ke her comfortable by
saying the blush was exceeding becoming to her and not to mind it--which
caused even the dog to notice it now, so of course the red in Joan's
face turned to purple, and the tears overflowed and ran down--I could
have told anybody that that would happen. The King was distressed, and
saw that the best thing to do would be to get away from this subject,
so he began to say the finest kind of things about Joan's capture of
the Tourelles, and presently when she was more composed he mentioned the
reward again and pressed her to name it. Everybody listened with anxious
interest to hear what her claim was going to be, but when her answer
came their faces showed that the thing she asked for was not what they
had been expecting.

"Oh, dear and gracious Dauphin, I have but one desire--only one. If--"

"Do not be afraid, my child--name it."

"That you will not delay a day. My army is strong and valiant, and eager
to finish its work--march with me to Rheims and receive your crown." You
could see the indolent King shrink, in his butterfly clothes.

"To Rheims--oh, impossible, my General! We march through the heart of
England's power?"

Could those be French faces there? Not one of them lighted in response
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.