When I reached Fierbois, which was in the forenoon of the day
following, the good priests of the church knew nothing of any such
sword; but the fame of the Maid having reached their ears, they
were proud and glad that their church of St. Catherine should be
honoured thus, and calling together some workmen, they made careful
search, and sure enough, before we had dug deep, the spade struck
and clinked against metal, and forth from beneath the altar we drew
a sword, once a strong and well-tempered weapon, doubtless, but now
covered with rust, so that the good priests looked askance at it,
and begged to have it to cleanse and polish.
It was then too late for my return the same day, so I left it to
them, and lodged me in the town, where all the people flocked to
hear news of the Maid and of the coming campaign.
Then in the morning, with the first of the light, the sword was
brought to me; and surely many persons in Fierbois must have sat up
all the night, for every speck of rust had been cleansed away, and
a velvet scabbard made or found for the weapon, which the priests
begged of me to take with it to the Maid as their gift, and with
their benediction upon it and her.
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