ll,' said the
Maid.

'Six days will do,' said the chancellor, 'if you are sure you speak
truth.'

Joan made ready for an attack. She was calling 'Forward!' when the town
surrendered. Reims, after some doubts, yielded also, on July 16, and all
the people, with shouts of '_Noel!_' welcomed the king. On July 17 the
king was crowned and anointed with the Holy Oil by that very Archbishop
of Reims who always opposed Joan. The Twelve Peers of France were not
all present--some were on the English side--but Joan stood by Charles,
her banner in her hand. 'It bore the brunt, and deserved to share the
renown,' she said later to her accusers.

When the ceremony was ended, and the Dauphin Charles was a crowned and
anointed king, the Maid knelt weeping at his feet.

'Gentle king,' she said, 'now is accomplished the will of God, who
desired that you should come to Reims to be consecrated, and to prove
that you are the true king and the kingdom is yours.'

Then all the knights wept for joy.

The king bade Joan choose her reward. Already horses, rich armour,
jewelled daggers, had been given to her. These, adding to the beauty and
glory of her aspect, had made men follow her more gladly, and for that
she valued them. She, too, made gifts to noble ladies, and gave much to
the poor. She only wanted money to wage the war with, not for herself.
Her family was made noble; on their shield, between two lilies, a sword
upholds the crown. Her father was at Reims, and saw her in her glory.
What reward, then, was Joan to choose? She chose nothing for herself,
but that her native village of Domremy should be free from taxes. This
news her father carried home from the splendid scene at Reims.

Would that we could leave the Maiden here, with Orleans saved, and her
king crowned! Would that she, who wept when her saints left her in her
visions, and who longed to follow them, could have been carried by them
to their Paradise!

But Joan had another task; she was to be foiled by the cowardice of her
king; she was to be captured, possibly by treachery; she was to be tried
with the most cruel injustice; she was to die by fire; and was to set,
through months of agony, such an example of wisdom, courage, and loyal
honour as never was shown by man.

Did Joan look forward to her end, did she know that her days were
numbered? On the journey to Reims she met some Domremy people at
Chalons, and told them that she 'feared nothing but treachery.' Perhaps
s