of Orleans lay the wide river, the broken bridge, and +the camps of the English. On the further shore we beheld the people +swarming on the walls and quays, labouring to launch boats with +sails, and so purposing to ascend the river against the stream and +meet us two leagues beyond the English lines. But this they might +not do, for a strong wind was blowing down stream, and all their +vessels were in disarray. + +The Maid spurred to the front, where were De Rais, Lore, Kennedy, +and La Hire. We could see her pointing with her staff, and hear +speech high and angry, but the words we could not hear. The +captains looked downcast, as children caught in a fault, and well +they might, for we were now as far off victualling Orleans as ever +we had been. The Maid pointed to the English keep at St. Jean le +Blanc, on our side of the water, and, as it seems, was fain to +attack it; but the English had drawn off their men to the stronger +places on the bridge, and to hold St. Jean le Blanc against them, if +we took it, we had no strength. So we even wended, from the height +of Olivet, for six long miles, till we reached the stream opposite +Checy, where was an island. A rowing-boat, with a knight in +glittering arms, was pulled across the stream, and the Maid, in her +eagerness, spurred her steed deep into the water to meet him. He +was a young man, brown of visage, hardy and fierce, and on his +shield bore the lilies of Orleans, crossed with a baton sinister. +He bowed low to the Maid, who cried - + +"Are you the Bastard of Orleans?" + +"I am," he said, "and right glad of your coming." + +"Was it you who gave counsel that I should come by this bank, and +not by the other side, and so straight against Talbot and the +English?" + +She spoke as a master to a faulty groom, fierce and high, and to +hear her was marvel. + +"I, and wiser men than I, gave that counsel," said he, "deeming this +course the surer." + +"Nom Dieu!" she cried. "The council of Messire is safer and wiser +than yours." She pointed to the rude stream, running rough and +strong, a great gale following with it, so that no sailing-boats +might come from the town. "You thought to beguile me, and are +yourselves beguiled, for I bring you better succour than ever came +to knight or town--the help of the King of Heaven." + +Then, even as she spoke, and as by miracle, that fierce wind went +right about, and blew straight up the stream, and the sails of the +vessels filled. + +"This is the work of our Lord," said the Bastard of Orleans, +crossing himself: and the anger passed from the eyes of the Maid. + +Then he and Nicole de Giresme prayed her to pass the stream with +them, and to let her host march back to Blois and so come to +Orleans, crossing by the bridge of Blois. To this she said nay, +that she could not leave her men out of her sight, lest they fell to +sin again, and all her pains were lost. But, with many prayers, her +confessor Pasquerel joining in them, she was brought to consent. So +the host, with priests and banners, must set forth again to Blois, +while the Maid, and we that were of her company, crossed the river +in boats, and so rode towards the town. On this way (the same is a +road of the old Romans) the English held a strong fort, called St. +Loup, and well might they have sallied forth against us. But the +people of Orleans, who ever bore themselves more hardily than any +townsfolk whom I have known, made an onfall against St. Loup, that +the English within might not sally out against us, where was fierce +fighting, and they took a standard from the English. + +So, at nightfall, the Maid, with the Bastard and other captains at +her side, rode into the town, all the people welcoming her with +torches in hand, shouting Noel! as to a king, throwing flowers +before her horse's feet, and pressing to touch her, or even the +harness of her horse, which leaped and plunged, for the fire of a +torch caught the fringe of her banner. Lightly she spurred and +turned him, and lightly she caught at the flame with her hand and +quenched it, while all men marvelled at her grace and goodly +bearing. + +Never saw I more joy of heart, for whereas all had feared to fall +into the hands of the English, now there was such courage in them, +as if Monseigneur St. Michael himself, or Monseigneur St Aignan, had +come down from heaven to help his good town. If they were hardy +before, as indeed they were, now plainly they were full of such +might and fury that man might not stand against them. And soon it +was plain that no less fear had fallen on the English. But the +Maid, with us who followed her, was led right through the great +street of Orleans, from the Burgundy gate to the gate Regnart, +whereby the fighting was ever most fell, and there we lodged in the +house of the Treasurer of the Duke of Orleans, Jacquet Boucher. +Never was sleep sweeter to me, after the two weary marches, and the +sounds of music and revelry in the street did not hum a moment in my +ears, before I had passed into that blessed world of slumber without +a dream. + +But my waking next day brought instantly the thought of my brother +Robin, concerning whom I had ever feared that he fell with the +flower of Scotland, when the Comte de Clermont deserted us so +shamefully on the day of the Battle of the Herrings. No sooner did +this doubt come into my mind, than I leaped from my bed, attired +myself, and went forth to the quarters of the Scots under Sir +Christian Chambers. Little need I had to tell my errand, for they +that met me guessed who I was, because, indeed, Robin and I favoured +each other greatly in face and bodily presence. + +It was even as I had deemed: my dear brother and friend and tutor +of old days had died, charging back upon the English who pursued us, +and fighting by the side of Pothon de Xaintrailles. All that day, +and in the week which followed, my thought was ever upon him; a look +in a stranger's face, a word on another's lips, by some magic of the +mind would bring my brother almost visibly before me, ay, among the +noise of swords on mail, and the screaming of arrows, and of great +cannon-balls. + +If I heard ill news, it was no more than I looked for; but better +news, as it seemed, I also heard, though, in my sorrow, I marked it +little. For the soldiers were lamenting the loss of their famed +gunner, not John the Lorrainer, but one who had come to them, they +said, now some weeks agone, in the guise of a cordelier, though he +did not fight in that garb, but in common attire, and ever wore his +vizor down, which men deemed strange. Whither he had gone, or how +disappeared, they knew not, for he had not been with those who +yesterday attacked St. Loup. + +"He could never thole the thought of the Blessed Maid," said Allan +Rutherford, "but would tell all that listened how she was a brain- +sick wench, or a witch, and under her standard he would never fight. +He even avowed to us that she had been a chamber-wench of an inn in +Neufchateau, and there had learned to back a horse, and many a worse +trick," which was a lie devised by the English and them of Burgundy. +But, go where he would, or how he would, I deemed it well that +Brother Thomas and I (for of a surety it was Brother Thomas) were +not to meet in Orleans. + +Concerning the English in this wonderful adventure of the siege, I +have never comprehended, nor do I now know, wherefore they bore them +as they did. That they sallied not out on the trains which the Maid +led and brought into the town, a man might set down to mere +cowardice and faint heart--they fearing to fight against a witch, as +they deemed her. In later battles, when she had won so many a +victory, they may well have feared her. But, as now, they showed no +dread where honour was to be won, but rather pride and disdain. On +this very Saturday, the morrow of our arrival, La Hire, with Florent +d'Illiers and many other knights, pushed forth a matter of two +bowshots from the city walls, and took a keep that they thought to +have burned. They were very hardy men, and being comforted by the +Maid's coming, were full of courage and goodwill; yet the English +rallied and drove them back, with much firing of guns, and now first +I heard the din of war and saw the great stone balls fly, +scattering, as they fell, into splinters that screamed in the air, +with a very terrible sound. Truly the English had the better of +that fray, and were no whit adread, for at sunset the Maid sent them +two heralds, bidding them begone; yet they answered only that they +would burn her for a witch, and called her a ribaulde, or loose +wench, and bade her go back and keep her kine. + +I was with her when this message came, and her brows met and her +eyes flashed with anger. Telling us of her company to follow, she +went to the Fair Cross on the bridge, where now her image stands, +fashioned in bronze, kneeling before the Cross, with the King +kneeling opposite. There she stood and cried aloud to the English, +who were in the fort on the other side of the bridge that is called +Les Tourelles, and her voice rang across the water like a trumpet, +so that it was marvel. Then came out on to the bridge a great +knight and a tall, Sir William Glasdale; no bigger man have I seen, +and I bethought me of Goliath in Holy Scripture. He spoke in a +loud, north-country voice, and, whereas she addressed him +courteously, as she did all men, he called her by the worst of +names, mocking at her for a ribaulde. She made answer that he lied, +and that he should die in four days' time or five, without stroke of +sword; and so, waving her hand haughtily, turned and went back. But +I, who walked close by her, noted that she wept like any girl at his +evil and lying accusations. + +Next day was Sunday, and no stroke was struck, but the Bastard of +Orleans set forth to bring back the army from Blois. And on Monday +the Maid rode out and under the very walls of the English keeps, the +townsfolk running by her rein, as if secure in her company; yet no +man came forth against them, which was marvel. And on the +Wednesday, the Maid, with many knights, rode forth two leagues, and +met the Bastard of Orleans and all the array from Blois, and all the +flocks and herds that were sent to Orleans by the good towns. Right +beneath the forts of the English they rode and marched, with +chanting of hymns, priests leading the way, but none dared meddle +with them. Yet a child might have seen that now or never was the +chance: howbeit Talbot and Glasdale and Scales, men well learned in +war, let fire not even a single cannon. It may be that they feared +an attack of the Orleans folk on their bastilles, if they drew out +their men. For, to tell the plain truth, the English had not men- +at-arms enough for the task they took in hand; but they oft achieve +much with but little force, and so presume the more, sometimes to +their undoing. And, till the Maid came, ten of them could chase a +hundred of the French. + +So the Maid returned, leading the army, and then, being very weary, +she went into her chamber, and lay down on a couch to sleep, her +esquire, D'Aulon, also resting in the room, where were the lady and +a daughter of the house, one Charlotte Boucher. There was I, +devising idly with her page, Louis de Coutes, a boy half Scots by +birth, and good-brother to Messire Florent d'Illiers, who had +married his sister. But alas! he was more French than Scots, and +later he left the Maid. But then we were playing ourselves at the +door of the house, and all was still, the men-at-arms reposing, as +we deemed, after their march. Then suddenly the Maid ran forth to +us, her face white and her eyes shining, and cried to Louis de +Coutes, in great anger - + +"Wretched boy, the blood of France is being shed, and you told me no +word of it!" + +"Demoiselle," said he, trembling, "I wotted not of it. What mean +you?" + +And I also stood in amaze, for we had heard no sound of arms. + +"Go, fetch my horse," she said, and was gone. + +I went with him, and we saddled and bridled a fresh courser +speedily; but when we reached the door, she stood there already +armed, and sprang on the horse, crying for her banner, that De +Coutes gave her out of the upper window. Then her spurs were in her +horse's side, and the sparks flying from beneath his hoofs, as she +galloped towards St. Loup, the English fort on the Burgundy road. +Thither we followed her, with what speed we might, yet over tardily; +and when we came through crowds of people, many bearing the wounded +on litters, there was she, under the wall of that fort, in a rain of +arrows, holding up her banner, and crying on the French and Scots to +the charge. They answered with a cry, and went on, De Coutes and I +pressing forward to be with them; but ere ever we could gain the +fosse, the English had been overwhelmed, and, for the more part, +slain. For, as we found, the French captains had commanded an +attack on St. Loup, and had told the Maid no word of it, whether as +desiring to win honour without her, or to spare her from the peril +of the onslaught, I know not. But their men were giving ground, +when by the monition of the saints, as I have shown, she came to +them and turned the fray. + +Of the English, as I said, most were slain, natheless certain men in +priests' raiment came forth from the Church of St. Loup, and very +humbly begged their lives of the Maid, who, turning to D'Aulon, her +esquire, bade him, with De Coutes and me, and such men as we could +gather, to have charge of them and be answerable for them. + +So, while the French were plundering, we mustered these priests +orderly together, they trembling and telling their beads, and we +stood before them for their guard. False priests, I doubt, many of +them were, Englishmen who had hastily done on such holy robes as +they found in the church of St Loup. Now Louis de Coutes, being but +a boy, and of a mad humour, cried - + +"'Cucullus non facit monachum!' Good sirs, let us see your reverend +tonsures." + +With that he twitched the hood from the head of a tall cordelier, +who, without more ado, felled him to the earth with his fist. + +The hood was off but for a flash of time, yet I saw well the shining +wolf's eyes and the long dark face of Brother Thomas. So, in the +pictures of the romance of Renard Fox, have I seen Isengrim the wolf +in the friar's hood. + +"Felon and traitor!" I cried, and drawing my sword, was about to run +him through the body, when my hand was stunned by a stroke, and the +sword dropped from it. I turned, in great anger, and saw the Maid, +her sword in her hand, wherewith she had smitten me flatlings, and +not with the edge. + +"Knave of a Scot," she cried, "wouldst thou strike a holy man and my +prisoner? Verily they say well that the Scots are all savages. +Begone home, till I speak with the captains about thy case! And for +these holy men," she said to D'Aulon, in a soft voice, "see that +they are safely housed and ministered to in the Church of +Monseigneur St. Aignan." + +With that I shrank back like a beaten hound, and saw the Maid no +more that night, as fearing her wrath. So was I adread and out of +all comfort. But, when first I might, I sought D'Aulon and told him +all the tale of Brother Thomas, and all the evil I knew of him, as +well as I could, and I showed him wherefore I had sought to slay the +man, as forsworn and a traitor, who had manifestly fled to the +English, being by his doggish nature the enemy of the Maid. I so +wrought with him, though he was weary, and would scarce listen to my +tale, that he promised to speak for me to the Maid, without whom I +was a man lost. Moreover, he swore that, as early as might be, he +would visit the Church of St. Aignan, and there examine into the +matter of this cordelier, whom some knew, and could testify against, +if he was my man. + +No more could I do that night, but next morning D'Aulon awoke me a +little after dawn. + +"It is a true tale," he said, "and worse than I deemed, for your +bird has flown! Last night he so spoke with me in the church when I +lodged him there, that I reckoned him a simple man and a pious. But +he has vanished from among his brethren, none knows how or whither." + +"The devil, his master, knows," I said. "Faith, he has a shrewd +care of his own. But this, I misdoubt me, is the beginning of evil +to us and to the Maid." + +"A knave more or less is of little count in the world," said he; +"but now I must make your peace with the Maid, for she speaks of no +less than sending you forth from her household." + +His promise he kept so well--for he was a very honourable man, as +any in France--that the Maid sent for me and showed me the best +countenance, even begging my pardon with all sweetness, and in so +fair a manner that I could have wept. + +"It was my first blow in war," she said, smiling kindly, as was her +manner, "and I hope to strike no more as with my own hand, wherefore +I carry my banner to avoid the slaying of men. But verily I deemed +that you were about stabbing my prisoner, and him a priest. Belike +we shall hear no more of him, and I misdoubt that he is no true son +of Holy Church. To-day let me see you bear yourself as boldly +against armed men, that I may report well of you to your lady and my +friend." + +Therewith she held out her hands and took mine, as frankly as does +one brother in arms with another. And I kissed her hand, and kept +my tears in my own heart. But no deadlier blow for France and for +herself was ever dealt than when the Maid struck down my sword, that +was thirsting for the blood of Brother Thomas, and was within an +inch of his throat. Often have I marvelled how the saints, who, as +then, guarded her, gave her no warning, as they did of the onslaught +on St. Loup; but it might not be, or it was not their will, to which +we must humbly submit ourselves. And now I think I see that wolf's +face, under the hood, with anger and fear in the ominous eyes. In +the Church of St. Loup we found him, and he was a wolf of the holy +places. None the less, the words of the Maid brought more keenly to +my mind the thought of Elliot, whom in these crowded hours, between +my sorrow and anger, and fear of the Maid's wrath, I had to some +degree forgotten. They were now ordering an onslaught on a post of +the English beyond the river, and there came into my heart that +verse of the "Book of a Hundred Ballades": how a lover must press +into breach, and mine, and escalade to win advancement and his +lady's favour; and I swore within myself that to-day I would be +among the foremost. + + + +CHAPTER XIII--OF THE FIGHTING AT LES AUGUSTINS AND THE PROPHECY OF +THE MAID + + + +Just above the broken bridge of Orleans there is a broad island, +lying very near the opposite shore, with a narrow, swift passage of +water between bank and island. Some two furlongs higher up the +river, and on the further bank, the English had built a small fort, +named St. Jean le Blanc, to guard the road, and thither they sent +men from Les Augustins. The plan of our captains was to cross by +boats on to the island, and thence by a bridge of planks laid on +boats to win over the narrow channel, and so make an onslaught on +St. Jean le Blanc. For this onslaught the Maid had now been armed +by her women, and with all her company, and many knights, was making +ready to cross. But before she, or we with her, could attain the +shore, horses being ill beasts in a boat ferry, the light-armed +townsfolk had crossed over against St. Jean le Blanc to spy on it, +and had found the keep empty, for the English had drawn back their +men to the Bastille of Les Augustins. + +Thus there was no more to do, for the captains deemed not that we +were of any avail to attack Les Augustins. They were retreating +then to the bridge of boats, and Messires de Gaucourt, De Villars, +and other good knights were guarding the retreat, all orderly, lest +the English might sally out from Les Augustins, and, taking us in +the rear, might slay many in the confusion of crossing the boat- +bridge, when the Maid and La Hire, by great dint of toil, passed +their horses in a ferry-boat on to the further bank. At this moment +the English sallied forth, with loud cries, from Les Augustins, and +were falling on our men, who, fearing to be cut off, began to flee +disorderly, while the English called out ill words, as "cowards" and +"ribaulds," and were blaspheming God that He should damn all +Frenchmen. + +Hereon the Maid, with her banner, and La Hire, with lance in rest, +they two alone, spurred into the press, and now her banner was +tossing like the flag of a ship in the breakers, and methought there +was great jeopardy lest they should be taken. But the other French +and Scots, perceiving the banner in such a peril, turned again from +their flight, and men who once turn back to blows again are ill to +deal with. Striking, then, and crying, Montjoie! St. Denis! and St. +Andrew for Scotland! they made the English give ground, till they +were within the palisade of Les Augustins, where they deemed them +safe enough. Now I had struggled through the throng on the island, +some flying, some advancing, as each man's heart bade him, till I +leaped into the water up to my waist and won the land. There I was +running to the front of the fight when D'Aulon would have stopped +me, for he had a command to hold a certain narrow way, lest the +English should drive us to the water again. + +All this was rightly done, but I, hearing the cry of St. Andrew, was +as one possessed, and paying no heed to D'Aulon, was for thrusting +me forward, when a certain Spaniard, Alphonse de Partada, caught me +by the arm, and told me, with an oath, that I might well bide where +better men than I were content to be. At this I made answer that my +place was with the Maid, and, as for better men, bigger he might +well be, but I, for one, was not content to look on idly where blows +were being dealt. He answered in such terms that I bade him follow +me, and see which of us would fare furthest into the press. + +"And for that you may be swifter of foot than I, as you have longer +legs," I cried, "clasp hands on this bargain, and let us reach the +palisades with the same step." + +To this he agreed, and D'Aulon not refusing permission (for he loved +to look on a vaillance), we, clasping hands, ran together swiftly, +and struck our swords in the same moment against the wooden fence. +A little opening there was, not yet closed, or he that kept it +deemed he might win more honour by holding it with his body. He was +a great knight and tall, well armed, the red cross of St. George on +his breast, and he fought with a mighty sword. Together, then, we +made at him, two to one, as needs must be, for this was no gentle +passage of arms, but open battle. One sweep of his sword I made +shift to avoid, but the next lighting on my salade, drove me +staggering back for more yards than two or three, and I reeled and +fell on my hands. When I rose, Alphonse de Partada was falling +beneath a sword-stroke, and I was for running forward again; but lo! +the great English knight leaped in the air, and so, turning, fell on +his face, his hands grasping at the ground and his feet kicking. + +Later I heard from D'Aulon that he had bidden John the Lorrainer +mark the man with his couleuvrine, for that he did overmuch +mischief. But, thinking of nought save to be foremost in the +breach, I ran in, stumbling over the dead man's body, and shouldered +at the same time by Alphonse, who warded off a stab of a pike that +was dealt at me. Then it was a fair mellay, our men pressing after +us through the gap, and driving us forward by mere weight of onset, +they coming with all speed against our enemies that ran together +from all parts of the keep, and so left bare the further wall. It +was body to body, weight against weight, short strokes at close +quarters, and, over our heads, bills striking and foining at the +English. Each man smote where he could; we wavered and swayed, now +off our feet in the press, now making some yard of ground, and evil +was the smell and thick the dust that arose. Meanwhile came the +sound of the riving of planks from the other side of the palisade; +above the steel points and the dust I saw the Maid's pennon +advancing with the face of my lady painted thereon, and I pressed +towards it, crying "St. Andrew" with such breath as was in me. Then +rang out the Maid's voice, like a clarion, "St. Denis!" and so, +stroke echoing stroke, and daggers going at close quarters, beaten +on and blinded, deaf and breathless, now up, now down, we staggered +forward, till I and the Maid stood side by side, and the English +broke, some falling, some flying to the out-gate. + +And, when all was done, there was I, knowing little enough of what +had come and gone, dazed, with my sword bloody and bent, my head +humming, and my foot on the breast of an English knight, one Robert +Heron. Him I took to prisoner, rescue or no rescue, and so sat we +down, very weary, in the midst of blood and broken arms, for many +had been slain and a few taken, though the more part had fled into +the boulevard of Les Tourelles. And here, with a joyous face, and +the vizor of her helm raised, stood the Maid, her sword sheathed, +waving her banner in the sight of the English that were on the +bridge fort. + +Natheless, her joy was but for a moment, and soon was she seated +lowly on the ground, holding in her arms the head of an English +knight, sore wounded, for whom her confessor, Father Pasquerel, was +doing the offices of religion. Tears were running down her cheeks, +even as if he had been one of her own people; and so, comforting and +helping the wounded as she might, she abode till the darkness came, +and the captains had made shift to repair the fortress and had set +guards all orderly. And all the river was dark with boats coming +and going, their lanterns glittering on the stream, and they were +laden with food and munitions of war. In one of these boats did the +Maid cross the river, taking with her us of her company, and +speaking to me, above others, in the most gracious manner, for that +I had been the first, with that Spanish gentleman, to pass within +the English palisade. And now my heart was light, though my flesh +was very weary, for that I had done my devoir, and taken the +firstfruits of Elliot's wedding portion. No heavy ransom I put on +that knight, Sir Robert Heron, and it was honourably paid in no long +time, though he ill liked yielding him to one that had not gained +his spurs. But it was fortune of war. So, half in a dream, we +reached our house, and there was the greatest concourse of townsfolk +clamouring in the praise of the Maid, who showed herself to them +from the window, and promised that to-morrow they should take Les +Tourelles. That night was Friday, yet, so worn were we all that the +Maid bade us sup, and herself took some meat and a little wine in +her water, though commonly she fasted on Friday. And now we were +about to boun us for bed, and the Maid had risen, and was standing +with her arms passed about the neck of the daughter of the house, a +fair lass and merry, called Charlotte Boucher, who always lay with +her (for she had great joy to be with girls of her own age), when +there came the sound of a dagger-hilt beating at the door. We +opened, and there stood a tall knight, who louted low to the Maid, +cap in hand, and she bade him drink to the taking of Les Tourelles +that should be to-morrow. + +But he, with the flagon full in his hands, and withal a thirsty look +upon his face, shook his head. + +"To another pledge, Maiden, I will gladly drink, namely, to the +bravest damsel under the sky." + +And therewith he drank deep. + +"But now I am sent from Gaucourt, and the Bastard, for all the +captains are in counsel again. And they bid me tell you that enough +hath been done, and they are right well content. But we are few +against so great a host, in a place so strong that men may not avail +to master it by main force. The city is now well seen in all manner +of victual; moreover, we can now come and go by Sologne and the left +bank. The skill is therefore to hold the city till the English wax +weary and depart, or till we have succour anew from the King. +Therefore to-morrow the men-at-arms shall take rest, having great +need thereof; and therefore, gentle Maid, pardon me that I drank not +to the pledge which a lady called." + +Then he drained the flagon. + +The Maid, holding the girl Charlotte yet closer to her, smote her +right hand on the table, so that it dirled, and the cups and dishes +leaped. + +"You have been with your counsel," she cried, "and I have been with +mine! The counsel of Messire will stand fast and prevail, and yours +shall perish, for it is of men. Go back, and bear my words to the +captains," quoth she; and then, turning to us, who looked on her in +amazement, she said - + +"Do ye all rise right early, and more than ye have done to-day shall +ye do. Keep ever close by me in the mellay, for to-morrow I shall +have much to do, and more than ever yet I did. And to-morrow shall +my blood leap from my body, above my breast, for an arrow shall +smite here!" and she struck the place with her hand. + +Thereon the knight, seeing that she was not to be moved, made his +obeisance, and went back to them that sent him, and all we lay down +to sleep while we might. + +These words of the Maid I, Norman Leslie, heard, and bear record +that they are true. + + + +CHAPTER XIV--OF THE FIGHTING AT THE BRIDGE, AND OF THE PRIZE WON BY +NORMAN LESLIE FROM THE RIVER + + + +On that night I slept soft, and woke oft, being utterly foredone. +In the grey dawn I awoke, and gave a little cough, when, lo! there +came a hot sweet gush into my mouth, and going to the window, I saw +that I was spitting of blood, belike from my old wound. It is a +strange thing that, therewith, a sickness came over me, and a cold +fit as of fear, though fear I had felt none where men met in heat of +arms. None the less, seeing that to-day, or never, I was to be made +or marred, I spoke of the matter neither to man nor woman, but +drinking a long draught of very cold water, I spat some deal more, +and then it stanched, and I armed me and sat down on my bed. + +My thoughts, as I waited for the first stir in the house, were not +glad. Birds were singing in the garden trees; all else was quiet, +as if men were not waking to slay each other and pass unconfessed to +their account. There came on me a great sickness of war. Yesterday +the boulevard of Les Augustins, when the fight was over, had been a +shambles; white bodies that had been stripped of their armour lay +here and there like sheep on a hillside, and were now smirched with +dust, a thing unseemly. I put it to myself that I was engaged, if +ever man was, in a righteous quarrel, fighting against cruel +oppression; and I was under the protection of one sent, as I verily +believed, by Heaven. + +But blood runs tardy in the cold dawn; my thoughts were chilled, and +I deemed, to speak sooth, that I carried my death within me, from my +old wound, and, even if unhurt, could scarce escape out of that +day's labour and live. I said farewell to life and the sun, in my +own mind, and to Elliot, thinking of whom, with what tenderness she +had nursed me, and of her mirth and pitiful heart, I could scarce +forbear from weeping. Of my brother also I thought, and in death it +seemed to me that we could scarcely be divided. Then my thought +went back to old days of childhood at Pitcullo, old wanderings by +Eden banks, old kindness and old quarrels, and I seemed to see a +vision of a great tree, growing alone out of a little mound, by my +father's door, where Robin and I would play "Willie Wastle in his +castle," for that was our first manner of holding a siege. A man- +at-arms has little to make with such fancies, and well I wot that +Randal Rutherford troubled himself therewith in no manner. But now +there came an iron footstep on the stairs, and the Maid's voice rang +clear, and presently there arose the sound of hammers on rivets, and +all the din of men saddling horses and sharpening swords, so I went +forth to join my company. + +Stiff and sore was I, and felt as if I could scarce raise my sword- +arm; but the sight of the Maid, all gleaming in her harness, and +clear of voice, and swift of deed, like St. Michael when he +marshalled his angels against the enemies of heaven, drove my +brooding thoughts clean out of mind. The sun shone yellow and +slanting down the streets; out of the shadow of the minster came the +bells, ringing for war. The armed townsfolk thronged the ways, and +one man, old and ill-clad, brought to the Maid a great fish which he +had caught overnight in the Loire. Our host prayed her to wait till +it should be cooked, that she might breakfast well, for she had much +to do. Yet she, who scarce seemed to live by earthly meat, but by +the will of God, took only a sop of bread dipped in wine, and gaily +leaping to her selle and gathering the reins, as a lady bound for a +hunting where no fear was, she cried, "Keep the fish for supper, +when I will bring back a goddon {25} prisoner to eat his part. And +to-night, gentle sir, my host, I will return by the bridge!"--which, +as we deemed, might in no manner be, for an arch of the bridge was +broken. Thereon we all mounted, and rode down to the Burgundy gate, +the women watching us, and casting flowers before the Maiden. But +when we won the gate, behold, it was locked, and two ranks of men- +at-arms, with lances levelled, wearing the colours of the Sieur de +Gaucourt, were drawn up before it. That lord himself, in harness, +but bare-headed, stood before his men, and cried, "Hereby is no +passage. To-day the captains give command that no force stir from +the town." + +"To-day," quoth the Maid, "shall we take Les Tourelles, and to- +morrow not a goddon, save prisoners and slain men, shall be within +three leagues of Orleans. Gentle sir, bid open the gate, for to-day +have I work to do." + +Thereat Gaucourt shook his head, and from the multitude of townsfolk +rose one great angry shout. They would burn the gate, they cried; +they would fire the town, but they would follow the Maid and the +guidance of the saints. + +Thereon stones began to fly, and arbalests were bended, till the +Maid turned, and, facing the throng, her banner lifted as in anger - + +"Back, my good friends and people of Orleans," she said, "back and +open the postern door in the great tower on the river wall. By one +way or another shall I meet the English this day, nor shall might of +man prevent me." + +Then many ran back, and soon came the cry that the postern was +opened, and thither streamed the throng. Therefore Gaucourt saw +well that an onslaught would verily be made; moreover, as a man wise +in war, he knew that the townsfolk, that day, would be hard to hold, +and would go far. So he even yielded, not ungraciously, and sending +a messenger to the Bastard and the captains, he rode forth from the +Burgundy Gate by the side of the Maid. He was, indeed, little +minded to miss his part of the honour; nor were the other captains +more backward, for scarce had we taken boat and reached the farther +bank, when we saw the banners of the Bastard and La Hire, Florent +d'Illiers and Xaintrailles, Chambers and Kennedy, above the heads of +the armed men who streamed forth by the gate of Burgundy. Less +orderly was no fight ever begun, but the saints were of our party. +It was the wise manner of the Maid to strike swift, blow upon blow, +each stroke finding less resistance among the enemy, that had been +used to a laggard war, for then it was the manner of captains to +dally for weeks or months round a town, castle, or other keep, and +the skill was to starve the enemy. But the manner of the Maid was +ever to send cloud upon cloud of men to make escalade by ladders, +their comrades aiding them from under cover with fire of +couleuvrines and bows. Even so fought that famed Knight of +Brittany, Sir Bertrand du Guesclin. But he was long dead, and +whether the Maid (who honoured his memory greatly) fought as she did +through his example, or by direct teaching of the saints, I know +not. + +If disorderly we began, the fault was soon amended; they who had +beleaguered the boulevard all night were set in the rear, to rest +out of shot; the fresh men were arrayed under their banners, in +vineyards and under the walls of fields, so that if one company was +driven back another was ready to come on, that the English might +have no repose from battle. + +Now, the manner of the boulevard was this: first, there was a +strong palisade, and many men mustered within it; then came a wide, +deep, dry fosse; then a strong wall of earth, bound in with withes +and palisaded, and within it the gate of the boulevard. When that +was won, and the boulevard taken, men defending it might flee across +a drawbridge, over a stream, narrow and deep and swift, into Les +Tourelles itself. Here they were safe from them on the side of +Orleans, by reason of the broken arch of the bridge. So strong was +this tower, that Monseigneur the Duc d'Alencon, visiting it later, +said he could have staked his duchy on his skill to hold it for a +week at least, with but few men, against all the forces in France. +The captain of the English was that Glasdale who had reviled the +Maid, and concerning whom she had prophesied that he should die +without stroke of sword. There was no fiercer squire in England, +and his men were like himself, being picked and chosen for that +post; moreover their backs were at the wall, for the French and +Scots once within the boulevard, it was in nowise easy for Talbot to +bring the English a rescue, as was seen. + +The battle began with shooting of couleuvrines at the palisade, to +weaken it, and it was marvel to see how the Maid herself laid the +guns, as cunningly as her own countryman, the famed Lorrainer. Now, +when there was a breach in the palisade, Xaintrailles led on his +company, splendid in armour, for he was a very brave young knight. +We saw the pales fall with a crash, and the men go in, and heard the +cry of battle; but slowly, one by one, they staggered back, some +falling, some reeling wounded, and rolling their bodies out of +arrow-shot. And there, in the breach, shone the back-plate of +Xaintrailles, his axe falling and rising, and not one foot he +budged, till the men of La Hire, with a cry, broke in to back him, +and after a little space, swords fell and rose no more, but we saw +the banners waving of Xaintrailles and La Hire. Soon the side of +the palisade towards us was all down, as if one had swept it flat +with his hand, but there stood the earthen wall of the boulevard, +beyond the fosse. Then, all orderly, marched forth a band of men in +the colours of Florent d'Illiers, bearing scaling-ladders, and so +began the escalade, their friends backing them by shooting of +arbalests from behind the remnant of the palisade. A ladder would +be set against the wall, and we could see men with shields, or +doors, or squares of wood on their heads to fend off stones, swarm +up it, and axes flashing on the crest of the wall, and arrows +flying, and smoke of guns: but the smoke cleared, and lo! the +ladder was gone, and the three libbards grinned on the flag of +England. So went the war, company after company staggering thinned +from the fosse, and re-forming behind the cover of the vineyards; +company after company marching forth, fresh and glorious, to fare as +their friends had fared. And ever, with each company, went the Maid +at their head, and D'Aulon, she crying that the place was theirs and +now was the hour! But the day went by, till the sun turned in +heaven towards evening, and no more was done. The English, in +sooth, showed no fear nor faint heart; with axe, and sword, and +mace, and with their very hands they smote and grappled with the +climbers, and I saw a tall man, his sword being broken, strike down +a French knight with his mailed fist, and drag another from a ladder +and take him captive. Boldly they showed themselves on the crest, +running all risk of our arrows, as our men did of theirs. + +Now came the Scots, under Kennedy. A gallant sight it was to see +them advance, shoulder to shoulder--Scots of the Marches and the +Lennox, Fife, Argyll, and the Isles, all gentlemen born. + +"Come on!" cried Randal Rutherford. "Come on, men of the Marches, +Scots of the Forest, Elliots, Rutherfords, Armstrongs, and deem +that, wheresoever a Southron slinks behind a stone, there is +Carlisle wall!" + +The Rough Clan roared "Bellenden!" the Buchanans cried "Clare +Innis," a rag of a hairy Highlander from the Lennox blew a wild +skirl on the war-pipes, and hearing the Border slogan shouted in a +strange country, nom Dieu! my blood burned, as that of any Scotsman +would. Contrary to the Maid's desire, for she had noted that I was +wan and weary, and had commanded me to bide in cover, I cried "A +Leslie! a Leslie!" and went forward with my own folk, sword in hand +and buckler lifted. + +Beside good Randal Rutherford I ran, and we both leaped together +into the ditch. There was a forest of ladders set against the wall, +and I had my foot on a rung, when the Maid ran up and cried, "Nom +Dieu! what make you here? Let me lead my Scots"; and so, pennon and +axe in her left hand, she lightly leaped on the ladder, and arrows +ringing on her mail, and a great stone glancing harmless from her +salade, she so climbed that my lady's face on the pennon above her +looked down into the English keep. + +But, even then, I saw a face at an archere, an ill face and fell, +the wolf's eyes of Brother Thomas glancing along the stock of an +arbalest. + +"Gardez-vous, Pucelle, gardez-vous!" I cried in her ear, for I was +next her on the ladder; but a bolt whistled and smote her full, and +reeling, she fell into my arms. + +I turned my back to guard her, and felt a bolt strike my back-piece; +then we were in the fosse, and all the Scots that might be were +between her and harm. Swiftly they bore her out of the fray, into a +little green vineyard, where was a soft grassy ditch. But the +English so cried their hurrah, that it was marvel, and our men gave +back in fear; and had not the Bastard come up with a fresh company, +verify we might well have been swept into the Loire. + +Some while I remained with Rutherford, Kennedy, and many others, for +what could we avail to help the Maid? and to run has an ill look, +and gives great heart to an enemy. Moreover, that saying of the +Maid came into my mind, that she should be smitten of a bolt, but +not unto death. So I even abode by the fosse, and having found an +arbalest, my desire was to win a chance of slaying Brother Thomas, +wherefore I kept my eyes on that archere whence he had shot. But no +arbalest was pointed thence, and the fight