Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

disciplined, and marched in excellent order. La Pucelle had resolved that the troops should advance by the route of Beausse, where the principal forces of the enemy were garrisoned. The generals, who vainly expostulated with Jeanne on the rashness of such a proceeding, took advantage of her ignorance of the country to mislead her into the road of Sologne.

La Pucelle was desirous that the troops should enjoy repose during the first night. She suffered much from indisposition: but soon recovered her strength, and continued the march, uniformly exhorting the warriors to go to confession, herself setting the example, and receiving the Host in the midst of them.

On the third day the army arrived in the environs of Orleans, when Jeanne d'Arc found that she had been deceived, and conducted by a route contrary to that she had prescribed. The

with a cross and a banner, the procession being conducted by La Pucelle. This march converted into a spectacle was well calculated to reanimate the drooping courage of the soldiers.Luchet, p. 13.

During this expedition the ecclesiastics chanted the Veni Creator and other prayers, the march continuing for three days. Two nights were spent in the open fields, and on the third day they approached Orleans near St. Loup, the vessels which contained the supplies coming up at the same time.-Chaussard, vol. i. p. 20.

convoy was upon the banks of the Loire; and at the only spot where the vessels despatched from Orleans to receive the provisions might have passed, the English had constructed a fort. In every other direction the water was too shallow to permit the barks to approach for the removal of the convoy; and much danger was to be apprehended upon that account. Jeanne d'Arc wished that an attack should be immediately made on the bastilles of the English; when Count Dunois, who had the command of Orleans, having ascertained the arrival of La Pucelle, repaired to meet her, crossing the Loire in a small boat, accompanied by some captains, and arriving at the spot where the convoy was stationed.

No sooner was the Bastard in presence of Jeanne than she exclaimed, "Estes vous pas le Bâtard d'Orleans? Are you not the Bastard of Orleans?"

*

As soon as the convoy arrived in the vicinity of Orleans, Jeanne on beholding Dunois exclaimed "Vous êtes le Bátard d'Orleans-You are the Bastard of Orleans:" to which the count having answered in the affirmative, she immediately uttered some reproaches in consequence of the convoy having been conducted by the road of Sologne, instead of that of Beausse as she had directed. The count Dunois, in reply, stated, that this measure had been adopted by order of council, to which Jeanne made answer: "Eh quoi! le conseil de mon Dieu n'est il pas plus sûr que le vôtre? Vous croyez m'avoir trompée, mais vous-même vous êtes trompé; puisque je vous amene un secours de sa part: Ah, council, is not that of my God

to which he replied in the affirmative, adding that he felt overjoyed at her arrival. La Pucelle immediately demanded if it was by his direction that she had been conducted on the side of the river where she then was, instead of that occupied by Talbot and his Englishmen; when Dunois having made answer, that such measures had been resorted to by the advice of himself and other captains, Jeanne briskly retorted: "En mon Dieu, le conseil de Dieu notre Seigneur est plus sûr et plus habile que le vôtre. Vous avez cru me decevoir, et vous êtes plus deçus que moi; car je vous assure le meilleur secours qui ait jamais été envoyé à qui que ce soit, soit à chevalier, soit à ville, c'est le secours du Roi des cieux, non mie par amour pour moi, mais procède de Dieu même, qui, à la prière de Saint Louis et de Saint Charlemagne, a eu pitié de la ville d'Orleans, et ne veut pas souffrir que les ennemis ayent ensemble le corps du duc d'Orleans et

more certain than yours? You think that you have deceived me, but you are yourself deceived; because it is from him I bring you relief."-Lenglet, vol. i. page 60.

M. Luchet, p. 13. on referring to this statement, says: "If it was Jeanne who conducted this convoy, she was mistress of her own actions; in which case, why did she not follow the impulse of her inspiration?" And when adverting to her reply to count Dunois, respecting the advice of her God, he remarks, we may naturally suppose it was a matter of no consequence to the Omnipotent, whether the convoy in question arrived after traversing Sologne or Beausse.

sa ville. In the name of God, the counsel of God our Lord is surer and of more effect than yours. You have thought to deceive me, and you are more deceived than I am; for I assure you, that the best assistance ever yet sent to any one, whether to knight or to city, is the succour of the King of heaven, not accorded through love for me, but proceeding from God himself, who, at the prayer of Saint Louis and Saint Charlemagne, has taken pity on the city of Orleans, and will not permit that the enemy should at the same time possess the body of the duke of Orleans* and his city." A council was then held, when after due consideration it was resolved, that to prevent the English from having time to collect their forces, the French should remount the banks of the Loire as far as Checy, about two leagues east of Orleans, at which place there was a port in every respect commodious for discharging the supplies into large vessels. The wind, which had till this period uniformly continued adverse to the arrival of the barks, became favourable; the craft passed at no great distance from the enemy's forts, and gained the left bank of the river in safety at the same time with La Pucelle and the army. Dunois then proposed that Jeanne

* Charles, duke of Orleans, who was made prisoner at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, still remained a captive in England, and did not recover his liberty until 1440.

*

d'Arc should enter into Orleans, but she continued very undecided upon this point; being averse to quit the troops, who were well disposed, and had still a march to perform in order to cross the river at Blois, in consequence of the difficulty there was of procuring a sufficient number of boats to enable them to pass the Loire at the spot where they had halted. La Pucelle, however, yielded at length to the entreaties of the Bastard, and entered the city, armed cap-à-pied, mounted on a white horse, and causing her standard to be carried before her. She was accompanied by the count Dunois and many other chieftains of war, and immediately proceeded to the principal church to offer up her humble thanks to the Almighty. Upon this occasion the enthusiasm of the inhabitants of Orleans had attained its acmè; there was not an individual who did not feel animated; both men and women flocked

Lenglet, vol. i. page 61, states, that count Dunois entreated Jeanne to enter the city of Orleans, where she was so ardently looked for, but that she refused to acquiesce, being desirous not to abandon her people; all of whom, she said, were perfectly obedient, and fortified with the sacraments of the church.-Deposition of Count Dunois, 22d February, 1456.

In the same page, Lenglet adds, "At her entrance into Orleans, she dismounted at the cathedral to offer thanks to God for the prosperous result of her expedition."-Deposition of Jaques Lesbahy, 16th March, 1456.

M. Lenglet must have been guilty of an oversight, as the latter statement contradicts the assertion previously made.

« AnteriorContinuar »