Truth to tell, I was
something nervous of this ordeal, and there were many who shared my
doubts and fears. But the Maid rode onward, serene and calm, the
light of joy and hope in her eyes, untroubled by any doubts. At
last she was on her way to the relief of the beleaguered city;
there was no room for misgiving in her faithful heart.
We entered Tours amid the clashing of joy bells, the plaudits of
the soldiers, and the laughter, the weeping, the blessings of an
excited populace, who regarded the Maid as the saviour of the
realm. They crowded to their windows and waved flags and kerchiefs.
They thronged upon her in the streets to gaze at her fair face and
greet her as a deliverer.
It was indeed a moving scene; but she rode through it, calm and
tranquil, pausing in the press to speak a few words of thanks and
greeting, but preserving always her gentle maidenly air of dignity
and reserve. And so we came to the house which had been set apart
for her use on her stay, and there we saw, standing at the foot of
the steps which led from the courtyard into the house, a mighty,
mailed figure, the headpiece alone lacking of his full armour, a
carven warrior, as it seemed, with folded arms and bent brows,
gazing upon us as we filed in under the archway, but making no move
to approach us.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149