lve Lies.

I had had but little to do these ten days, so I spent them mainly in
walks about the town with Noel. But there was no pleasure in them, our
spirits being so burdened with cares, and the outlook for Joan
growing steadily darker and darker all the time. And then we naturally
contrasted our circumstances with hers: this freedom and sunshine, with
her darkness and chains; our comradeship, with her lonely estate; our
alleviations of one sort and another, with her destitution in all.
She was used to liberty, but now she had none; she was an out-of-door
creature by nature and habit, but now she was shut up day and night in
a steel cage like an animal; she was used to the light, but now she was
always in a gloom where all objects about her were dim and spectral; she
was used to the thousand various sounds which are the cheer and music
of a busy life, but now she heard only the monotonous footfall of the
sentry pacing his watch; she had been fond of talking with her mates,
but now there was no one to talk to; she had had an easy laugh, but it
was gone dumb now; she had been born for comradeship, and blithe and
busy work, and all manner of joyous activities, but here were only
dreariness, and leaden hours, and weary inaction, and brooding
stillness, and thoughts that travel by day and night and night and day
round and round in the same circle, and wear the brain and break the
heart with weariness. It was death in life; yes, death in life, that is
what it must have been. And there was another hard thing about it all. A
young girl in trouble needs the soothing solace and support and
sympathy of persons of her own sex, and the delicate offices and gentle
ministries which only these can furnish; yet in all these months of
gloomy captivity in her dungeon Joan never saw the face of a girl or a
woman. Think how her heart would have leaped to see such a face.

Consider. If you would realize how great Joan of Arc was, remember that
it was out of such a place and such circumstances that she came week
after week and month after month and confronted the master intellects
of France single-handed, and baffled their cunningest schemes, defeated
their ablest plans, detected and avoided their secretest traps and
pitfalls, broke their lines, repelled their assaults, and camped on the
field after every engagement; steadfast always, true to her faith and
her ideals; defying torture, defying the stake, and answering threats
of eternal dea