Part 41 (1/2)
[Footnote 974: La Curne, under the word _Periapt_. Shakespeare, _Henry VI_, part i, act v, sc. iii.]
[Footnote 975: Shakespeare, _Henry VI_, part i, act iii, sc. i.]
[Footnote 976: Vallet de Viriville, _Histoire de Charles VII_, vol. i, p. 306. Carlier, _Histoire du Valois_, vol. ii, p. 442.]
[Footnote 977: Jarry, _Le compte de l'armee anglaise_, p. 61.]
[Footnote 978: Shakespeare, _Henry VI_, part i, act i, sc. ii.]
In the evening of the 30th she sent her herald, Ambleville, to the camp of Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils to ask for Guyenne, who had borne the letter from Blois and had not returned. Ambleville was also instructed to tell Sir John Talbot, the Earl of Suffolk, and the Lord Scales that in G.o.d's name the Maid required them to depart from France and go to England; otherwise they would suffer hurt. The English sent back Ambleville with an evil message.
”The English,” he said to the Maid, ”are keeping my comrade to burn him.”
She made answer: ”In G.o.d's name they will do him no harm.” And she commanded Ambleville to return.[979]
[Footnote 979: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 27. _Journal du siege_, p. 79.
_Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 285, 286.]
She was indignant, and, no doubt, greatly disappointed. In truth, she had never antic.i.p.ated that Talbot and the leaders of the siege would give such a welcome to a letter inspired by Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret and Saint Michael; but so broad was her charity that she was still willing to offer peace to the English. In her innocence she may have believed that her proclamations in G.o.d's name were misunderstood after all. Besides, whatever happened, she was determined to go through with her duty to the end. At night she sallied forth from the Bridge Gate and went as far as the outwork of La Belle-Croix. It was not unusual for the two sides to address each other. La Belle-Croix was within ear-shot of Les Tourelles. The Maid mounted the rampart and cried to the English: ”Surrender in G.o.d's name. I will grant you your lives only.”
But the garrison and even the Captain, William Glasdale himself, hurled back at her coa.r.s.e insults and horrible threats.
”Milk-maid! If ever we get you, you shall be burned alive.”[980]
[Footnote 980: _Journal du siege_, p. 79. _Chronique de la Pucelle_, p. 290.]
She answered that it was a lie. But they were in earnest and sincere.
They firmly believed that this damsel was arming legions of devils against them.
On Sunday, the 1st of May, my Lord the b.a.s.t.a.r.d went to meet the army from Blois.[981] He knew the country; and, being both energetic and cautious, he was desirous to superintend the entrance of this convoy as he had done that of the other. He set out with a small escort. He did not dare to take with him the Saint herself; but, in order, so to speak, to put himself under her protection and tactfully to flatter the piety and affections of the folk of Orleans, he took a member of her suite, her steward, Sire Jean d'Aulon.[982] Thus he grasped the first opportunity of showing his good will to the Maid, feeling that henceforth nothing could be done except with her or under her patronage.
[Footnote 981: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 7. _Journal du siege_, p. 79.]
[Footnote 982: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 211.]
The fervour of the citizens was not abated. That very day, in their pa.s.sionate desire to see the Saint, they crowded round Jacques Boucher's house as turbulently as the pilgrims from Puy pressed into the sanctuary of La Vierge Noire. There was a danger of the doors being broken in. The cries of the townsfolk reached her. Then she appeared: good, wise, equal to her mission, one born for the salvation of the people. In the absence of captains and men-at-arms, this wild mult.i.tude only awaited a sign from her to throw itself in tumult on the bastions and perish there. Notwithstanding the visions of war that haunted her, that sign she did not give. Child as she was, and as ignorant of war as of life, there was that within her which turned away disaster. She led this crowd of men, not to the English bastions, but to the holy places of the city. Down the streets she rode, accompanied by many knights and squires; men and women pressed to see her and could not gaze upon her enough. They marvelled at the manner of her riding and of her behaviour, in every point like a man-at-arms; and they would have hailed her as a veritable Saint George had they not suspected Saint George of turning Englishman.[983]
[Footnote 983: _Journal du siege_, p. 80. P. Mantellier, _Histoire du siege_, pp. 92, 95.]
That Sunday, for the second time, she went forth to offer peace to the enemies of the kingdom. She pa.s.sed out by the Renard Gate and went along the Blois Road, through the suburbs that had been burnt down, towards the English bastion. Surrounded by a double moat, it was planted on a slope at the crossroads called La Croix Boissee or Buissee, because the townsfolk of Orleans had erected a cross there, which every Palm Sunday they dressed with a branch of box blessed by the priest. Doubtless she intended to reach this bastion, and perhaps to go on to the camp of Saint-Laurent-des-Orgerils situated between La Croix Boissee and the Loire, where, as she had said, were Talbot and the English. For she had not yet given up hope of gaining a hearing from the leaders of the siege. But at the foot of the hill, at a place called La Croix-Morin, she met some _G.o.dons_ who were keeping watch.
And there, in tones grave, pious, and n.o.ble, she summoned them to retreat before the hosts of the Lord. ”Surrender, and your lives shall be spared. In G.o.d's name go back to England. If ye will not I will make you suffer for it.”[984]
[Footnote 984: 1 May. _Journal du siege_, p. 80.]
These men-at-arms answered her with insults as those of Les Tourelles had done. One of them, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Granville, cried out to her: ”Would you have us surrender to a woman?”
The French, who were with her, they dubbed pimps and infidels, to shame them for being in the company of a bad woman and a witch.[985]
But whether because they thought her magic rendered her invulnerable, or because they held it dishonourable to strike a messenger, now, as on other occasions, they forbore to fire on her.
[Footnote 985: _Trial_, vol. iii, p. 68 (evidence of Louis de Coutes).]