they cannot come up hither. Now then, tell
me, in God's name, you who are so wise, what that council of yours was
thinking about, to invent this foolish difficulty."

Dunois and the rest fumbled around the matter a moment, then gave in and
conceded that a blunder had been made.

"Yes, a blunder has been made," said Joan, "and except God take your
proper work upon Himself and change the wind and correct your blunder for
you, there is none else that can devise a remedy."

Some of these people began to perceive that with all her technical
ignorance she had practical good sense, and that with all her native
sweetness and charm she was not the right kind of a person to play with.

Presently God did take the blunder in hand, and by His grace the wind did
change. So the fleet of boats came up and went away loaded with
provisions and cattle, and conveyed that welcome succor to the hungry
city, managing the matter successfully under protection of a sortie from
the walls against the bastille of St. Loup. Then Joan began on the
Bastard again:

"You see here the army?"

"Yes."

"It is here on this side by advice of your council?"

"Yes."

"Now, in God's name, can that wise council explain why it is better to
have it here than it would be to have it in the bottom of the sea?"

Dunois made some wandering attempts to explain the inexplicable and
excuse the inexcusable, but Joan cut him short and said:

"Answer me this, good sir--has the army any value on this side of the
river?"

The Bastard confessed that it hadn't--that is, in view of the plan of
campaign which she had devised and decreed.

"And yet, knowing this, you had the hardihood to disobey my orders. Since
the army's place is on the other side, will you explain to me how it is
to get there?"

The whole size of the needless muddle was apparent. Evasions were of no
use; therefore Dunois admitted that there was no way to correct the
blunder but to send the army all the way back to Blois, and let it begin
over again and come up on the other side this time, according to Joan's
original plan.

Any other girl, after winning such a triumph as this over a veteran
soldier of old renown, might have exulted a little and been excusable for
it, but Joan showed no disposition of this sort. She dropped a word or
two of grief over the precious time that must be lost, then began at once
to issue commands for the march back. She sorrowed to see her army go;
for she said its