flagged. On both sides +men were weary, and they took some meat as they might, no ladders +being now set on the wall. + +Then I deemed it no harm to slip back to the vineyard where the Maid +lay, and there I met the good Father Pasquerel, that was her +confessor. He told me that now she was quiet, either praying or +asleep, for he had left her as still as a babe in its cradle, her +page watching her. The bolt had sped by a rivet of her breast- +piece, clean through her breast hard below the shoulder, and it +stood a hand-breadth out beyond. Then she had wept and trembled, +seeing her own blood; but presently, with such might and courage as +was marvel, she had dragged out the bolt with her own hands. Then +they had laid on the wound cotton steeped with olive oil, for she +would not abide that they should steep the bolt with weapon salve +and charm the hurt with a song, as the soldiers desired. Then she +had confessed herself to Pasquerel, and so had lain down among the +grass and the flowers. But it was Pasquerel's desire to let ferry +her across secretly to Orleans. This was an ill hearing for me, yet +it was put about in the army that the Maid had but taken a slight +scratch, and again would lead us on, a thing which I well deemed to +be impossible. So the day waxed late, and few onslaughts were made, +and these with no great heart, the English standing on the walls and +openly mocking us. + +They asked how it went with the Maid, and whether she would not fain +be at home among her kine, or in the greasy kitchen? We would cry +back, and for my own part I bade them seek the kitchen as pock- +puddings and belly-gods, and that I cried in their own tongue, while +they, to my great amaze, called me "prentice boy" and "jackanapes." +Herein I saw the craft and devilish enmity of Brother Thomas, and +well I guessed that he had gotten sight of me; but his face I saw +not. + +Ill names break no bones, and arrows from under cover wrought slight +scathe; so one last charge the Bastard commanded, and led himself, +and a sore tussle there was that time on the wall-crest, one or two +of our men leaping into the fort, whence they came back no more. + +Now it was eight hours of the evening, the sky grey, the men out- +worn and out of all heart, and the captains were gathered in +council. Of this I conceived the worst hope, for after a counsel +men seldom fight. So I watched the fort right sullenly, and the +town of Orleans looking black against a red, lowering sky in the +west. Some concourse of townsfolk I saw on the bridge, beside the +broken arch, and by the Boulevard Belle Croix; but I deemed that +they had only come to see the fray as near as might be. Others were +busy under the river wall with a great black boat, belike to ferry +over the horses from our side. + +All seemed ended, and I misdoubted that we would scarce charge again +so briskly in the morning, nay, we might well have to guard our own +gates. + +As I sat thus, pondering by the vineyard ditch, the Maid stood by me +suddenly. Her helmet was off, her face deadly white, her eyes like +two stars. + +"Bring me my horse," she said, so sternly that I crushed the answer +on my lips, and the prayer that she would risk herself no more. + +Her horse, that had been cropping the grass near him happily enough, +I found, and brought to her, and so, with some ado, she mounted and +rode at a foot's pace to the little crowd of captains. + +"Maiden, ma mie," said the Bastard. "Glad I am to see you able to +mount. We have taken counsel to withdraw for this night. Martin," +he said to his trumpeter, "sound the recall." + +"I pray you, sir," she said very humbly, "grant me but a little +while"; and so saying, she withdrew alone from the throng of men +into the vineyard. + +What passed therein I know not and no man knows; but in a quarter of +an hour's space she came forth, like another woman, her face bright +and smiling, her cheeks like the dawn, and so beautiful that we +marvelled on her with reverence, as if we had seen an angel. + +"The place is ours!" she cried again, and spurred towards the fosse. +Thence her banner had never gone back, for D'Aulon held it there, to +be a terror to the English. Even at that moment he had given it to +a certain Basque, a very brave man, for he himself was out-worn with +its weight. And he had challenged the Basque to do a vaillance, or +boastful deed of arms, as yesterday I and the Spaniard had done. So +D'Aulon leaped into the fosse, his shield up, defying the English; +but the Basque did not follow, for the Maid, seeing her banner in +the hands of a man whom she knew not, laid hold of it, crying, "Ha, +mon estandart! mon estandart!" + +There, as they struggled for it, the Basque being minded to follow +D'Aulon to the wall foot, the banner wildly waved, and all men saw +it, and rallied, and flocked amain to the rescue. + +"Charge!" cried the Maid. "Forward, French and Scots; the place is +yours, when once my banner fringe touches the wall!" + +With that word the wind blew out the banner fringe, and so suddenly +that, though I saw the matter, I scarce knew how it was done, the +whole host swarmed up and on, ladders, lifted, and so furiously went +they, that they won the wall crest and leaped within the fort. Then +the more part of the English, adread, as I think, at the sight of +the Maid whom they had deemed slain, fled madly over the drawbridge +into Les Tourelles. + +Then standing on the wall crest, whither I had climbed, I beheld +strange sights. First, through the dimness of the dusk, I saw a man +armed, walking as does a rope-dancer, balancing himself with his +spear, across the empty air, for so it seemed, above the broken arch +of the bridge. This appeared, in very sooth, to be a miracle; but, +gazing longer, I saw that a great beam had been laid by them of +Orleans to span the gap, and now other beams were being set, and +many men, bearing torches, were following that good knight, Nicole +Giresme, who first showed the way over such a bridge of dread. So +now were the English in Les Tourelles between two fires. + +Another strange sight I saw, for in that swift and narrow stream +which the drawbridge spanned whereby the English fled was moored a +great black barge, its stem and stern showing on either side of the +bridge. Boats were being swiftly pulled forth from it into the +stream, and as I gazed, there leaped up through the dark one long +tongue of fire. Then I saw the skill of it, namely, to burn down +the drawbridge, and so cut the English off from all succour. Fed +with pitch and pine the flame soared lustily, and now it shone +between the planks of the drawbridge. On the stone platform of the +boulevard, wherein the drawbridge was laid, stood a few English, and +above them shone the axe of a tall squire, Glasdale, as it fell on +shield and helm of the French. Others held us at bay with long +lances, and never saw I any knight do his devoir more fiercely than +he who had reviled the Maid. For on his head lay all the blame of +the taking of the boulevard. To rear of him rang the shouts of them +of Orleans, who had crossed the broken arch by the beam; but he +never turned about, and our men reeled back before him. Then there +shone behind him the flames from the blazing barge; and so, black +against that blaze, he smote and slew, not knowing that the +drawbridge began to burn. + +On this the Maid ran forth, and cried to him - + +"Rends-toi, rends-toi! Yield thee, Glacidas; yield thee, for I +stand in much sorrow for thy soul's sake." + +Then, falling on her knees, her face shining transfigured in that +fierce light, she prayed him thus - + +"Ah! Glacidas, thou didst call me ribaulde, but I have sorrow for +thy soul. Ah! yield thee, yield thee to ransom"; and the tears ran +down her cheeks, as if a saint were praying for a soul in peril. + +Not one word spoke Glasdale: he neither saw nor heard. But the +levelled spears at his side flew up, a flame caught his crest, +making a plume of fire, and with a curse he cast his axe among the +throng, and the man who stood in front of it got his death. +Glasdale turned about as he threw; he leaped upon the burning +drawbridge, where the last of his men were huddled in flight, and +lo! beneath his feet it crashed; down he plunged through smoke and +flame, and the stream below surged up as bridge and flying men went +under in one ruin. + +The Maid gave a cry that rang above the roar of fire and water. + +"Saints! will no man save him?" she shrieked, looking all around her +on the faces of the French. + +A mad thought leaped up in my mind. + +"Unharness me!" I cried; and one who stood by me undid the clasps of +my light jaseran. I saw a head unhelmeted, I saw a hand that +clutched at a floating beam. I thought of the Maid's desire, and of +the ransom of so great a squire as Glasdale, and then I threw my +hands up to dive, and leaped head foremost into the water. + +Deep down I plunged, and swam far under water, to avoid a stroke +from floating timber, and then I rose and glanced up-stream. All +the air was fiercely lit with the blaze of the burning barge; a hand +and arm would rise, and fall ere I could seize it. A hand was +thrown up before me, the glinting fingers gripping at empty air. I +caught the hand, swimming strongly with the current, for so the man +could not clutch at me, and if a drowning man can be held apart, it +is no great skill to save him. In this art I was not unlearned, and +once had even saved two men from a wrecked barque in the long surf +of St. Andrews Bay. Save for a blow from some great floating +timber, I deemed that I had little to fear; nay, now I felt sure of +the Maid's praise and of a rich ransom. + +A horn of bank with alder bushes ran out into the stream, a smooth +eddy or backwater curling within. I caught a bough of alder, and, +though nigh carried down by the drowning man's weight, I found +bottom, yet hardly, and drew my man within the back-water. He lay +like a log, his face in the stream. Pushing him before me, I +rounded the horn, and, with much ado, dragged him up to a sloping +gravelly beach, where I got his head on dry land, his legs being +still in the water. I turned him over and looked eagerly. Lo! it +was no Glasdale, but the drowned face of Brother Thomas! + +Then something seemed to break in my breast; blood gushed from my +mouth, and I fell on the sand and gravel. Footsteps I heard of men +running to us. I lifted my hand faintly and waved it, and then I +felt a hand on my face. + + + +CHAPTER XV--HOW NORMAN LESLIE WAS ABSOLVED BY BROTHER THOMAS + + + +Certain Scots that found me, weak and bleeding, by the riverside, +were sent by the Maid, in hopes that I had saved Glasdale, whereas +it was the accursed cordelier I had won from the water. What they +did with him I knew not then, but me they laid on a litter, and so +bore me to a boat, wherein they were ferrying our wounded men across +to Orleans. The Maid herself, as she had foretold, returned by way +of the bridge, that was all bright with moving torches, as our +groaning company were rowed across the black water to a quay. +Thence I was carried in a litter to our lodgings, and so got to bed, +a physician doing what he might for me. A noisy night we passed, +for I verily believe that no man slept, but all, after service held +in the Church of St. Aignan, went revelling and drinking from house +to house, and singing through the streets, as folk saved from utter +destruction. + +With daybreak fell a short silence; short or long, it seemed brief +to me, who was now asleep at last, and I was rueful enough when a +sound aroused me, and I found the Maid herself standing by my +bedside, with one in the shadow behind her. The chamber was all +darkling, lit only by a thread of light that came through the closed +shutters of wood, and fell on her pale face. She was clad in a +light jaseran of mail, because of her wound, and was plainly eager +to be gone and about her business, that is, to meet the English in +open field. + +"Leslie, my friend," she said, in her sweet voice, "there were many +brave men in the fight yesterday, but, in God's name, none did a +braver deed than thou! Nay, speak not," she said, as I opened my +lips to thank her, "for the leech that tended thee last night +forbids it, on peril of thy very life. So I have brought thee here +a sheet of fair paper, and a pen and horn of ink, that thou, being a +clerk, mayst write what thou hast to say. Alas! such converse is +not for me, who know not A from his brother B. But the saints who +helped thee have rewarded thee beyond all expectation. Thou didst +not save that unhappy Glacidas, whom God in His mercy forgive! but +thou hast taken a goodlier prize--this holy man, that had been +prisoner in the hands of the English." + +Here she stood a little aside, and the thread of light shone on the +fell face of Brother Thomas, lowering beneath his hood. + +Then I would have spoken, leech or no leech, to denounce him, for +the Maid had no memory of his face, and knew him not for the false +friar taken at St. Loup. But she laid her mailed finger gently on +my lips. + +"Silence! Thou art my man-at-arms and must obey thy captain. This +worthy friar hath been long in the holy company of the blessed +Colette, and hath promised to bring me acquainted with that daughter +of God. Ay, and he hath given to me, unworthy as I am, a kerchief +which has touched her wonder-working hands. Almost I believe that +it will heal thee by miracle, if the saints are pleased to grant +it." + +Herewith she drew a kerchief across my lips, and I began, being most +eager to instruct her innocence as to this accursed man - + +"Lady--" but alas! no miracle was wrought for a sinner like me. +Howbeit I am inclined to believe that the kerchief was no saintly +thing, and had never come near the body of the blessed Colette, but +rather was a gift from one of the cordelier's light-o'-loves. +Assuredly it was stained red with blood from my lungs ere I could +utter two words. + +The Maid stanched the blood, saying - + +"Did I not bid thee to be silent? The saints forgive my lack of +faith, whereby this blessed thing has failed to heal thee! And now +I must be gone, to face the English in the field, if they dare to +meet us, which, methinks, they will not do, but rather withdraw as +speedily as they may. So now I leave thee with this holy man to be +thy nurse-tender, and thou canst write to him concerning thy needs, +for doubtless he is a clerk. Farewell!" + +With that she was gone, and this was the last I saw of her for many +a day. + +Never have I known such a horror of fear as fell on me now, helpless +and dumb, a sheep given over to the slaughter, in that dark chamber, +which was wondrous lown, {26} alone with my deadly foe. + +Never had any man more cause for dread, for I was weak, and to +resist him was death. I was speechless, and could utter no voice +that the people in the house might hear. As for mine enemy, he had +always loathed and scorned me; he had a long account of vengeance to +settle with me; and if--which was not to be thought of--he was +minded to spare one that had saved his life, yet, for his own +safety, he dared not. He had beguiled the Maid with his false +tongue, and his face, not seen by her in the taking of St. Loup, she +knew not. But he knew that I would disclose all the truth so soon +as the Maid returned, wherefore he was bound to destroy me, which he +would assuredly do with every mockery, cruelty, and torture of body +and mind. Merely to think of him when he was absent was wont to +make my flesh creep, so entirely evil beyond the nature of sinful +mankind was this monster, and so set on working all kinds of +mischief with greediness. Whether he had suffered some grievous +wrong in his youth, which he spent his life in avenging on all folk, +or whether, as I deem likely, he was the actual emissary of Satan, +as the Maid was of the saints, I know not, and, as I lay there, had +no wits left to consider of it. Only I knew that no more unavailing +victim than I was ever so utterly in the power of a foe so deadly +and terrible. + +The Maid had gone, and all hope had gone with her. For a time that +seemed unending mine enemy neither spoke nor moved, standing still +in the chink of light, a devil where an angel had been. + +There was silence, and I heard the Maid's iron tread pass down the +creaking wooden stairs, and soon I heard the sound of singing birds, +for my window looked out on the garden. + +The steps ceased, and then there was a low grating laughter in the +dark room, as if the devil laughed. + +Brother Thomas moved stealthily to the door, and thrust in the +wooden bolt. Then he sat him heavily down on my bed, and put his +fiend's face close to mine, his eyes stabbing into my eyes. But I +bit my lip, and stared right back into his yellow wolf's eyes, that +shone like flames of the pit with evil and cruel thoughts. + +So I lay, with that yellow light on me; and strength came strangely +to me, and I prayed that, since die I must, I might at least gladden +him with no sign of fear. When he found that he could not daunton +me, he laughed again. + +"Our chick of Pitcullo has picked up a spirit in the wars," he said; +and turning his back on me, he leaned his face on his hand, and so +sat thinking. + +The birds of May sang in the garden; there was a faint shining of +silver and green, from the apple-boughs and buds without, in the +little chamber; and the hooded back of the cordelier was before me +on my bed, like the shape of Death beside the Sick Man, in a +picture. Now I did not even pray, I waited. + +Doubtless he knew that no cruel thing which the devil could devise +was more cruel than this suspense. + +Then he turned about and faced me, grinning like a dog. + +"These are good words," said he, "in that foolish old book they read +to the faithful in the churches, 'Vengeance is Mine, saith the +Lord.' Ay, it is even too sweet a morsel for us poor Christian men, +such as the lowly Brother Thomas of the Order of St. Francis. +Nevertheless, I am minded to put my teeth in it"; and he bared his +yellow dog's fangs at me, smiling like a hungry hound. "My sick +brother," he went on, "both as one that has some science of leech- +craft and as thy ghostly counsellor, it is my duty to warn thee that +thou art now very near thine end. Nay, let me feel thy pulse"; and +seizing my left wrist, he grasped it lightly in his iron fingers. +"Now, ere I administer to thee thy due, as a Christian man, let me +hear thy parting confession. But, alas! as the blessed Maid too +truly warned thee, thou must not open thy poor lips in speech. +There is death in a word! Write, then, write the story of thy +sinful life, that I may give thee absolution." + +So saying, he opened the shutter, and carefully set the paper and +inkhorn before me, putting the pen in my fingers. + +"Now, write what I shall tell thee"; and here he so pressed and +wrung my wrist that his fingers entered into my living flesh with a +fiery pang. I writhed, but I did not cry. + +"Write--" + +"I, Norman Leslie of Pitcullo--" and, to escape that agony, I wrote +as he bade me. + +"--being now in the article of death--" + +And I wrote. + +"--do attest on my hope of salvation--" And I wrote. + +"--and do especially desire Madame Jeanne, La Pucelle, and all +Frenchmen and Scots loyal to our Sovereign Lord the Dauphin, to +accept my witness, that Brother Thomas, of the Order of St. Francis, +called Noiroufle while of the world, has been most falsely and +treacherously accused by me--" + +I wrote, but I wrote not his false words, putting my own in their +place--"has been most truly and righteously accused by me--" + +"--of divers deeds of black treason, and dealing with our enemies of +England, against our Lord the Dauphin, and the Maid, the Sister of +the Saints, and of this I heartily repent me,--" + +But I wrote, "All which I maintain--" + +"--as may God pardon my sins, on the faith of a sinful and dying +man." + +"Now sign thy name, and that of thy worshipful cabbage-garden and +dunghill in filthy Scotland." So I signed, "Norman Leslie, the +younger, of Pitcullo," and added the place, Orleans, with the date +of day and year of our Lord, namely, May the eighth, fourteen +hundred and twenty-nine. + +"A very laudable confession," quoth Brother Thomas; "would that all +the sinners whom I have absolved, as I am about to absolve thee, had +cleansed and purged their sinful souls as freely. And now, my +brother, read aloud to me this scroll; nay, methinks it is ill for +thy health to speak or read. A sad matter is this, for, in faith, I +have forgotten my clergy myself, and thou mayst have beguiled me by +inditing other matter than I have put into thy lying mouth. Still, +where the safety of a soul is concerned, a few hours more or less of +this vain, perishable life weigh but as dust in the balance." + +Here he took from about his hairy neck a heavy Italian crucifix of +black wood, whereon was a figure of our Lord, wrought in white +enamel, with golden nails, and a golden crown of thorns. + +"Now read," he whispered, heaving up the crucifix above me. And as +he lifted it, a bright blade, strong, narrow, and sharp, leaped out +from beneath the feet of our Lord, and glittered within an inch of +my throat. An emblem of this false friar it was, the outside of +whom was as that of a holy man, while within he was a murdering +sword. + +"Read!" he whispered again, pricking my throat with the dagger's +point. + +Then I read aloud, and as I read I was half choked with my blood, +and now and then was stopped; but still he cried - + +"Read, and if one word is wrong, thine absolution shall come all the +swifter." + +So I read, and, may I be forgiven if I sinned in deceiving one so +vile! I uttered not what I had written, but what he had bidden me +to write. + +"I, Norman Leslie of Pitcullo, being now in the article of death, do +attest on my hope of salvation, and do especially desire Madame +Jeanne, La Pucelle, and all Frenchmen and Scots loyal to our +Sovereign Lord the Dauphin, to accept my witness that Brother +Thomas, of the Order of St. Francis, called Noiroufle while of the +world, has been most falsely and treacherously accused by me of +divers deeds of black treason, and dealing with our enemies of +England, against our Lord the Dauphin, and the Maid, the Sister of +the Saints, and of this I heartily repent me, as may God pardon my +sins, on the faith of a sinful and dying man. Signed, at Orleans, +Norman Leslie, the younger, of Pitcullo, this eighth of May, in the +year of our Lord fourteen hundred and twenty-nine." + +When I had ended, he took away his blasphemous dagger-point from my +throat. + +"Very clerkly read," he spake, "and all runs smooth; methinks myself +had been no poor scribe, were I but a clerk. Hadst thou written +other matter, to betray my innocence, thou couldst not remember what +I said, even word for word," he added gleefully. "Now I might +strangle thee slowly"; and he set his fingers about my throat, I +being too weak to do more than clutch at his hand, with a grasp like +a babe's. "But that leaves black finger-marks, another kind of +witness than thine in my favour. Or I might give thee the blade of +this blessed crucifix; yet dagger wounds are like lips and have a +voice, and blood cries from the ground, says Holy Writ. Pardon my +tardiness, my poor brother, but this demands deep thought, and holy +offices must not be hurried unseemly." He sat now with his back to +me, his hand still on my throat, so deep in thought that he heard +not, as did my sharpened ears, a door shut softly, and foot-falls +echoing in the house below. If I could only cry aloud! but he would +stifle me ere the cry reached my throat! + +"This will serve," he said. "Thou wilt have died of thy malady, and +I will go softly forth, and with hushed voice will tell how the +brave young Scot passed quietly to the saints. Yet, after all, I +know not. Thou hast been sent by Heaven to my aid; clearly thou art +an instrument of God to succour the unworthy Brother Thomas. Once +and twice thou hast been a boat to carry me on my way, and to save +my useful life. A third time thou mightst well be serviceable, not +by thy will, alas! but by God's, my poor brother"; and he mockingly +caressed my face with his abhorred hand. "Still, this must even +serve, though I would fain find for thee a more bitter way to +death"; and he gently and carefully drew the pillow from beneath my +head. "This leaves no marks and tells no tales, and permits no +dying cry." + +He was looking at me, the pillow in his hands, his gesture that of a +tender nurse, when a light tap sounded on the door. He paused, then +came a louder knock, one pushed, and knocked again. + +"Open, in the name of the Dauphin!" came a voice I knew well, the +voice of D'Aulon. + +"The rope of Judas strangle thee!" said Brother Thomas, dropping the +pillow and turning to the casement. But it was heavily barred with +stanchions of iron, as the manner is, and thereby he might not flee. + +Then came fiercer knocking with a dagger hilt, and the cry, "Open, +in the name of the Dauphin, or we burst the door!" + +Brother Thomas hastily closed the wooden shutter, to darken the +chamber as much as might be. "Gently, gently," he said. "Disturb +not my penitent, who is newly shrived, and about to pass"; and so +speaking, he withdrew the bolt. + +D'Aulon strode in, dagger in hand, followed by the physician. + +"What make you here with doors barred, false priest?" he said, +laying his hand on the frock of Noiroufle. + +"And what make you here, fair squire, with arms in a sick man's +chamber, and loud words to disturb the dying? And wherefore callest +thou me "false priest"? But an hour agone, the blessed Maid herself +brought me hither, to comfort and absolve her follower, to tend him, +if he lived and, if he must die, to give him his dues as a Christian +man. And the door was bolted that the penitent might be private +with his confessor, for he has a heavy weight to unburden his sinful +soul withal." + +"Ay, the Maid sent thee, not knowing who thou wert, the traitor +friar taken at St. Loup, and thou hast a tongue that beguiled her +simplicity. But one that knew thee saw thy wolfs face in her +company, and told me, and I told the Maid, who sent me straightway +back from the gate, that justice might be done on thee. Thou art he +whom this Scot charged with treason, and would have slain for a spy, +some nights agone." + +Brother Thomas cast up his eyes to heaven. + +"Forgive us our trespasses," said he, "as we forgive them that +trespass against us. Verily and indeed I am that poor friar who +tends the wounded, and verify I am he against whom this young Scot, +as, I fear, is the manner of all his benighted people, brought a +slanderous accusation falsely. All the more reason was there that I +should hear his last confession, and forgive him freely, as may I +also be forgiven." + +"Thou liest in thy throat," said D'Aulon. "This is a brave man-at- +arms, and a loyal." + +"Would that thou wert not beguiled, fair sir, for I have no pleasure +in the sin of any man. But, if thou wilt believe him rather than +me, even keep thy belief, and read this written confession of his +falsehood. Of free will, with his own hand, my penitent hereby +absolves me from all his slanders. As Holy Church enjoins, in the +grace of repentance he also makes restitution of what he had stolen, +namely, all my wealth in this world, the good name of a poor and +lowly follower of the blessed Francis. Here is the scroll." + +With these words, uttered in a voice of sorrowing and humble +honesty, the friar stretched out the written sheet of paper to +D'Aulon. + +"Had I been a false traitor," he said, "would not her brethren of +heaven have warned the blessed Maid against me? And I have also a +written safe-conduct from the holy sister Colette." + +Then I knew that he had fallen into my trap, and, weak as I was, I +could have laughed to think of his face, when the words I had +written came out in place of the words he had bidden me write. For +a clerk hath great power beyond the simple and unlettered of the +world, be they as cunning even as Brother Thomas. + +"Nom Dieu! this is another story," said D'Aulon, turning the paper +about in his hands and looking doubtfully at me. But I smiled upon +him, whereby he was the more perplexed. "The ink is hardly dry, and +in some places has run and puddled, so that, poor clerk as I am, I +can make little of it"; and he pored on it in a perplexed sort. +"Tush, it is beyond my clerkhood," he said at last. "You, Messire +Saint-Mesmin,"--turning to the physician--"must interpret this." + +"Willingly, fair sir," said the physician, moving round to the +shutter, which he opened, while the cordelier's eyes glittered, for +now there was one man less between him and the half-open door. I +nodded to D'Aulon that he should shut it, but he marked me not, +being wholly in amaze at the written scroll of my confession. + +The physician himself was no great clerk, and he read the paper +slowly, stumbling over the words, as it were, while Brother Thomas, +clasping his crucifix to his breast, listened in triumph as he heard +what he himself had bidden me write. + +"I, Norman Leslie, of--of Peet--What name is this? Peet--I cannot +utter it." + +"Passez outre," quoth D'Aulon. + +"I, Norman Leslie, being now in the article of death"--here the +leech glanced at me, shaking his head mournfully--"do attest on my +hope of salvation, and do especially desire Madame Jeanne La +Pucelle, and all Frenchmen and Scots loyal to our Sovereign Lord the +Dauphin, to accept my witness that Brother Thomas, of the Order of +St. Francis, called Noiroufle while of the world, has been most +truly and righteously accused by me of divers deeds of black +treason." + +At these words the cordelier's hand leaped up from his breast, his +crucifix dagger glittered bright, he tore his frock from D'Aulon's +grip, leaving a rag of it in his hand, and smote, aiming at the +squire where the gorget joins the vambrace. Though he missed by an +inch, yet so terrible was the blow that D'Aulon reeled against the +wall, while the broken blade jingled on the stone floor. Then the +frock of the friar whisked through the open door of the chamber; we +heard the stairs cleared in two leaps, and D'Aulon, recovering his +feet, rushed after the false priest. But he was in heavy armour, +the cordelier's bare legs were doubtless the nimbler, and the +physician, crossing himself, could only gape and stare on the paper +in his hand. As he gazed with his mouth open his eyes fell on me, +white as my sheets, that were dabbled with the blood from my mouth. + +"Nom Dieu!" he stammered, "Nom Dieu! here is business more to my +mind and my trade than chasing after mad cordeliers that stab with +crucifixes!" + +Then, coming to my side, he brought water, bathed my face, and did +what his art might do for a man in such deadly extremity as was +mine. In which care he was still busy when D'Aulon returned, +panting, having sent a dozen of townsfolk to hunt the friar, who had +made good his flight over garden walls, and was now skulking none +knew where. D'Aulon would fain have asked me concerning the mystery +of the confession in which Brother Thomas had placed his hope so +unhappily, but the physician forbade him to inquire, or me to +answer, saying that it was more than my life was worth. But on +D'Aulon's battered armour there was no deeper dint than that dealt +by the murderous crucifix. + +Thus this second time did Brother Thomas make his way out of our +hands, the devil aiding him, as always; for it seemed that ropes +could not bind or water drown him. + +But, for my part, I lay long in another bout of sore fever, sick +here at Orleans, where I was very kindly entreated by the people of +the house, and notably by the daughter thereof, a fair maid and +gentle. To her care the Maid had commanded me when she left +Orleans, the English refusing battle, as later I heard, and +withdrawing to Jargeau and Paris. But of the rejoicings in Orleans +I knew little or nothing, and had no great desire for news, or meat, +or drink, but only for sleep and peace, as is the wont of sick men. +Now as touches sickness and fever, I have written more than +sufficient, as Heaven knows I have had cause enow. A luckless life +was mine, save for the love of Elliot; danger and wounds, and malady +and escape, where hope seemed lost, were and were yet to be my +portion, since I sailed forth out of Eden-mouth. And so hard +pressed of sickness was I, that not even my outwitting of Brother +Thomas was a cause of comfort to me, though to this day I cannot +think of it without some mirthful triumph. + + + +CHAPTER XVI--HOW SORROW CAME ON NORMAN LESLIE, AND JOY THEREAFTER + + + +It little concerns any man to know how I slowly recovered my health +after certain failings back into the shadow of death. Therefore I +need not tell how I was physicked, and bled, and how I drew on from +a diet of milk to one of fish, and so to a meal of chicken's flesh, +till at last I could sit, wrapped up in many cloaks, on a seat in +the garden, below a great mulberry tree. In all this weary time I +knew little, and for long cared less, as to what went on in the +world and the wars. But so soon as I could speak it was of Elliot +that I devised, with my kind nurse, Charlotte Boucher, the young +daughter of Jacques Boucher, the Duke's treasurer, in whose house I +lay. She was a fair lass, and merry of mood, and greatly hove up my +heart to fight with my disease. It chanced that, as she tended me, +when I was at my worst, she marked, hanging on a silken string about +my neck, a little case of silver artfully wrought, wherein was that +portrait of my mistress, painted by me before I left Chinon. Being +curious, like all girls, and deeming that the case held some relic, +she opened it, I knowing nothing then of what she did. But when I +was well enough to lie abed and devise with her, it chanced that I +was playing idly with my fingers about the silver case. + +"Belike," said Charlotte, "that is some holy relic, to which, maybe, +you owe your present recovery. Surely, when you are whole again, +you have vowed a pilgrimage to the shrine of the saint, your +friend?" Here she smiled at me gaily, for she was a right merry +damsel, and a goodly. + +"Nay," she said, "I have done more for you than your physician, +seeing that I, or the saint you serve, have now brought the red +colour into these wan cheeks of yours. Is she a Scottish saint, +then? perchance St. Margaret, of whom I have read? Will you not let +me look at the sacred thing?" + +"Nay," said I. "Methinks, from your smiling, that you have taken +opportunity to see my treasure before to-day, being a daughter of +our mother Eve." + +"She is very beautiful," said Charlotte; "nay, show her to me +again!" + +With that I pressed the spring and opened the case, for there is no +lover but longs to hear his lady commended, and to converse about +her. Yet I had spoken no word, for my part, about her beauty, +having heard say that he who would be well with one woman does ill +to praise another in her presence. + +"Beautiful, indeed, she is," said Charlotte. "Never have I seen +such eyes, and hair like gold, and a look so gracious! And for thy +pilgrimage to the shrine of this fair saint, where does she dwell?" + +I told her at Chinon, or at Tours, or commonly wheresoever the Court +might be, for that her father was the King's painter. + +"And you love her very dearly?" + +"More than my life," I said. "And may the saints send you, +demoiselle, as faithful a lover, to as fair a lady." + +"Nay," she said, reddening. "This is high treason, and well you wot +that you hold no lady half so fair as your own. Are you Scots so +smooth-spoken? You have not that repute. Now, what would you give +to see that lady?" + +"All that I have, which is little but my service and goodwill. But +she knows not where I am, nor know I how she fares, which irks me +more than all my misfortunes. Would that I could send a letter to +her father, and tell him how I do, and ask of their tidings." + +"The Dauphin is at Tours," she said, "and there is much coming and +going between Tours and this town. For the Maid is instant with the +Dauphin to ride forthwith to Reims, and there be sacred and crowned; +but now he listens and believes, and anon his counsellors tell him +that this is foolhardy, and a thing impossible." + +"O they of little faith!" I said, sighing. + +"None the less, word has come that the Maid has been in her oratory +at prayers, and a Voice from heaven has called to her, saying, +"Fille de Dieu, va, va, va! Je serai en ton aide. Va!" {27} The +Dauphin is much confirmed in his faith by this sign, and has vowed +that he will indeed march with the Maid to Reims, though his enemies +hold all that country which lies between. But first she must take +the towns which the English hold on Loire side, such as Jargeau. +Now on Jargeau, while you lay knowing nothing, the Bastard of +Orleans, and Xaintrailles, and other good knights, made an +onslaught, and won nothing but loss for their pains, though they +slew Messire Henry Bisset, the captain of the town. But if the Maid +takes Jargeau, the Dauphin will indeed believe in her and follow +her." + +"He is hard of heart to believe, and would that I were where he +should be--under her holy pennon, for thereon, at least, I should +see the face painted of my lady. But how does all this bring me +nearer the hope of hearing about her, and how she fares?" + +"There are many messengers coming and going to Tours, for the +Dauphin is gathering force under the Maid, and has set the fair Duc +d'Alencon to be her lieutenant, with the Bastard, and La Hire, and +Messire Florent d'Illiers. And all are to be here in Orleans within +few days; wherefore now write to the father of thy lady, and I will +myself write to her." With that she gave me paper and pen, and I +indited a letter to my master, telling him how I had lain near to +death of my old wound, in Orleans, and that I prayed him of his +goodness to let me know how he did, and to lay me at the feet of my +lady. Then Charlotte showed me her letter, wherein she bade Elliot +know that I had hardly recovered, after winning much fame (for so +she said) and a ransom of gold from an English prisoner, which now +lay in the hands of her father, the Duke's treasurer. Then she said +that a word from Elliot, not to say the sight of her face, the +fairest in the world (a thing beyond hope), would be of more avail +for my healing than all the Pharaoh powders of the apothecaries. +These, in truth, I had never taken, but put them away secretly, as +doubting whether such medicaments, the very dust of the persecuting +Egyptian and idolatrous race, were fit for a Christian to swallow, +with any hope of a blessing. Thus my kind nurse ended, calling +herself my lady's sister in the love of France and of the Maid, and +bidding my lady be mindful of so true a lover, who lay sick for a +token at her hands. These letters she sealed, and intrusted to +Colet de Vienne, the royal messenger, the same who rode from +Vaucouleurs to Chinon, in the beginning of the Maid's mission, and +who, as then, was faring to Tours with letters from Orleans. + +Meanwhile all the town was full of joy, in early June, because the +Maid was to visit the city, with D'Alencon and the Bastard, on her +way to besiege Jargeau. It was June the ninth, in the year of our +Lord fourteen hundred and twenty-nine, the sun shining warm in a +clear blue sky, and all the bells of Orleans a-ringing, to welcome +back the Maiden. I myself sat in the window, over the doorway, +alone with Charlotte sitting by my side, for her father had gone to +the Hotel de Ville, with her mother, to welcome the captains. Below +us were hangings of rich carpets, to make the house look gay, for +every house was adorned in the best manner, and flags floated in the +long street, and flowers strewed the road, to do honour to our +deliverer. Thus we waited, and presently the sound of music filled +the air, with fragrance of incense, for the priests were walking in +front, swinging censers and chanting the Te Deum laudamus. And then +came a company of girls strewing flowers, and fair boys blowing on +trumpets, and next, on a black horse, in white armour, with a hucque +of scarlet broidered with gold, the blessed Maid herself, +unhelmeted, glancing every way with her happy eyes, while the women +ran to touch her armour with their rings, as to a saint, and the men +kissed her mailed feet. + +To be alive, and to feel my life returning in a flood of strength +and joy in that sweet air, with the gladness of the multitude +pulsing through it as a man's heart beats in his body, seemed to me +like Paradise. But out of Paradise our first parents were driven +long ago, as anon I was to be from mine. For, as the Maid passed, I +doffed my cap and waved it, since to shout "Noel" with the rest, I +dared not, because of my infirmity. Now, it so fell that, glancing +around, she saw and knew me, and bowed to me, with a gesture of her +hand, as queenly as if she, a manant's child, had been a daughter of +France. At that moment, noting the Maid's courtesy towards me, +Charlotte stood up from beside me, with a handful of red roses, +which she threw towards her. As it chanced, belike because she was +proud to be with one whom the Maid honoured, or to steady herself as +she threw, she laid her left hand about my neck, and so standing, +cast her flowers, and then looked laughing back into my eyes, with a +happy face. The roses missed the Maid, whose horse caracoled at +that moment as she went by, but they lit in the lap of a damsel that +rode at her rein, on a lyart {28} palfrey, and she looking up, I saw +the face of Elliot, and Elliot saw me, and saw Charlotte leaning on +me and laughing. Then Elliot's face grew deadly pale, her lower lip +stiff, as when she was angered with me at Chinon, and so, wrying her +neck suddenly to the left, she rode on her way, nor ever looked +towards us again. + +"Who may that proud damsel be, and what ails her at my roses?" quoth +Charlotte, sitting herself down again and still following them with +her eyes. "Methinks I have seen her face before; and what ails +you?" she asked, looking earnestly on me, "for you are as white as +the last snow ere it melts in spring." + +I had good reason to be pale, for I very well guessed that Elliot, +having ridden in the Maiden's company to see me, and to surprise me +with the unlooked-for gladness of her coming, had marked Charlotte +as she so innocently leaned on me and laughed to me, and had +conceived anger against us both, for of a truth Charlotte was very +fair and of a joyous aspect. Yet, taken so suddenly as I was, +between the extreme of delight in looking on my lady beyond hope, +and the very