28 



THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



A Bold 

 Declaration 



Placed 



in 



Command 



and was so intent upon that as to give little heed to aught 

 else. With the simplicity of a true greatness, she knelt 

 before her sovereign and said modestly, yet with utmost 

 assurance, ' ' Gentle Dauphin, my name is Joan the Maid. 

 The heavenly King sends me to declare that you shall be 

 anointed and crowned in the town of Eheims, and you 

 shall be lieutenant of the heavenly King, who is the 

 King of France." 



Imagine the scene and the sensation this created. The 

 impression was profound. The King did not readily 

 come to this conclusion, however. Her proposition to 

 have troops placed under her command, that she might 

 lead them to Orleans and raise the siege, was plainly 

 absurd. Her persistency in it, and her calm assurance 

 in her success, convinced him that she was possessed by 

 a devil. She admitted that she was only a poor shepherd 

 girl, not a soldier. " I am a poor maid," she said frankly. 

 "I know not how to ride to the wars, or to lead men to 

 arms. ' ' 



The King was moved. He wjis in too dire straits to 

 turn aside lightly any offer of help. This one seemed 

 childish, yet there was something in the character and 

 confidence of the Maid that gained friends for her, and 

 her case was turned over to the parliament and university 

 authorities at Poitiers. 



Having made this point, Joan said : "I know well 

 that I shall have hard work to do at Poitiers, but my 

 Master will aid me. Let me go, then, in God's name." 

 The learned doctors were amazed at the simplicity and 

 force of her answers. Asked what signs she had, she 

 replied: "Give me some men at arms and lead me to 

 Orleans, and I will then show you signs. The sign I am 

 to give you is to raise the siege of Orleans." The doc- 

 tors decided in her favour, and the King placed her in 

 command of the army. 



Nothing was wanting to make the scene dramatic. 

 Arrayed in white armour on a black horse, with a small 



