e was counted happy.

Joan went straight to the cathedral, where she had the Te Deum chanted.
The people thought that already they were singing their thanksgivings
for victory. Despair was changed to hope; fear to courage. She was known
as "the Maid of Orleans." From the cathedral she went to the house of
one of the most esteemed ladies of the town, with whom she had chosen to
live. A great supper had been prepared for her, but she took only a bit
of bread sopped in wine before she went to sleep. By her orders, the
next day an archer fastened to his arrow a letter of warning, and shot
it into the English lines. She went herself along the bridge and
exhorted the enemy to depart. Sir William Gladsdale tried to conceal his
fright by answering her with such rude words as made her weep. Four days
afterwards the real terror of the English was shown. The Maid of Orleans
and LaHire went to meet the second load of provisions. As it passed
close under the English lines not an arrow was shot against it; not a
man appeared.

Joan of Arc was now to win as much glory by her courage as before her
very name had brought. While she was lying down to rest, that same
afternoon, the townspeople went out to attack the Bastile of St. Loup.
They had sent her no word of the fight. But Joan started suddenly from
her bed, declaring that her voices told her to go against the English.
She put on her armor, mounted her horse, and, with her banner in her
hand, galloped through the streets. The French were retreating, but they
gathered again round her white banner, and Joan led them on once more.
Her spirit rose with the thickness of the fight. She dashed right into
the midst. The battle raged for three hours round the Bastile of St.
Loup, then Joan led on the French to storm it. Joan of Arc, the Maid of
Orleans, had gained her first victory.

The day after there was no fighting, for it was the Feast of the
Ascension. Joan had been first in the fight yesterday; she was first in
prayer to-day. She brought many of the soldiers to their knees for the
first time in their lives.

All along the captains had doubted the military skill of "the simplest
girl they had ever seen," and they did not call her to the council they
held that day. They resolved to attack the English forts on the southern
and weakest side. After a little difficulty Joan consented, when she was
told of it. The next day, before daybreak, she took her place with
LaHire on a small islan