The Maid saw and covered her eyes
for a moment with her mailed hand.
"Lord have mercy on that brave soul!" she whispered, "but why did
he not heed the warning?"
Well, the fighting round Jargeau was fierce and long; but the Maid
with her standard held stubbornly to the place beside the wall
which she had taken up, and at sight of her, and at the sound of
her clear, silvery voice, encouraging and commanding, the men came
ever on and on, regardless of peril, till the scaling ladders were
set, and through the breaches torn in the walls by the guns, our
soldiers swarmed over into the town, shouting with the shout of
those with whom is the victory.
Again the Maid triumphed. Again the hearts of the English melted
within them at the sight of the White Witch, as they would
tauntingly call her, even whilst they cowered and fled before her.
The French were swarming into the city; the great gates were flung
open with acclamations of triumph; and the Maid marched in to take
possession, her white banner floating proudly before her, her eyes
alight, her cheeks flushed.
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