deep of sorrow that she had so bitterly slighted me, I +was yet wary of betraying myself. For the girl beside me had, in +all honest and maidenly service that woman may do for man, been +kinder to me than a sister, and no thought or word of earthly love +had ever passed between us. That she should wot of Elliot's anger, +and of its cause, and so hold my lady lightly, ay, and triumph over +her in her heart (as is the nature of a woman, her ministry being +thus churlishly repaid), was more than I could endure. So, may the +saints forgive me! I lied, and it is a strange thing, but true, that +howsoever a gentleman may hate the very thought of a lie, yet often +he finds it hard to tell the truth to a woman. + +"Do I look white?" I said. "Then it is because I have a sudden pang +of sorrow. For one moment I deemed that proud damsel was the lady +of my love, whom, in verity, she most strangely favours, so that you +might think them sisters. But alas! she is but the daughter of a +good Scots knight at Chinon, whom I have seen there before to-day, +and marvelled how much she and my lady favour each other. Therefore +am I pale, because that hope of mine is broken. And you know her +face, belike, from my poor picture of my lady." + +Charlotte looked at me steadily, and flushed red; but even then, one +who rode by among the men-at-arms noted me, and, waving his arm +towards me, cried in a loud voice - + +"Hail, fair son, soon will I be with thee!" and so, turning in his +saddle to watch me, he laughed a loud laugh and rode onwards. He +was my master, and as my eyes followed him, Charlotte spoke. + +"And who is that great Scot, with his Scots twang of the tongue, who +called you 'son'? By the Mass, she was your lady, and yonder wight +is her father, of whom you have spoken to me more than once"; for, +indeed, I had told her all the story of my loves. + +Then I was confused, for I could no longer deny the truth, and not +having one word to say, I sighed from my heart. + +"O faint-spirited man-at-arms!" cried Charlotte, blushing, and +laughing as if some exquisite jest were abroad. "Do you so terribly +dread your mistress's anger? Nay, be of good cheer! Me she will +never forgive while the world stands; for have I not been your +nurse, and won you back to life and to her service? And has she not +seen us twain together in one place, and happy, because of the +coming of the Maid? She will pardon me never, because, also for my +sake, she has been wroth with you, and shown you her wrath, and all +without a cause. Therefore she will be ashamed, and all the more +cruel. Nay, nor would I forgive her, in the same case, if it befell +me, for we women are all alike, hearts of wolves when we love! Hast +thou never marked a cat that had kittens, or a brachet that had +whelps, how they will fly at man or horse that draws near their +brood, even unwittingly. And so, when we love, are we all, and the +best of us are then the worst. Verily the friendship of you and me +is over and done; but for your part be glad, not sorry, for with all +her heart and soul she loves you. Else she had not been angered." + +"You must not speak, nor I hear, such words of my lady," I said; "it +is not seemly." + +"Such words of your lady, and of Aymeric's lady, and of Giles's +lady, and of myself were I any man's lady, as I am no man's lady, I +will think and speak," said Charlotte, "for my words are true, and +we maids are, at best, pretty fools, and God willed us to be so for +a while, and then to be wiser than the rest of you. For, were we +not pretty, would you wed us? and were we not fools, would we wed +you? and where would God's world be then? But now you have heard +enough of my wisdom: for I love no man, being very wise; or you +have heard enough of my folly that my mirth bids me speak, as you +shall deem it. And now, we must consider how this great feud may be +closed, and the foes set at one again." + +"Shall I find out her lodgings, and be carried thither straightway +in a litter? Her heart may be softened when she sees that I cannot +walk or mount a horse?" + +"Now, let me think what I should deem, if I had ridden by, unlooked +for, and spied my lover with a maid, not unfriendly, or perchance +uncomely, sitting smiling in a gallant balcony. Would I be appeased +when he came straight to seek me, borne in a litter? Would I--?" +And she mused, her finger at her mouth, and her brow puckered, but +with a smile on her lips and in her eyes. + +Then I, seeing her so fair, yet by me so undesired; and beholding +her so merry, while my heart was amazed with the worst sorrow, and +considering, too, that but for her all this would never have been, +but I sitting happy by my lady's side,--thinking on all this, I say, +I turned from her angrily, as if I would leave the balcony. + +"Nay, wait," she cried, "for I must see all the show out, and here +come the Scots Guard, thy friends, and I need time to take counsel +with my wisdom on this weighty matter. See, they know you"; and, +indeed, many a man in that gallant array waved his hand to me +merrily, as they filed past under their banners--the Douglas's +bloody heart, the Crescent moon of Harden, the Napier's sheaf of +spears, the blazons of Lindsays and Leslies, Homes, and Hepburns, +and Stuarts. It was a sight to put life into the dying breast of a +Scot in a strange country, and all were strong men and young, ruddy +and brown of cheek, high of heart and heavy of hand. And most +beckoned to me, and pointed onwards to that way whither they were +bound, in chase of fame and fortune. All this might have made a +sick man whole, but my spirit was dead within me, so that I could +scarce beckon back to them, or even remember their faces. + +"Would I forgive you," said Charlotte, after she had thrown the +remnant of her roses to her friends among the Scots, "if you hurried +to me, pale, and borne in a litter? Nay, methinks not, or not for +long; and then I should lay it on you never to see her face again;-- +she is I, you know, for the nonce. But if you waited and did not +come, then my pride might yield at length, and I send for you. But +then, if so, methinks I would hate her (that is, me) more than ever. +Oh, it is a hard case when maids are angry!" + +"You speak of yourself, how you would do this or that; but my lady +is other than you, and pitiful. Did she not come all these leagues +at a word from me, hearing that I was sick?" + +"At a word from you, good youth! Nay, at a word from me! Did you +speak of me in your letter to her father?" + +"Nay!" said I. + +"You did well. And therefore it was that I wrote, for I knew she +would move heaven and earth and the Maid or she would come when she +heard of another lass being in your company. Nay, trust me, we +women understand each other, and she would ask the Maid, who lodged +here with us, what manner of lass I was to look upon, and the Maid's +answer would bring her." + +"You have been kind," I said. "And to you and the saints I owe it +that I yet live to carry a sore heart and be tormented with your ill +tongue." + +"And had you heard that a fair young knight, and renowned in arms, +lay sick at your lady's house, she nursing him, would you not have +cast about for ways of coming to her?" + +To this I answered nothing, but, with a very sour countenance, was +rising to go, when my name was called in the street. + +Looking down, I saw my master, who doffed his cap to the daughter of +the house, and begging leave to come up, fastened his horse's bridle +to the ring in the wall, by the door. + +Up he came, whom Charlotte welcomed very demurely, and so left us, +saying that she must go about her household business; but as she +departed she cast a look back at me, making a "moue," as the French +say, with her red lips. + +"Well, my son," cried my master, taking my hand, "why so pale? Sure +thou hast had a sore bout, but thou art mending." + +I could but stammer my lady's name - + +"Elliot--shall I see her soon?" + +He scratched his rough head and pulled his russet beard, and so +laughed shamefacedly. + +"Why, lad, to that very end she came, and now--St. Anthony's fire +take me if I well know why--she will none of it. The Maid brought +us in her company, for, as you know, she will ever have young lasses +with her when she may, and as far as Orleans the roads are safe. +And who so glad as Elliot when the Maid put this command on her, +after we got thy letter? I myself was most eager to ride, not only +for your sake, but to see how Orleans stood after the long pounding. +But when we had come to our lodging, and I was now starting off to +greet you, Elliot made no motion of rising. Nay, when I bade her +make haste, she said that haste there was none; and when I, +marvelling, asked, 'Wherefore?' answered that she was loth to spoil +good company, and had seen you, as I did myself, happy enough with +the lass who nursed you, and who had written to her." + +"And wherefore, in Heaven's name, should we not be happy on such a +day as this was an hour agone? But now the sun is out of the sky." + +"I see him plainer than ever I did in the Merse," said my master, +looking up where the sun was bright in the west. "But what would +you? Women have been thus since Eve had a daughter, for our father +Adam, I trow, had no trouble with other ladies than his wife--and +that was trouble enough." + +"But how am I to make my peace, and win my pardon, being innocent as +I am?" + +"Faith, I know not!" said he, and laughed again, which angered me +some deal, for what was there to laugh at? + +"May I let bring a litter, for I cannot yet walk, and so go back +with you to her?" + +"Indeed, I doubt if it were wise," said he; and so we stood gazing +at each other, while I could have wept for very helpless anger. "I +have it, I think," said he at last. "The Maid is right busy, as +needs must be, gathering guns and food for her siege of Jargeau. +But it is not fitting that she should visit Orleans without seeing +you, nor would she wish to be so negligent. Yet if she were, I +would put it in her mind, and then, when you are with her, which +Elliot shall not know, I will see that Elliot comes into the +chamber, and so leave all to you, and to her, and to the Maid. For +she hath great power with that silly wench of mine, who has no other +desire, I trow, than a good excuse to be rid of her sudden anger. +If she loved you less, she would be never so fiery." + +I myself could see no better hope or comfort. + +Then he began to devise with me on other matters, and got from me +the story of my great peril at the hands of Brother Thomas. He +laughed at the manner of my outwitting that miscreant, who had never +been taken, but was fled none knew whither, and my master promised +to tell the tale to the Maid, and warn her against this enemy. And +so bidding me be of good cheer, he departed; but for my part, I went +into my chamber, drew the bolt, and cast myself on the bed, refusing +meat or drink, or to see the face of man or woman. + +I was devoured by a bitter anger, considering how my lady had used +me, and what was most sore of all, reflecting that I could no longer +hold her for a thing all perfect, and almost without touch of mortal +infirmity. Nay, she was a woman like another, and unjust, and to +deem thus of her was to me the most cruel torment. We could never +forgive each the other, so it seemed to me, nor be again as we had +been. And all the next day no message came for me, and I kept +myself quiet, apart in my chamber. Lest they who read mock at me in +their hearts, and at my lady, let them remember how young we both +were, and how innocent of other experience in love. For the Roman +says that "the angers of lovers are love's renewal," as the brief +tempests of April bring in the gladness of May. But in my heart it +was all white sleet, and wind, and snow unseasonable, and so I lay, +out of all comfort, tossing on my bed. + +I heard the watchmen call the hours through the night, and very +early, having at length fallen on sleep, I was wakened by a +messenger from the Maid. It was her page, Louis de Coutes, most +richly attired, but still half asleep, grumbling, and rubbing his +eyes. + +"My mistress bids you come with me instantly," he said, when we had +saluted each other, "and I have brought a litter and men to carry +it. Faith, if I lay in it, I should be asleep ere ever they had +borne me ten paces. What a life it is that I lead! Late to bed and +up by prime, so busy is my mistress; and she lives as it were +without sleep, and feeds on air." + +Here he threw himself down in a great chair, and verily, by the time +I had washed and attired myself, I had to shake him by the shoulder +to arouse him. Thus I was carried to the Maid's lodging, my heart +beating like a hammer with hopes and fears. + +We found her already armed, for that day she was to ride to Jargeau, +and none was with her but her confessor. She gave me the best of +greetings, and bade me eat bread and drink wine. "And soon," she +said, "if you recover the quicker, I trust to give you wine to drink +in Paris." + +She herself dipped a crust in wine and water, and presently, bidding +her confessor, Pasquerel, wait for her in the little oratory, she +asked me how I did, and told me what fear she had been in for me, as +touching Brother Thomas, when she learned who he was, yet herself +could not return from the field to help me. + +"But now," said she, smiling with a ravishing sweetness, "I hear you +are in far greater peril from a foe much harder and more cruel--ma +mie Elliot. Ah! how you lovers put yourselves in jeopardy, and take +me from my trade of war to play the peacemaker! Surely I have +chosen the safer path in open breach and battle, though would that +my war was ended, and I sitting spinning again beside my dear +mother." Hereon her face grew more tender and sad than ever I had +seen it, and there came over me forgetfulness of my private grief, +as of a little thing, and longing to ride at the Maiden's rein, +where glory was to be won. + +"Would that even now I could march with you," I said; and she, +smiling, made answer - + +"That shall yet be; yea, verily," and here the fashion of her +countenance altered wondrously, "I know, and know not how I know, +that thou shalt be with me when all have forsaken me and fled." + +Then she fell silent, and I also, marvelling on her face and on the +words which she spoke. There came a light tap at the door, and she +awoke as it were from a trance which possessed her. She drew her +hands over her face, with a long sigh; she knelt down swiftly, and +crossed herself, making an obeisance, for I deem that her saints had +been with her, wherefore I also crossed myself and prayed. Then she +rose and cried "Enter!" and ere I could speak she had passed into +the oratory, and I was alone with Elliot. + +Elliot gave one low cry, and cast her arms about my neck, hiding her +face on my breast, and sobbing as if her heart would break. + +"I have been mad, I have been bad!" she moaned. "Oh! say hard words +to me, and punish me, my love." + +But I had no word to say, only I fell back into a great chair for +very weakness, holding my lady in my arms. + +And thus, with words few enough, but great delight, the minutes went +past, till she lifted her wet face and her fragrant hair; and +between laughing and crying, studied on my face and caressed me, +touching my thin cheek, and wept and laughed again. "I was mad," +she whispered; "it seemed as if a devil entered into me. But She +spoke to me and cast him out, and she bade me repent." + +"And do penance," I said, kissing her till she laughed again, saying +that I was a hard confessor, and that the Maid had spoken no word of +penances. + +"Yet one I must do and suffer," she said, "and it is more difficult +to me than these austerities of thine." + +Here her face grew very red, and she hid it with her hands. + +"What mean you?" I asked, wondering. + +"I must see her, and thank her for all her kindness to thee." + +"The Maid?" I asked. + +"Nay, that other, thy--fair nurse. Nay, forbid me not, I have sworn +it to myself, and I must go. And the Maiden told me, when I spoke +of it, that it was no more than right." Then she threw her arms +about me again, in the closest embrace, and hid her head. Now, this +resolve of hers gave me no little cause of apprehension, as not +knowing well how things might pass in such an encounter of two +ladies. But even then one touched me on the shoulder from behind, +and the Maid herself stood beside us. + +"O joy!" she said, "my peacemaking has been blessed! Go, you +foolish folk, and sin no more, and peace and happiness be with you, +long years, and glad children at your knees. Yet hereof I know +nothing from my counsel. And now I must go forth about the +Dauphin's business, and to do that for which I was sent. They that +brought thee in the litter will carry thee back again; so farewell." + +Thus saying, she stooped and kissed Elliot, who leaped up and caught +the Maid in her arms, and they embraced, and parted for that time, +Elliot weeping to lose her, and at the thought of the dangers of +war. + + + +CHAPTER XVII--HOW ELLIOT LOST HER JACKANAPES + + + +The Maid's confessor, Pasquerel, stood in the chamber where we had +met, with his eyes bent on the ground, so that Elliot and I had no +more free speech at that time. Therefore I said farewell, not +daring to ask of her when her mind was to visit my hosts, and, +indeed, my trust was that she might leave this undone, lest new +cause of sorrow should arise. Thus we parted, with very courtly +leave-taking, the priest regarding us in his manner, and I was +carried in the litter through the streets, that had been so quiet +when I came forth in the morning, but now they were full of men and +of noise. Herds of cattle were being driven for the food of the +army marching against Jargeau; there were trains of carts full of +victual, and the citizens having lent the Maid their great pieces of +ordnance, the bombard called "The Shepherdess," and the gun +"Montargis," these were being dragged along by clamorous companies +of apprentices, and there were waggons charged with powder, and +stone balls, and boxes of arrows, spades and picks for trenching, +and all manner of munition of war. By reason of the troops of +horses and of marching men, they that bore me were often compelled +to stop. Therefore, lest any who knew me should speak with me, I +drew the curtains of the litter, for I had much matter to think on, +and was fain to be private. But this was to be of no avail, for I +heard loud voices in my own tongue. + +"What fair lady is this who travels so secretly?" and, with this, +one drew the curtains, and there was the face of Randal Rutherford, +with others behind him. Then he uttered a great cry - + +"Faith, it is our lady of the linen-basket, and no other"; and +leaning within, he gave me a rough embrace and a kiss of his bearded +lips. "Why so early astir, our sick man?" he cried. "Get yourself +healed anon, and be with us when we take Paris town, Norman, for +there is booty enough to furnish all Scotland. Shalt thou be with +us yet?" + +"If my strength backs my will, Randal; and truly your face is a +sight for sair eyne, and does me more good than all the powers of +the apothecary." + +"Then here is to our next merry meeting," he cried, "under Paris +walls!" + +With that the Scots gave a shout, and, some of them crowding round +to press my hand, they bade me be of good cheer, and all went +onward, singing in the tune of "Hey, tuttie tattie," which the +pipers played when we broke the English at Bannockburn. + +So I was borne back to the house of Jacques Boucher, and, in the +sunny courtyard, there stood Charlotte, looking gay and fair, yet +warlike, as I deemed. She was clad in a long garment of red over a +white robe, and had sleeves of green, so that she wore the spring's +own colours, and she was singing a French ditty concerning a lady +who has a lover, and vows that she will never be a nun. + + +Seray-je nonnette, oui ou non, +Serray-je nonnette, je croy que non! + + +Seeing me, she stinted in her singing, and in feeding a falcon that +was perched on her wrist. + +"You are early astir for a sick man," she said. "Have you been on +pilgrimage, or whither have you been faring?" + +"The Maid sent for me right early, for to-day she rides to Jargeau, +and to you she sends a message of her love,"--as indeed she had +done, "but, for the great press of affairs she might not visit you." + +"And Mistress Elliot Hume, has she forgiven her lover yet? nay, I +see by your face that you are forgiven! And you go south, this very +day, is it not so?" + +"Indeed," I said, "if it is your will that we part, part we must, +though I sorrow for it; but none has given me the word to march, +save you, my fair nurse and hostess." + +"Nay, it is not I who shall speed you; nevertheless the Maid is not +the only prophetess in this realm of France, and something tells me +that we part this day. But you are weary; will you get you to your +chamber, or sit in the garden under the mulberry-tree, and I shall +bring you out a cup of white wine." + +Weary I was indeed, and the seat in the garden among the flowers +seemed a haven most desirable. So thither I went, leaning on her +shoulder, and she returned to bring the wine, but was some while +absent, and I sat deep in thought. I was marvelling, not only as to +what my mistress would next do, and when I should see her again +(though that was uppermost in my mind), but also concerning the +strange words of the Maid, that I alone should be with her when all +forsook her and fled. How might this be, and was she not to be ever +victorious, and drive the English forth of France? To my thinking +the Maid dwelt ever in two worlds, with her brethren of Paradise, +and again with sinful men. And I have often considered that she did +not always remember, in this common life, what had befallen her, and +what she knew when, as the Apostle says, she "was out of the body." +For I have heard her say, more than once, that she "would last but +one year, or little more," and, again, she would make plans for +three years to come, or four, which is a mystery. + +So I was pondering, when I looked up, and saw Charlotte standing in +the entrance between the court and garden, looking at me and +smiling, as she shaded her eyes with her hand from the sun, and then +she ran to me lightly as a lapwing. + +"They are coming down the street, looking every way for our house, +your lady and her father," she said, putting the wine-cup into my +hand. "Now is it war or peace?" and she fled back again within the +house. + +My heart stood still, for now everything was on the fall of the +dice. Would this mad girl be mocking or meek? Would she anger my +lady to my ruin with her sharp tongue? For Charlotte was of a high +temper, and wont to rule all the house by reason of her beauty and +kind wild ways. Nor was Elliot the meekest of women, as well I +knew, and a word, nay a smile, or a glance of mockery, might lightly +turn her heart from me again for ever. Oh! the lot of a lover is +hard, at least if he has set all his heart on the cast, as I had +done, and verily, as our Scots saw runs, "women are kittle cattle." +It is a strange thing that one who has learned not to blench from a +bare blade, or in bursting of cannon-balls and flight of arrows, +should so easily be daunted where a weak girl is concerned; yet so +it was in my case. I know not if I feared more than now when +Brother Thomas had me in the still chamber, alone at his mercy. + +So the minutes went by, the sun and shade flickering through the +boughs of the mulberry-tree, and the time seemed long. Perchance, I +thought, there had been war, as Charlotte had said, and my lady had +departed in anger with her father, and I was all undone. Yet I +dared not go to seek them in the house, not knowing how matters were +passing, and whether I should do good or harm. So I waited, and at +length Charlotte came forth alone. Now she walked slowly, her eyes +bent on the ground, and, as she drew near, I saw that they were red, +and I guessed that she had been weeping. So I gave up all for lost, +and my heart turned to water within me. + +"I am sent to bid you come in," she said gravely. + +"What has passed?" I cried. "For the saints' sake, tell me all!" + +"This has passed, that I have seen such a lady as I never dreamed I +should see, and she has made me weep--foolish that I am!" + +"Why, what did she? Did she speak unkindly then, to my kind nurse?" + +For this I could in no manner have endured, nor have abased myself +to love one that was unjust, how dear soever; and none could be +dearer than Elliot. Yet unjust she might have been; and this +thought to me was the greatest torment. + +"Speak unkind words? Oh, I remember my foolish talk, how I said +that she would never forgive me while the world stands. Nay, while +her father was with mine and with my mother, thanking them for what +they did for you, she led me apart to devise with me, and I took her +to my chamber, and there, with tears in her eyes, and in the +sweetest manner, she prayed me to pardon her for that she had been +mad for a moment; and so, looking meek as an angel, she awaited my +word. And I could not but weep, though to weep is never my way, and +we embraced each the other, and I told her how all your converse had +ever been of her, even when you were beside yourself, in your fever, +and how never was so faithful a lover. Nay, I bid you be glad, for +I never deemed that any woman living on earth would so repent and so +confess herself to another, where she herself had first been wroth, +but would blame all the world rather, and herself--never. So we +women are not all alike, as I thought; for I would hardly have +forgiven, if I know myself; and yet I am no worse than another. +Truly, she has been much with the Maid, and has caught from her +this, to be like her, who is alone among women, and of the greatest +heart." + +Here she ceased to speak very gravely, as she had till now done, and +breaking out into a sweet laughter, she cried - + +"Nevertheless I am not wholly a false prophetess, for to-day you go +with them southward, to Tours, to change the air, as the physician +counsels, and so now we part. O false Scot!" she said, laughing +again, "how have you the ill courtesy to look so joyous? Nay, I +shall change your cheer"; and with that she stooped and kissed my +cheek, saying, "Go, and joy go with you, as joy abides with me, to +see my sick man look so strong again. Come, they are waiting for +us, and you know we must not tarry." + +Then, giving me her arm, she led me in, and if one of us twain had a +shamefaced guise, verify it was not Charlotte Boucher. + +"I yield you back your esquire, fair lady," she said merrily, making +obeisance to Elliot, who stood up, very pale, to receive us. + +"He has got no ill in the bower of the enchantress," said my master; +whereat, Elliot seeming some deal confused, and blushing, Charlotte +bustled about, bringing wine and meat, and waiting upon all of us, +and on her father and mother at table. A merry dinner it was among +the elder folk, but Elliot and I were somewhat silent, and a great +joy it was to me, and a heavy weight off my heart, I do confess, +when, dinner being ended, and all courtesies done and said, my +raiment was encased in wallets, and we all went through the garden, +to Loire side; and so, with many farewells, took boat and sailed +down the river, under the Bridge of Orleans, towards Blois. But +Charlotte I never saw again, nor did I ever speak of her to Elliot, +nor Elliot of her to me, from that day forth. + +But within short space came tidings, how that Charlotte was wedding +a young burgess of Orleans, with whom, as I hear, she dwelt happily, +and still, for all I know, dwells in peace. As I deem, she kept her +lord in a merry life, yet in great order and obedience. So now +there is no more to tell of her, save that her picture comes back +before me--a tall, brown girl, with black hair and eyes like the hue +of hazel boughs glassed in running water, clad in white and green +and red, standing smiling beneath the red-and-white blossoms of an +apple-tree, in the green garden of Jacques Boucher. + +Elliot was silent enough, and sat telling her beads, in the +beginning of our journey down the water-way, that is the smoothest +and the easiest voyaging for a sick man. She was in the stern of +the boat, her fingers, when her beads were told, trailing in the +smooth water, that was green with the shade of leaves. But her +father stood by me, asking many questions concerning the siege, and +gaping at the half-mended arch of the bridge, where through we +sailed, and at the blackened walls of Les Tourelles, and all the +ruin that war had wrought. But now masons and carpenters were very +busy rebuilding all, and the air was full of the tinkling of trowels +and hammers. Presently we passed the place where I had drawn +Brother Thomas from the water; but thereof I said no word, for +indeed my dreams were haunted by his hooded face, like that of the +snake which, as travellers tell, wears a hood in Prester John's +country, and is the most venomous of beasts serpentine. So +concerning Brother Thomas I held my peace, and the barque, swinging +round a corner of the bank, soon brought us into a country with no +sign of war on it, and here the poplar-trees had not been felled for +planks to make bulwarks, but whispered by the riverside. + +The wide stream carried many a boat, and shone with sails, white, +and crimson, and brown; the boat-men sang, or hailed each other from +afar. There was much traffic, stores being carried from Blois to +the army. Some mile or twain above Beaugency we were forced to +land, and, I being borne in a litter, we took a cross-path away from +the stream, joining it again two miles below Beaugency, because the +English held that town, though not for long. The sun had set, yet +left all his gold shining on the water when we entered Blois, and +there rested at a hostel for the night. Next day--one of the +goodliest of my life, so soft and clear and warm it was, yet with a +cool wind on the water--we voyaged to Tours; and now Elliot was glad +enough, making all manner of mirth. + +Her desire, she said, was to meet a friend that she had left at +their house in Tours, one that she had known as long as she knew me, +my friend he was too, yet I had never spoken of him, or asked how he +did. Now I, being wrapped up wholly in her, and in my joy to see +her kind again, and so beautiful, had no memory of any such friend, +wherefore she mocked me, and rebuked me for a hard heart and +ungrateful. "This friend of mine," she said, "was the first that +made us known each to other. Yea, but for him, the birds might have +pecked out your eyne, and the ants eaten your bones bare, yet"--with +a sudden anger, and tears in her eyes at the words she spoke--"you +have clean forgotten him!" + +"Ah, you mean the jackanapes. And how is the little champion?" + +"Like the lads of Wamfray, aye for ill, and never for good," said my +master; but she frowned on him, and said - + +"Now you ask, because I forced you on it; but, sir, I take it very +ill that you have so short a memory for a friend. Now, tell me, in +all the time since you left us at Chinon, how often have you thought +of him?" + +"Nigh as often as I thought of you," I answered. "For when you came +into my mind (and that was every minute), as in a picture, thither +too came your playfellow, climbing and chattering, and holding out +his little bowl for a comfit." + +"Nay, then you thought of me seldom, or you would have asked how he +does." + +Here she turned her face from me, half in mock anger. But, just as +it is with children, so it was with Elliot, for indeed my dear was +ever much of a child, wherefore her memory is now to me so tender. +And as children make pretence to be in this humour or that for +sport, and will affect to be frighted till they really fear and +weep, so Elliot scarce knew how deep her own humour went, and +whether she was acting like a player in a Mystery, or was in good +earnest. And if she knew not rightly what her humour was, far less +could I know, so that she was ever a puzzle to me, and kept me in a +hundred pretty doubts and dreads every day. Alas! how sorely, +through all these years, have I longed to hear her rebuke me in +mirth, and put me adread, and laugh at me again I for she was, as it +were, wife and child to me, at once, and I a child with her, and as +happy as a child. + +Thus, nothing would now jump with her humour but to be speaking of +her jackanapes, and how he would come louting and leaping to welcome +her, and forsake her old kinswoman, who had followed with them to +Tours. And she had much to report concerning his new tricks: how +he would leap over a rod for the Dauphin or the Maid, but not if +adjured in the name of the English King, or the Duke of Burgundy. +Also, if you held him, he would make pretence to bite any that you +called Englishman or false Frenchman. Moreover, he had now been +taught to fetch and carry, and would climb into Elliot's window, +from the garden, and bring her little basket of silks, or whatsoever +she desired, or carry it thither, as he was commanded. + +"And he wrung the cat's neck," quoth my master; but Elliot bade him +hold his peace. + +In such sport the hours passed, till we were safely come to Tours, +and so to their house in a street running off the great place, where +the cathedral stands. It was a goodly dwelling, with fair carved- +work on the beams, and in the doorway stood the old Scots kinswoman, +smiling wide and toothless, to welcome us. Elliot kissed her +quickly, and she fondled Elliot, and held a hand out over her +shoulder to greet me. + +"But where is my jackanapes, that should have been here to salute +his mistress?" Elliot cried. + +"Out and alas!" said the old wife in our country tongue--"out and +alas! for I have ill news. The poor beast is missing these three +days past, and we fear he is stolen away by some gangrel bodies, for +the town is full of them. There came two to our door, three days +agone, and one was a blind man, and the other a one-armed soldier, +maimed in the wars, and I gave them bite and sup, as a Christian +should do. Now, they had not been gone but a few minutes, and I was +in the spence, putting away the dishes, when I heard a whistle in +the street, and anon another. I thought little of it, and so was +about my business for an hour, when I missed the jackanapes. And +then there was a hue and cry, and all the house was searched, and +the neighbours were called on, but since that day there has been no +word of the jackanapes. But, for the blind man and the armless +soldier, the town guard saw them leaving by the North Gate, with a +violer woman and her husband, an ill-looking loon, in their +company." Elliot sat her down and wept sore. "They have stolen my +little friend," she cried, "and now he that was so fat I called him +Tremouille will go hungry and lean, and be whipped to make him do +his tricks, and I shall never see him more." + +Then she ran out of the chamber, to weep alone, as I guessed, for +she was pitiful and of very tender affection, and dumb things came +near about her heart, as is the manner of many women. + +But I made no doubt in my mind that the husband of the ape's old +mistress had stolen him, and I, too, sorrowed for the poor beast +that my mistress loved, and that, in very deed, had been the saving +of my own life. Then I spoke to my master, and said that we must +strive to buy her a new ape, or a little messan dog, to be her +playfellow. + +But he shook his head. "Say nothing more of the beast," he +muttered, "unless she speaks of him first, and that, methinks, will +be never. For it is not her wont to speak of what lies very deep in +her heart, and if you talk of the beast it will please her little." + +And, indeed, I heard no word more of the jackanapes from Elliot, +save that, coming back from the minster next day, she whispered, "I +have prayed for him," and so fled to her own chamber. + +As then I deemed it a strange thing, and scarcely to be approved by +Holy Church, that my lady should pray for a dumb beast who had no +soul to be saved. But a faithful, loving prayer is not unavailing +or unheard of Him who made the beasts, as well as He made us; for +whose sin, or the sin of our father Adam, they now suffer, silently. +And the answer to this prayer was to be known in the end. + +As the week went on, tidings came that made Elliot glad again, if +before she had been sad enough. For this was that great week of +wonders which shall never be forgotten while France is France, and +the lilies bloom. + +On June the thirteenth the Maid took Jargeau, whence the famed +Bastard of Orleans had been driven some weeks agone; and the Earl of +Suffolk yielded him her prisoner, saying that she was "the most +valiant woman in the world." Scarce had tidings of this great +victory come, when messengers followed, declaring that the Maid had +seized the Bridge of Meun and driven the English into the Castle. + +Next she marched against Beaugency, and, at midnight of June the +seventeenth, the English made terms, that they might go forth with +their lives, but without baggage or arms, and with but one mark of +silver apiece. Next morning came Talbot, the best knight then on +ground, and Fastolf, the wariest of captains, with a great army of +English. First they made for Jargeau, but they came too late, and +then they rode to Meun, and would have assailed the French in the +bridge-fort, but, even then, they heard how Beaugency had yielded to +La Pucelle, and how the garrison was departed into Normandy, like +pilgrims, without swords, and staff in hand. Thus all the Loire and +the water-way was in the power of France, wherefore the English +marched off through the country called La Beauce, which then lay +desert and overgrown with wild wood, by reason of the war. And +there, in a place named Coynce, near Patay, the Maid overtook the +English, having with her La Hire and Xaintrailles, and she charged +them so rudely, that ere the English could array them in order of +battle, they were already flying for their lives. There were Talbot +and Warwick taken and held to ransom, but Fastolf fled as fast as +his horse could carry him. + +Thus in one week, between June the eleventh and June the eighteenth, +the Maid had delivered three strong towns from the English, and had +utterly routed them in fair field. Then, at Orleans, on June the +nineteenth, the army went to the churches, thanking God, and the +Blessed Virgin, and all the saints, for such great signs and marvels +wrought through the Maid only. + +Sorrow it is to me to write of such things by report, and not to +have seen them done. But, as Talbot said to the Duc d'Alencon, when +they took him at Patay, "it is fortune of war." + +But, as day by day messengers came, their horses red with spurring, +to the cross in the market-place of Tours, and as we that gathered +round heard of some fresh victory, you may consider whether we +rejoiced, feasted, filled the churches with our thanksgivings, and +deemed that, in a few weeks, there would be no living Englishman on +French soil. And of all that were glad my lady was the happiest, +for she had believed in the Maid from the very beginning, when her +father mocked. And a hard life she now led him with her sallies, +day by day, as more and ever more glad tidings were brought, and we +could hear Elliot singing through the house. + +Yea, I found her once dancing in the garden all alone, a beautiful +sight to look upon, as the sun fell on her and the shadow, she +footing it as if to music, but the music was made by her own heart. +Leaning against an apple-tree, I watched her, who waved her hand to +me, and still danced on; this was after we had heard the news of +Beaugency. As she so swayed and moved, dancing daintily, came a +blast of a trumpet and a gay peal from the minster bells. Then +forth rushed Elliot, and through the house, and down the street into +the market-place, nor did I know where I was, till I found myself +beside her, and heard the Maire read a letter to all the folk, +telling how the English were routed at Pathay in open field. +Thereon the whole multitude fell a-dancing, and I, for all my +malady, was fain to dance with them; but Elliot led me home, her +head high, and blue rays darting from her eyes. From that day my +life seemed to come back to me, and I was no longer the sick man. +So the weeks went by, in all delight, my master working hard, and I +helping him in my degree, for new banners would be wanted when the +Dauphin went for his sacring to his good town of Reims. As we all +deemed, this could no longer be delayed; and thereafter our armies +would fall on Paris, and so strong grew I, that I was in hopes to be +with them, where, at last, fortune was to be won. But of this my +hope I said little to Elliot, waiting till I could wear armour, and +exercising myself thereat privately in the garden, before folk had +risen in the mornings. