sland."

Here she stayed my speech in the best manner and the most gracious,
laughing low, so that, verily, I was clean besotted with love, and
marvelled that any could be so fair as she, and how I could have won such
a lady.

"Beware how you challenge my Maid," said she at last, "for she fights but
on horseback, with lance and sperthe, {20} and the Duc d'Alencon has seen
her tilt at the ring, and has given her the best steed in his stables,
whereon she shall soon lead her army to Orleans."

"Then I must lay by my quarrel, for who am I to challenge my captain?
But, tell me, hath she heard any word of thee and me?"

Elliot waxed rosy, and whispered--

"We had spoken together about thee, ere she went to Poictiers to be
examined and questioned by the doctors of law and learning, after thou
wert wounded." Concerning this journey to Poictiers I knew nothing, but
I was more concerned to hear what the Maid had said about Elliot and me.
For seeing that the Maid herself was vowed (as men deemed) to virginity,
it passed into my mind that she might think holy matrimony but a low
estate, and might try to set my mistress's heart on following her own
example. And then, I thought, but foolishly, Elliot's love for me might
be weaker than her love for the Maid.

"Yes," my lady went on, "I could not but open my heart about thee and me,
to one who is of my own age, and so wise, unlike other girls. Moreover,
I scarce knew well whether your heart was like disposed with my heart.
Therefore I devised with her more than once or twice."

Hiding her face on my breast, she spoke very low; and as my fancy had
once seen the children, the dark head and the golden, bowed together in
prayer for France and the Dauphin, so now I saw them again, held close
together in converse, and that strange Maid and Prophetess listening,
like any girl, to a girl's tale of the secrets of her heart.

"And what counsel gave the Maid?" I said; "or had she any prophecy of our
fortune?"

"Nay, on such matters she knows no more than you or I, or knows but
seldom, nor seeks to learn from her counsel. Only she is bidden that she
must rescue Orleans, and lead the Dauphin to his sacring at Rheims. But
she wished me well, and comforted me that your heart was even as my own,
as she saw on that day when you wore woman's gear and slew him that
blasphemed her. And of you she spoke the best words, for that you, who
knew her not, took her part against her enemy. And f