to his King and not a show and a
pretense--knows that there is but one rational thing before us--the
march upon Paris!"

Down came the fist of La Hire with an approving crash upon the table.
La Tremouille turned white with anger, but he pulled himself firmly
together and held his peace. The King's lazy blood was stirred and
his eye kindled finely, for the spirit of war was away down in him
somewhere, and a frank, bold speech always found it and made it tingle
gladsomely. Joan waited to see if the chief minister might wish to
defend his position; but he was experienced and wise, and not a man to
waste his forces where the current was against him. He would wait; the
King's private ear would be at his disposal by and by.

That pious fox the Chancellor of France took the word now. He washed his
soft hands together, smiling persuasively, and said to Joan:

"Would it be courteous, your Excellency, to move abruptly from here
without waiting for an answer from the Duke of Burgundy? You may not
know that we are negotiating with his Highness, and that there is
likely to be a fortnight's truce between us; and on his part a pledge to
deliver Paris into our hands without the cost of a blow or the fatigue
of a march thither."

Joan turned to him and said, gravely:

"This is not a confessional, my lord. You were not obliged to expose
that shame here."

The Chancellor's face reddened, and he retorted:

"Shame? What is there shameful about it?"

Joan answered in level, passionless tones:

"One may describe it without hunting far for words. I knew of this poor
comedy, my lord, although it was not intended that I should know. It is
to the credit of the devisers of it that they tried to conceal it--this
comedy whose text and impulse are describable in two words."

The Chancellor spoke up with a fine irony in his manner:

"Indeed? And will your Excellency be good enough to utter them?"

"Cowardice and treachery!"

The fists of all the generals came down this time, and again the King's
eye sparkled with pleasure. The Chancellor sprang to his feet and
appealed to his Majesty:

"Sire, I claim your protection."

But the King waved him to his seat again, saying:

"Peace. She had a right to be consulted before that thing was
undertaken, since it concerned war as well as politics. It is but just
that she be heard upon it now."

The Chancellor sat down trembling with indignation, and remarked to
Joan:

"Out of charity I will