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII--HOW ELLIOT'S JACKANAPES WAS SEEN AT THE KING'S +CROWNING + + + +"The hearts of kings are in His hand," says Holy Scripture, and it +is of necessity to be believed that the hearts of kings, in an +especial sense, are wisely governed. Yet, the blindness of our +sinful souls, we often may not see, nor by deep consideration find +out, the causes wherefore kings often act otherwise, and, as we +might deem, less worthily than common men. For it is a truth and +must be told, that neither before he was anointed with the blessed +oil from the holy vessel, or ampulla, which the angel brought to St. +Remigius, nor even after that anointing (which is more strange), did +Charles VII., King of France, bear him kingly as regards the Maiden. +Nay, I have many a time thought with sorrow that if Xaintrailles, or +La Hire, ay, or any the meanest esquire in all our army, had been +born Dauphin, in three months after the Maid's victories in June +Paris would have been ours, and not an Englishman left to breathe +the air of France. For it needed but that the King should obey the +Maid, ride straight to Reims, and thence on Paris town, and every +city would have opened its gates to him, as the walls of Jericho +fell at the mere sound of the trumpets of Israel. + +This is no foolish fancy of an old man dreaming in a cloister about +what might have been. For the Regent of the English, brother of +their King Harry the Fifth, and himself a wise man, and brave, if +cruel, was of this same mind. First, he left Paris and shut himself +up in the strong castle of Vincennes, dreading an uproar among the +people; and next, he wholly withdrew himself to Rouen, for he had +now no force of men to guard the walls of Paris. Our Dauphin had +but to mount and ride, and all would have been his at one blow, ay, +or without a blow. The Maid, as we daily heard, kept praying him, +even with tears, to do no more than this; and from every side came +in men free and noble, ready to serve at their own charges. The +poorest gentlemen who had lost all in the troubles, and might not +even keep a horse to ride, were of goodwill to march as common foot- +soldiers. + +But, while all France called on her King, he was dwelling at Sully, +in the castle of La Tremouille, a man who had a foot in either camp, +so that neither English nor Burgundians had ever raided on his rich +lands, when these lay in their power. So, what with the self- +seeking, and sloth, and jealousy of La Tremouille; what with the +worldly policy of the Archbishop of Reims, crying Peace, where there +was no peace, the Maid and the captains were not listened to, or, if +they were heard, their plans were wrought out with a faint heart, so +that, at last, if it is lawful to say so, the will of men prevailed +over the will of Heaven. + +Never, I pray, may any prince of my own country be so bestead, and +so ill-served, that, when he has won battles and gained cities two +or three, and needs but to ride forward and win all his kingdom, he +shall be turned back by the little faith of his counsellors! Never +may such a thing befall a prince of Scotland! Concerning these +matters of State, as may be believed, we devised much at Tours, +while messengers were coming and going, and long, weary councils +were being held at Sully and at Gien. D'Alencon, we got news, was +all for striking a blow yet more bold than the march to Reims, and +would have attacked the English where they were strongest, and +nearest their own shores, namely, at Rouen. The counsellors of the +peaceful sort were inclined to waste time in besieging La Charite, +and other little towns on Loire-side. But her Voices had bidden the +Maid, from the first, to carry the Dauphin to Reims, that there he +might be anointed, and known to France for the very King. So at +last, finding that time was sorely wasted, whereas all hope lay in a +swift stroke, ere the English could muster men, and bring over the +army lately raised by the Cardinal of Winchester to go crusading +against the miscreants of Bohemia--the Maid rode out of Gien, with +her own company, on June the twenty-seventh, and lodged in the +fields, some four leagues away, on the road to Auxerre. And next +day the King and the Court followed her perforce, with a great army +of twelve thousand men. Thenceforth there came news to us every day +in Tours, and all the news was good. Town after town opened its +gates at the summons of the Maid, and notably Troyes and Chalons, in +despite of the English garrisons. + +We were all right glad, and could scarce sleep for joy, above all +when a messenger rode in, one Thomas Scott, whom I had encountered +before, as I have written, bidding my master come straightway to +Reims, to join the King, and exercise his craft in designing a great +picture of the coronation. So with much ado he bestowed his +canvases, brushes, paints, and all other gear of his trade in +wallets, and, commending his daughter to his old kinswoman, to obey +her in all things, he set off on horseback with Thomas Scott. But +for myself, I was to lodge, while he was at Reims, with a worthy +woman of Tours, for the avoiding of evil tongues, and very tardily +the time passed with me, for that I might not be, as before, always +in the company of Elliot. + +As for my lady, she was, during most of these days, on her knees at +the altar in the great minster, praying to the saints for the +Dauphin, and the Maid, and for her father, that he might come and go +safely on his journey. Nor did she pray in vain, for, no more than +two days after the first tidings had arrived that the sacring was +done, and that all had gone well, my master rode to his own door, +weary, but glad at heart, and hobbled into his house. One was sent +running to bring me this good news, and I myself ran, for now I was +able, and found him seated at his meat, as well as he could eat it +for Elliot, that often stopped his mouth with kisses. + +He held forth his hand to me, saying, "All is as well as heart could +desire, and the Maid bids you follow her, if you may, to the taking +of Paris, for there she says will be your one chance to win your +spurs. And now let me eat and drink, for the heat is great, the +ways dusty, and I half famished. Thereafter ask me what you will, +and you, Elliot, come not between a hungry man and his meat." + +So he spoke, sitting at his table with his tankard in his hand, and +his wallets lying about him on the floor. Elliot was therefore fain +not to be embracing him, but rather to carve for him, and serve in +the best manner, that he might sup the quicker and tell us all his +tale. This he did at last, Elliot sitting on his knee, with her arm +about his neck. But, as touches the sacring, how it was done, +though many of the peers of France were not there to see, and how +noble were the manners of the King and the Maid, who stood there +with her banner, and of the only reward which she would take, +namely, that her townsfolk should live free of tax and corvee, all +this is known and written of in Chronicles. Nor did I see it +myself, so I pass by. But, next to actual beholding of that +glorious rite, the best thing was to hear my master tell of it, +taking out his books, wherein he had drawn the King, and the Maid in +her harness, and many of the great lords. From these pictures a +tapestry was afterwards wrought, and hung in Reims Cathedral, where +it is to this day: the Maid on horseback beckoning the King onward, +the Scots archers beside him in the most honourable place, as was +their lawful due, and, behind all, the father of the Maid entering +Reims by another road. By great good fortune, and by virtue of +being a fellow-traveller with Thomas Scott, the rider of the King's +stable, my master found lodgings easily enough. So crowded was the +town that, the weather being warm, in mid July, many lay in +tabernacles of boughs, in the great place of Reims, and there was +more singing that night than sleeping. But my master had lain at +the hostelry called L'Asne Roye, in the parvise, opposite to the +cathedral, where also lay Jean d'Arc, the father of the Maid. +Thither she herself came to visit him, and she gave gifts to such of +the people of her own countryside as were gathered at Reims. + +"And, Jeannot, do you fear nothing?" one of them asked her, who had +known her from a child. + +"I fear nothing but treason," my master heard her reply, a word that +we had afterwards too good cause to remember. + +"And is she proud now that she is so great?" asked Elliot. + +"She proud! No pride has she, but sat at meat, and spoke friendly +with all these manants, and it was "tu" and "toy," and "How is this +one? and that one?" till verily, I think, she had asked for every +man, woman, child, and dog in Domremy. And that puts me in mind--" + +"In mind of what?" + +"Of nought. Faith, I remember not what I was going to say, for I am +well weary." + +"But Paris?" I asked. "When march we on Paris?" My master's face +clouded. "They should have set forth for Paris the very day after +the sacring, which was the seventeenth of July. But envoys had come +in from the Duke of Burgundy, and there were parleys with them as +touching peace. Now, peace will never be won save at the point of +the lance. But a truce of a fortnight has been made with Burgundy, +and then he is to give up Paris to the King. Yet, ere a fortnight +has passed, the new troops from England will have come over to fight +us, and not against the heretics of Bohemia, though they have taken +the cross and the vow. And the King has gone to Saint Marcoul, +forsooth, seeing that, unless he goes there to do his devotions, he +may not touch the sick and heal the crewels. {29} Faith, they that +have the crewels might even wait till the King has come to his own +again; they have waited long enough to learn patience while he was +Dauphin. It should be Paris first, and Saint Marcoul and the +crewels afterwards, but anything to waste time and keep out of the +brunt of the battle." Here he struck his hand on the table so that +the vessels leaped. "I fear what may come of it," he said. "For +every day that passes is great loss to us and much gain to our +enemies of England, who will anon garrison Paris." + +"Faint-heart," cried Elliot, plucking his beard. "You will never +believe in the Maid, who has never yet failed to help us, by the aid +of the saints." + +"The saints help them that help themselves," he answered. "And +Paris town has walls so strong, that once the fresh English are +entered in, even the saints may find it a hard bargain. But you, +Elliot, run up and see if my chamber be ready, for I am well weary." +She ran forth, and my master, turning to me, said in a low voice, "I +have something for your own ear, but I feared to grieve her. In a +booth at Reims I saw her jackanapes doing his tricks, and when he +came round questing with his bowl the little beast knew me and +jumped up into my arms, and wailed as if he had been a Christian. +Then I was for keeping him, but I was set on by three or four stout +knaves, and, I being alone, and the crowd taking their part, I +thought it not well to draw sword, and so break the King's peace +that had just then begun to be King. But my heart was sore for the +poor creature, and, in very truth, I bring back no light heart, save +to see you twain again, for I fear me that the worst of the darg +{30} is still to do. But here comes Elliot, so no word of the +jackanapes." + +Therewith he went off to his chamber, and I to mine, with less +pleasure than I had looked for. Still, the thought came into my +heart that, the longer the delay of the onslaught on Paris, the +better chance I had to take part therein; and the harder the work, +the greater the glory. + +The boding words of my master proved over true. The King was sacred +on July the sixteenth, and Paris then stood empty of English +soldiers, being garrisoned by Burgundians only. But, so soon as he +was anointed, the King began to parley with Burgundy, and thus they +spun out the time, till, on July the twenty-fifth, a strong army of +Englishmen had entered Paris. Whether their hearts were high may +not be known, but on their banner they had hung a distaff, and had +painted the flag with the words - + + +"Ores viegne la Belle," + + +meaning, "Let the fair Maid come, and we shall give her wool to +spin." Next we heard, and were loth to believe it, that a new truce +of fifteen days more had been made with Burgundy. The Maid, indeed, +said openly that she loved not the truce, and that she kept it only +for the honour of the King, which was dearer to her than her life, +as she proved in the end. + +Then came marchings, this way and that, all about the Isle of +France, Bedford leaving Paris to fight the King, and then refusing +battle, though the Maid rode up to the English palisades, and smote +them with her sword, defying the English to come out, if they were +men. So the English betook them back to Paris, after certain light +skirmishes only. Meanwhile some of his good towns that had been in +the hands of the English yielded to the King, or rather to the Maid. +Among these the most notable was Compiegne, a city as great as +Orleans. Many a time it had been taken and retaken in the wars, but +now the burgesses swore that they would rather all die, with their +wives and children, than open their gates again to the English. And +this oath they kept well, as shall be seen in the end. + + + +CHAPTER XIX--HOW NORMAN LESLIE RODE AGAIN TO THE WARS + + + +Tidings of these parleys, and marches, and surrenders of cities came +to us at Tours, the King sending letters to his good towns by +messengers. One of these, the very Thomas Scott of whom I have +before spoken, a man out of Rankelburn, in Ettrick Forest, brought a +letter for me, which was from Randal Rutherford. + +"Mess-John Urquhart writes for me, that am no clerk," said Randal, +"and, to spare his pains, as he writes for the most of us, I say no +more than this: come now, or come never, for the Maid will ride to +see Paris in three days, or four, let the King follow or not as he +will." + +There was no more but a cross marked opposite the name of Randal +Rutherford, and the date of place and day, August the nineteenth, at +Compiegne. + +My face fired, for I felt it, when I had read this, and I made no +more ado, but, covenanting with Thomas Scott to be with him when he +rode forth at dawn, I went home, put my harness in order, and hired +a horse from him that kept the hostelry of the "Hanging Sword," +whither also I sent my harness, for that I would sleep there. This +was all done in the late evening, secretly, and, after supper, I +broke the matter to my master and Elliot. Her face changed to a +dead white, and she sat silent, while my master took the word, +saying, in our country speech, that "he who will to Cupar, maun to +Cupar," and therewith he turned, and walked out and about in the +garden. + +We were alone, and now was the hardest of my work to do, to comfort +Elliot, when, in faith, I sorely needed comfort myself. But honour +at once and necessity called me to ride, being now fit to bear +harness, and foreseeing no other chance to gain booty, or even, +perchance, my spurs. Nor could I endure to be a malingerer. She +sat there, very white, her lip quivering, but her eyes brave and +steadfast. + +I kneeled beside her, and in my hands I took her little hand, that +was cold as ice. + +"It is for the Maid, and for you, Elliot," I whispered; and she only +bent her head on my shoulder, but her cold hand gripped mine firmly. + +"She did say that you should come back unharmed of sword," whispered +Elliot, looking for what comfort she might. "But, O my dear! you +may be taken, and when shall I see you again? Oh! this life is the +hardest thing for women, who must sit and tremble and pray at home. +Sure no danger of war is so terrible! Ah, must you really go?" + +Then she clung so closely about me, that it seemed as if I could +never escape out of her arms, and I felt as if my heart must break +in twain. + +"How could I look men in the face, and how could I ever see the Maid +again, if I go not?" I said; and, loosening her grasp, she laid her +hands on my shoulders, and so gazed on me steadfastly, as if my +picture could be fixed on the tablets of her brain. + +"On your chin is coming a little down, at last," she said, smiling +faintly, and then gave a sob, and her lips met mine, and our very +souls met; but, even then, we heard my master's steps hobbling to +the door, and she gave a cry, and fled to her chamber. And this was +our leave-taking--brief, but I would not have had it long. + +"It is ill work parting, Heaven help us," said my master. "Faith, I +remember, as if it were to-day, how I set forth for Verneuil; a long +time I was gone, and came back a maimed man. But it is fortune of +war! The saints have you in their keeping, my son, and chiefly St. +Andrew. Come back soon, and whole, and rich, for, meseems, if I +lose one of you, I am to lose both." + +Therewith he embraced me, and I set forth to the hostel where I was +to lie that night. + +Now, see how far lighter is life to men than to women, for, though I +left the house with the heaviest heart of any man in Tours, often +looking back at the candleshine in my lady's casement, yet, when I +reached the "Hanging Sword," I found Thomas Scott sitting at his +wine, and my heart and courage revived within me. He lacked nothing +but one to listen, and soon was telling tales of the war, and of the +road, and of how this one had taken a rich prisoner, and that one +had got an arrow in his thigh, and of what chances there were to win +Paris by an onslaught. + +"For in no other can we take it," said he, "save, indeed, by +miracle. For they are richly provisioned, and our hope is that, if +we can make a breach, there may be a stir of the common folk, who +are well weary of the English and the Burgundians." + +Now, with his talk of adventures, and with high hopes, I was so +heartened up, that, to my shame, my grief fell from me, and I went +to my bed to dream of trenches and escalades, glory and gain. But +Elliot, I fear me, passed a weary night, and a sorry, whereas I had +scarce laid my head on my pillow, as it seemed, when I heard Thomas +shouting to the grooms, and clatter of our horses' hoofs in the +courtyard. So I leaped up, though it was scarce daylight, and we +rode northwards before the full coming of the dawn. + +Here I must needs write of a shameful thing, which I knew not then, +or I would have ridden with a heavier heart, but I was told +concerning the matter many years after, by Messire Enguerrand de +Monstrelet, a very learned knight, and deep in the counsels of the +Duke of Burgundy. + +"You were all sold," he said to me, at Dijon, in the year of our +Lord fourteen hundred and forty-seven--"you were all sold when you +marched against Paris town. For the Maid, with D'Alencon, rode from +Compiegne towards Paris, on the twenty-third of August, if I +remember well"; and here he turned about certain written parchments +that lay by him. "Yea, on the twenty-third she left Compiegne, but +on the twenty-eighth of that month the Archbishop of Reims entered +the town, and there he met the ambassadors of the Good Duke of +Burgundy. There he and they made a compact between them, binding +your King and the Duke, that their truce should last till Noel, but +that the duke might use his men in the defence of Paris against all +that might make onfall. Now, the Archbishop and the King knew well +that the Maid was, in that hour, marching on Paris. To what purpose +make a truce, and leave out of the peace the very point where war +should be? Manifestly the French King never meant to put forth the +strength of his army in helping the Maid. There was to be truce +between France and Burgundy, but none between England and the Maid." + +So Messire Enguerrand told me, a learned knight and a grave, and +thus was the counsel of the saints defeated by the very King whom +they sought to aid. But of this shameful treaty we men-at-arms knew +nothing, and so hazarded our lives against loaded dice. + + + +CHAPTER XX--CONCERNING THE MAID AND THE BIRDS + + + +We rode northwards, first through lands that I had travelled in +before to Orleans, and so into a country then strange to me, passing +by way of Lagny, with intent to go to Senlis, where we deemed the +King lay. The whole region being near Paris, and close under the +English power, was rich and peaceful of aspect, the corn being +already reaped, and standing in sheaves about the fields, whether to +feed Englishmen or Frenchmen, none could tell. For the land was in +a kind of hush, in expectancy and fear, no man knowing how things +should fall out at Paris. Natheless the Prior of Lagny, within that +very week wherein we came, had gone to St. Denis, and yielded his +good town into the hands of the Duc d'Alencon for the King. And the +fair Duke had sent thither Messire Ambrose de Lore, a very good +knight, with Messire Jehan Foucault, and many men-at-arms. + +To Messire Ambrose we were brought, that we might give and take his +news. I remember well that I dropped out of the saddle at the door +of his lodgings, and could scarce stand on my legs, so weary was I +with the long and swift riding. Never had I ridden so far, and so +fast, fresh horses standing saddled and bridled for Thomas Scott and +me at every stage, but the beast which I had hired I sent back from +the first stage to mine host of the "Hanging Sword." Not without +labour I climbed the stairs to the chamber of Messire Ambrose, who +bade us sit down, and called for wine to be given us, whereof Thomas +Scott drank well, but I dared take none, lest my legs should wholly +refuse their office. + +When Thomas had told how all the country lay at the King's peace, +and how our purpose was to ride to the King at Senlis, the knight +bade us rather make what haste we might to St. Denis. "For there, +by to-morrow or next day, the King is like to be, and the assault +will be delivered on Paris, come of it what will." + +With this he bade us good speed, but, to guess from his countenance, +was in no high hopes. And, at supper, whereto we had the company of +certain of his men-at-arms, I could well perceive that they were not +in the best heart. For now we heard how the Maid, being sorrowful +for the long delays, had bidden the Duc d'Alencon ride forth with +her from Compiegne "to see Paris closer than yet she had seen it." +The Duc d'Alencon, who in late days has so strangely forgotten the +loyalty of his youth, was then fain to march with her, for they two +were the closest friends that might be. Therefore they had passed +by way of Senlis, where they were joined by some force of men-at- +arms, and so, on the third day's march, they came to St. Denis, +where they were now lying. Here it is that the kings of France have +been buried for these eight hundred years, in the great Abbey. + +"Nom Dieu!" said one of those who spoke with us. "You might deem +that our King is nowise pressed to see the place where his +forefathers lie. For D'Alencon is riding, now and again, to Senlis, +to rouse the King, and make him march to St. Denis, with the army, +that the assault may be given. But if they were bidding him to his +own funeral, instead of to a gentle passage of arms, he could not +make more excuses. There are skirmishes under Paris walls, and at +the gates, day by day, and the Maid rides here and there, +considering of the best place for the onslaught. But the King +tarries, and without him and the army they can venture on no great +valiance. Nevertheless, come he must, if they bring him bound in a +cart. Wherefore, if you want your part in what is toward, you do +well to make no long tarrying here." + +I was of the same mind, and as the King was shortly to be looked for +at St. Denis, we rode thither early next morning, with what speed we +might. On our left, like a cloud, was the smoke of Paris, making me +understand what a great city it was, much greater than Orleans. +Before us, far away, were the tall towers of the chapel of St. +Denis, to be our guide! We heard, also, the noise of ordnance being +fired, and therefore made the greater haste, and we so rode that, +about six hours after noon, on the Eve of the Nativity of our +Blessed Lady, we reached the gates of the town. Here we found great +press of folk, men coming and going, some carrying the wounded, for +there had been a skirmish that day, at one of the Paris gates, +whence came the sound of cannon and culverins, and we had won little +advantage. + +At the gates of St. Denis we asked where the quarters of the Scots +men-at-arms might be, and were told in the chapel, whither we needed +no guide. But, as we went up the street, we saw women leaning forth +from the windows, laughing with the men-at-arms, and beckoning to +them, and by the tavern doors many were sitting drinking, with girls +beside them, and others were playing dice, and many an oath we +heard, and foul words, as is customary in a camp. Verily I saw well +that this was not the army of men clean confessed and of holy life +who had followed the Maid from Blois to Orleans. In place of +priests, here were harlots, and, for hymns, ribald songs, for men +had flocked in from every quarter; soldiers of the robber companies, +Bretons, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, all talking in their own +speech, rude, foul, and disorderly. So we took our way, as best we +knight, through the press, hearing oaths enough if our horses trod +over near any man, and seeing daggers drawn. + +It was a pleasure to come out on the great parvise, where the red, +white, and green of our Scots were the commonest colours, and where +the air was less foul and noisome than in the narrow wynds. High +above us the great towers of the abbey shone red and golden in the +light of the sinking sun, while beneath all was brown, dusk, and dim +with smoke. On these towers I could gladly have looked long, and +not wearied. For they are all carven with the holy company of the +martyrs and saints, like the Angels whom Jacob saw ascending by the +ladder into heaven; even so that blessed company seemed to scale +upwards from the filth of the street, and the darkness, and the din, +right on towards the golden heights of the City of God. And beneath +them lie the sacred bones of all the kings of France, from the days +of St. Dagobert even to our own time, all laid there to rest where +no man shall disturb them, till the Angels' Trumpet calls, and the +Day of Judgment is at hand. Verily it is a solemn place for a +Christian man to think on, and I was gazing thereupon, as in a +dream, when one plucked my sleeve, and turning, I saw Randal +Rutherford, all his teeth showing in a grin. + +"Welcome," he cried. "You have made good speed, and the beginning +of a fray is better than the end of a feast. And, by St. Boswell, +to-morrow we shall have it, lad! The King came in to-day--late is +better than never--and to-morrow we go with the Maid, to give these +pock-puddings a taste of Scottish steel." + +"And the Maid, where is she, Randal?" + +"She lodges beyond the Paris gate, at the windmill, wherefrom she +drove the English some days agone." + +"Wherefore not in the town?" I asked. + +"Mayhap because she likes to be near her work, and would that all +were of her mind. And mayhap she loves not the sight of the wenches +whom she was wont to drive from the camp, above all now that she has +broken the Holy Sword of Fierbois, smiting a lass with the flat of +the blade." + +"I like not the omen," said I. + +"Freits follow them that freits fear," said Randal, in our country +speech. "And the Maid is none of these. 'Well it was,' said she, +'that I trusted not my life to a blade that breaks so easily,' and, +in the next skirmish, she took a Burgundian with her own hands, and +now wears his sword, which is a good cut and thrust piece. But +come," he cried, "if needs you must see the Maid, you have but to +walk to the Paris gate, and so to the windmill hard by. And your +horse I will stable with our own, and for quarters, we living Scots +men-at-arms fare as well as the dead kings of France, for to-night +we lie in the chapel." + +I dismounted, and he gave me an embrace, and, holding me at arms'- +length, laughed - + +"You never were a tall man, Norman, but you look sound, and whole, +and tough for your inches, like a Highlandman's dirk. Now be off on +your errand, and when it is done, look for me yonder at the sign of +'The Crane,'" pointing across the parvise to a tavern, "for I keep a +word to tell in your lug that few wot of, and that it will joy you +to hear. To-morrow, lad, we go in foremost." + +And so, smiling, he took my horse and went his way, whistling, "Hey, +tuttie, tattie!" + +Verily his was the gladdest face I had seen, and his words put some +heart into me, whereas, of the rest save our own Scots, I liked +neither what I saw, nor what I heard. + +I had but to walk down the street, through elbowing throngs of +grooms, pages, men-at-arms, and archers, till I found the Paris +Gate, whence the windmill was plain to behold. It was such an old +place as we see in Northern France, plain, strong, with red walls +which the yellow mosses stain, and with high grey roofs. The Maid's +banner, with the Holy Dove, and the Sacred Name, drooped above the +gateway, and beside the door, on the mounting-stone, sat the boy, +Louis des Coutes, her page. He was a lad of fifteen years, merry +enough of his nature, and always went gaily clad, and wearing his +yellow hair long. But now he sat thoughtful on the mounting-stone, +cutting at a bit of wood with his dagger. + +"So you have come to take your part," he said, when we had saluted +each the other. "Faith, I hope you bring good luck with you, and +more joy to my mistress, for we need all that you can bring." + +"Why, what ails all of you?" I asked. "I have seen never a hopeful +face, save that of one of my own countrymen. You are not afraid of +a crack on your curly pate, are you?" + +"Curly or not, my head knows better than to knock itself against +Paris walls. They are thick, and high, and the windows of every +house on the wall are piled with stones, to drop upon us. And I +know not well why, but things go ill with us. I never saw Her," and +he nodded towards the open gateway, "so out of comfort. When there +is fighting toward, she is like herself, and she is the first to +rise and the last to lie down. But, in all our waiting here, she +has passed many an hour praying in the chapel, where the dead kings +lie, yet her face is not glad when she comes forth. It was wont to +shine strangely, when she had been praying, at the chapel in +Couldray, while we were at Chinon. But now it is otherwise. +Moreover, we saw Paris very close to-day, and there were over many +red crosses of St. George upon the walls. And to-morrow is the +Feast of the Blessed Virgin, no day for bloodshed." + +"Faint heart!" said I (and, indeed, after the assault on Paris, +Louis des Coutes went back, and rode no more with the maid). "The +better the day, the better the deed! May I go within?" + +"I will go with you," he said, "for she said that you would come, +and bade me bring you to her." + +We entered the gateway together, and before us lay the square of the +farm, strewn with litter, and from within the byre we heard the milk +ring in the pails, for the women were milking the cows. And there +we both stood astonished, for we saw the Maid as never yet I had +seen her. She was bareheaded, but wore the rest of her harness, +holding in her hand a measure of corn. All the fowls of the air +seemed to be about her, expecting their meat. But she was not +throwing the grain among them, for she stood as still as a graven +image, and, wonderful to tell, a dove was perched on her shoulder, +and a mavis was nestling in her breast, while many birds flew round +her, chiefly doves with burnished plumage, flitting as it were +lovingly, and softly brushing her now and again with their wings. +Many a time had I heard it said that, while she was yet a child, the +wild birds would come and nestle in the bosom of the Maid, but I had +never believed the tale. Yet now I saw this thing with mine own +eyes, a fair sight and a marvellous, so beautiful she looked, with +head unhelmeted, and the wild fowl and tame flitting about her and +above her, the doves crooning sweetly in their soft voices. Then +her lips moved, and she spoke - + +"Tres doulx Dieu, en l'onneur de vostre saincte passion, je vous +requier, se vous me aimes, que vous me revelez ce que je doy faire +demain pour vostre gloire!" + +So she fell silent again, and to me it seemed that I must not any +longer look upon that holy mystery, so, crossing myself, I laid my +hand on the shoulder of the page, and we went silently from the +place. + +"Have you ever seen it in this manner?" I whispered, when we were +again without the farmyard. + +"Never," said he, trembling, "though once I saw a stranger thing." + +"And what may that have been?" + +"Nay, I spoke of it to her, and she made me swear that I never would +reveal it to living soul, save in confession. But she is not as +other women." + +What he had in his mind I know not, but I bade him good even, and +went back into the town, where lights were beginning to show in the +casements. In the space within the gates were many carts gathered, +full of faggots wherewith to choke up the fosse under Paris, and +tables to throw above the faggots, and so cross over to the assault. + + + +CHAPTER XXI--HOW A HUNDRED SCOTS SET FORTH TO TAKE PARIS TOWN + + + +Entering the tavern of "The Crane," I found the doorways crowded +with archers of our Guard, among whom was Randal Rutherford. + +When I had come, they walked into a chamber on the ground floor, +calling for wine, and bidding certain French burgesses go forth, who +needed no second telling. The door was shut, two sentinels of ours +were posted outside, and then Randal very carefully sounded all the +panels of the room, looking heedfully lest there should be any hole +whereby what passed among us might be heard in another part of the +house, but he found nothing of the kind. + +The room being full, some sitting and some standing, as we could, +Randal bade Father Urquhart, our chaplain, tell us to what end we +had been called together. + +The good father thereupon stood up, and spoke in a low voice, but so +that all could hear, for we were all hushed to listen. + +"There is," he said, "within Paris, a certain Carmelite, a +Frenchman, and a friend of Brother Richard, the Preacher, whom, as +you know, the English drove from the town." + +"I saw him at Troyes," said one, "where he kneeled before the Maid, +and they seemed very loving." + +"That is the man, that is Brother Richard. Now, as I was busy +tending the wounded, in the skirmish three days agone, this +Carmelite was about the same duty for those of his party. He put +into my hand a slip of paper, wherein Brother Richard commended him +to any Scot or Frenchman of the King's party, as an honest man, and +a friend of the King's. When I had read this, the Carmelite spoke +with me in Latin, and in a low voice. His matter was this: In +Paris, he said, there is a strong party of Armagnacs, who have, as +we all know, a long score to settle with them of Burgundy. They are +of the common folk and labourers, but among them are many rich +burgesses. They have banded themselves together by an oath to take +our part, within the town, if once we win a gate. Here is a cedule +signed by them with their names or marks, and this he gave me as a +proof of good faith." + +Here he handed a long slip of parchment, all covered with writing, +to Randal, and it went round among us, but few there were clerks, +save myself. I looked on it, and the names, many of them attested +by seals with coat armour, were plain to be read. + +"Their counsel is to muster in arms secretly, and to convey +themselves, one by one, into certain houses hard by the Port St. +Denis, where certain of their party dwell. Now, very early to- +morrow morning, before dawn, the purpose of the English is to send +forth a company of a hundred men-at-arms, who will make a sudden +onset on the windmill, where the Maid lies to-night, and so will +take her, if they may." + +"By St. Bride of Douglas," said one of us, "they will get their kail +through the reek, for our guard is to lie in arms about the +windmill, and be first in the field to-morrow." + +"The craft is, then," Father Urquhart went on, "that we shall +destroy this English company with sword or arrow, but with no alarm +of culverins or cannon. Meanwhile, some five score of you will put +on to-night the red cross of St. George, with plain armour, so that +the English shall mistake you for their own men returning from the +sally, and some few men in our own colours and coats you will hale +with you as prisoners. And, if one of you can but attire himself in +some gear of the Maid's, with a hucque of hers, scarlet, and dight +with the Lilies of France, the English gate-wards will open to you +all the more eagerly." + +"By the bones of St. Boswell!" cried Randal in his loud voice, but +the good Father put a hand on his mouth. + +"Quiet, man!" he said. + +"By the blessed bones of St. Boswell," Randal said again, as near a +whisper as he could attain to, "the lady of the linen-basket shall +come as the Maid. We have no man so maidenly." + +They all shouted, laughing, and beating the tables with hands and +tankards. + +"Silence!" cried Robin Lindsay. + +"Nay, the louder we laugh, the less will any suspect what is +forward," said Randal Rutherford. + +"Norman, will you play this part in the mumming?" + +I was ashamed to say no, though I liked it not over well, and I +nodded with my head. + +"How maidenly he blushes!" cried one, and there was another clamour, +till the walls rang. + +"So be it then," says Father Urquhart, "and now you know all. The +honest Armagnacs will rise so soon as you are well within the gate. +They command both sides of the street that leads to the Port St. +Denis, and faith, if the English want to take it, when a hundred +Scots are within, they will have to sally forth by another gate, and +come from the outside. And you are to run up the banner of Scotland +over the Port, when once you hold it, so the French attack will be +thereby." + +"We played the same game before Verneuil fight, and won it," said +one; "will the English have forgotten the trick?" + +"By St. Bride, when once they see us haling the Maid along, they +will forget old stratagems of war. This is a new device! Oh to see +their faces when we cry 'St. Andrew,' and set on!" + +"I am not so old as you all in the wars," I began. + +"No, Mademoiselle la Lavandiere, but you are of the right spirit, +with your wench's face." + +"But," I said, "how if the English that are to attack the windmill +in the first grey of the morning come not to hand-strokes, or take +to their heels when they find us awake, and win back to Paris before +us? Our craft, methinks, is to hold them in an ambush, but what if +we catch them not? Let but one runaway be swift of foot, and we are +undone." + +"There is this to be said," quoth Father Urquhart, "that the English +company is to sally forth by the Port St. Denis, and it is the Port +St. Denis that our Armagnacs will be guarding. Now I speak as a man +of peace, for that is my calling. But how would it be if your +hundred men and Norman set forth in the dark, and lay hid not very +far from the St. Denis Gate? Then some while after the lighting of +the bale-fires from the windmill, to be lit when the English set on, +make straight for the gate, and cry, "St. George for England!" + +"If you see not the bale-fires ere daylight, you will come back with +what speed you may; but if you do see them, then--" + +"Father, you have not lived long on the Highland line for nothing," +quoth Robin Lindsay. + +"A very proper stratagem indeed," I said, "but now, gentlemen, there +is one little matter; how will Sir Hugh Kennedy take this device of +ours? If we try it and fail, without his privity, we had better +never return, but die under Paris wall. And, even if we hold the +gate, and Paris town is taken, faith I would rather affront the fire +of John the Lorrainer than the face of Sir Hugh." + +No man spoke, there were not two minds on this matter, so, after +some chaffer of words, it was agreed to send Father Urquhart with +Randal to show the whole scheme to Sir Hugh, while the rest of us +should await their coming back with an answer. In no long time they +were with us, the father very red and shame-faced. + +"He gave the good father the rough side of his tongue," quoth +Randal, "for speaking first to me, and not to him. Happily we were +over cunning to say aught of our gathering here. But when he had +let his bile flow, he swore, and said that he could spare a hundred +dyvour loons of his command, on the cast of the dice, and, now +silence all! not a word or a cry," here he held up his hand, "we are +to take 'fortune of war'!" + +Every man grinned gladly on his neighbour, in dead stillness. + +"Now," said Randal, "slip out by threes and fours, quietly, and to +quarters; but you, Norman, wait with me." + + + +CHAPTER XXII--HOW NORMAN LESLIE FARED IN PARIS TOWN + + + +"Norman, my lad, all our fortunes are made," said Randal to me when +we were left alone. "There will be gilt spurs and gold for every +one of us, and the pick of the plunder." + +"I like it not," I answered; whereon he caught me rudely by both +shoulders, looking close into my face, so that the fume of the wine +he had been drinking reached my nostrils. + +"Is a Leslie turning recreant?" he asked in a low voice. "A pretty +tale to tell in the kingdom of Fife!" + +I stood still, my heart very hot with anger, and said no word, while +his grip closed on me. + +"Leave hold," I cried at last, and I swore an oath, may the Saints +forgive me,--"I will not go!" + +He loosed his grasp on me, and struck one hand hard into the other. + +"That I should see this, and have to tell it!" he said, and stepping +to the table, he drank like one thirsty, and then fell to pacing the +chamber. He seemed to be thinking slowly, as he wiped and plucked +at his beard. + +"What is it that ails you?" he asked. "Look you, this onfall and +stratagem of war may not miscarry. Perdition take the fool, it is +safe!" + +"Have I been seeking safety since you knew me?" I asked. + +"Verily no, and therefore I wonder at you the more; but you have +been long sick, and men's minds are changeful. Consider the thing, +nom Dieu! If there be no two lights shown from the mill, we step +back silently, and all is as it was; the English have thought worse +of their night onfall, or the Carmelite's message was ruse de +guerre. But if we see the two lights, then the hundred English are +attempting the taking of the mill; the St. Denis Gate is open for +their return, and we are looked for by our Armagnacs within Paris. +We risk but a short tussle with some drowsy pock-puddings, and then +the town is ours. The Gate is as strong to hold against an enemy +from within as from without. Why, man, run to Louis de Coutes, and +beg a cast suit of the Maid's; she has plenty, for she is a woman in +this, that dearly she loves rich attire." + +"Randal," I said, "I will go with you, and the gladdest lad in +France to be going, but I will go in my own proper guise as a man- +at-arms. To wear the raiment of the Blessed Maid, a man and a +sinner like me, I will in nowise consent; it is neither seemly nor +honourable. Take your own way, put me under arrest if you will, and +spoil my fortunes, and make me a man disgraced, but I will not wear +her holy raiment. It is not the deed of a gentleman, or of a +Christian." + +He plucked at his beard. "I am partly with you," he said. "And yet +it were a great bourde to play off on the English, and most like to +take them and to be told of in ballad and chronicle, like one of +Wallace's onfalls. For, seeing the Pucelle, as they will deem, in +our hands, they will think all safe, and welcome us open armed. O +Norman, can we do nothing? Stop, will you wear another woman's +short kirtle over your cuisses and taslet? She shall be no saint, I +warrant you, but, for a sinner, a bonny lass and a merry. As a +gentleman I deem this fair stratagem of war. If I were your own +brother,--the Saints have his soul in their keeping,--I would still +be of this counsel. Will you, my lad?" + +He looked so sad, and yet withal so comical, that I held out my hand +to him, laughing. + +"Disguise me as you will," I