onse to
the girl's brave proposition, but all promptly showed satisfaction in the
King's objection. Leave this silken idleness for the rude contact of war?
None of these butterflies desired that. They passed their jeweled
comfit-boxes one to another and whispered their content in the head
butterfly's practical prudence. Joan pleaded with the King, saying:

"Ah, I pray you do not throw away this perfect opportunity. Everything is
favorable--everything. It is as if the circumstances were specially made
for it. The spirits of our army are exalted with victory, those of the
English forces depressed by defeat. Delay will change this. Seeing us
hesitate to follow up our advantage, our men will wonder, doubt, lose
confidence, and the English will wonder, gather courage, and be bold
again. Now is the time--pritheee let us march!"

The King shook his head, and La Tremouille, being asked for an opinion,
eagerly furnished it:

"Sire, all prudence is against it. Think of the English strongholds along
the Loire; think of those that lie between us and Rheims!"

He was going on, but Joan cut him short, and said, turning to him:

"If we wait, they will all be strengthened, reinforced. Will that
advantage us?"

"Why--no."

"Then what is your suggestion?--what is it that you would propose to do?"

"My judgment is to wait."

"Wait for what?"

The minister was obliged to hesitate, for he knew of no explanation that
would sound well. Moreover, he was not used to being catechized in this
fashion, with the eyes of a crowd of people on him, so he was irritated,
and said:

"Matters of state are not proper matters for public discussion."

Joan said placidly:

"I have to beg your pardon. My trespass came of ignorance. I did not know
that matters connected with your department of the government were
matters of state."

The minister lifted his brows in amused surprise, and said, with a touch
of sarcasm:

"I am the King's chief minister, and yet you had the impression that
matters connected with my department are not matters of state? Pray, how
is that?"

Joan replied, indifferently:

"Because there is no state."

"No state!"

"No, sir, there is no state, and no use for a minister. France is shrunk
to a couple of acres of ground; a sheriff's constable could take care of
it; its affairs are not matters of state. The term is too large."

The King did not blush, but burst into a hearty, careless laugh, and the
court laughed