s humble little hostelry!--and
he was so overcome with the glory of it that he could hardly find breath
enough in his excited body to put the facts into words. They were come
from the King to speak with the Maid of Vaucouleurs. Then he flew
downstairs, and presently appeared again, backing into the room, and
bowing to the ground with every step, in front of four imposing and
austere bishops and their train of servants.

Joan rose, and we all stood. The bishops took seats, and for a while no
word was said, for it was their prerogative to speak first, and they were
so astonished to see what a child it was that was making such a noise in
the world and degrading personages of their dignity to the base function
of ambassadors to her in her plebeian tavern, that they could not find
any words to say at first. Then presently their spokesman told Joan they
were aware that she had a message for the King, wherefore she was now
commanded to put it into words, briefly and without waste of time or
embroideries of speech.

As for me, I could hardly contain my joy--our message was to reach the
King at last! And there was the same joy and pride and exultation in the
faces of our knights, too, and in those of Joan's brothers. And I knew
that they were all praying--as I was--that the awe which we felt in the
presence of these great dignitaries, and which would have tied our
tongues and locked our jaws, would not affect her in the like degree, but
that she would be enabled to word her message well, and with little
stumbling, and so make a favorable impression here, where it would be so
valuable and so important.

Ah, dear, how little we were expecting what happened then! We were aghast
to hear her say what she said. She was standing in a reverent attitude,
with her head down and her hands clasped in front of her; for she was
always reverent toward the consecrated servants of God. When the
spokesman had finished, she raised her head and set her calm eye on those
faces, not any more disturbed by their state and grandeur than a princess
would have been, and said, with all her ordinary simplicity and modesty
of voice and manner:

"Ye will forgive me, reverend sirs, but I have no message save for the
King's ear alone."

Those surprised men were dumb for a moment, and their faces flushed
darkly; then the spokesman said:

"Hark ye, to you fling the King's command in his face and refuse to
deliver this message of yours to his servants appoi