said, "I have gone mumming as Maid +Marion before now, in the Robin Hood play, at St. Andrews"; and as I +spoke, I saw the tall thatched roofs of South Street, and the Priory +Gates open, the budding elms above the garden wall of St. Leonard's, +and all the May-day revel of a year agone pouring out into the good +town. + +"You speak like yourself now, bless your beardless face! Come +forth," he said, taking a long pull at a tankard,--"that nothing +might be wasted,"--and so we went to quarters, and Randal trudged +off, soon coming back, laughing, with the red kirtle. Our men had +been very busy furbishing up the red cross of St. George on their +breasts, and stripping themselves of any sign of our own colours. +As for my busking, never had maid such rough tire-women; but by one +way or another, the apparel was accommodated, and they all said +that, at a little distance of ground, the English would be finely +fooled, and must deem that the Maid herself was being led to them +captive. + +It was now in the small hours of morning, dark, save for the glimmer +of stars, here and there in a cloudy sky. Father Urquhart himself +went up to the roof of the mill, to say his orisons, having with him +certain faggots of pitch-wood, for lighting the beacon-fires if need +were; and, as it chanced, braziers to this end stood ready on the +roof, as is custom on our own Border keeps. + +We Scots, a hundred in all, in English colours, with three or four +as prisoners, in our own badges, fared cautiously, and with no word +spoken, through dewy woods, or lurking along in dry ditches where +best we might, towards the St. Denis Gate of Paris. I had never +been on a night surprise or bushment before, and I marvelled how +orderly the others kept, as men used to such work, whereas I went +stumbling and blindlings. At length, within sight of the twinkling +lights of Paris, and a hundred yards or thereby off the common way, +we were halted in a little wood, and bidden to lie down; no man was +so much as to whisper. Some slept, I know, for I heard their +snoring, but for my part, I never was less in love with sleep. When +the sky first grew grey, so that we could dimly see shapes of +things, we heard a light noise of marching men on the road. + +"The English!" whispered he that lay next me. "Hush!" breathed +Randal, and so the footsteps went by, none of us daring to stir, for +fear of the rustle in the leaves. + +The sound soon ceased; belike they had struck off into these very +fields wherethrough we had just marched. + +"Now, Robin Lindsay, climb into yonder ash-tree, and keep your eyes +on the mill and the beacon-fires," said Randal. + +Robin scrambled up, not easily, because of his armour, and we +waited, as it seemed, for an endless time. + +"What is that sound," whispered one, "so heavy and so hoarse?" + +It was my own heart beating, as if it would burst my side, but I +said nought, and even then Robin slid from the tree, as lightly as +he might. He held up two fingers, without a word, for a sign that +the beacons were lighted, and nodded. + +"Down all," whispered Randal. + +"Give them time, give them time." + +So there we lay, as we must, but that was the hardest part of the +waiting, and no sound but of the fowls and wild things arousing, and +the cry of sentinels from Paris walls, came to our ears. + +At length Randal said, "Up all, and onwards!" + +We arose, loosened our swords in their sheaths, and so crossed to +the road. We could now see Paris plainly, and were close by the +farm of the Mathurins, while beyond was the level land they call +"Les Porcherons," with slopes above it, and many trees. + +"Now, Norman," said Randal, "when we come within clear sight of the +gate, two of us shall seize you by the arms as prisoner; then we all +cry 'St. George!' and set off running towards Paris. The quicker, +the less time for discovery." + +So, having marched orderly and speedily, while the banks of the +roadway hid us, we set off to run, Randal and Robin gripping me when +we were full in sight of the moat, of the drawbridge (which was +down), and the gate. + +Then our men all cried, "St. George for England! The witch is +taken!" And so running disorderly and fast we made for the Port, +while English men-at-arms might be plainly seen and heard, gazing, +waving their hands, and shouting from the battlements of the two +gate-towers. Down the road we ran, past certain small houses of +peasants, and past a gibbet with a marauder hanging from it, just +over the dry ditch. + +Our feet, we three leading, with some twenty in a clump hard behind +us, rang loud on the drawbridge over the dry fosse. The bridge +planks quivered strangely; we were now within the gateway, when down +fell the portcullis behind us, the drawbridge, creaking, flew up, a +crowd of angry faces and red crosses were pressing on us, and a blow +fell on my salade, making me reel. I was held in strong arms, +swords shone out above me, I stumbled on a body--it was Robin +Lindsay's--I heard Randal give a curse as his blade broke on a +helmet, and cry, "I yield me, rescue or no rescue." Then burst +forth a blast of shouts, and words of command and yells, and English +curses. Cannon-shot roared overhead, and my mouth was full of +sulphur smoke and dust. They were firing on those of our men who +had not set foot on the drawbridge when it flew up. Soon the +portcullis rose again, and the bridge fell, to let in a band of +English archers, through whom our Scots were cutting their way back +towards St. Denis. + +Of all this I got glimpses, rather than clear sight, as the throng +within the gateway reeled and shifted, crushing me sorely. +Presently the English from without trooped in, laughing and cursing, +welcomed by their fellows, and every man of them prying into my +face, and gibing. It had been a settled plan: we were betrayed, it +was over clear, and now a harsh voice behind making me turn, I saw +the wolf's face of Father Thomas under his hood, and his yellow +fangs. + +"Ha! fair clerk, they that be no clerks themselves may yet hire +clerks to work for them. How like you my brother, the Carmelite?" + +Then I knew too well how this stratagem had all been laid by that +devil, and my heart turned to water within me. + +Randal was led away, but round me the crowd gathered in the open +space, for I was haled into the greater gate tower beyond the wet +fosse, and from all quarters ran soldiers, and men, women, and +children of the town to mock me. + +"Behold her," cried Father Thomas, climbing on a mounting-stone, as +one who would preach to the people, while the soldiers that held me +laughed. + +"Behold this wonderful wonder of all wonders, the miraculous Maid of +the Armagnacs! She boasted that, by help of the Saints, she would +be the first within the city, and lo! she is the first, but she has +come without her army. She is every way a miracle, mark you, for +she hath a down on her chin, such as no common maidens wear; and if +she would but speak a few words of counsel, methinks her tongue +would sound strangely Scottish for a Lorrainer." + +"Speak, speak!" shouted the throng. + +"Dogs," I cried, in French, "dogs and cowards! You shall see the +Maid closer before nightfall, and fly from her as you have fled +before." + +"Said I not so?" asked Brother Thomas. + +"A miracle, a miracle, the Maid hath a Scots tongue in her head." + +Therewith stones began to fall, but the father, holding up his hand, +bade the multitude refrain. + +"Harm her not, good brethren, for to-morrow this Maid shall be tried +by the ordeal of fire if that be the will of our governors. Then +shall we see if she can work miracles or not," and so he went on +gibing, while they grinned horribly upon me. Never saw I so many +vile faces of the basest people come together, from their filthy +dens in Paris. But as my eyes ran over them with loathing, I beheld +a face I knew; the face of that violer woman who had been in our +company before we came to Chinon, and lo! perched on her shoulder, +chained with a chain fastened round her wrist, was Elliot's +jackanapes! To see the poor beast that my lady loved in such ill +company, seemed as if it would break my heart, and my head fell on +my breast. + +"Ye mark, brethren and sisters, she likes not the name of the ordeal +by fire," cried Brother Thomas, whereon I lifted my face again to +defy him, and I saw the violer woman bend her brows, and place her +finger, as it were by peradventure, on her lips; wherefore I was +silent, only gazing on that devil, but then rang out a trumpet-note, +blowing the call to arms, and from afar came an answering call, from +the quarter of St. Denis. + +"Carry him, or her, or whatever the spy is, into the outer gate +tower," said a Captain; "put him in fetters and manacles; lock the +door and leave him; and then to quarters. And you, friar, hold your +gibing tongue; lad or lass, he has borne him bravely." + +Six men-at-arms he chose out to do his bidding; and while the gates +were cleared of the throng, and trumpets were sounding, and church +bells were rung backwards, for an alarm, I was dragged, with many a +kick and blow, over the drawbridge, up the stairs of the tower, and +so was thrown into a strong room beneath the battlements. There +they put me in bonds, gave me of their courtesy a jug of water and a +loaf of black bread by me, and then, taking my dagger, my sword, and +all that was in my pouch, they left me with curses. + +"You shall hear how the onfall goes, belike," they said, "and to- +morrow shall be your judgment." + +With that the door grated and rang, the key was turned in the lock, +and their iron tread sounded on the stone stairs, going upwards. +The room was high, narrow, and lit by a barred and stanchioned +window, far above my reach, even if I had been unbound. I shame to +say it, but I rolled over on my face and wept. This was the end of +my hopes and proud heart. That they would burn me, despite their +threats I scarce believed, for I had in nowise offended Holy Church, +or in matters of the Faith, and only for such heretics, or wicked +dealers in art-magic, is lawfully ordained the death by fire. But +here was I prisoner, all that I had won at Orleans would do little +more than pay my own ransom; from the end of my risk and travail I +was now further away than ever. + +So I mused, weeping for very rage, but then came a heavy rolling +sound overhead, as of moving wheeled pieces of ordnance. Thereon +(so near is Hope to us in our despair) I plucked up some heart. Ere +nightfall, Paris might be in the hands of the King, and all might be +well. The roar and rebound of cannon overhead told me that the +fighting had begun, and now I prayed with all my heart, that the +Maid, as ever, might again be victorious. So I lay there, +listening, and heard the great artillery bellow, and the roar of +guns in answer, the shouting of men, and clang of church bells. Now +and again the walls of the tower rang with the shock of a cannon- +ball, once an arrow flew through the casement and shattered itself +on the wall above my head. I scarce know why, but I dragged me to +the place where it fell, and, put the arrow-point in my bosom. +Smoke of wood and pitch darkened the light; they had come, then, to +close quarters. But once more rang the rattle of guns; the whizzing +rush of stones, the smiting with axe or sword on wooden barrier and +steel harness, the cries of war, "Mont joye St. Denis!" "St. George +for England!" and slogans too, I heard, as "Bellenden," "A Home! a +Home!" and then I knew the Scots were there, fighting in the front. +But alas, how different was the day when first I heard our own +battle-cries under Orleans walls! Then I had my life and my sword +in my hands, to spend and to strike; but now I lay a lonely +prisoner, helpless and all but hopeless; yet even so I clashed my +chains and shouted, when I heard the slogan. + +Thus with noise and smoke, and trumpets blowing the charge or the +recall, and our pipes shrieking the pibroch high above the din, with +dust floating and plaster dropping from the walls of my cell till I +was wellnigh stifled, the day wore on, nor could I tell, in anywise, +how the battle went. The main onslaught, I knew, was not on the +gate behind the tower in which I lay, though that tower also was +smitten of cannon-balls. + +At length, well past mid-day, as I deemed by the light, came a hush, +and then a thicker smoke, and taste of burning pitch-wood, and a +roar as if all Paris had been blown into mid-air, so that my tower +shook, while heavy beams fell crashing to earth. + +Again came a hush, and then one voice, clear as a clarion call, even +the voice of the Maid, "Tirez en avant, en avant!" How my blood +thrilled at the sound of it! + +It must be now, I thought, or never, but the guns only roared the +louder, the din grew fierce and fiercer, till I heard a mighty roar, +the English shouting aloud as one man for joy, for so their manner +is. Thrice they shouted, and my heart sank within me. Had they +slain the Maid? I knew not, but for torment of soul there is scarce +any greater than so to lie, bound and alone, seeing nought, but +guessing at what is befalling. + +After these shouts it was easy to know that the fighting waned, and +was less fierce. The day, moreover, turned to thunder, and waxed +lowering and of a stifling heat. Yet my worst fears were ended, for +I heard, now and again, the clear voice of the Maid, bidding her men +"fight on, for all was theirs." But the voice was weaker now, and +other than it had been. So the day darkened, only once and again a +shot was fired, and in the dusk the shouts of the English told me +over clearly that for to-day our chance and hope were lost. Then +the darkness grew deeper, and a star shone through my casement, and +feet went up and down upon the stairs, but no man came near me. +Below there was some faint cackle of mirth and laughter, and at last +the silence fell. + +Once more came a swift step on the stairs, as of one stumbling up in +haste. The key rattled in the wards, a yellow light shone in, a +man-at-arms entered; he held a torch to my face, looked to my bonds, +and then gave me a kick, while one cried from below, "Come on, +Dickon, your meat is cooling!" So he turned and went out, the door +clanging behind him, and the key rattling in the wards. + +In pain and fierce wrath I gnawed my black bread, drank some of the +water, and at last I bethought me of that which should have been +first in the thoughts of a Christian man, and I prayed. + +Remembering the story of Michael Hamilton, which I have already +told, and other noble and virtuous miracles of Madame St. Catherine +of Fierbois, I commanded me to her, that, by God's grace, she would +be pleased to release me from bonds and prison. And I promised +that, if she would so favour me, I would go on pilgrimage to her +chapel of Fierbois. I looked that my chains should now fall from my +limbs, but, finding no such matter, and being very weary (for all +the last night I had slept none), I fell on slumber and forgot my +sorrow. + +Belike I had not lain long in that blessed land where trouble seldom +comes when I was wakened, as it were, by a tugging at my clothes. I +sat up, but the room was dark, save for a faint light in the +casement, high overhead, and I thought I had dreamed. Howbeit, as I +lay down again, heavy at heart, my clothes were again twitched, and +now I remembered what I had heard, but never believed, concerning +"lutins" or "brownies," as we call them, which, being spirits +invisible, and reckoned to have no part in our salvation, are wont +in certain houses to sport with men. Curious rather than +affrighted, I sat up once more, and looked around, when I saw two +bright spots of light in the dark. Then deeming that, for some +reason unknown to me, the prison door had been opened while I slept, +and a cat let in, I stretched out my hands towards the lights, +thence came a sharp, faint cry, and something soft and furry leaped +on to my breast, stroking me with little hands. + +It was Elliot's jackanapes, very meagre, as I could feel, and all +his ribs standing out, but he made much of me, fondling me after his +manner; and indeed, for my lady's sake, I kissed him, wondering much +how he came there. Then he put something into my hands, almost as +if he had been a Christian, for it was a wise beast and a kind. +Even then there shone into my memory the thought of how my lady had +prayed for her little friend when he was stolen (which I had thought +strange, and scarcely warranted by our Faith), and with that, hope +wakened within me. My eyes being now more accustomed to the +darkness, I saw that the thing which the jackanapes gave me was a +little wallet, for he had been taught to fetch and carry, and never +was such a marvel at climbing. But as I was caressing him, I found +a string about his neck, to which there seemed to be no end. Now, +at length, I comprehended what was toward, and pulling gently at the +string, I found, after some time, that it was attached to something +heavy, on the outside of the casement. Therefore I set about +drawing in string from above, and more string, and more, and then +appeared a knot and a splice, and the end of a thick rope. So I +drew and drew, till it stopped, and I could see a stout bar across +the stanchions of the casement. Thereon I ceased drawing, and +opening the little wallet, I found two files, one very fine, the +other of sturdier fashion. + +Verily then I blessed the violer woman, who at great peril of her +own life, and by such witty device as doubtless Madame St. Catherine +put into her heart, had sent the jackanapes up from below, and put +me in the way of safety. I wasted no time, but began filing, not at +the thick circlet on my wrist, but at a link of the chain whereto it +was made fast. And such was the temper of the file, that soon I got +the stouter weapon into the cut, and snapped the link; and so with +the others, working long hours, and often looking fearfully for the +first glimmer of dawn. This had not come in, when I was now free of +bonds, but there was yet the casement to be scaled. With all my +strength I dragged and jerked at the rope, whereby I meant to climb, +lest the stanchions should be rusted through, and unable to bear my +weight, but they stood the strain bravely. Then I cast off my +woman's kirtle, and took from my pouch the arrow-point, and +therewith scratched hastily on the plastered wall, in great letters: +"Norman Leslie of Pitcullo leaves his malison on the English." + +Next I bound the jackanapes within the bosom of my doublet, with a +piece of the cord whereto the rope had been knotted, for I could not +leave the little beast to die the death of a traitor, and bring +suspicion, moreover, on the poor violer woman. Then, commanding +myself to the Saints, and especially thanking Madame St. Catherine, +I began to climb, hauling myself up by the rope, whereon I had made +knots to this end; nor was the climbing more difficult than to scale +a branchless beech trunk for a bird's nest, which, like other boys, +I had often done. So behold me, at last, with my legs hanging in +free air, seated on the sill of the casement. Happily, of the three +iron stanchions, though together they bore my weight, one was loose +in the lower socket, for lack of lead, and this one I displaced +easily enough, and so passed through. Then I put the wooden bar at +the rope's end, within the room, behind the two other stanchions, +considering that they, by themselves, would bear my weight, but if +not, rather choosing to trust my soul to the Saints than my body to +the English. + +The deep below me was very terrible to look upon, and the casement +being above the dry ditch, I had no water to break my fall, if fall +I must. Howbeit, I hardened my heart, and turning my face to the +wall, holding first the wooden bar, and then shifting my grasp to +the rope, I let myself down, clinging to the rope with my legs, and +at first not a little helped by the knots I had made to climb to the +casement. When I had passed these, methought my hands were on fire; +nevertheless, I slid down slowly and with caution, till my feet +touched ground. + +I was now in the dry ditch, above my head creaked and swung the dead +body of the hanged marauder, but he did no whit affray me. I ran, +stooping, along the bed of the dry ditch, for many yards, stumbling +over the bodies of men slain in yesterday's fight, and then, +creeping out, I found a hollow way between two slopes, and thence +crawled into a wood, where I lay some little space hidden by the +boughs. The smell of trees and grass and the keen air were like +wine to me; I cooled my bleeding hands in the deep dew; and +presently, in the dawn, I was stealing towards St. Denis, taking +such cover of ditches and hedges as we had sought in our unhappy +march of yesterday. And I so sped, by favour of the Saints, that I +fell in with no marauders; but reaching the windmill right early, at +first trumpet-call, I was hailed by our sentinels for the only man +that had won in and out of Paris, and had carried off, moreover, a +prisoner, the jackanapes. To see me, scarred, with manacles on my +wrists and gyves on my ankles, weaponless, with an ape on my +shoulder, was such a sight as the Scots Guard had never beheld +before, and carrying me to the smith's, they first knocked off my +irons, and gave me wine, ere they either asked me for my tale, or +told me their own, which was a heartbreak to bear. + +For no man could unfold the manner of that which had come to pass, +if, at least, there were not strong treason at the root of all. For +our part of the onfall, the English had made but a feigned attack on +the mill, wherefore the bale-fires were lit, to our undoing. This +was the ruse de guerre of the accursed cordelier, Brother Thomas. +For the rest, the Maid had led on a band to attack the gate St. +Honore, with Gaucourt in her company, a knight that had no great +love either of her or of a desperate onslaught. But D'Alencon, whom +she loved as a brother, was commanded to take another band, and wait +behind a butte or knowe, out of danger of arrow-shot. The Maid had +stormed all day at her gate, had taken the boulevard without, and +burst open and burned the outer port, and crossed the dry ditch. +But when she had led up her men, now few, over the slope and to the +edge of the wet fosse, behold no faggots and bundles of wood were +brought up, whereby, as is manner of war, to fill up the fosse, and +so cross over. As she then stood under the wall, shouting for +faggots and scaling-ladders, her standard-bearer was shot to death, +and she was sorely wounded by an arbalest bolt. Natheless she lay +by the wall, still crying on her men, but nought was ready that +should have been, many were slain by shafts and cannon-shot, and in +the dusk, she weeping and crying still that the place was theirs to +take, D'Alencon carried her off by main force, set her on her horse, +and so brought her back to St. Denis. + +Now, my mind was, and is to this day, that there was treason here, +and a black stain on the chivalry of France, to let a girl go so +far, and not to follow her. But of us Scots many were slain, and +more wounded, while Robin Lindsay died in Paris gate, and Randal +Rutherford lay a prisoner in English hands. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII--HOW ELLIOT'S JACKANAPES CAME HOME + + + +Of our Blessed Lord Himself it is said in the Gospel of St. Matthew, +"et non fecit ibi virtutes multas propter incredulitatem illorum." +These words I willingly leave in the Roman tongue; for by the wisdom +of Holy Church it is deemed that many mysteries should not be +published abroad in the vulgar speech, lest the unlearned hear to +their own confusion. But if even He, doubtless by the wisdom of His +own will, did not many great works "propter incredulitatem," it is +the less to be marvelled at that His Saints, through the person of +the Blessed Maid, were of no avail where men utterly disbelieved. +And that, where infidelity was, even she must labour in vain was +shown anon, even on this very day of my escape out of Paris town. +For I had scarce taken some food, and washed and armed myself, when +the Maid's trumpets sounded, and she herself, armed and on +horseback, despite her wound, rode into St. Denis, to devise with +the gentle Duc d'Alencon. Together they came forth from the gate, +and I, being in their company, heard her cry - + +"By my baton, I will never go back till I take that city." {31} + +These words Percival de Cagny also heard, a good knight, and maitre +d'hotel of the house of Alencon. Thereon arose some dispute, +D'Alencon being eager, as indeed he always was, to follow where the +Maiden led, and some others holding back. + +Now, as they were devising together, some for, some against, for +men-at-arms not a few had fallen in the onfall, there came the sound +of horses' hoofs, and lo! Messire de Montmorency, who had been of +the party of the English, and with them in Paris, rode up, leading a +company of fifty or sixty gentlemen of his house, to join the Maid. +Thereat was great joy and new courage in all men of goodwill, seeing +that, within Paris itself, so many gentlemen deemed ours the better +cause and the more hopeful. + +Thus there was an end of all dispute, our companies were fairly +arrayed, and we were marching to revenge ourselves for the losses of +yesterday, when two knights came spurring after us from St. Denis. +They were the Duc de Bar, and that unhappy Charles de Bourbon, Comte +de Clermont, by whose folly, or illwill, or cowardice, the Scots +were betrayed and deserted at the Battle of the Herrings, where my +own brother fell, as I have already told. This second time Charles +de Bourbon brought evil fortune, for he came on the King's part, +straitly forbidding D'Alencon and the Maid to march forward another +lance's length. Whereat D'Alencon swore profane, and the Maiden, +weeping, rebuked him. So, with heavy hearts, we turned, all the +host of us, and went back to quarters, the Maid to pray in the +chapel, and the men-at-arms to drink and speak ill of the King. + +All this was on the ninth of September, a weary day to all of us, +though in the evening word came that we were to march early next +morning and attack Paris in another quarter, crossing the river by a +bridge of boats which the Duc d'Alencon had let build to that end. +After two wakeful nights I was well weary, and early laid me down to +sleep, rising at dawn with high hopes. And so through the grey +light we marched silently to the place appointed, but bridge there +was none; for the King, having heard of the Maid's intent, had +caused men to work all night long, destroying that which the gentle +Duke had builded. Had the King but heard the shouts and curses of +our company when they found nought but the bare piles standing, the +grey water flowing, and the boats and planks vanished, he might have +taken shame to himself of his lack of faith. Therefore I say it +boldly, it was because of men's unbelief that the Maid at Paris +wrought no great works, save that she put her body in such hazard of +war as never did woman, nay, nor man, since the making of the world. + +I have no heart to speak more of this shameful matter, nor of these +days of anger and blasphemy. It was said and believed that her +voices bade the Maid abide at St. Denis till she should take Paris +town, but the King, and Charles de Bourbon, and the Archbishop of +Reims refused to hearken to her. On the thirteenth day of +September, after dinner, the King, with all his counsellors, rode +away from St. Denis, towards Gien on the Loire. The Maiden, for her +part, hung up all her harness that she had worn, save the sword of +St. Catherine of Fierbois, in front of the altar of Our Lady, and +the blessed relics of St. Denis in the chapel. Thereafter she rode, +as needs she must, and we of her company with her, to join the King, +for so he commanded. + +And now was the will of the Maid and of the Duc d'Alencon broken, +and broken was all that great army, whereof some were free lances +out of many lands, but more were nobles of France with their men, +who had served without price or pay, for love of France and of the +Maid. Never again were they mustered; nay when, after some weeks +passed, the gentle Duc d'Alencon prayed that he might have the +Maiden with him, and burst into Normandy, where the English were +strongest, by the Marches of Maine, even this grace was refused to +him, by the malengin and ill-will of La Tremouille and the +Archbishop of Reims. And these two fair friends met never more +again, neither at fray nor feast. May she, among the Saints, so +work by her prayers that the late sin and treason of the gentle Duke +may be washed out and made clean, for while she lived there was no +man more dear to her, nor any that followed her more stoutly in +every onfall. + +Now concerning the times that came after this shameful treason at +Paris, I have no joy to write. The King's counsellors, as their +manner was, ever hankered after a peace with Burgundy, and they +stretched the false truce that was to have ended at Christmas to +Easter Day, "pacem clamantes quo non fuit pax." For there was no +truce with the English, who took St. Denis again, and made booty of +the arms which the Maid had dedicated to Our Lady. On our part La +Hire and Xaintrailles plundered, for their own hand, the lands of +the Duke of Burgundy, and indeed on every side there was no fair +fighting, such as the Maid loved, but a war of wastry, the peasants +pillaged, and the poor held to ransom. For her part, she spent her +days in prayer for the poor and the oppressed, whom she had come to +deliver, and who now were in worse case than before, the English +harrying certain of the good towns that had yielded to King Charles. + +Now her voices ever bade the Maid go back to the Isle of France, and +assail Paris, where lay no English garrison, and the Armagnacs were +stirring as much as they might. But Paris, being at this time under +the government of the Duke of Burgundy, was forsooth within the +truce. The King's counsellors, therefore, setting their wisdom +against that of the Saints, bade the Maid go against the towns of +St. Pierre le Moustier and La Charite, then held by the English on +the Loire. This was in November, when days were short, and the +weather bitter cold. The Council was held at Mehun sur Yevre, and +forthwith the Maid, glad to be doing, rode to Bourges, where she +mustered her men, and so marched to St. Pierre le Moustier, a small +town, but a strong, with fosses, towers, and high walls. + +There we lay some two days or three, plying the town with our +artillery, and freezing in the winter nights. At length, having +made somewhat of a breach, the Maid gave the word for the assault, +and herself leading, with her banner in hand, we went at it with +what force we might. But twice and thrice we were driven back from +the fosse, and to be plain, our men were fled under cover, and only +the Maid stood within arrow-shot of the wall, with a few of her +household, of whom I was one, for I could not go back while she held +her ground. The arrows and bolts from the town rained and whistled +about us, and in faith I wished myself other where. Yet she stood, +waving her banner, and crying, "Tirez en avant, ils sont e nous," as +was her way in every onfall. Seeing her thus in jeopardy, her +maitre d'hotel, D'Aulon, though himself wounded in the heel so that +he might not set foot to ground, mounted a horse, and riding up, +asked her "why she abode there alone, and did not give ground like +the others?" + +At this the Maid lifted her helmet from her head, and so, uncovered, +her face like marble for whiteness, and her eyes shining like steel, +made answer - + +"I am not alone; with me there are of mine fifty thousand! Hence I +will not give back one step till I have taken the town." + +Then I wotted well that, sinful man as I am, I was in the company of +the hosts of Heaven, though I saw them not. Great heart this +knowledge gave me and others, and the Maid crying, in a loud voice, +"Aux fagots, tout le monde!" the very runaways heard her and came +back with planks and faggots, and so, filling up the fosse and +passing over, we ran into the breach, smiting and slaying, and the +town was taken. + +For my own part, I was so favoured that two knights yielded them my +prisoners (I being the only man of gentle birth among those who +beset them in a narrow wynd), and with their ransoms I deemed myself +wealthy enough, as well I might. So now I could look to win my +heart's desire, if no ill fortune befell. But little good fortune +came in our way. From La Charite, which was beset in the last days +of November, we had perforce to give back, for the King sent us no +munitions of war, and for lack of more powder and ball we might not +make any breach in the walls of that town. And so, by reason of the +hard winter, and the slackness of the King, and the false truce, we +fought no more, at that season, but went, trailing after the Court, +from castle to castle. + +Many feasts were held, and much honour was done to the Maid, as by +gifts of coat armour, and the ennobling of all her kith and kin, but +these things she regarded not, nor did she ever bear on her shield +the sword supporting the crown, between the lilies of France. + +If these were ill days for the Maid, I shame to confess that they +were merry days with me. There are worse places than a king's +court, when a man is young, and light of heart, full of hope, and +with money in his purse. I looked that we should take the field +again in the spring; and having gained some gold, and even some good +words, as one not backward where sword-strokes were going, I know +not what dreams I had of high renown, ay, and the Constable's staff +to end withal. For many a poor Scot has come to great place in +France and Germany, who began with no better fortune than a mind to +put his body in peril. Moreover, the winning of Elliot herself for +my wife seemed now a thing almost within my reach. Therefore, as I +say, I kept a merry Yule at Jargeau, going bravely clad, and dancing +all night long with the merriest. Only the wan face of the Maid +(that in time of war had been so gallant and glad) came between me +and my pleasures. Not that she was wilfully and wantonly sad, yet +now and again we could mark in her face the great and loving pity +that possessed her for France. Now I would be half angered with +her, but again far more wroth with myself, who could thus lightly +think of that passion of hers. But when she might she was ever at +her prayers, or in company of children, or seeking out such as were +poor and needy, to whom she was abundantly lavish of her gifts, so +that, wheresoever the Court went, the people blessed her. + +In these months I had tidings of Elliot now and again; and as +occasion served I wrote to her, with messages of my love, and with a +gift, as of a ring or a jewel. But concerning the manner of my +escape from Paris I had told Elliot nothing for this cause. My +desire was, when soonest I had an occasion, to surprise her with the +gift of her jackanapes anew, knowing well that nothing could make +her greater joy, save my own coming, or a victory of the Maid. The +little creature had been my comrade wheresoever we went, as at +Sully, Gien, and Bourges, only I took him not to the leaguers of St. +Pierre le Moustier and La Charite, but left him with a fair lady of +the Court. He had waxed fat again, for as meagre as he was when he +came to me in prison, and he was full of new tricks, warming himself +at the great fire in hall, like a man. + +Now in the middle of the month of January, in the year of Grace +fourteen hundred and thirty, the Maid told us of her household that +she would journey to Orleans, to abide for some space with certain +ladies of her friends, namely, Madame de St. Mesmin and Madame de +Mouchy, who loved her dearly. To the most of us she gave holiday, +to see our own friends. The Maid knew surely that in France my +friends were few, and well she guessed whither I was bound. +Therefore she sent for me, and bidding me carry her love to Elliot, +she put into my hands a gift to her friend. It was a ring of +silver-gilt, fashioned like that which her own father and mother had +given her. At this ring she had a custom of looking often, so that +the English conceived it to be an unholy talisman, though it bore +the Name that is above all names. That ring I now wear in my bosom. +So, saying farewell, with many kind words on her part, I rode +towards Tours, where Elliot and her father as then dwelt, in that +same house where I had been with them to be healed of my malady, +after the leaguer of Orleans. To Tours I rode, telling them not of +my coming, and carrying the jackanapes well wrapped up in furs of +the best. The weather was frosty, and folk were sliding on the ice +of the flooded fields near Tours when I came within sight of the +great Minster. The roads rang hard; on the smooth ice the low sun +was making paths of gold, and I sang as I rode. Putting up my horse +at the sign of the "Hanging Sword," I took the ape under my great +furred surcoat, and stole like a thief through the alleys, towards +my master's house. The night was falling, and all the casement of +the great chamber was glowing with the colour and light of a leaping +fire within. There came a sound of music too, as one touched the +virginals to a tune of my own country. My heart was beating for +joy, as it had beaten in the bushment outside Paris town. + +I opened the outer door secretly, for I knew the trick of it, and I +saw from the thin thread of light on the wall of the passage that +the chamber door was a little ajar. The jackanapes was now fretting +and struggling within my surcoat, so, opening the coat, I put him +down by the chamber door. He gave a little scratch, as was his +custom, for he was a very mannerly little beast, and the sound of +the virginals ceased. Then, pushing the door with his little hands, +he ran in, with a kind of cry of joy. + +"In Our Lady's name, what is this?" came the voice of Elliot. "My +dear, dear little friend, what make you here?" + +Then I could withhold myself no longer, but entered, and my lady ran +to me, the jackanapes clinging about her neck with his arms. But +mine were round her too, and what words we said, and what cheer we +made each the other, I may not write, commending me to all true +lovers, whose hearts shall tell them that whereof I am silent. Much +was I rebuked for that I did not write to warn them of my coming, +which was yet the more joyful that they were not warned. And then +the good woman, Elliot's kinswoman, must be called (though in sooth +not at the very first), and then a great fire must be lit in my old +chamber; and next my master came in, from a tavern where he had been +devising with some Scots of his friends; and all the while the +jackanapes kept such a merry coil, and played so many of his tricks, +and got so many kisses from his mistress, that it was marvel. But +of all that had befallen me in the wars, and of how the Maiden did +(concerning which Elliot had questioned me first of all), I would +tell them little till supper was brought. + +And then, indeed, out came all my tale, and they heard of what had +been my fortune in Paris, and how the jackanapes had delivered me +from durance, whereon never, surely, was any beast of his kind so +caressed since our father Adam gave all the creatures their names. +But as touching the Maid, I told how she had borne herself at St. +Pierre le Moustier, and of all the honours that had been granted to +her, and I bade them be of good heart and hope, for that her banner +would be on the wind in spring, after Easter Day. All the good news +that might be truly told I did tell, as how La Hire had taken +Louviers town, and harried the English up to the very gates of +Rouen. And I gave to Elliot the ring which the Maid had sent to +her, fashioned like that she herself wore, but of silver gilt, +whereas the Maid's was of base metal, and it bore the Holy Names +MARI. IHS. Thereon Elliot kissed it humbly, and avowed herself to +be, that night, the gladdest damsel in all France. + +"For I have gotten you, mon ami, and my little friend that I had +lost, beyond all hope, and I have a kind word and a token from Her, +la fille de Dieu," whereat her speech faltered, and her eyes swam in +tears. But some trick of her jackanapes brought back her mirth, and +so the hours passed, as happy as any in my life. Truly the memory +of these things tells me how glad this world might be, wherein God +has placed us, were it not troubled by the inordinate desires of +men. In my master's house of Tours, then, my days of holiday went +merrily by, save for one matter, and that of the utmost moment. For +my master would in no manner permit me to wed his daughter while +this war endured; and Elliot herself, blushing like any rose, told +me that, while the Maid had need of me, with the Maid I must abide +at my duty, and that she herself had no mind for happiness while her +friend was yet labouring in the cause of France. Howbeit, I +delivered me of my vow, by pilgrimage to the chapel in Fierbois. +{32} + + + +CHAPTER XXIV--HOW THE MAID HEARD ILL TIDINGS FROM HER VOICES, AND OF +THE SILENCE OF THE BIRDS + + + +Eastertide came at last, and that early, Easter Day falling on March +the twenty-seventh. Our King kept his Paques at Sully with great +festival, but his deadly foe, the Duke of Burgundy, lay at the town +of Peronne. So soon as Eastertide was over, the Duke drew all the +force he had to Montdidier, a town which lies some eight leagues to +the north and west of Compiegne. Hence he so wrought that he made a +pact with the captain of the French in Gournay, a town some four +leagues north and west of Compiegne, whereby the garrison there +promised to lie idle, and make no onslaught against them of +Burgundy, unless the King brought them a rescue. Therefore the Duke +went back to Noyon on the Oise, some eight leagues north and east of +Compiegne, while his captain, Jean de Luxembourg, led half his army +west, towards Beauvais. There he took the castle of Provenlieu, an +old castle, and ruinous, that the English had repaired and held. +And there he hanged certain English, who were used to pillage all +the country about Montdidier. Thence Jean de Luxembourg came back +to the Duke, at Noyon, and took and razed Choisy, which was held for +France. + +Now all these marchings, and takings of towns, were designed to one +end, namely, that the Duke might have free passage over the river +Oise, so that his men and his victual might safely come and go from +the east. For, manifestly, it was his purpose to besiege and take +the good town of Compiegne, which lies on the river Oise some +fifteen leagues north and east of Paris. This town had come in, and +yielded to the Maid, some weeks before the onfall of Paris, and it +was especially dear to her, for the people had sworn that they would +all die, and see their wives and children dead, rather than yield to +England or Burgundy. Moreover, whosoever held Compiegne was like, +in no long time, to be master of Paris. But as now Guillaume de +Flavy commanded in Compiegne for the King, a very good knight and +skilled captain, but a man who robbed and ravished wheresoever he +had power. His brother, Louis de Flavy, also joined him after +Choisy fell, as I have told. + +All this I have written that men may clearly know how the Maid came +by her end. For, so soon as Eastertide was over, and the truce +ended, she made no tarrying, nor even said farewell to the King, who +might have held her back, but drew out all her company, and rode +northward, whither she knew that battle was to be. Her mind was to +take some strong place on the Oise, as Pont l'Eveque, near Noyon, +that she might cut off them of Burgundy from all the country +eastward of Oise, and so put them out of the power to besiege +Compiegne, and might destroy all their host at Montdidier and in the +Beauvais country. For the Maid was not only the first of captains +in leading a desperate onslaught, but also (by miracle, for +otherwise it might not be) she best knew how to devise deep schemes +and subtle stratagem of war. + +Setting forth, therefore, early in April, on the fifteenth day of +the month she came to Melun, a town some seven leagues south of +Paris, that had lately yielded to the King. Bidding me walk with +her, she went afoot about the walls, considering what they lacked of +strength, and how they might best be repaired, and bidding me write +down all in a little book. Now we two, and no other, were walking +by the dry fosse of Melun, the day being very fair and warm for that +season, the flowers blossoming, and the birds singing so sweet and +loud as never I heard them before or since that day. + +The Maid stood still to listen, holding up her hand to me for +silence, when, lo! in one moment, in the midst of merry music, the +birds hushed suddenly. + +As I marvelled, for there was not a cloud in the sky, nor a breath +of cold wind, I beheld the Maid standing as I had seen her stand in +the farmyard of the mill by St. Denis. Her head was bare, and her +face was white as snow. So she stood while one might count a +hundred, and if ever any could say that he had seen the Maid under +fear, it was now. As I watched and wondered, she fell on her knees, +like one in prayer, and with her eyes set and straining, and with +clasped hands, she said these words--"Tell me of that day, and that +hour, or grant me, of your grace, that in the same hour I may die." + +Then she was silent for short space, and then, having drawn herself +upon her knees for three paces or four, she very reverently bowed +down, and kissed the ground. + +Thereafter she arose, and beholding me wan, I doubt not, she gently +laid her hand upon my shoulder, and, smiling most sweetly, she said +- + +"I know not what thou hast seen or heard, but promise, on thine +honour, that thou wilt speak no word to any man, save in confession +only, while I bear arms for France." + +Then humbly, and with tears, I vowed as she had bidden me, whereto +she only said - + +"Come, we loiter, and I have much to do, for the day is short." + +But whether the birds sang again, or stinted, I know not, for I +marked it not. + +But she set herself, as before, to consider the walls and the +fosses, bidding me write down in my little book what things were +needful. Nor was her countenance altered in any fashion, nor was +her wit less clear; but when we had seen all that was to be looked +to, she bade me call the chief men of the town to her house, after +vespers, and herself went into the Church of St. Michael to pray. + +Though I pondered much on this strange matter, which I laid up in my +heart, I never knew what, belike, the import was, till nigh a year +thereafter, at Rouen. + +But there one told me how the Maid, before her judges, had said +that, at Melun, by the fosse, her Saints had told her how she should +be made prisoner before the feast of St. John. And she had prayed +them to warn her of that hour, or in that hour might she die, but +they bade her endure all things patiently, and with a willing mind. +At that coming, then, of the Saints, I was present, though, being a +sinful man, I knew not that the Holy Ones were there. But the birds +knew, and stinted in their singing. + +Now that the Maid, knowing by inspiration her hour to be even at the +doors, and wotting well what the end of her captivity was like to +be, yet had the heart to put herself in jeopardy day by day, this I +deem the most valiant deed ever done by man or woman since the +making of the world. For scarce even Wallace wight would have stood +to his standard had he known, by teaching of them who cannot lie, +what end awaited him beyond all hope. Nay, he would have betaken +him to France, as once he did in time of less danger. + +Now, I pray you, consider who she was that showed this courage and +high heart. She was but the daughter of a manant, a girl of +eighteen years of age. Remember, then, what manner of creature such +a girl is of her nature; how weak and fearful; how she is +discomfited and abashed by the company of even one gentleman or lady +of noble birth; how ignorant she is of war; how fond to sport and +play with wenches of her own degree; how easily set on fire of love; +and how eager to be in the society of young men amorous. Pondering +all these things in your hearts, judge ye whether this Maid, the +bravest leader in breach, the wisest captain, having foreknowledge +of things hidden and of things to come, the most courteous lady who +ever with knights sat in hall, not knowing carnal love, nor bodily +fear, was aught but a thing miraculous, and a sister of the Saints. + + + +CHAPTER XXV--OF THE ONFALL AT PONT L'EVEQUE, AND HOW NORMAN LESLIE +WAS HURT + + + +I have now shown wherefore the fighting, in this spring, was to be +up and down the water of Oise, whence the villagers had withdrawn +themselves, of necessity, into the good towns. For the desire of +the Duke of Burgundy was to hold the Oise, and so take Compiegne, +the better to hold Paris. And on our side the skill was to cut his +army in two, so that from east of the water of Oise neither men nor +victual might come to him. + +Having this subtle device of war in her mind, the Maid rode north +from Melun, by the King's good towns, till she came to Compiegne, +that was not yet beleaguered. There they did her all the honour +that might be, and thither came to her standard Messire Jacques de +Chabennes, Messire Rigault de Fontaines, Messire Poton de +Xaintrailles, the best knight then on ground, and many other +gentlemen, some four hundred lances in all. {33} With these lances +the Maid consorted to attack Pont l'Eveque by a night onfall. This +is a small but very strong hold, on the Oise, some six leagues from +Compiegne, as you go up the river, and it lies near the town of +Noyon, which was held by the English. In Pont l'Eveque there was a +garrison of a hundred lances of the English, and our skill was to +break on them in the grey of dawn, when men least fear a surprise, +and are most easily taken. By this very device La Hire had seized +Compiegne but six years agone, wherefore our hope was the higher. +About five of the clock on an April day we rode out of Compiegne, a +great company,--too great, perchance, for that we had to do. For +our army was nigh a league in length as it went on the way, nor +could we move swiftly, for there were waggons with us and carts, +drawing guns and couleuvrines and powder, fascines wherewith to fill +the fosses, and ladders and double ladders for scaling the walls. +So the captains ordered it to be, for ever since that day by Melun +fosse, when the Saints foretold her captivity, the Maid submitted +herself in all things to the captains, which was never her manner +before. + +As we rode slowly, she was now at the head of the line, now in the +midst, now at the rear, wherever was need; and as I rode at her +rein, I took heart to say - + +"Madame, it is not thus that we have taken great keeps and holds, in +my country, from our enemies of England." + +"Nay," said she, checking her horse to a walk, and smiling on me in +the dusk with her kind eyes. "Then tell me how you order it in your +country." + +"Madame," I said, "it was with a little force, and lightly moving, +that Messire Thomas Randolph scaled the Castle rock and took +Edinburgh Castle out of the hands of the English, a keep so strong, +and set on a cliff so perilous, that no man might deem to win it by +sudden onfall. And in like manner the good Messire James Douglas +took his own castle, more than once or twice, by crafty stratagem of +war, so that the English named it Castle Perilous. But in every +such onfall few men fought for us, of such as could move secretly +and swiftly, not with long trains of waggons that cover a league of +road, and by their noise and number give warning to an enemy." + +"My mind is yours," she said, with a sigh, "and so I would have made +this onslaught. But I submitted me to the will of the captains." + +Through the night we pushed our way slowly, for in such a march none +may go swifter than the slowest, namely, the carts and the waggons. +Thus it befell that the Maid and the captains were in more thoughts +than one to draw back to Compiegne, for the night was clear, and the +dawn would be bright. And, indeed, after stumbling and wandering +long, and doubting of the way, we did, at last, see the church +towers and walls of Pont l'Eveque stand out against the clear sky of +morning, a light mist girdling the basement of the walls. Had we +been a smaller and swifter company, we should have arrived an hour +before the first greyness shows the shapes of things. But now, +alas! we no sooner saw the town than we heard the bells and trumpets +calling the townsfolk and men-at-arms to be on their ward. The +great guns of the keep roared at us so soon as we were in reach of +shot; nevertheless, Pothon and the Maid set companies to carry the +double ladders, for the walls were high, and others were told off to +bring up the fascines, and so, leaving our main battle to wait out +of shot, and come on as they were needed, the Maid and Pothon ran up +the first rampart, she waving her standard and crying that all was +ours. As we ran, for I must needs be by her side, the din of bells +and guns was worse than I had heard at Orleans, and on the top of +the church towers were men-at-arms waving flags, as if for a signal. +Howbeit, we sprang into the fosse, under shield, wary of stones cast +from above, and presently three ladders were set against the wall, +and we went up, the Maid leading the way. + +Now of what befell I know but little, save that I had so climbed +that I looked down over the wall, when the ladder whereon I stood +was wholly overthrown by two great English knights, and one of them, +by his coat armour, was Messire de Montgomery himself, who commanded +in Pont l'Eveque. Of all that came after I remember no more than a +flight through air, and the dead stroke of a fall on earth with a +stone above me. For such is the fortune of war, whereof a man knows +but his own share for the most part, and even that dimly. The eyes +are often blinded with swift running to be at the wall, and, what +with a helm that rings to sword-blows, and what with smoke, and +dust, and crying, and clamour, and roar of guns, it is but little +that many a man-at-arms can tell concerning the frays wherein, may +be, he has borne himself not unmanly. + +This was my lot at Pont l'Eveque, and I knew but little of what +passed till I found myself in very great anguish. For I had been +laid in one of the carts, and so was borne along the way we had +come, and at every turn of the wheels a new pang ran through me. +For my life I could not choose but groan, as others groaned that +were in the same cart with me. For my right leg was broken, also my +right arm, and my head was stounding as if it would burst. It was +late and nigh sunset or ever we won the gates of Compiegne, having +lost, indeed, but thirty men slain, but having wholly failed in our +onfall. For I heard in the monastery whither I was borne that, when +the Maid and Xaintrailles and their men had won their way within the +walls, and had slain certain of the English, and were pushing the +others hard, behold our main battle was fallen upon in the rear by +the English from Noyon, some two miles distant from Pont l'Eveque. +Therefore there was no help for it but retreat we must, driving back +the English to Noyon, while our wounded and all our munitions of war +were carried orderly away. + +As to the pains I bore in that monastery of the Jacobins, when my +broken bones were set by a very good surgeon, there is no need that +I should write. My fortune in war was like that of most men-at- +arms, or better than that of many who are slain outright in their +first skirmish. Some good fortune I had, as at St. Pierre, and +again, bad fortune, of which this was the worst, that I could not be +with the Maid: nay, never again did I ride under her banner. + +She, for her part, was not idle, but, after tarrying certain days in +Compiegne with Guillaume de Flavy, she rode to Lagny, "for there," +she said, "were men that warred well against the English," namely, a +company of our Scots. And among them, as later I heard in my bed, +was Randal Rutherford, who had ransomed himself out of the hands of +the French in Paris, whereat I was right glad. At Lagny, with her +own men and the Scots, the Maid fought and took one Franquet +d'Arras, a Burgundian "routier," or knight of the road, who +plundered that country without mercy. Him the Maid would have +exchanged for an Armagnac of Paris, the host of the Bear Inn, then +held in duresse by the English, for his share in a plot to yield +Paris to the King. But this burgess died in the hands of the +English, and the echevins {34} of Lagny, claiming Franquet d'Arras +as a common thief, traitor, and murderer, tried him, and, on his +confession, put him to death. This was counted a crime in the Maid +by the English and Burgundian robbers, nay, even by French and +Scots. "For," said they, "if a gentleman is to be judged like a +manant, or a fat burgess by burgesses, there is no more profit or +glory in war." Nay, I have heard gentlemen of France cry out that, +as the Maid gave up Franquet to such judges as would surely condemn +him, so she was rightly punished when Jean de Luxembourg sold her +into the hands of unjust judges. But I answer that the Maid did not +sell Franquet d'Arras, as I say De Luxembourg sold her: not a livre +did she take from the folk of Lagny. And as for the slaying of +robbers, this very Jean de Luxembourg had but just slain many +English of his own party, for that they burned and pillaged in the +Beauvais country. + +Yet men murmured against the Maid not only in their hearts, but +openly, and many men-at-arms ceased to love her cause, both for the +slaying of Franquet d'Arras, and because she was for putting away +the leaguer-lasses, and, when she might, would suffer no plundering. +Whether she was right or wrong, it behoves me not to judge, but this +I know, that the King's men fought best when she was best obeyed. +And, like Him who sent her, she was ever of the part of the poor and +the oppressed, against strong knights who rob and ravish and burn +and torture, and hold to ransom. Therefore the Archbishop of Reims, +who was never a friend of the Maid, said openly in a letter to the +Reims folk that "she did her own will, rather than obeyed the +commandments of God." But that God commands knights and gentlemen +to rob the poor and needy (though indeed He has set a great gulf +between a manant and a gentleman born) I can in nowise believe. For +my part, when I have been where gentlemen and captains lamented the +slaying of Franquet d'Arras, and justified the dealings of the +English with the Maid, I have seemed to hear the clamour of the +cruel Jews: "Tolle hunc, et dimitte nobis Barabbam." {35} For +Barabbas was a robber. Howbeit on this matter, as on all, I humbly +submit me to the judgment of my superiors and to Holy Church. + +Meantime the Maid rode from Lagny, now to Soissons, now to Senlis, +now to Crepy-en-Valois, and in Crepy she was when that befell which +I am about to relate. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI--HOW, AND BY WHOSE DEVICE, THE MAID WAS TAKEN AT +COMPIEGNE + + + +"Verily and indeed the Maid is of wonderful excellence," quoth +Father Francois to me, in my chamber at the Jacobins, where I was +healing of my hurts. + +"Any man may know that, who is in your company," the father went on +speaking. + +"And how, good father?" I asked him; "sure I have caught none of her +saintliness." + +"A saint I do not call you, but I scarce call you a Scot. For you +are a clerk." + +"The Maid taught me none of my clergy, father, nor have I taught her +any of mine." + +"She needs it not. But you are peaceful and gentle; you brawl not, +nor drink, nor curse . . . " + +"Nay, father, with whom am I to brawl, or how should I curse in your +good company? Find you Scots so froward?" + +"But now, pretending to be our friends, a band of them is harrying +the Sologne country . . . " + +"They will be Johnstons and Jardines, and wild wood folk of +Galloway," I said. "These we scarce reckon Scots, but rather Picts, +and half heathen. And the Johnstons and Jardines are here belike, +because they have made Scotland over hot to hold them. We are a +poor folk, but honest, let by the clans of the Land Debatable and of +Ettrick Forest, and the Border freebooters, and the Galloway Picts, +and Maxwells, and Glendinnings, and the red-shanked, jabbering +Highlanders and Islesmen, and some certain of the Angus folk, and, +maybe, a wild crew in Strathclyde." + +"Yours, then, is a very large country?" + +"About the bigness of France, or, may be, not so big. And the main +part of it, and the most lawful and learned, is by itself, in a +sort, a separate kingdom, namely Fife, whence I come myself. The +Lothians, too, and the shire of Ayr, if you except Carrick, are well +known for the lands of peaceful and sober men." + +"Whence comes your great captain, Sir Hugh Kennedy?" + +"There you name an honourable man-at-arms," I said, "the glory of +Scotland; and to show you I was right, he is none of your marchmen, +or Highlanders, but has lands in Ayrshire, and comes of a very +honourable house." + +"It is Sir Hugh that hath just held to ransom the King's good town +of Tours, where is that gracious lady the mother of the King's wife, +the Queen of Sicily." + +Hereat I waxed red as fire. + +"He will be in arrears of his pay, no doubt," I made answer. + +"It is very like," said Father Francois: "but considering all that +you tell me, I crave your pardon if I still think that the Blessed +Maid has won you from the common ways of your countrymen." + +To which, in faith, I had no answer to make, but that my fortune was +like to be the happier in this world and the next. + +"Much need have all men of her goodness, and we of her valour," said +the father, and he sighed. "This is now the fourth siege of +Compiegne I have seen, and twice have the leads from our roofs and +the metal of our bells been made into munition of war. Absit omen +Domine! And now they say the Duke of Burgundy has sworn to slay +all, and spare neither woman nor child." + +"A vaunt of war, father. Call they not him the Good Duke? When we +lay before Paris, the English put about a like lying tale concerning +us, as if we should sack and slay all." + +"I pray that you speak sooth," said Father Francois. + +On the next day, being May the twentieth, he came to me again, with +a wan face. + +"Burgundians are in Claroix," said he, "across the river, and yet +others, with Jean de Luxembourg, at Margny, scarce a mile away, at +the end of the causeway through the water meadows, beyond the +bridge. And the Duke is at Coudun, a league off to the right of +Claroix, and I have clomb the tower-top, and thence seen the English +at Venette, on the left hand of the causeway. All is undone." + +"Nay, father, be of better cheer. Our fort at the bridge end is +stronger than Les Tourelles were at Orleans. The English shot can +scarce cross the river. Bridge the enemy has none, and northward +and eastward all is open. Be of better heart, Heaven helps France." + +"We have sent to summon the Maid,' said he, "from Crepy-en-Valois. +In her is all my hope; but you speak lightly, for you are young, and +war is your trade." + +"And praying is yours, father, wherefore you should be bolder than +I." + +But he shook his head. + +So two days passed, and nothing great befell, but in the grey dawn +of May the twenty-third I was held awake by clatter of horsemen +riding down the street under the window of my chamber. And after +matins came Father Francois, his face very joyful, with the tidings +that the Maid, and a company of some three hundred lances of hers, +had ridden in from Crepy-en-Valois, she making her profit of the +darkness to avoid the Burgundians. + +Then I deemed that the enemy would soon have news of her, and all +that day I heard the bells ring merry peals, and the trumpets +sounding. About three hours after noonday Father Francois came +again, and told me that the Maid would make a sally, and cut the +Burgundians in twain; and now nothing would serve me but I must be +borne in a litter to the walls, and see her banner once more on the +wind. + +So, by the goodwill of Father Francois, some lay brethren bore me +forth from the convent, which is but a stone's-throw from the +bridge. They carried me across the Oise to a mill hard by the +boulevard of the Bridge fort, whence, from a window, I beheld all +that chanced. No man sitting in the gallery of a knight's hall to +see jongleurs play and sing could have had a better stance, or have +seen more clearly all the mischief that befell. + +The town of Compiegne lies on the river Oise, as Orleans on the +Loire, but on the left, not the right hand of the water. The bridge +is strongly guarded, as is custom, by a tower at the further end, +and, in front of that tower, a boulevard. All the water was gay to +look on, being covered with boats, as if for a holiday, but these +were manned by archers, whom Guillaume de Flavy had set to shoot at +the enemy, if they drove us back, and to rescue such of our men as +might give ground, if they could not win into the boulevard at the +bridge end. + +Beyond the boulevard, forth to the open country, lay a wide plain, +and behind it, closing it in, a long, low wall of steep hills. On +the left, a mile and a half away, Father Francois showed me the +church tower of Venette, where the English camped; to the right, a +league off, was the tower of Clairoix; and at the end of a long +raised causeway that ran from the bridge across the plain, because +of the winter floods, I saw the tower and the village of Margny. +All these towns and spires looked peaceful, but all were held by the +Burgundians. Men-at-arms were thick on the crest of our boulevard, +and on the gate-keep, all looking across the river towards the town, +whence the Maid should sally by way of the bridge. So there I lay +on a couch in the window and waited, having no fear, but great joy. + +Nay, never have I felt my spirit lighter within me, so that I +laughed and chattered like a fey man. The fresh air, after my long +lying in a chamber, stirred me like wine. The May sun shone warm, +yet cooled with a sweet wind of the west. The room was full of +women and maids, all waiting to throw flowers before the Maid, whom +they dearly loved. Everything had a look of holiday, and all was to +end in joy and great victory. So I laughed with the girls, and +listened to a strange tale, how the Maid had but of late brought +back to life a dead child at Lagny, so that he got his rights of +Baptism, and anon died again. + +So we fleeted the time, till about the fifth hour after noon, when +we heard the clatter of horses on the bridge; and some women waxed +pale. My own heart leaped up. The noise drew nearer, and presently +She rode across and forth, carrying her banner in the noblest +manner, mounted on a grey horse, and clad in a rich hucque of +cramoisie; she smiled and bowed like a queen to the people, who +cried, "Noel! Noel!" Beside her rode Pothon le Bourgignon (not +Pothon de Xaintrailles, as some have falsely said), her confessor +Pasquerel on a palfrey; her brother, Pierre du Lys, with his new +arms bravely blazoned; and her maitre d'hotel, D'Aulon. But of the +captains in Compiegne no one rode with her. She had but her own +company, and a great rude throng of footmen of the town that would +not be said nay. They carried clubs, and they looked, as I heard, +for no less than to take prisoner the Duke of Burgundy himself. +Certain of these men also bore spades and picks and other tools; for +the Maid, as I deem, intended no more than to take and hold Margny, +that so she might cut the Burgundians in twain, and sunder from them +the English at Venette. Now as the night was not far off, then at +nightfall would the English be in sore straits, as not knowing the +country and the country roads, and not having the power to join them +of Burgundy at Clairoix. This, one told me afterwards, was the +device of the Maid. + +Be this as it may, and a captain of hers, Barthelemy Barrette, told +me the tale, the Maid rode gallantly forth, flowers raining on her, +while my heart longed to be riding at her rein. She waved her hand +to Guillaume de Flavy, who sat on his horse by the gate of the +boulevard, and so, having arrayed her men, she cried, "Tirez avant!" +and made towards Margny, the foot-soldiers following with what speed +they might, while I and Father Francois, and others in the chamber, +strained our eyes after them. All the windows and roofs of the +houses and water-mills on the bridge were crowded with men and +women, gazing, and it came into my mind that Flavy had done ill to +leave these mills and houses standing. They wrought otherwise at +Orleans. This was but a passing thought, for my heart was in my +eyes, straining towards Margny. Thence now arose a great din, and +clamour of trumpets and cries of men-at-arms, and we could see +tumult, blown dust, and stir of men, and so it went for it may be +half of an hour. Then that dusty cloud of men and horses drove, +forward ever, out of our sight. + +The sun was now red and sinking above the low wall of the western +hills, and the air was thicker than it had been, and confused with a +yellow light. Despite the great multitude of men and women on the +city walls, there came scarcely a sound of a voice to us across the +wide river, so still they kept, and the archers in the boats beneath +us were silent: nay, though the chamber wherein I lay was thronged +with the people of the house pressing to see through the open +casement, yet there was silence here, save when the father prayed. + +A stronger wind rising out of the west now blew towards us with a +sweet burden of scent from flowers and grass, fragrant upon our +faces. So we waited, our hearts beating with hope and fear. + +Then I, whose eyes were keen, saw, blown usward from Margny, a cloud +of flying dust, that in Scotland we call stour. The dust rolled +white along the causeway towards Compiegne, and then, alas! forth +from it broke little knots of our men, foot-soldiers, all running +for their lives. Behind them came more of our men, and more, all +running, and then mounted men-at-arms, spurring hard, and still more +and more of these; and ever the footmen ran, till many riders and +some runners had crossed the drawbridge, and were within the +boulevard of the bridge. There they stayed, sobbing and panting, +and a few were bleeding. But though the foremost runaways thus won +their lives, we saw others roll over and fall as they ran, tumbling +down the sides of the causeway, and why they fell I knew not. + +But now, in the midst of the causeway, between us and Margny, our +flying horsemen rallied under the Maiden's banner, and for the last +time of all, I heard that clear girl's voice crying, "Tirez en +avant! en avant!" + +Anon her horsemen charged back furiously, and drove the Picards and +Burgundians, who pursued, over a third part of the raised roadway. + +But now, forth from Margny, trooped Burgundian men-at-arms without +end or number, the banner of the Maid waved wildly, now up, now +down, in the mad mellay, and ever they of Burgundy pressed on, and +still our men, being few and outnumbered, gave back. Yet still some +of the many clubmen of the townsfolk tumbled over as they ran, and +the drawbridge was choked with men flying, thrusting and thronging, +wild and blind with the fear of death. Then rose on our left one +great cry, such as the English give when they rejoice, or when they +charge, and lo! forth from a little wood that had hidden them, came +galloping and running across the heavy wet meadowland between us and +Venette, the men-at-arms and the archers of England. Then we nigh +gave up all for lost, and fain I would have turned my eyes away, but +I might not. + +Now and again the English archers paused, and loosed a flight of +clothyard shafts against the stream of our runaways on the bridge. +Therefore it was that some fell as they ran. But the little company +of our horsemen were now driven back so near us that I could plainly +see the Maid, coming last of all, her body swung round in the saddle +as she looked back at the foremost foemen, who were within a lance's +length of her. And D'Aulon and Pierre du Lys, gripping each at her +reins, were spurring forward. But through the press of our clubmen +and flying horsemen they might not win, and now I saw, what never +man saw before, the sword of the Maid bare in battle! She smote on +a knight's shield, her sword shivered in that stroke, she caught her +steel sperthe into her hand, and struck and hewed amain, and there +were empty saddles round her. + +And now the English in the meadow were within four lances' lengths +of the causeway between her and safety. Say it I must, nor cannon- +ball nor arrow-flight availed to turn these English. Still the +drawbridge and the inlet of the boulevard were choked with the +press, and men were leaping from bank and bridge into the boats, or +into the water, while so mixed were friends and foes that Flavy, in +a great voice, bade archers and artillerymen hold their hands. + +Townsfolk, too, were mingled in the throng, men who had come but to +gape as curious fools, and among them I saw the hood of a cordelier, +as I glanced from the fight to mark how the Maid might force her way +within. Still she smote, and D'Aulon and Pierre du Lys smote +manfully, and anon they gained a little way, backing their horses, +while our archers dared not shoot, so mixed were French, English, +and Burgundians. + +Flavy, who worked like a man possessed, had turned about to give an +order to the archers above him; his back, I swear, was to the press +of flying men, to the inlet of the boulevard, and to the drawbridge, +when his own voice, as all deemed who heard it, cried aloud, "Up +drawbridge, close gates, down portcullis!" The men whose duty it +was were standing ready at the cranks and pulleys, their tools in +hand, and instantly, groaning, the drawbridge flew up, casting into +the water them that were flying across, down came the portcullis, +and slew two men, while the gates of the inlet of the boulevard were +swung to and barred, all, as it might he said, in the twinkling of +an eye. + +Flavy turned in wrath and great amaze: "In God's name, who cried?" +he shouted. "Down drawbridge, up portcullis, open gates! To the +front, men-at-arms, lances forward!" + +For most of the mounted men who had fled were now safe, and on foot, +within the boulevard. + +All this I heard and saw, in a glance, while my eyes were fixed on +the Maid and the few with her. They were lost from our sight, now +and again, in a throng of Picards, Englishmen, Burgundians, for all +have their part in this glory. Swords and axes fell and rose, +steeds countered and reeled, and then, they say, for this thing I +myself did not see, a Picard archer, slipping under the weapons and +among the horses' hoofs, tore the Maid from saddle by the long +skirts of her hucque, and they were all upon her. This befell +within half a stone's-throw of the drawbridge. While Flavy himself +toiled with his hands, and tore at the cranks and chains, the Maid +was taken under the eyes of us, who could not stir to help her. Now +was the day and the hour whereof the Saints told her not, though she +implored them with tears. Now in the throng below I heard a laugh +like the sound of a saw on stone, and one struck him that laughed on +the mouth. It was the laugh of that accursed Brother Thomas! + +I had laid my face on my hands, being so weak, and was weeping for +very rage at that which my unhappy eyes had seen, when I heard the +laugh, and lifting my head and looking forth, I beheld the hood of +the cordelier. + +"Seize him!" I cried to Father Francois, pointing down at the +cordelier. "Seize that Franciscan, he has betrayed her! Run, man, +it was he who cried in Flavy's voice, bidding them raise drawbridge +and let fall portcullis. The devil gave him that craft to +counterfeit men's voices. I know the man. Run, Father Francois, +run!" + +"You are distraught with very grief," said the good father, the +tears running down his own cheeks; "that is Brother Thomas, the best +artilleryman in France, and Flavy's chief trust with the +couleuvrine. He came in but four days agone, and there was great +joy of his coming." + +Thus was the Maid taken, by art and device of the devil and Brother +Thomas, and in no otherwise. They who tell that Flavy sold her, +closing the gates in her face, do him wrong; he was an ill man, but +loyal to France, as was seen by the very defence he made at +Compiegne, for there was none like it in this war. But of what +avail was that to us who loved the Maid? Rather, many times, would +I have died in that hour than have seen what I saw. For our enemies +made no more tarrying, nor any onslaught on the boulevard, but rode +swiftly back with the prize they had taken, with her whom they +feared more than any knight or captain of France. This page whereon +I work, in a hand feeble and old, and weary with much writing, is +blotted with tears that will not be held in. But we must bow humbly +to the will of God and of His Saints. "Dominus dedit, et Dominus +abstulit; benedictum sit nomen Domini." + +Wherefore should I say more? They carried me back in litter over +the bridge, through the growing darkness. Every church was full of +women weeping and praying for her that was the friend of them, and +the playmate of their children, for all children she dearly loved. + +Concerning Flavy, it was said, by them who loved him not, that he +showed no sign of sorrow. But when his own brother Louis fell, +later in the siege, a brother whom he dearly loved, none saw him +weep, or alter the fashion of his countenance; nay, he bade +musicians play music before him. + +I besought the Prior, when I was borne home, that I might be carried +to Flavy, and tell him that I knew. But he forbade me, saying that, +in very truth, I knew nought, or nothing that could be brought +against a Churchman, and one in a place of trust. For I had not +seen the lips of the cordelier move when that command was given-- +nay, at the moment I saw him not at all. Nor could I even prove to +others that he had this devilish art, there being but my oath +against his, and assuredly he would deny the thing. And though I +might be assured and certain within myself, yet other witness I had +none at all, nor were any of my friends there who could speak with +me. For D'Aulon, and Pasquerel, and Pierre du Lys had all been +taken with the Maid. It was long indeed before Pierre du Lys was +free, for he had no money to ransom himself withal. Therefore +Flavy, knowing me only for a wounded Scot of the Maid's, would think +me a brainsick man, and as like as not give me more of Oise river to +drink than I craved. + +With these reasonings it behoved me to content myself. The night I +passed in prayers for the Maid, and for myself, that I might yet do +justice on that devil, or, at least, might see justice done. But +how these orisons were answered shall be seen in the end, whereto I +now hasten. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII--HOW NORMAN LESLIE FARED IN COMPIEGNE, WITH THE END +OFTHAT LEAGUER + + + +About all that befell in the besieged city of Compiegne, after that +wicked day of destiny when the Maid was taken, I heard for long only +from the Jacobin brothers, and from one Barthelemy Barrette. He was +a Picardy man, more loyal than most of his country, who had joined +the Maid after the fray at Paris. Now he commanded a hundred of her +company, who did not scatter after she was taken, and he was the +best friend I then had. + +"The burgesses are no whit dismayed," said he, coming into my +chamber after the day of the Ascension, which was the second after +the capture of the Maid. "They have sent a messenger to the King, +and expect succour." + +"They sue for grace at a graceless face," said I, in the country +proverb; for my heart was hot against King Charles. + +"That is to be seen," said be. "But assuredly the Duke of Burgundy +is more keen about his own business." + +"How fare the Burgundians?" I asked, "for, indeed, I have heard the +guns speak since dawn, but none of the good fathers cares to go even +on to the roof of the church tower and bring me tidings, for fear of +a stray cannon-ball." + +"For holy men they are wondrous chary of their lives," said +Barthelemy, laughing. "Were I a monk, I would welcome death that +should unfrock me, and let me go a-wandering in Paradise among these +fair lady saints we see in the pictures." + +"It is written, Barthelemy, that there is neither marrying nor +giving in marriage." + +"Faith, the more I am fain of it," said Barthelemy, "and may be I +might take the wrong track, and get into the Paradise of Mahound, +which, I have heard, is no ill place for a man-at-arms." + +This man had no more faith than a paynim, but, none the less, was a +stout carl in war. + +"But that minds me," quoth he, "of the very thing I came hither to +tell you. One priest there is in Compiegne who takes no keep of his +life, a cordelier. What ails you, man? does your leg give a +twinge?" + +"Ay, a shrewd twinge enough." + +"Truly, you look pale enough." + +"It is gone," I said. "Tell me of that cordelier." + +"Do you see this little rod?" he asked, putting in my hand a wand of +dark wood, carven with the head of a strange beast in a cowl. + +"I see it." + +"How many notches are cut in it?" + +"Five," I said. "But why spoil you your rod?" + +"Five men of England or Burgundy that cordelier shot this day, from +the creneaux of the boulevard where the Maid," crossing himself, +"was taken. A fell man he is, strong and tall, with a long hooked +nose, and as black as Sathanas." + +"How comes he in arms?" I asked. + +"Flavy called him in from Valenciennes, where he was about some +business of his own, for there is no greater master of the culverin. +And, faith, as he says, he 'has had rare sport, and will have for +long.'" + +"Was there an onfall of the enemy?" + +"Nay, they are over wary. He shot them as they dug behind pavises. +{36} For the Duke has moved his quarters to Venette, where the +English lay, hard by the town. And, right in the middle of the +causeway to Margny, two arrow-shots from our bridge end, he is +letting build a great bastille, and digging a trench wherein men may +go to and fro. The cordelier was as glad of that as a man who has +stalked a covey of partridges. 