the
Maid was a match for the council, and they were right.

When we reached the gate, Joan told Gaucourt to open it and let her pass.

He said it would be impossible to do this, for his orders were from the
council and were strict. Joan said:

"There is no authority above mine but the King's. If you have an order
from the King, produce it."

"I cannot claim to have an order from him, General."

"Then make way, or take the consequences!"

He began to argue the case, for he was like the rest of the tribe, always
ready to fight with words, not acts; but in the midst of his gabble Joan
interrupted with the terse order:

"Charge!"

We came with a rush, and brief work we made of that small job. It was
good to see the Bailly's surprise. He was not used to this unsentimental
promptness. He said afterward that he was cut off in the midst of what he
was saying--in the midst of an argument by which he could have proved
that he could not let Joan pass--an argument which Joan could not have
answered.

"Still, it appears she did answer it," said the person he was talking to.

We swung through the gate in great style, with a vast accession of noise,
the most of which was laughter, and soon our van was over the river and
moving down against the Tourelles.

First we must take a supporting work called a boulevard, and which was
otherwise nameless, before we could assault the great bastille. Its rear
communicated with the bastille by a drawbridge, under which ran a swift
and deep strip of the Loire. The boulevard was strong, and Dunois doubted
our ability to take it, but Joan had no such doubt. She pounded it with
artillery all the forenoon, then about noon she ordered an assault and
led it herself. We poured into the fosse through the smoke and a tempest
of missiles, and Joan, shouting encouragements to her men, started to
climb a scaling-ladder, when that misfortune happened which we knew was
to happen--the iron bolt from an arbaquest struck between her neck and
her shoulder, and tore its way down through her armor. When she felt the
sharp pain and saw her blood gushing over her breast, she was frightened,
poor girl, and as she sank to the ground she began to cry bitterly.

The English sent up a glad shout and came surging down in strong force to
take her, and then for a few minutes the might of both adversaries was
concentrated upon that spot. Over her and above her, English and French
fought with desperation--for she st