ision and perfect it, the rude
host seemed to think they saw the god of war in person, descended out of
the clouds; and first they wondered, then they worshiped. After that, she
could do with them what she would.

In three days it was a clean camp and orderly, and those barbarians were
herding to divine service twice a day like good children. The women were
gone. La Hire was stunned by these marvels; he could not understand them.
He went outside the camp when he wanted to swear. He was that sort of a
man--sinful by nature and habit, but full of superstitious respect for
holy places.

The enthusiasm of the reformed army for Joan, its devotion to her, and
the hot desire had aroused in it to be led against the enemy, exceeded
any manifestations of this sort which La Hire had ever seen before in his
long career. His admiration of it all, and his wonder over the mystery
and miracle of it, were beyond his power to put into words. He had held
this army cheap before, but his pride and confidence in it knew no limits
now. He said:

"Two or three days ago it was afraid of a hen-roost; one could storm the
gates of hell with it now."

Joan and he were inseparable, and a quaint and pleasant contrast they
made. He was so big, she so little; he was so gray and so far along in
his pilgrimage of life, she so youthful; his face was so bronzed and
scarred, hers so fair and pink, so fresh and smooth; she was so gracious,
and he so stern; she was so pure, so innocent, he such a cyclopedia of
sin. In her eye was stored all charity and compassion, in his lightnings;
when her glance fell upon you it seemed to bring benediction and the
peace of God, but with his it was different, generally.

They rode through the camp a dozen times a day, visiting every corner of
it, observing, inspecting, perfecting; and wherever they appeared the
enthusiasm broke forth. They rode side by side, he a great figure of
brawn and muscle, she a little masterwork of roundness and grace; he a
fortress of rusty iron, she a shining statuette of silver; and when the
reformed raiders and bandits caught sight of them they spoke out, with
affection and welcome in their voices, and said:

"There they come--Satan and the Page of Christ!"

All the three days that we were in Blois, Joan worked earnestly and
tirelessly to bring La Hire to God--to rescue him from the bondage of
sin--to breathe into his stormy hear the serenity and peace of religion.
She urged, she begged,