'Keep my tally for me,' he said to +myself; 'cut a notch for every man I slay'; and here," said +Barthelemy, waving his staff, "is his first day's reckoning." + +Now I well saw what chance I had of bringing that devil to justice, +for who would believe so strange a tale as mine against one so +serviceable in the war? Nor was D'Aulon here to speak for me, the +enemy having taken him when they took the Maid. Thinking thus, I +groaned, and Barthelemy, fearing that he had wearied me, said +farewell, and went out. + +Every evening, after sunset, he would come in, and partly cheer me, +by telling how hardily our people bore them, partly break my heart +with fresh tidings of that devil, Brother Thomas. + +"Things go not ill, had we but hope of succour," he said. "The +Duke's bastille is rising, indeed, and the Duke is building taudis +{37} of oaken beams and earth, between the bastille and our +boulevard. The skill is to draw nearer us, and nearer, till he can +mine beneath our feet. Heard you any new noise of war this day?" + +"I heard such a roar and clatter as never was in my ears, whether at +Orleans or Paris." + +"And well you might! This convent is in the very line of the fire. +They have four great bombards placed, every one of them with a +devilish Netherland name of its own. There is Houpembiere,--that +means the beer-barrel, I take it,--and La Rouge Bombarde, and +Remeswalle and Quincequin, every one shooting stone balls thirty +inches in girth. The houses on the bridge are a heap of stones, the +mills are battered down, and we must grind our meal in the city, in +a cellar, for what I can tell. Nom Dieu! when they take the +boulevard we lose the river, and if once they bar our gates to the +east, whence shall viands come?" + +"Is there no good tidings from the messenger?" + +"The King answers ever like a drawer in a tavern, 'Anon, anon, sir!' +He will come himself presently, always presently, with all his +host." + +"He will never come," I said. "He is a . . . " + +"He is my King," said Barthelemy. "Curse your own King of Scots, if +you will. Scots, by the blood of Iscariot, traitors are they; well, +I crave your pardon, I spake in haste and anger. Know you Nichole +Cammet?" + +"I have heard of the man," I said. "A town's messenger, is he not?" + +"The same. But a week agone, Cammet was sent on a swift horse to +Chateau Thierry. The good town craved of Pothon de Xaintrailles, +who commands there, to send them what saltpetre he could spare for +making gunpowder. The saltpetre came in this day by the Pierrefonds +Gate, and Cammet with it, but on another horse, a jade." + +"Well, and what have the Scots to do with that?" + +"No more than this. A parcel of them, routiers and brigands, have +crept into an old castle on the road, and hold it for their own +hands. Thence they sallied forth after Cammet, and so chased him +that his horse fell down dead under him in the gateway of Chateau +Thierry." + +"They would be men of the Land Debatable," I cried: "Elliots and +Armstrongs, they never do a better deed, being corrupted by dwelling +nigh our enemies of England. Fain would I pay for that horse; see +here," and I took forth my purse from under my pillow, "take that to +the attournes, and say a Scot atones for what Scots have done." + +"Norman, I take back my word; I crave your pardon, and I am shamed +to have spoken so to a sick man of his own countryfolk. But for +your purse, I am ill at carrying purses; I have no skill in that +art, and the dice draw me when I hear the rattle of them. But look +at the cordelier's tally: four men to-day, three yesterday; faith, +he thins them!" + +Indeed, to shorten a long story, by the end of Barthelemy's count +there were two hundred and thirty-nine notches on the rod. That he +kept a true score (till he stinted and reckoned no more), I know, +having proof from the other side. For twelve years thereafter, I +falling into discourse with Messire Georges Chastellain, an esquire +of the Duke of Burgundy, and a maker both of verse and prose, he +told me the same tale to a man, three hundred men. And I make no +doubt but that he has written it in his book of the praise of his +prince, and of these wars, to witness if I lie. + +Consider, then, what hope I had of being listened to by Flavy, or by +the attournes (or, as we say, bailies), of the good town, if, being +recovered from my broken limbs, I brought my witness to their ears. + +None the less, the enemy battered at us every day with their +engines, destroying, as Barthelemy had said, the houses on the +bridge, and the mills, so that they could no longer grind the corn. + +And now came the Earls of Huntingdon and Arundel, with two thousand +Englishmen, while to us appeared no succour. So at length, being +smitten by balls from above, and ruined by mines dug under earth +from below, our company that held the boulevard at the bridge end +were surprised in the night, and some were taken, some drowned in +the river Oise. Wherefore was great sorrow and fear, the more for +that the Duke of Burgundy let build a bridge of wood from Venette, +to come and go across Oise, whereby we were now assailed on both +hands, for hitherto we had been free to come and go on the landward +side, and through all the forest of Pierrefonds. We had but one +gate unbeleaguered, the Chapel Gate, leading to Choisy and the +north-east. Now were we straitened for provender, notably for fresh +meat, and men were driven, as in a city beleaguered, to eat the +flesh of dead horses, and even of rats and dogs, whereof I have +partaken, and it is ill food. + +None the less we endured, despite the murmuring of the commons, so +strong are men's hearts; moreover, all France lay staked on this one +cast of the dice, no less than at Orleans in the year before. + +Somewhat we were kept in heart by tidings otherwise bitter. For +word came that the Maid, being in ward at Beaurevoir, a strong place +of Jean de Luxembourg, had leaped in the night from the top of the +tower, and had, next morning, been taken up all unhurt, as by, +miracle, but astounded and bereft of her senses. For this there was +much sorrow, but would to God that He had taken her to Himself in +that hour! + +Nevertheless, when she was come to herself again, she declared, by +inspiration of the Saints, that Compiegne should be delivered before +the season of Martinmas. Whence I, for one, drew great comfort, nor +ever again despaired, and many were filled with courage when this +tidings came to our ears, hoping for some miracle, as at Orleans. + +Now, too, God began to take pity upon us; for, on August the +fifteenth, the eighty-fifth day of the siege, came news to the Duke +of Burgundy that Philip, Duke of Brabant, was dead, and he must go +to make sure of that great heritage. The Duke having departed, the +English Earls had far less heart for the leaguer; I know not well +wherefore, but now, at least, was seen the truth of that proverb +concerning the "eye of the master." The bastille, too, which our +enemies had made to prevent us from going out by our Pierrefonds +Gate on the landward side, was negligently built, and of no great +strength. All this gave us some heart, so much that my hosts, the +good Jacobins, and the holy sisters of the Convent of St. John, +stripped the lead from their roofs, and bestowed it on the town, for +munition of war. And when I was in case to walk upon the walls, and +above the river, I might see men and boys diving in the water and +searching for English cannon-balls, which we shot back at the +English. + +It chanced, one day, that I was sitting and sunning myself in the +warm September weather, on a settle in a secure place hard by the +Chapel Gate. With me was Barthelemy Barrette, for it was the day of +Our Lady's Feast, that very day whereon we had failed before Paris +last year, and there was truce for the sacred season. We fell to +devising of what had befallen that day year, and without thought I +told Barthelemy of my escape from prison, and so, little by little, +I opened my heart to him concerning Brother Thomas and all his +treasons. + +Never was man more astounded than Barthelemy; and he bade me swear +by the Blessed Trinity that all this tale was true. + +"Mayhap you were fevered," he said, "when you lay in the casement +seat, and saw the Maid taken by device of the cordelier." + +"I was no more fevered than I am now, and I swear, by what oath you +will, and by the bones of St. Andrew, which these sinful hands have +handled, that Flavy's face was set the other way when that cry came, +'Down portcullis, up drawbridge, close gates!' And now that I have +told you the very truth, what should I do?" + +"Brother Thomas should burn for this," quoth Barthelemy; "but not +while the siege endures. He carries too many English lives in his +munition-box. Nor can you slay him in single combat, or at +unawares, for the man is a priest. Nor would Flavy, who knows you +not, listen to such a story." + +So there he sat, frowning, and plucking at his beard. "I have it," +he said; "D'Aulon is no further off than Beaulieu, where Jean de +Luxembourg holds him till he pays his ransom. When the siege is +raised, if ever we are to have succour, then purchase safe-conduct +to D'Aulon, take his testimony, and bring it to Flavy." + +As he spoke, some stir in the still air made me look up, and +suddenly throw my body aside; and it was well, for a sword swept +down from the low parapet above our heads, and smote into the back +of that settle whereon we were sitting. + +Ere I well knew what had chanced, Barthelemy was on his feet, his +whinger flew from his hand, and he, leaping up on to the parapet, +was following after him who smote at me. + +In the same moment a loud grating voice cried--"The Maid shall burn, +and not the man," and a flash of light went past me, the whinger +flying over my head and clipping into the water of the moat below." + +Rising as I best might, but heedfully, I spied over the parapet, and +there was Barthelemy coming back, his naked sword in his hand. + +"The devil turned a sharp corner and vanished," he said. "And now +where are we? We have a worse foe within than all the men of +Burgundy without. There goes the devil's tally!" he cried, and +threw the little carven rod far from him into the moat, where it +fell and floated. + +"No man saw this that could bear witness; most are in church, where +you and I should have been," I said. + +Then we looked on each other with blank faces. + +"My post is far from his, and my harness is good," said Barthelemy; +"but for you, beware!" Thenceforth, if I saw any cowl of a +cordelier as I walked, I even turned and went the other way. + +I was of no avail against this wolf, whom all men praised, so +serviceable was he to the town. + +Once an arbalest bolt struck my staff from my hand as I walked, and +I was fain to take shelter of a corner, yet saw not whence the shot +came. + +Once a great stone fell from a turret, and broke into dust at my +feet, and it is not my mind that a cannon-ball had loosened it. + +Thus my life went by in dread and watchfulness. No more bitter +penance may man dree than was mine, to be near this devil, and have +no power to avenge my deadly quarrel. There were many heavy hearts +in the town; for, once it was taken, what man could deem his life +safe, or what woman her honour? But though they lay down and rose +up in fear, and were devoured by desire of revenge, theirs was no +such thirst as mine. + +So the days went on, and darkened towards the promised season of +Martinmas, but there dawned no light of hope. Now, on the Wednesday +before All Saints, I had clambered up into the tower of the Church +of the Jacobins, on the north-east of the city, whence there was a +prospect far and wide. With me were only two of the youngest of the +fathers. I looked down into the great forest of Pierrefonds, and up +and down Oise, and beheld the army of our enemies moving in divers +ways. The banners of the English and their long array were crossing +the Duke of Burgundy's new bridge of wood, that he had builded from +Venette, and with them the men of Jean de Luxembourg trooped towards +Royaulieu. On the crest of their bastille, over against our +Pierrefonds Gate, matches were lighted and men were watching in +double guard, and the same on the other side of the water, at the +Gate Margny. Plainly our foes expected a rescue sent to us of +Compiegne by our party. But the forest, five hundred yards from our +wall, lay silent and peaceable, a sea of brown and yellow leaves. + +Then, while the English and Burgundian men-at-arms, that had marched +south and east, were drawn up in order of battle away to the right +between wood and water, behold, trumpets sounded, faint enough, +being far off. Then there was a glitter of the pale sun on long +lines of lance-points, under the banners of French captains, issuing +out from the forest, over against the enemy. We who stood on the +tower gazed long at these two armies, which were marshalled orderly, +with no more than a bowshot and a half between them, and every +moment we looked to see them charge upon each other with the lance. +Much we prayed to the Saints, for now all our hope was on this one +cast. They of Burgundy and of England dismounted from their horses, +for the English ever fight best on foot, and they deemed that the +knights of France would ride in upon them, and fall beneath the +English bows, as at Azincour and Crecy. We, too, looked for nought +else; but the French array never stirred, though here and there a +knight would gallop forth to do a valiance. Seldom has man seen a +stranger sight in war, for the English and Burgundians could not +charge, being heavy-armed men on foot, and the French would not move +against them, we knew not wherefore. + +All this spectacle lay far off, to the south, and we could not be +satisfied with wondering at it nor turn away our eyes, when, on the +left, a trumpet rang out joyously. Then, all of us wheeling round +as one man, we saw the most blessed sight, whereto our backs had +been turned; for, into the Chapel Gate--that is, far to the left of +the Pierrefonds Gate on the north-east--were streaming cattle, sheep +and kine, pricked on and hastened by a company of a hundred men-at- +arms. They had come by forest paths from Choisy way, and anon all +our guns on the boulevard of the Pierrefonds Gate burst forth at +once against the English bastille over against it. Now this +bastille, as I have said, had never been strongly builded, and, in +some sort, was not wholly finished. + +After one great volley of guns against the bastille, we, looking +down into our boulevard of the Pierrefonds Gate, saw the portcullis +raised, the drawbridge lowered, and a great array of men-at-arms +carrying ladders rush out, and charge upon the bastille. Then, +through the smoke and fire, they strove to scale the works, and for +the space of half an hour all was roar of guns; but at length our +men came back, leaving many slain, and the running libbards grinned +on the flag of England. + +I might endure no longer, but, clambering down the tower stairs as +best I might, for I was still lame, I limped to my lodgings at the +Jacobins, did on my harness, and, taking a horse from the stable, I +mounted and rode to the Pierrefonds Gate. For Brother Thomas and +his murderous ways I had now no care at all. + +Never, sure, saw any man such a sight. Our boulevard was full, not +only of men-at-arms, but of all who could carry clubs, burgesses +armed, old men, boys, yea, women and children, some with rusty +swords, some with carpenters' axes, some bearing cudgels, some with +hammers, spits, and knives, all clamouring for the portcullis to +rise and let them forth. Their faces were lean and fierce, their +eyes were like eyes of wolves, for now, they cried, was the hour, +and the prophecy of the Maid should be fulfilled! Verily, though +she lay in bonds, her spirit was with us on that day! + +But still our portcullis was down, and the long tail of angry people +stretched inwards, from the inner mouth of the boulevard, along the +street, surging like a swollen loch against its barrier. + +On the crest of the boulevard was Flavy, baton in hand, looking +forth across field and forest, watching for I knew not what, while +still the people clamoured to be let go. But he stood like the +statue of a man-at-arms, and from the bastille of the Burgundians +the arrows rained around him, who always watched, and was still. +Now the guards of the gate had hard work to keep the angry people +back, who leaped and tore at the men-at-arms arrayed in front of +them, and yelled for eagerness to issue forth and fight. + +Suddenly, on the crest of the boulevard, Flavy threw up his arm and +gave one cry - + +"Xaintrailles!" + +Then he roared to draw up portcullis and open gates; the men-at-arms +charged forth, the multitude trampled over each other to be first in +field, I was swept on and along with them through the gate, and over +the drawbridge, like a straw on a wave, and, lo! a little on our +left was the banner of Pothon de Xaintrailles, his foremost men +dismounting, the rearguard just riding out from the forest. The two +bands joined, we from Compiegne, the four hundred of Xaintrailles +from the wood, and, like two swollen streams that meet, we raced +towards the bastille, under a rain of arrows and balls. Nothing +could stay us: a boy fell by my side with an arrow thrilling in his +breast, but his brother never once looked round. I knew not that I +could run, but run I did, though not so fast as many, and before I +reached the bastille our ladders were up, and the throng was +clambering, falling, rising again, and flowing furiously into the +fort. The townsfolk had no thought but to slay and slay; five or +six would be at the throat of one Burgundian man-at-arms; hammers +and axes were breaking up armour, knives were scratching and +searching for a crevice; women, lifting great stone balls, would +stagger up to dash them on the heads of the fallen. Of the whole +garrison, one-half, a hundred and sixty men-at-arms, were put to the +sword. Only Pothon de Xaintrailles, and the gentlemen with him, as +knowing the manner of war, saved and held to ransom certain knights, +as Messire Jacques de Brimeu, the Seigneur de Crepy, and others; +while, for my own part, seeing a knight assailed by a knot of +clubmen, I struck in on his part, for gentle blood must ever aid +gentle blood, and so, not without shrewd blows on my salade, I took +to ransom Messire Collart de Bertancourt. + +Thereafter, very late, and in the twilight of October the twenty- +fifth, we turned back to Compiegne, leaving the enemies' bastille in +a flame behind us, while in front were blazing the bonfires of the +people of the good town. And, in Compiegne, we heard how the +English and the main army of Burgundians had turned, late in the +day, and crossed by the Duke of Burgundy's bridge, leaving men to +keep guard there. So our victory was great, and wise had been the +prudence of the French captains, subtlety being the mother of +victory; for, without a blow struck, they had kept Jean de +Luxembourg, and the Earls of Huntingdon and Arundel, waiting idle +all day, while their great bastille was taken by Xaintrailles and +the townsfolk, and food was brought into Compiegne. Thus for the +second time I passed a night of joy in a beleaguered town, for there +was music in every street, the churches full of people praising God +for this great deliverance, men and maids dancing around bonfires, +yet good watch was kept at the gates and on the towers. Next day we +expected battle, but our spies brought in tidings that Burgundians +and English had decamped in the dawn, their men deserting. That day +was not less joyful than the night had been; for at Royaulieu, in +the abbey where Jean de Luxembourg had lain, the townsfolk found all +manner of meat, and of wine great plenty, so right good cheer we +made, for it cost us nothing. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII--HOW THE BURGUNDIANS HUNTED HARES, WITH THE END OF +THAT HUNTING + + + +"Tell me, what tidings of him?" Barthelemy Barrette asked me, on the +day after that unbought feast at Royaulieu. + +He was sitting in the noonday sun on the bridge of Compiegne, and +strange it was to see the place so battered yet so peaceful after +five months of war. The Oise sliding by and rippling on the piers +was not more quiet than this bridge of many battles, yet black in +places with dried-up blood of men slain. "Tidings can I find none," +I answered. "He who saw the cordelier last was on guard in the +boulevard during the great charge. He marked Brother Thomas level +his couleuvrine now and again, as we ran for the bastille, and cried +out to him to aim higher, for that the ball would go amongst us." + +"You were his target, I make no doubt," said Barthelemy, "but by +reason of the throng he had no certain aim." + +"After we broke into the bastille, I can find no man who has set +eyes on him," and I cursed the cordelier for very rage. + +"He is well away, if he stays away: you and I need scarce any +longer pray for eyes in the backs of our heads. But what make we +next?" + +"I have but one thought," I said: "to pluck the Maid out of the +hands of the English, for now men say that she is sold to them by +Jean of Luxembourg. They mean to take her to Arras, and so by +Crotoy at the mouth of Seine, and across Normandy to Rouen. Save +her France must, for the honour of France." + +"My mind is the same," he said, and fell into a muse. "Hence the +straight road, and the shortest," he said at last, "is by Beauvais +on to Rouen, where she will lie in chains," and drawing his dagger +he scratched lines on the bridge parapet with its point. "Here is +Compiegne; there, far to the west, is the sea, and here is Rouen. +That straight line," which he scratched, "goes to Rouen from +Compiegne. Here, midway, is Beauvais, whereof we spoke, which town +we hold. But there, between us and Beauvais, is Clermont, held by +Crevecoeur for the Burgundians, and here, midway between Beauvais +and Rouen, is Gournay, where Kyriel and the Lord Huntingdon lie with +a great force of English. Do you comprehend? We must first take +Clermont ere we can ride to rescue the Maid at Rouen!" + +"The King should help us," I said. "For what is the army that has +delivered Compiegne but a set of private bands, under this +gentleman's flag or that, some with Boussac, some with Xaintrailles, +some with a dozen others, and victuals are hard to come by." + +"Ay, many a peaceful man sits by the fire and tells how great +captains should have done this, and marched there, never thinking +that men fight on their bellies. And the King should help us, and +march with D'Alencon through Normandy from the south, while our +companies take Clermont if we may, and drive back the English and +Burgundians. But you know the King, and men say that the Archbishop +of Reims openly declares that the Maid is rightly punished for her +pride. He has set up a mad shepherd-boy to take her place, Heaven +help him! who can fight as well as that stone can swim," and he +dropped a loose stone over the bridge into the water. + +"Whoever stays at home, we take the field," I said; "let us seek +counsel of Xaintrailles." + +We rose and went to the Jacobins, where Xaintrailles was lodged, and +there found him at his dejeuner. + +He was a tall young knight, straight as a lance, lean as a +greyhound; for all his days his sword had won his meat; and he was +hardy, keen, and bright, with eyes of steel in a scarred face, and +his brow was already worn bald with the helmet. When he walked his +legs somewhat straggled apart, by reason of his much riding. + +Xaintrailles received us in the best manner, we telling him that we +had ridden with the Maid, that I was of her own household, and that +to save her we were willing to go far, and well knew that under no +banner could we be so forward as under his. + +"I would all my company were as honest as I take you twain to be," +he said, "and I gladly receive you under my colours with any men you +can bring." + +"Messire, I have a handful of horse of the Maid's company," said +Barthelemy, hardily; "but when do we march, for to-day is better +than to-morrow." + +"As soon as may be," said the knight; "the Marechal de Boussac leads +us against Clermont. That town we cannot leave behind us when we +set forth from Beauvais. But, with these great bombards, which we +have won from the Burgundians, we may have reason of Clermont, and +then," clapping his hands together, and looking up, "then for Rouen! +We shall burst the cage and free the bird, God willing!" + +He stood like one in prayer, crossing himself, and our hearts turned +to him in loyalty. + +"If but the King will send a force to join hands with La Hire in +Louviers, the English shall have news of you, Messire!" I made bold +to say. + +"Ay, if!" quoth Xaintrailles, and his face grew darker, "but we must +make good speedy for the midwinter draws nigh." + +Therewith we left him, and, in few days, were marching on Clermont, +dragging with long trains of horses the great bombards of the +Burgundians. + +To our summons Messire de Crevecoeur answered knightly, that +Clermont he would hold till death or rescue, so we set to battering +his house about his ears. But, alas! after four days a sentinel of +ours saw, too late, an English knight with nine men slip through the +vines, under cover of darkness, and win a postern gate in the town +wall. Soon we heard a joy-fire of guns within Clermont town, and +foreboded the worst. At midnight came a peasant to Xaintrailles, +with tidings that a rescue was riding to Clermont, and next morning +it was boots and saddles and away, so hastily that we left behind us +the great bombards of the Burgundians. On this they made much +mirth; but they laugh best who laugh last, as shall he seen. + +And the cause of our going was that the Earl of Huntingdon had +ridden out of Gournay, in Normandy, with a great force of English, +to deliver Clermont. Against foes within the town and foes without +the town the captains judged that we were of no avail. So we +departed, heavy at heart. Now the companies scattered, and +Barthelemy and I, sorry enough, rode behind Xaintrailles, due north +to Guermigny, whence we threatened Amiens. + +At Guermigny, then, for a short season, lay Xaintrailles, gathering +all the force he might along the Picardy marches, for the Duke of +Burgundy was in Peronne, full of wrath and sorrow, so many evils had +befallen him. For ourselves, we were in no gentler temper, having +lost our hope of pushing on to Rouen. + +I was glad, therefore, when Xaintrailles himself rode one day to the +door of our lodging in Guermigny, strode clanging into our chamber, +and asked if we were alone? We telling him that none was within +ear-shot, he sat him down on the table, playing with his dagger +hilt, and, with his hawk's eye on Barthelemy, asked, "You know this +land well?" + +"I have ridden over it, in war or peace, since I was a boy." + +"How far to Lihons?" + +"A matter of two leagues." + +"What manner of country lies between?" + +"Chiefly plain, rude and untilled, because of the distresses of +these times. There is much heath and long grasses, a great country +for hares." + +"Know you any covert nigh the road?" + +"There runs a brook that the road crosses by a bridge, midway +between Guermigny and Lihons. The banks are steep, and well wooded +with such trees and undergrowth as love water." + +"You can guide me thither?" + +"There is no missing the road." + +"God could not have made this land better for me, if He had asked my +counsel," said Xaintrailles. "You can keep your own?" + +"Nom Dieu, yea!" said Barthelemy. + +"And your Scots friend I can trust. A good-day to you, and thanks +many." + +Thereupon he went forth. + +"What has he in his mind?" I asked Barthelemy. + +"Belike an ambush. The Duke of Burgundy lies at Peronne, and has +mustered a great force. Lihons is midway between us and Peronne, +and is in the hands of Burgundy. I deem Xaintrailles has tidings +that they intend to ride from Peronne to Lihons to-night, and thence +make early onfall on us to-morrow. Being heavy-pated men of war, +and bemused with their strong wine, they know not, belike, that we +have more with us than the small garrison of Guermigny. And we are +to await them on the road, I doubt not. You shall see men that wear +your cross of St. Andrew, but not of your colour." + +I shame not to say that of bushments in the cold dawn I had seen as +much as I had stomach for, under Paris. But if any captain was wary +in war, and knew how to discover whatsoever his enemy designed, that +captain was Xaintrailles. None the less I hoped in my heart that +his secret tidings of the Burgundian onfall had not come through a +priest, and namely a cordelier. + +Dawn found us mounted, and riding at a foot's-pace through the great +plain which lies rough and untilled between Guermigny and Lihons. +All grey and still it was, save for a cock crowing from a farmstead +here and there on the wide wold, broken only by a line of trees that +ran across the way. + +Under these trees, which were mainly poplars and thick undergrowth +of alders about the steep banks of a little brook, we were halted, +and here took cover, our men lying down. + +"Let no man stir, or speak, save when I speak to him, whatever +befalls, on peril of his life," said Xaintrailles, when we were all +disposed in hiding. Then touching me on the shoulder that I should +rise, he said - + +"You are young enough to climb a tree; are your eyes good?" + +"I commonly was the first that saw the hare in her form, when we +went coursing at home, sir." + +"Then up this tree with you! keep outlook along the road, and hide +yourself as best you may in the boughs. Throw this russet cloak +over your harness." It was shrewdly chill in the grey November +morning, a hoarfrost lying white on the fields. I took the cloak +gladly and bestowed myself in the tree, so that I had a wide view +down Lihons way, whence we expected our enemies, the road running +plain to see for leagues, like a ribbon, when once the low sun had +scattered the mists. It was a long watch, and a weary, my hands +being half frozen in my steel gauntlets. Many of our men slept; if +ever a wayfarer crossed the bridge hard by he was stopped, gagged, +and trussed in a rope's end. But wayfarers were few, and all were +wandering afoot. I was sorry for two lasses, who crossed on some +business of their farm, but there was no remedy. + +These diversions passed the time till nigh noon, when I whispered to +Xaintrailles that I saw clouds of dust (the roads being very dry) a +league away. He sent Barthelemy and another to waken any that +slept, and bade all be ready at a word. + +Now there came shouts on the wind, cries of venerie, loud laughter, +and snatches of songs. + +And now, up in my perch, I myself broke into a laugh at that I saw. + +"Silence," fool!" whispered Xaintrailles. "Why laugh you, in the +name of Behemoth?" + +"The Burgundians are hunting hares," I whispered; "they are riding +all disorderly, some on the road, some here and there about the +plain. One man has no lance, another is unhelmeted, many have left +their harness behind with the baggage!" Even as I spoke rose up a +great hunting cry, and a point of the chase was blown on a trumpet. +The foremost Burgundians were spurring like madmen after some beast, +throwing at it with their lances, and soon I saw a fox making our +way for its very life. + +"To horse," cried Xaintrailles, and, leaving thirty men to hold the +bridge, the whole of our company, with spears in rest, drove down on +these hare-hunters of Burgundy. + +Two hundred picked men in all, fully armed, were we, and we +scattered the foremost riders as they had scattered the hares. +Saddles were emptied, archers were cut down or speared ere they +could draw bows, the Burgundians were spurring for their lives, many +cried mercy, and were taken to ransom, of whom I had my share, as I +shall tell. + +But a few men made a right good end. Thomas Kyriel, a knight of +England, stood to his banner, his archers rallied about it, with +three or four knights of Burgundy. There, unhelmeted for the most +part, they chose the way of honour, but they were of no avail where +so many lances were levelled and so many swords were hewing at so +few. There was a great slaughter, but Geoffrey de Thoisy, nephew to +the Bishop of Tournay, plucked from danger fortune, for he so bore +him that he being fully armed we took him for Messire Antoine de +Vienne, a very good knight. For his courage we spared him, but +Antoine, being unhelmeted and unknown, was smitten on the head by +Barthelemy Barrette, with a blow of a casse-tete. + +For this Barthelemy made much sorrow, not only that so good a knight +was slain, but that he had lost a great ransom, whereby he should +have been a rich man. Yet such is the fortune of war! Which that +day was strangely seen; for a knight having yielded to me because +his horse threw him, and he lost for a moment all sense with the +fall and found my boot on his neck when he came to himself, who +should he be but Messire Robert Heron, the same whom I took at +Orleans! + +Who, when he knew me, took off his salade for greater ease, and, +sitting down on a rock by the way, swore as never I heard man swear, +French, English, Spaniard, or Scot; and at length laughed, and said +it was fortune of war, and so was content. This skirmish being thus +ended, we returned, blithe and rich men every one of us, what with +prisoners, horses, arms, and all manner of treasure taken with the +baggage. That night we slept little in Guermigny, but feasted and +drank deep. For my own part, I know not well where I did sleep, or +how I won to what bed, which shames me some deal after all these +years. + +On the morrow we left Guermigny to the garrison of the place for +their ill-fortune, and rode back towards Compiegne. + +And this was the sport that the Burgundians had in hare-hunting. + +This Battle of the Hares was the merriest passage of arms for our +party, and bourdes were made on it, and songs sung, as by the +English on that other Battle of the Herrings. Now, moreover, I +might be called rich, what with ransoms, what with my share of the +plunder in horses, rings, chains of gold, jewels, silver dishes, and +rich cloths, out of the baggage of the enemy. Verily lack of wealth +could no more sunder Elliot and me! For Pothon was as open of hand +as he was high of heart, and was no greedy captain, wherefore men +followed him the more gladly. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX--SHOWETH HOW VERY NOBLE WAS THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY + + + +All this was well, but we were no nearer Rouen, and the freeing of +the Maid, on this twentieth of November, than we had been when the +siege of Compiegne broke up, on the twenty-sixth of October. + +The Duke of Burgundy, we learned, was like a man mad when he heard +of the Battle of the Hares. Nothing would serve him that day but to +lead all his host to Guermigny from Peronne, whence he would have +got little comfort of vengeance, for we were in a place of safety. +But Jean de Luxembourg told him that he must not venture his +nobility among routiers like us, wherein he pleased the Duke, but +spoke foolishly. For no man, be he duke or prince, can be of better +blood than we of the House of Rothes, not to speak of Xaintrailles +and many other gentlemen of our company. + +The Duke, then, put not his noble person in any jeopardy, but, more +wisely, he sent messengers after my Lord of Huntingdon that he +should bring up the English to aid the Burgundian hare-hunters. But +Huntingdon had departed to Rouen, where then lay Henry, King of +England, a boy on whom and on whose House God has avenged the Maid +with terrible judgments, and will yet the more avenge her, blessed +be His name! + +The Duke of Burgundy comforted himself after his kind, for when he +did pluck up heart to go against Guermigny, he, finding us departed, +sacked the place, and razed it to the very ground, and so withdrew +to Roye, and there waited for what help England would send him. Now +Roye is some sixteen leagues due north of Compiegne. + +So the days went by, for Messire Lefebvre Saint-Remy, the +pursuivant, was hunting for my Lord of Huntingdon, all up and down +Normandy, and at last came to Rouen, and to the presence of the Duke +of Bedford, the uncle of the English King. All this I myself heard +from Messire Saint-Remy, who is still a pursuivant, and a learned +man, and a maker of books. + +Bedford then, who was busy hounding that devil, Cauchon, sometime +Bishop of Beauvais, against the Maid, sent the Comte de Perche and +Messire Loys Robsart, to bid the Duke of Burgundy be of what courage +he might, for succour of England he should have. Wherein Bedford +was no true prophet. + +Of all this we, in Compiegne, knew so much as that it was wiser to +strike the Duke at Roye, before he could add English talbots to his +Burgundian harriers. Therefore all the captains of companies, as +Boussac, Xaintrailles, Alain Giron, Amadee de Vignolles, and Loys de +Naucourt, mustered their several companies, to the number of some +five thousand men-at-arms. We had news of six hundred English +marching to join the Duke, and on them we fell at Couty, hard by +Amiens, and there slew Loys Robsart, a good knight, of the Order of +the Garter, and drove the English that fled into the castle of +Couty, and we took all their horses, leaving them shamed, for they +kept no guard. + +Thence we rode to within a league of Roye, and thence sent a herald, +in all due form, to challenge the Duke to open battle for his +honour's sake. This we did, because we had no store of victual, and +must fight or ride home. + +The Duke received the herald, and made as if he would hear him as +beseems a gentleman under challenge. But his wise counsellors +forbade him, because he was so noble. + +We were but "routiers," they said, and had no Prince in all our +company; so we must even tarry till the morrow, and then the Duke +would fight. In truth he expected the English, who were footing it +to Castle Couty. + +I stood by Xaintrailles when the pursuivant bore back this message. + +Pothon spat on the ground. + +"Shall we be more noble to-morrow than to-day, or to-morrow can this +huxter of maids, the Duke, be less noble than he is, every day that +he soils knighthood?" + +Thereon he sent the herald back, to say that the Duke should have +battle at his gates if he gave no better answer, for that wait for +his pleasure we could not, for want of victuals. + +And so we drew half a league nearer to Roye. + +The Duke sent back our herald with word that of victuals he would +give us half his own store; for he had read, as I deem, the romance +of Richard Lion-Heart, another manner of man than himself. We said +nought to this, not choosing to dine in such high company, but rode +up under the walls of Roye, defying the Duke with open ribaldry, +such as no manant could bear but he would take cudgel in hand to +defend his honour. Our intent was, if the Duke accepted battle, to +fight with none but him, if perchance we might take him, and hold +him as hostage for the Maid's life. + +Howbeit, so very noble was the Duke this day, that he did not put +lance in rest (as belike he would have done on the morrow), but, +drawing up his men on foot, behind certain mosses and marshes, all +in firm array, he kept himself coy behind them, and not too far from +the gate of Roye. + +To cross these mosses and marshes was beyond our cunning, nor could +we fast all that night, and see if the Duke would feel himself less +noble, and more warlike, on the morrow. + +So, with curses and cries of shame, we turned bridle, and, for that +we could not hold together, being in lack of meat, the companies +broke up, and went each to his own hold. + +I have heard Messire Georges Chastellain tell, in times that were +still to come, how fiercely the Duke of Burgundy bore him in council +that night, after that we had all gone, and how he blamed his people +who would not let him fight. But, after he had well supped, he even +let this adventure slip by, as being ordained by the will of God, +who, doubtless, holds in very high honour men of birth princely, and +such, above all, as let sell young virgins to the tormentors. And +thus ended our hope to save the Maid by taking captive the Duke of +Burgundy. + + + +CHAPTER XXX--HOW NORMAN LESLIE TOOK SERVICE WITH THE ENGLISH + + + +"What make we now?" I asked of Barthelemy Barrette, one day, after +the companies had scattered, as I have said, and we had gone back +into Compiegne. "What stroke may France now strike for the Maid?" +He hung his head and plucked at his beard, ere he spoke. + +"To be as plain with you as my heart is with myself, Norman," he +answered at last, "deliverance, or hope of deliverance, see I none. +The English have the bird in the cage, and Rouen is not a strength +that can be taken by sudden onslaught. And, were it so, where is +our force, in midwinter? I rather put my faith, that can scarce +move mountains, in some subtle means, if any man might devise them." + +"We cannot sit idle here," I said. "And for three long months there +will be no moving of armies in open field." + +"And in three months these dogs of false French doctors of Paris +will have tried and condemned the Maid. For my part, I ride with my +handful of spears to the Loire. Perchance there is yet some hope in +the King." + +"Then I ride with you, granted your goodwill, for I must needs to +Tours, and I have overmuch treasure in my wallet to ride alone." + +Indeed, I was now a rich man, more by luck than by valour; and +though I said nought of it, I hoped that my long wooing might now +come to a happy end. + +Barthelemy clasped hands gladly on that offer; and not to make a +long tale, he and his men were my escort to Tours, and thence he +rode to Sully to see the King. + +I had no heart for glad surprises this time, but having sent on a +letter to my master, by a King's messenger who rode from Compiegne +ere we did, I was expected and welcomed by Elliot and my master, +with all the joy that might be, after our long severance. And in my +master's hands I laid my newly gotten gear, and heard privily from +him that, with his goodwill, I and his daughter might wed so soon as +she would. + +"For she is pining with grief, and prayer, and fasting, and marriage +is the best remede for such maladies." + +Of this grace I was right glad; yet Christmas went by and I dared +not speak, for Elliot seemed set on far other things than mirth, and +was ever and early in the churches, above all when service and +prayer were offered up for the Maid. She was very willing to hear +all the tale of the long siege, and her face, that was thin and wan, +unlike her bright countenance of old, flushed scarlet when she heard +how we had bearded and shamed the noble Duke of Burgundy, and what +words Xaintrailles had spoken concerning his nobleness. + +"There is one true knight left in France!" she said, and fell silent +again. + +Then, we being alone in the chamber, I tried to take her hand, but +she drew it away. + +"My dear love," she said, "I know all that is in your heart, and all +my love that is in mine you know well. But in mine there is no care +for happiness and joy, and to speak as plain as a maiden may, I have +now no will to marry. While the Sister of the Saints lies in +duresse, or if she be unjustly slain, I have set up my rest to abide +unwed, for ever, as the Bride of Heaven. And, if the last evil +befall her, as well I deem it must, I shall withdraw me from the +world into the sisterhood of the Clarisses." + +Had the great mid-beam of the roof fallen and smitten me, I could +not have been stricken more dumb and dead. My face showed what was +in my mind belike, for, looking fearfully and tenderly on me, she +took my hand between hers and cherished it. + +"My love," I said at last, "you see in what case I am, that can +scarce speak for sorrow, after all I have ventured, and laboured, +and won, for you and for the Maid." + +"And I," she answered, "being but a girl, can venture and give +nothing but my poor prayers; and if she now perish, then I must pray +the more continually for the good rest of her soul, and the +forgiveness of her enemies and false friends." + +"Sure, she hath already the certain promise of Paradise, and even in +this world her life is with the Saints. And if men slay her body, +we need her prayers more than she needs ours." + +But Elliot said no word, being very wilful. + +"Consider what manner of friend the Maid is," I said, "who desires +nothing but joy and happy life to all whom she loves, as she loves +you. Verily, I am right well assured that, could she see us in this +hour, she would bid you be happy with me, and not choose penance for +love of her." + +"If she herself bids me do as you desire," said Elliot at last, +"then I would not be disobedient to that Daughter of God." + +Here I took some comfort, for now a thought came into my mind. + +"But," said Elliot, "as we read of the rich man and Lazarus, between +her and us is a great gulf fixed, and none may come from her to us, +or from us to her." + +"Elliot!" I said, "if either the Maid be delivered, or if she sends +you sure and certain tidings under her own hand that she wills you +to put off this humour, will you then be persuaded, and make no more +delay!" + +"Indeed, if either of these miracles befall, or both, right gladly +will I obey both you and her. But now her Saints, methinks, have +left