My Lord bids it!"
Her eyes flashed full and suddenly upon him. We saw him quiver from
head to foot. With his own hands he unlocked the gate, and it
seemed to swing of its own accord wide open before us. The Maid
bent her head in gracious acknowledgment, swept through and was off
to the river like a flash of white lightning.
The river lay golden in the glory of the morning. The boats which
had transported us across last night bore us bravely over now. I
know not how the Generals felt when they saw the Maid, a dazzling
vision of brightness, her great white standard close behind, her
phalanx of knights and gentlemen in attendance, gallop up to the
scene of action, from which they thought they had successfully
banished her. I only know that from the throats of the soldiers
there arose a deafening shout of welcome. They at least believed in
her. They looked to her as to none else. They would follow her
unwaveringly, when no other commander could make them budge.
A yell that rent the very firmament went up at sight of her, and
every man seized his arms and sprang to his post, as though
inspired by the very genius of victory.
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