five thousand
men.

Joan placed her batteries and bombarded the castle till night. Then some
news came: Richemont, Constable of France, this long time in disgrace
with the King, largely because of the evil machinations of La Tremouille
and his party, was approaching with a large body of men to offer his
services to Joan--and very much she needed them, now that Fastolfe
was so close by. Richemont had wanted to join us before, when we first
marched on Orleans; but the foolish King, slave of those paltry advisers
of his, warned him to keep his distance and refused all reconciliation
with him.

I go into these details because they are important. Important because
they lead up to the exhibition of a new gift in Joan's extraordinary
mental make-up--statesmanship. It is a sufficiently strange thing to
find that great quality in an ignorant country-girl of seventeen and a
half, but she had it.

Joan was for receiving Richemont cordially, and so was La Hire and
the two young Lavals and other chiefs, but the Lieutenant-General,
d'Alencon, strenuously and stubbornly opposed it. He said he had
absolute orders from the King to deny and defy Richemont, and that if
they were overridden he would leave the army. This would have been a
heavy disaster, indeed. But Joan set herself the task of persuading him
that the salvation of France took precedence of all minor things--even
the commands of a sceptered ass; and she accomplished it. She persuaded
him to disobey the King in the interest of the nation, and to be
reconciled to Count Richemont and welcome him. That was statesmanship;
and of the highest and soundest sort. Whatever thing men call great,
look for it in Joan of Arc, and there you will find it.

In the early morning, June 17th, the scouts reported the approach of
Talbot and Fastolfe with Fastolfe's succoring force. Then the drums beat
to arms; and we set forth to meet the English, leaving Richemont and his
troops behind to watch the castle of Beaugency and keep its garrison
at home. By and by we came in sight of the enemy. Fastolfe had tried to
convince Talbot that it would be wisest to retreat and not risk a battle
with Joan at this time, but distribute the new levies among the English
strongholds of the Loire, thus securing them against capture; then be
patient and wait--wait for more levies from Paris; let Joan exhaust her
army with fruitless daily skirmishing; then at the right time fall upon
her in resistless mass and