her, wearied by the wickedness of France." + +"I ask no more," I answered, "for, Elliot, either the Maid shall be +free, or she shall send you this command, or you shall see my face +no more." + +My purpose was now clear before me, even as I executed it, as shall +be seen. + +"Indeed, if my vow must be kept, never may I again behold you; for +oh! my love, my heart would surely break in twain, being already +weak with grief and fasting, and weary with prayer." + +Whereon she laid her kind arms about my neck, and, despite my +manhood, I wept no less than she. + +For Holy Writ says well, that hope deferred maketh the heart sick; +and mine was sick unto death. + +Of my resolve I spoke no word more to Elliot, lest her counsel +should change when she knew the jeopardy whereinto I was firmly +minded to go. And to my master I said no more than that I was +minded to ride to the Court, and for that end I turned into money a +part of my treasure, for money I should need more than arms. + +One matter in especial, which I deemed should stand me in the +greatest stead, I purchased for gold of the pottinger at Tours, the +same who had nursed me after my wound. This draught I bestowed in a +silver phial, graven with strange signs, and I kept it ever close +and secret, for it was my chief mainstay. + +Secretly as I wrought, yet I deem that my master had some +understanding of what was in my mind, though I told him nothing of +the words between me and Elliot. For I was in no way without hope +that, when the bitterness of her grief was overpast, Elliot might +change her counsel. And again, I would not have him devise and +dispute with her, as now, whereby I very well knew that she would be +but the more unhappy, and the more set on taking her own wilful way. +I therefore said no more than that it behoved me to see such +captains as were about the King. + +Thereafter I bade them farewell, nor am I disposed to write +concerning what passed at the parting of Elliot and me. For thrice +ere now I had left her to pass into the mouth of war, but now I went +into other peril, and with fainter hope. + +I did indeed ride to the Court, which was at Sully, and there I met, +as I desired, Barthelemy Barrette. He greeted me well, and was +richly clad, and prosperous to behold. But it gave me greater joy +that he spoke of some secret enterprise which should shortly be put +in hand, when the spring came. + +"For I have good intelligence," he said, "that the Bastard of +Orleans will ride privily to Louviers with men-at-arms. Now +Louviers, where La Hire lies in garrison, is but seven leagues from +Rouen town, and what secret enterprise can he purpose there, save to +break the cage and set free the bird?" + +In this hope I tarried long, intending to ride with the spears of +Barthelemy, and placing my trust on two knights so good and skilled +in war as La Hire and the Bastard, the Maid's old companions in +fight. + +But the days waxed long, and it was March the thirteenth ere we rode +north, and already the doctors had begun to entrap the Maid with +their questions, whereof there could be but one end. + +Without adventure very notable, riding much at night, through +forests and byways, we came to Louviers, where they received us +joyfully. For it was very well known that the English were minded +to besiege this town, that braved them so near their gates at Rouen, +and that they only held back till they had slain the Maid. While +she lived they dared not stir against us, knowing well that their +men feared to follow their flag. + +Now, indeed, I was in good hope, but alas! there were long counsels +of the captains, there was much harrying of Normandy, and some +outlying bands of English were trapped, and prisoners were taken. +But of an assault on Rouen we heard no word, and, indeed, the +adventure was desperate, though, for the honour of France, I marvel +yet that it was not put to the touch. + +"There is nought to be done," Barthelemy said to me; "I cannot take +Rouen with a handful of spears, and the captains will not stir." + +"Then," said I, "farewell, for under the lilies I fight never again. +One chance remains, and I go to prove it." + +"Man, you are mad," he answered me. "What desperate peril are you +minded to run?" + +"I am minded to end this matter," I said. "My honour and my very +life stand upon it. Ask me not why, and swear that you will keep +this secret from all men, if you would do the last service to me, +and to Her, whom we both love. I tell you that, help me or hinder +me, I have no choice but this; yet so much I will say to you, that I +put myself in this jeopardy for my honour and the honour of +Scotland, and for my lady." + +"The days are past for the old chivalry," he said; "but no more +words. I swear by St. Ouen to keep your counsel, and if more I can +do, without mere madness and risk out of all hope, I will do it." + +"This you can do without risk. Let me have the accoutrements of one +of the Englishmen who lie in ward, and let me ride with your band at +daybreak to-morrow. It is easy to tell some feigned tale, when you +ride back without me." + +"You will not ride into Rouen in English guise? They will +straightway hang you for a spy, and therein is little honour." + +"My purpose is some deal subtler," I said, with a laugh, "but let me +keep my own counsel." + +"So be it," said he, "a wilful man must have his way. And now I +drink to your better wisdom, and may you escape that rope on which +your heart seems to be set!" + +I grasped his hand on it, and by point of day we were riding out +seawards. We made an onslaught on a village, burned a house or +twain, and seized certain wains of hay, so, in the confusion, I +slipped forward, and rode alone into a little wood. There I clad +myself in English guise, having carried the gear in a wallet on my +saddle-bow, and so pushed on, till at nightfall I came to a certain +little fishing-village. There, under cover of the dark, I +covenanted with a fisherman to set me across the Channel, I feigning +to be a deserter who was fleeing from the English army, for fear of +the Maid. + +"I would well that I had to carry all the sort of you," said the +boat-master, for I had offered him my horse, and a great reward in +money, part down, and the other part to be paid when I set foot in +England. Nor did he make any tarrying, but, taking his nets on +board, as if he would be about his lawful business, set sail, with +his two sons for a crew. The east wind served us to a miracle, and, +after as fair a passage as might be, they landed me under cloud of +night not far from the great port of Winchelsea. + +That night I slept none, but walking fast and warily, under cover of +a fog, I fetched a compass about, and ended by walking into the town +of Rye by the road from the north. Here I went straight to the best +inn of the place, and calling aloud for breakfast, I bade the drawer +bring mine host to me instantly. For, at Louviers, we were so well +served by spies, the country siding with us rather than with the +English, that I knew how a company of the Earl of Warwick's men was +looked for in Winchelsea to sail when they had a fair wind for +Rouen. + +Mine host came to me in a servile English fashion, and asked me what +I would? + +"First, a horse," said I, "for mine dropped dead last night, ten +miles hence on the north road, in your marshes, God damn them, and +you may see by my rusty spur and miry boot that I have walked far. +Here," I cried, pulling off my boots, and flinging them down on the +rushes of the floor, "bid one of your varlets clean them! Next, +breakfast, and a pot of your ale; and then I shall see what manner +of horses you keep, for I must needs ride to Winchelsea." + +"You would join the men under the banner of Sir Thomas Grey of +Falloden, I make no doubt?" he answered. "Your speech smacks of the +Northern parts, and the good knight comes from no long way south of +the border. His men rode through our town but few days agone." + +"And me they left behind on the way," I answered, "so evil is my +luck in horse-flesh. But for this blessed wind out of the east that +hinders them, my honour were undone." + +My tale was not too hard of belief, and before noon I was on my way +to Winchelsea, a stout nag enough between my legs. + +The first man-at-arms whom I met I hailed, bidding him lead me +straight to Sir Thomas Grey of Falloden. "What, you would take +service?" he asked, in a Cumberland burr that I knew well, for +indeed it came ready enough on my own tongue. + +"Yea, by St. Cuthbert," I answered, "for on the Marches nothing +stirs; moreover, I have slain a man, and fled my own country." + +With that he bade God damn his soul if I were not a good fellow, and +so led me straight to the lodgings of the knight under whose colours +he served. To him I told the same tale, adding that I had heard +late of his levying of his men, otherwise I had ridden to join him +at his setting forth. + +"You have seen war?" he asked. + +"Only a Warden's raid or twain, on the moss-trooping Scots of +Liddesdale. Branxholme I have seen in a blaze, and have faced fire +at the Castle of the Hermitage." + +"You speak the tongue of the Northern parts," he said; "are you +noble?" + +"A poor cousin of the Storeys of Netherby," I answered, which was +true enough; and when he questioned me about my kin, I showed him +that I knew every name and scutcheon of the line, my mother having +instructed me in all such lore of her family. {38} + +"And wherefore come you here alone, and in such plight?" + +"By reason of a sword-stroke at Stainishawbank Fair," I answered +boldly. + +"Faith, then, I see no cause why, as your will is so good, you +should not soon have your bellyful of sword-strokes. For, when once +we have burned that limb of the devil, the Puzel" (for so the +English call the Maid), "we shall shortly drive these forsworn dogs, +the French, back beyond the Loire." + +I felt my face reddening at these ill words, so I stooped, as if to +clear my spur of mire. + +"Shortly shall she taste the tar-barrel," I answered, whereat he +swore and laughed; then, calling a clerk, bade him write my +indenture, as is the English manner. Thus, thanks to my northern +English tongue, for which I was sore beaten by the other boys when I +was a boy myself, behold me a man-at-arms of King Henry, and so much +of my enterprise was achieved. + +I make no boast of valour, and indeed I greatly feared for my neck, +both now and later. For my risk was that some one of the men-at- +arms in Rouen, whither we were bound, should have seen my face +either at Orleans, at Paris (where I was unhelmeted), or in the +taking of the Bastille at Compiegne. Yet my visor was down, both at +Orleans and Compiegne, and of those few who marked me in girl's gear +in Paris none might chance to meet me at Rouen, or to remember me in +changed garments. So I put a bold brow on it, for better might not +be. None cursed the Puzel more loudly than I, and, without +feigning, none longed so sorely as I for a fair wind to France, +wherefore I was ever going about Winchelsea with my head in the air, +gazing at the weather-cocks. And, as fortune would have it, the +wind went about, and we on board, and with no long delay were at +Rouen town. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI--HOW NORMAN LESLIE SAW THE MAID IN HER PRISON + + + +On arriving in the town of Rouen, three things were my chief care, +whereof the second helped me in the third. The first was to be +lodged as near as I might to the castle, wherein the Maid lay, being +chained (so fell was the cruelty of the English) to her bed. The +next matter was to purvey me three horses of the fleetest. Here my +fortune served me well, for the young esquires and pages would ever +be riding races outside of the gates, they being in no fear of war, +and the time till the Maid was burned hung heavy on their hands. I +therefore, following the manner of the English Marchmen, thrust +myself forward in these sports, and would change horses, giving +money to boot, for any that outran my own. My money I spent with a +very free hand, both in wagers and in feasting men-at-arms, so that +I was taken to be a good fellow, and I willingly let many make their +profit of me. In the end, I had three horses that, with a light +rider in the saddle, could be caught by none in the whole garrison +of Rouen. + +Thirdly, I was most sedulous in all duty, and so won the favour of +Sir Thomas Grey, the rather that he counted cousins with me, and +reckoned that we were of some far-off kindred, wherein he spoke the +truth. Thus, partly for our common blood, partly for that I was +ever ready at call, and forward to do his will, and partly because +none could carry a message swifter, or adventure further to spy out +any bands of the French, he kept me close to him, and trusted me as +his galloper. Nay, he gave me, on occasion, his signet, to open the +town gates whensoever he would send me on any errand. Moreover, the +man (noble by birth, but base by breeding) who had the chief charge +and custody of the Maid, was the brother's son of Sir Thomas. He +had to name John Grey, and was an esquire of the body of the English +King, Henry, then a boy. This miscreant it was often my fortune to +meet, at his uncle's table, and to hear his pitiless and cruel +speech. Yet, making friends, as Scripture commands us, of the +Mammon of unrighteousness, I set myself to win the affection of John +Grey by laughing at his jests and doing him what service I might. + +Once or twice I dropped to him a word of my great desire to see the +famed Puzel, for the trials that had been held in open hall were now +done in the dungeon, where only the bishop, the doctors of law, and +the notaries might hear them. Her noble bearing, indeed, and wise +answers (which were plainly put into her mouth by the Saints, for +she was simple and ignorant) had gained men's hearts. + +One day, they told me, an English lord had cried--"The brave lass, +pity she is not English." For to the English all the rest of God's +earth is as Nazareth, out of which can come no good thing. Thus +none might see the Maid, and, once and again, I let fall a word in +John Grey's ear concerning my desire to look on her in prison. I +dared make no show of eagerness, though now the month of May had +come, which was both her good and ill month. For in May she first +went to Vaucouleurs and prophesied, in May she delivered Orleans, +and in May she was taken at Compiegne. Wherefore I deemed, as men +will, that in May she should escape her prison, or in May should +die. Moreover, on the first day of March they had asked her, +mocking her - + +"Shalt thou be delivered?" + +And she had answered - + +"Ask me on this day three months, and I shall declare it to you." + +The English, knowing this, made all haste to end her ere May ended, +wherefore I had the more occasion for speed. + +Now, on a certain day, being May the eighth, the heart of John Grey +was merry within him. He had well drunk, and I had let him win of +me, at the dice, that one of my three horses which most he coveted. + +He then struck me in friendly fashion on the back, and cried - + +"An unlucky day for thee, and for England. This very day, two years +agone, that limb of the devil drove us by her sorceries from before +Orleans. But to-morrow--" and he laughed grossly in his beard. +"Storey, you are a good fellow, though a fool at the dice." + +"Faith, I have met my master," I said. "But the lesson you gave me +was worth bay Salkeld," for so I had named my horse, after a great +English house on the Border who dwell at the Castle of Corby. + +"I will do thee a good turn," he said. "You crave to see this +Puzel, ere they put on her the high witch's cap for her hellward +journey." + +"I should like it not ill," I said; "it were something to tell my +grandchildren, when all France is English land." + +"Then you shall see her, for this is your last chance to see her +whole." + +"What mean you, fair sir?" I asked, while my heart gave a turn in my +body, and I put out my hand to a great tankard of wine. + +"To-morrow the charity of the Church hath resolved that she shall be +had into the torture-chamber." + +I set my lips to the tankard, and drank long, to hide my face, and +for that I was nigh swooning with a passion of fear and wrath. + +"Thanks to St. George," I said, "the end is nigh!" + +"The end of the tankard," quoth he, looking into it, "hath already +come. You drink like a man of the Land Debatable." + +Yet I was in such case that, though by custom I drink little, the +great draught touched not my brain, and did but give me heart. + +"You might challenge at skinking that great Danish knight who was +with us under Orleans, Sir Andrew Haggard was his name, and his +bearings were . . . " {39} + +So he was running on, for he himself had drunk more than his share, +when I brought him back to my matter. + +"But as touching this Puzel, how may I have my view of her, that you +graciously offered me?" + +"My men change guard at curfew," he said; "five come out and five go +in, and I shall bid them seek you here at your lodgings. So now, +farewell, and your revenge with the dice you shall have when so you +will." + +"Nay, pardon me one moment: when relieve you the guard that enters +at curfew?" + +"An hour after point of day. But, now I bethink me, you scarce will +care to pass all the night in the Puzel's company. Hast thou paper +or parchment?" + +I set paper and ink before him, who said - + +"Nay, write yourself; I am no great clerk, yet I can sign and seal." + +Therewith, at his wording, I set down an order to the Castle porter +to let me forth as early in the night as I would. This pass he +signed with his name, and sealed with his ring, bearing his arms. + +"So I wish you joy of this tryst and bonne fortune," he said, and +departed. + +I had two hours before me ere curfew rang, and the time was more +than I needed. Therefore I went first to the Church of St. Ouen, +which is very great and fair, and there clean confessed me, and made +my orisons that, if it were God's will, this enterprise might turn +to His honour, and to the salvation of the Maid. And pitifully I +besought Madame St. Catherine of Fierbois, that as she had delivered +me, a sinner, she would deliver the Sister of the Saints. + +Next I went back to my lodgings, and there bade the hostler to have +my two best steeds saddled and bridled in stall, by point of day, +for a council was being held that night in the Castle, and I and +another of Sir Thomas's company might be sent early with a message +to the Bishop of Avranches. This holy man, as then, was a cause of +trouble and delay to the Regent and Pierre Cauchon, Bishop of +Beauvais, because he was just, and fell not in with their treasons. + +Next I clad myself in double raiment, doublet above doublet, and +hose over hose, my doublets bearing the red cross of St. George. +Over all I threw a great mantle, falling to the feet, as if I feared +the night chills. Thereafter I made a fair copy of my own writing +in the pass given to me by John Grey, and copied his signature also, +and feigned his seal with a seal of clay, for it might chance that +two passes proved better than one. Then I put in a little wallet +hanging to my girdle the signet of Sir Thomas Grey, and the pass +given to me by John Grey, also an ink-horn with pen and paper, and +in my hand, secretly, I held that phial which I had bought of the +apothecary in Tours. All my gold and jewels I hid about my body; I +sharpened my sword and dagger, and then had no more to do but wait +till curfew rang. + +This was the weariest part of all; for what, I thought, if John Grey +had forgotten his promise, the wine being about his wits. Therefore +I walked hither and thither in my chamber, in much misdoubt; but at +the chime of curfew I heard rude voices below, and a heavy step on +the stairs. It was a man-at-arms of the basest sort, who, lurching +with his shoulder against my door, came in, and said that he and his +fellows waited my pleasure. Thereon I showed him the best +countenance, and bade my host fill a pannier with meat and cakes and +wine, to pass the hours in the prison merrily. I myself ran down +into the host's cellar, and was very busy in tasting wine, for I +would have the best. And in making my choice, while the host +stooped over a cask to draw a fresh tankard, I poured all the drugs +of my phial into a large pewter vessel with a lid, filled it with +wine, and, tasting it, swore it would serve my turn. This flagon, +such as we call a 'tappit hen' in my country, but far greater, I +bore with me up the cellar stairs, and gave it to one of the guard, +bidding him spill not a drop, or he should go thirsty. + +The lourdaud, that was their captain, carried the pannier, and, +laughing, we crossed the street and the moat, giving the word +"Bedford." To the porter I showed my pass, telling him that, though +I was loath to disturb him, I counted not to watch all night in the +cell, wherefore I gave him a gold piece for the trouble he might +have in letting me go forth at an hour untimely. Herewith he was +well content, and so, passing the word to the sentinel at each post, +we entered. + +And now, indeed, my heart beat so that my body seemed to shake with +hope and fear as I walked. At the door of the chamber wherein the +Maid lay we met her guards coming forth, who cried roughly, bidding +her good even, and to think well of what waited her, meaning the +torments. They tumbled down the stairs laughing, while we went in, +and I last. It was a dark vaulted chamber with one window near the +roof, narrow and heavily barred. In the recess by the window was a +brazier burning, and casting as much shadow as light by reason of +the smoke. Here also was a rude table, stained with foul circles of +pot-rims, and there were five or six stools. On a weighty oaken bed +lay one in man's raiment, black in hue, her face downwards, and her +arms spread over her neck. It could scarce be that she slept, but +she lay like one dead, only shuddering when the lourdaud, the +captain of the guard, smote her on the shoulder, asking, in English, +how she did? + +"Here she is, sir, surly as ever, and poor company for Christian +men. See you how cunningly all her limbs are gyved, and chained to +the iron bolts of the bed? What would my lady Jeanne give me for +this little master-key?" + +Here he showed a slender key, hung on a steel chain about his neck. + +"Never a saint of the three, Michael, Margaret, and Catherine, can +take this from me; nay, nor the devils who wear their forms." + +"Have you seen this fair company of hers?" I whispered in English, +crossing myself. + +"No more than she saw the white lady that goes with that other +witch, Catherine of La Rochelle. But, sir, she is sullen; it is her +manner. With your good leave, shall we sup?" + +This was my own desire, so putting the pannier on the table, I +carved the meat with my dagger, and poured out the wine in cups, and +they fell to, being hungry, as Englishmen are at all times. They +roared over their meat, eating like wolves and drinking like fishes, +and one would sing a lewd song, and the others strike in with the +over-word, but drinking was their main avail. + +"This is better stuff," says the lourdaud, "than our English ale. +Faith, 'tis strong, my lads! Wake up, Jenkin; wake up, Hal," and +then he roared a snatch, but stopped, looking drowsily about him. + +O brothers in Christ, who hear this tale, remember ye that, for now +four months and more, the cleanest soul in Christenty, and the +chastest lady, and of manners the noblest, had endured this company +by night and by day! + +"Nay, wake up," I cried; "ye are dull revellers; what say ye to the +dice?" + +Therewith I set out my tablier and the dice. Then I filled up the +cup afresh, pretending to drink, and laid on the foul table a great +shining heap of gold. Their dull eyes shone like the metal when I +said - + +"Myself will be judge and umpire; play ye, honest fellows, for I +crave no gains from you. Only, a cup for luck!" + +They camped at the table, all the five of them, and some while their +greed kept them wakeful, and they called the mains, but their +drought kept them drinking. And, one by one, their heads fell heavy +on the table, or they sprawled on their stools, and so sank on to +the floor, so potent were the poppy and mandragora of the leech in +Tours. + +At last they were all sound on sleep, one man's hand yet clutching a +pile of my gold that now and again would slip forth and jingle on +the stone floor. + +Now all this time she had never stirred, but lay as she had lain, +her face downwards, her arms above her neck. + +Stealthily I took the chain and the key from about the neck of the +sleeping lourdaud, and then drew near her on tiptoe. + +I listened, and, from her breathing, I believe that she slept, as +extreme labour and weariness and sorrow do sometimes bring their own +remede. + +Then a thought came into my mind, how I should best awake her, and +stooping, I said in her ear - + +"Fille De!" + +Instantly she turned about, and, sitting up, folded her hands as one +in prayer, deeming, belike, that she was aroused by the voices of +her Saints. I kneeled down beside the bed, and whispered--"Madame, +Jeanne, look on my face!" + +She gazed on me, and now I saw her brave face, weary and thin and +white, and, greater than of old, the great grey eyes. + +"I said once," came her sweet voice, "that thou alone shouldst stand +by me when all had forsaken me. Fair Saints, do I dream but a +dream?" + +"Nay, Madame," I said, "thou wakest and dost not dream. One has +sent me who loves thee, even my lady Elliot; and now listen, for the +time is short. See, here I have the master-key, and when I have +unlocked thy bonds . . . " + +"Thou hast not slain these men?" she asked. "That were deadly sin." + +"Nay, they do but sleep, and will waken belike ere the fresh guard +comes, wherefore we must make haste." + +"When I have freed thee, do on thy body, above thy raiment, this +doublet of mine, for it carries the cross of England, and, I being +of little stature, you may well pass for me. Moreover, this cloak +and its hood, which I wore when I came in, will cover thee. Then, +when thou goest forth give the word "Bedford" to the sentinels; and, +to the porter in the gate, show this written pass of John Grey's. +He knows it already, having seen it this night. Next, when thou art +without the castle, fare to the hostelry called "The Rose and +Apple," which is nearest the castle gate, and so straight into the +stable, where stand two steeds, saddled and bridled. Choose the +black, he is the swifter. If the hostler be awake, he expects me, +and will take thee for me; mount, with no word, and ride to the +eastern port. There show to the gate ward this signet of Sir Thomas +Grey, and he will up with portcullis and down with drawbridge, for +he has often done no less for me and that signet. + +"Then, Madame, ride for Louviers, and you shall break your fast with +the Bastard and La Hire." Her white face changed to red, like the +morning light, as on that day at Orleans, before she took Les +Tourelles. + +Then the flush faded, and she grew ashen pale, while she said - + +"But thou, how shalt thou get forth?" + +"Madame," I said, "fear not for me. I will follow after thee, and +shame the sleepy porter to believe that he has dreamed a dream. And +I have written this other pass, on seeing which he will needs credit +me, being adrowse, and, moreover, I will pay him well. And I shall +be at the stable as soon almost as thou, and I have told the hostler +that belike I shall ride with a friend, carrying a message to the +Bishop of Avranches. For I have beguiled the English to believe me +of their party, as Madame Judith wrought to the tyrant Holofernes." + +"Nay," she answered simply, "this may not be. Even if the porter +were to be bought or beguiled, thou couldst not pass the sentinels. +It may not be." + +"The sentinels, belike, are sleeping, or wellnigh sleeping, and I +have a dagger. O Madame! for the sake of the fortune of France, and +the honour of the King"--for this, I knew, was my surest hope-- +"delay not, nor reck at all of me. I have but one life, and it is +thine freely." + +"They will burn thee, or slay thee with other torments." + +"Not so," I said; "I shall not be taken alive." + +"That were deadly sin," she answered. "I shall not go and leave +thee to die for me. Then were my honour lost, and I could not +endure to live. Entreat me not, for I will not go forth, as now. +Nay more, I tell thee as I have told my judges, that which the +Saints have spoken to me. 'Bear this thy martyrdom gently,' they +say, 'tu t'en viendras en royaume du Paradis.' Moreover, this I +know, that I am to be delivered with great victory!" + +Here she clasped her hands, looking upwards, and her face was as the +face of an angel. + +"Fair victory it were to leave thee in my place, and so make liars +of my brethren of Paradise." + +Then, alas! I knew that I was of no more avail to move her; yet one +last art I tried. + +"Madame," I said, "I have prayed you in the name of the fortune of +France, and the honour of the King, which is tarnished for ever if +you escape not." + +"I shall be delivered," she answered. + +"I pray you in the dear name of your lady mother, Madame du Lys." + +"I shall be delivered," she said, "and with great victory!" + +"Now I pray thee in my own name, and in that of thy first friend, my +lady. She has made a vow to give her virginity to Heaven unless +either thou art set free, or she have tidings from thee that thou +willest her to wed me, without whom I have no desire to live, but +far rather this very night to perish. For I am clean confessed, +within these six hours, knowing that I was like to be in some +jeopardy." + +"Then," she said, smiling sweetly, and signing that I should take +her hand--"Then live, Norman Leslie, for this is to me an easy thing +and a joyous. Thou art a clerk, hast thou wherewithal to write?" + +"Yes, Madame, here in my wallet." + +"Then write as I tell thee:- + + +"JHESU MARIA" + + +"'I, Jehanne la Pucelle, send from prison here in Rouen my tidings +of love to Elliot Hume, my first friend among women, and bid her, +for my sake, wed him who loves her, Norman Leslie of Pitcullo, my +faithful servant, praying that all happiness may go with them. In +witness whereto, my hand being guided to write, I set my name, +Jehanne la Pucelle, this ninth day of May, in the year Fourteen +hundred and thirty-one.' + + +"So guide my hand," she said, taking the pen from my fingers; and +thus guided, while my tears fell on her hand, she wrote JEHANNE LA +PUCELLE. + +"Now," quoth she, smiling as of old, "we must seal this missive. +Cut off one lock of my hair with your dagger, for my last gift to my +first friend, and make the seal all orderly." + +I did as she bade, and, bringing a lighted stick from the brazier, I +melted wax. Then, when it was smooth, she laid on it two hairs from +the little sundered lock (as was sometimes her custom), and bade me +seal with my own signet, and put the brief in my wallet. + +"Now, all is done," she said. + +"Nay, nay," I said, "to die for thee is more to me than to live in +love. Ah, nay, go forth, I beseech thee!" + +"With victory shall I go forth, and now I lay my last commands on +the last of all my servants. If in aught I have ever offended thee, +in word or deed, forgive me!" + +I could but bow my head, for I was weeping, though her eyes were +dry. + +"And so, farewell," she said - + +"As thou art leal and true, begone; it is my order, and make no +tarrying. To-morrow I have much to do, and needs must I sleep while +these men are quiet. Say to thy lady that I love her dearly, and +bid her hope, as I also hope. Farewell!" + +She moved her thin hand, which I kissed, kneeling. + +Again she said "Farewell," and turned her back on me as if she would +sleep. + +Then I hung the chain and key again on the neck of the lourdaud; I +put some of the fallen coins in the men's pouches, but bestowed the +dice and tablier in my wallet. I opened the door, and went forth, +not looking back; and so from the castle, showing my pass, and +giving the porter another coin. Then I went home, in the sweet dawn +of May, and casting myself on my bed, I wept bitterly, for to-day +she should be tormented. + + +Of the rest I have no mind to tell (though they had not the heart to +torture the Maid), for it puts me out of charity with a people who +have a name to be Christians, and it is my desire, if I may, to +forgive all men before I die. + +At Rouen I endured to abide, even until the day of unjust doom, and +my reason was that I ever hoped for some miracle, even as her Saints +had promised. But it was their will that she should be made perfect +through suffering, and being set free through the gate of fire, +should win her victory over unfaith and mortal fear. Wherefore I +stood afar off at the end, seeing nothing of what befell; yet I +clearly heard, as did all men there, the last word of her sweet +voice, and the cry of JHESUS! + +Then I passed through the streets where men and women, and the very +English, were weeping, and, saddling my swiftest horse, I rode to +the east port. When the gate had closed behind me, I turned, and, +lifting my hand, I tore the cross of St. George from my doublet. + +"Dogs!" I cried, "ye have burned a Saint! A curse on cruel English +and coward French! St Andrew for Scotland!" The shafts and bolts +hailed past me as I wheeled about; there was mounting of steeds, and +a clatter of hoofs behind me, but the sound died away ere I rode +into Louviers. + +There I told them the tale which was their shame, and so betook me +to Tours, and to my lady. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII--THE END OF THIS CHRONICLE + + + +It serves not to speak of my later fortunes, being those of a +private man, nor have I the heart to recall old sorrows. We were +wedded when Elliot's grief had in some sort abated, and for one year +we were happier than God has willed that sinful men should long be +in this world. Then that befell which has befallen many. I may not +write of it: suffice it that God took from me both her and her +child. Then, after certain weeks and days of which I am blessed +enough to keep little memory, I forswore arms, and served in the +household of the Lady Margaret of Scotland, who married the Dauphin +on an unhappy day. I have known much of Courts and of the learned, +I have seen the wicked man exalted, and Brother Thomas Noiroufle in +great honour with Charles VII. King of France, and offering before +him, with his murderous hands, the blessed sacrifice of the Mass. + +The death of the Lady Margaret, slain by lying tongues, and the +sudden sight of that evil man, Brother Thomas, raised to power and +place, drove me from France, and I was certain years with the King's +ambassadors at the Courts of Italy. There I heard how the Holy +Inquisition had reversed that false judgment of the English and +false French at Rouen, which made me some joy. And then, finding +old age come upon me, I withdrew to my own country, where I have +lived in religion, somewhile in the Abbey of Dunfermline, and this +year gone in our cell of Pluscardine, where I now write, and where I +hope to die and be buried. + +Here ends my tale, in my Latin Chronicle left untold, of how a Scots +Monk was with the Maid both in her victories and recoveries of +towns, and even till her death. + +For myself, I now grow old, and the earthly time to come is short, +and there remaineth a rest for all souls Christian. Miscreants I +have heard of, men misbelieving and heretics, who deny that the +spirit abides after the death of the body, for in the long years, +say they, the spirit with the flesh wanes, and at last dies with the +bodily death. Wherein they not only make Holy Church a liar, but +are visibly confounded by this truth which I know and feel, namely, +that while my flesh wastes hourly towards old age, and of many +things my memory is weakened, yet of that day in Chinon I mind me as +clearly, and see my love as well, and hear her sweet voice as plain, +as if she had but now left the room. + +Herein my memory does not fail, nor does love faint, growing +stronger with the years, like the stream as it races to the fall. +Wherefore, being more strong than Time, Love shall be more strong +than Death. The river of my life speeds yearly swifter, the years +like months go by, the months like weeks, the weeks like days. Even +so fleet on, O Time, till I rest beside her feet! Nay, never, being +young, did I more desire my love's presence when we were apart than +to-day I desire it, the memory of her filling all my heart as +fragrance of flowers fills a room, till it seems as if she were not +far away, but near me, as I write of her. And, foolish that I am! I +look up as if I might see her by my side. I know not if this be so +with all men, for, indeed, I have asked none, nor spoken to any of +the matter save in confession. For I have loved this once, and no +more; wherefore I deem me happier than most, and more certain of a +good end to my love, where the blessed dwell in the Rose of +Paradise, beholding the Beatific Vision. + +To this end I implore the prayers of all Christian souls who read +this book, and of all the Saints, and of that Sister of the Saints +whom, while I might, I served in my degree. + +VENERABILIS JOHANNA +ORA PRO NOBIS + + + +APPENDIX A--NORMAN'S MIRACLE + + + +(See "Livre des Miracles de Madame Sainte Katherine de Fierboys. +MSS. Bib. Nat. 7335, fol. lxxxiv.) + +Le xvi jour du moys de janvier, l'an mil cccc. xxx., vint en la +chapelle de ceans Norman Leslie de Pytquhoulle, escoth, escuyer de +la compagnie de Hugues Cande, capitaine. {40} Lequel dist et +afferma par serment estre vray le miracle cy apres declaire. C'est +assavoir que le dit Leslie fut prins des Anglois e Paris le jour de +la Nativite de Nostre Dame de l'an dernier passe. Lequel Norman +Leslie avoit entre dans la ville de Paris avec c. Escossoys en +guise d'Angloys, lesqueuls Escossoys furent prins des Angloys, et +ledit Norman fut mis en fers et en ceps. Et estoit l'intention de +ceux qui l'avoient pris de le faire lendemain ardre, parce qu'il +portoit robe de femme par maniere de ruse de guerre. + +Si s'avint que ledit Norman se voua e Madame Sainte Katherine, qu'il +luy pleust prier Dieu qu'il le voulsist delivrer de la prison ou il +estoit; et incontinent qu'il pourroit estre dehors, il yroit mercier +Madame Sainte Katherine en sa chapelle de Fierboys. Et incontinent +son veu fait si s'en dormit, et au reveiller trouva en la tour +avecques luy un Singe, qui lui apporta deux files, et un petit +cousteau. Ainsi il trouva maniere de se deferrer, et adoncques s'en +sortit de la prison emportant avecques luy le singe. Si se laissoit +cheoir a val en priant Madame Sainte Katherine et chut a bas, et +oncques ne se fist mal, et se rendit e Saint Denys ou il trouvoit +des compagnons Escossoys. + +Et ainsy ledit Norman Leslie s'en est venu audit lieu de Fierboys, +tout sain et sauf, emportant avecques luy ledit singe, qui est beste +estrange et fol de son corps. Et a jure ledit Norman ce estre vray +par la foy et serment de son corps. + +Presens messire Richart Kyrthrizian, frere Giles Lacourt, prestres +gouverneurs de la dite chapelle, et messire Hauves Polnoire, peintre +du Roy, et plusieurs aultres. + + + +APPENDIX B--ELLIOT'S RING + + + +The Ring of the Maid, inscribed with the Holy Names, is often +referred to in her Trial ("Proces," i. 86, 103, 185, 236, 238), and +is mentioned by Bower, the contemporary Scottish chronicler +("Proces," iv. 480), whose work was continued in the "Liber +Pluscardensis." We have also, in the text, Norman's statement that +a copy of this ring was presented by the Maid to Elliot Hume. + +While correcting the proof-sheets of this Chronicle, the Translator +received from Mr. George Black, Assistant Keeper of the National +Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh, a copy of his essay on "Scottish +Charms and Amulets" ("Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of +Scotland," May 8, 1893, p. 488). There, to his astonishment, the +Translator read: "The formula MARI. IHS. occurs on two finger-rings +of silver-gilt, one of which was found at Pluscarden, Elginshire, +and the other in an old graveyard near Fintray House, +Aberdeenshire." Have we in the Pluscarden ring a relic of the Monk +of Pluscarden, the companion of Jeanne d'Arc, the author of "Liber +Pluscardensis"? + + + +Footnotes: + +{1} Several copies of this book, the Liber Pluscardensis, are +extant, but the author's original MS. is lost. + +{2} This was written after the Act of the Scots Parliament of 1457. + +{3} Daggers. + +{4} Rude wall surrounding a keep. + +{5} Sisters in the rule of St. Francis. + +{6} These tricks of sleight-of-hand are attributed by Jean Nider, +in his "Formicarium," to the false Jeanne d'Arc.--A. L. + +{7} Very intimate. + +{8} When the sky falls and smothers the larks, + +{9} This quotation makes it certain that Scott's ballad of Harlaw, +in "The Antiquary," is, at least in part, derived from tradition + +{10} This description confirms that of the contemporary town-clerk +of La Rochelle. + +{11} The staircase still exists. + +{12} "My neck would learn the weight of my more solid proportions." + +{13} Neck. + +{14} "Frightened by a ghost." + +{15} "Airt," i.e. "quarter." + +{16} "Fright for fright." + +{17} Lameter, a lame. + +{18} Bor-brief, certificate of gentle birth. + +{19} Howlet, a young owl; a proverb for voracity. + +{20} Battle-axe. + +{21} Bougran, lustrous white linen. + +{22} There are some slight variations, as is natural, in the +Fierbois record. + +{23} Equipped for battle. + +{24} That is, in the "Liber Pluscardensis." + +{25} Englishman. + +{26} Heavy and still. + +{27} Daughter of God, go on, and I will be thine aid. Go on! + +{28} Lyrat, grey. + +{29} The king's evil: "ecrouelles," scrofula. + +{30} Darg, day's work. + +{31} "Par mon martin," the oath which she permitted to La Hire. + +{32} See Appendix A, 'Norman's Miracle,' Appendix B, 'Elliot's +Ring.' + +{33} That in to say, some two thousand combatants. + +{34} Echevins--magistrates. + +{35} "Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas." + +{36} Pavises--large portable shelters. + +{37} Block-houses. + +{38} The Grahames had not yet possessed themselves of Netherby.--A. +L. + +{39} "Substituting 'or' for 'argent,' his bearings were those of +the distinguished modern novelist of the same name.--A. L. + +{40} Cande = Kennedy. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Monk of Fife, by Andrew Lang** + diff --git a/old/mnkff10.zip b/old/mnkff10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f57e034 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/mnkff10.zip |