efly through the pen of Shakespeare, in
his play of Henry V.

But Henry was destined never to wear the crown of France, nor even to
see his own land again. There were only two more years of life for
him. His death occurred in his palace of the Louvre, a few weeks
before that of Charles VI., and the crown he expected to wear upon this
event passed to his infant son, who was by the Burgundian party
recognized as King of France.

A careless, pleasure-loving dauphin, just twenty, apparently
indifferent to the loss of a kingdom, was a frail support at such a
time. Only a fragment of the country was held by his followers, the
Orleanists; Scotland had come to his aid with a few thousand men, but
what did this avail with the greater part of the kingdom held by the
Burgundians, while town after town was declaring its allegiance to the
English Duke of Bedford, whom his dying brother, Henry V., had named as
regent for his infant son.

The city of Orleans, held by the dauphin's adherents, was besieged. It
was the key to the situation. Its fall meant the fall of the kingdom,
the conquest of France. When this happened, that infant at the Louvre
would really be the wearer of the crown. So hopeless was the situation
that the spiritless Charles was only in doubt whether to take refuge in
Scotland or in Spain.

But although towns and cities had deserted him, the heart of the people
had not. Patriotism, dead everywhere else, still lived in the heart of
that forgotten multitude lying silent and humble under the feet of its
masters. The monarchy had been their friend, their only friend. The
Church had deserted them, and joined their enemies the nobles. But to
the people, the name King expressed gratitude and hope; and they loved
it.

If a great spreading tree full of verdure had arisen in a day out of
the barren breast of Mother Earth, it would scarcely have been a
greater miracle that what really happened when a child of the soil, a
girl, rising triumphant over the disabilities of age, sex, birth, and
condition, saved France from destruction. Summoned by celestial
voices, by angels whom she not only heard but saw, Joan of Arc started
upon her mission of rescue for France!

When this daughter of the people, this peasant from Domremy, was
admitted to the presence of the dauphin, it is said that in amusement
and in order to test the reality of her mission, Charles exchanged
dress with one of his courtiers. But the maid go