d it
I think she only meant she would take off his official head --degrade him
from his command. It was not like her to threaten a comrade's life. She
did have her doubts of her generals, and was entitled to them, for she
was all for storm and assault, and they were for holding still and tiring
the English out. Since they did not believe in her way and were
experienced old soldiers, it would be natural for them to prefer their
own and try to get around carrying hers out.

But I did hear something that the histories didn't mention and don't know
about. I heard Joan say that now that the garrisons on the other wide had
been weakened to strengthen those on our side, the most effective point
of operations had shifted to the south shore; so she meant to go over
there and storm the forts which held the bridge end, and that would open
up communication with our own dominions and raise the siege. The generals
began to balk, privately, right away, but they only baffled and delayed
her, and that for only four days.

All Orleans met the army at the gate and huzzaed it through the bannered
streets to its various quarters, but nobody had to rock it to sleep; it
slumped down dog-tired, for Dunois had rushed it without mercy, and for
the next twenty-four hours it would be quiet, all but the snoring.

Chapter 17 Sweet Fruit of Bitter Truth

WHEN WE got home, breakfast for us minor fry was waiting in our mess-room
and the family honored us by coming in to eat it with us. The nice old
treasurer, and in fact all three were flatteringly eager to hear about
our adventures. Nobody asked the Paladin to begin, but he did begin,
because now that his specially ordained and peculiar military rank set
him above everybody on the personal staff but old D'Aulon, who didn't eat
with us, he didn't care a farthing for the knights' nobility no mine, but
took precedence in the talk whenever it suited him, which was all the
time, because he was born that way. He said:

"God be thanked, we found the army in admirable condition I think I have
never seen a finer body of animals."

"Animals!" said Miss Catherine.

"I will explain to you what he means," said Noel. "He--"

"I will trouble you not to trouble yourself to explain anything for me,"
said the Paladin, loftily. "I have reason to think--"

"That is his way," said Noel; "always when he thinks he has reason to
think, he thinks he does think, but this is an error. He didn't see the
army. I no