er interlocutor, though now and again she
swept me with one of her wonderful glances. She told me how from a
child she had heard voices, which she knew to be from above,
speaking to her, bidding her to be good, to go to the church, to
attend to her simple duties at home. But as she grew older there
came a change. She remembered the day when first she saw a
wonderful white light hovering above her; and this light came
again, and yet again; and the third time she saw in it the figure
of an angel--more than that--of the Archangel Michael himself--the
warrior of Heaven; and from him she first received the message that
she was to be used for the deliverance of her people.

She was long in understanding what this meant. St. Michael told her
she should receive other angelic visitors, and often after this St.
Catherine and St. Margaret appeared to her, and told her what was
required of her, and what she must do. At first she was greatly
affrighted, and wept, and besought them to find some other for the
task, since she was but a humble country maid, and knew nothing of
the art of warfare, and shuddered at the sight of blood. But they
told her to be brave, to trust in the Lord, to think only of Him
and of His holy will towards her. And so, by degrees, she lost all
her fears, knowing that it was not of herself she would do this
thing, and that her angels would be with her, her saints would
watch over her, and her voices direct her in all that she should
speak or do.

"And now," she added, clasping her hands, and looking full into my
face, "now do they tell me that the time is at hand. Since last
Ascensiontide they have bid me wait in quietness for the appointed
hour; but of late my voices have spoken words which may not be set
aside. I must be sent to the Dauphin. Orleans must be saved from
the hosts of the English which encompass it. I am appointed for
this task, and I shall accomplish it by the grace of my Lord and
His holy saints. Then the crown must be set upon the head of the
Dauphin, and he must be anointed as the king. After that my task
will be done; but not till then. And now I must needs set forth
upon the appointed way. To the Dauphin I must go, to speak to him
of things I may tell to none other; and the Sieur Robert de
Baudricourt is appointed of Heaven to send me to Chinon. Wherefore,
I pray you, gentle knight, bid him no longer delay; for I am
straitened in spirit till I may be about my Lord's business, and He
wo