They flocked round her, and
he who could touch but her horse was counted happy.
Joan went straight to the cathedral, where she had the Te Deum chanted.
The people thought that already they were singing their thanksgivings
for victory. Despair was changed to hope; fear to courage. She was known
as "the Maid of Orleans." From the cathedral she went to the house of
one of the most esteemed ladies of the town, with whom she had chosen to
live. A great supper had been prepared for her, but she took only a bit
of bread sopped in wine before she went to sleep. By her orders, the
next day an archer fastened to his arrow a letter of warning, and shot
it into the English lines. She went herself along the bridge and
exhorted the enemy to depart. Sir William Gladsdale tried to conceal his
fright by answering her with such rude words as made her weep. Four days
afterwards the real terror of the English was shown. The Maid of Orleans
and LaHire went to meet the second load of provisions. As it passed
close under the English lines not an arrow was shot against it; not a
man appeared.
Joan of Arc was now to win as much glory by her courage as before her
very name had brought. While she was lying down to rest, that same
afternoon, the townspeople went out to attack the Bastile of St. Loup.
They had sent her no word of the fight. But Joan started suddenly from
her bed, declaring that her voices told her to go against the English.
She put on her armor, mounted her horse, and, with her banner in her
hand, galloped through the streets.
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