In other matters, too, the Maid knew her mind, and spoke it with
calm decision. The Queen of Sicily had not been content with
ordering the Maid's dress alone, she had also given orders to the
first armourer in Tours to fashion her a suit of light armour for
the coming strife. This armour was of white metal, and richly
inlaid with silver, so that when the sun glinted upon it, it shone
with a dazzling white radiance, almost blinding to behold. The
King, also, resolved to do his share, had ordered for her a light
sword, with a blade of Toledo steel; but though the Maid gratefully
accepted the gift of the white armour, and appeared before all the
Court attired therein, and with her headpiece, with its floating
white plumes crowning it all, yet, as she made her reverence before
the King, she gently put aside his gift of the sword.
"Gentle Dauphin," she said, "I thank you from my heart; but for me
there is another sword which I must needs carry with me into
battle; and I pray you give me leave to send and fetch it from
where it lies unknown and forgotten.
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