第13章 DOMREMY AND VAUCOULEURS.1424-1429.(8)

In the meantime Baudricourt had not been idle.He must have been moved by the sight of Jeanne，at least to perceive a certain gravity in the business for which he was not prepared；and her composure under the curé's exorcism would naturally deepen the effect which her own manners and aspect had upon all who were free of prejudice.Another singular event，too，added weight to her character and demand.One day after her return from Lorraine，February 12th，1429，she intimated to all her surroundings and specially to Baudricourt，that the King had suffered a defeat near Orleans，which made it still more necessary that she should be at once conducted to him.It was found when there was time for the news to come，that this defeat，the Battle of the Herrings，so-called，had happened as she said，at the exact time；and such a strange fact added much to the growing enthusiasm and excitement.Baudricourt is said by Michelet to have sent off a secret express to the Court to ask what he should do；but of this there seems to be no direct evidence，though likelihood enough.The Court at Chinon contained a strong feminine element，behind the scenes.And it might be found that there were uses for the enthusiast，even if she did not turn out to be inspired.No doubt there were many comings and goings at this period which can only be traced confusedly through the depositions of Jeanne's companions twenty-five years after.She had at least two interviews with Baudricourt before the exorcism of the curéand his consequent change of procedure towards her.Then，escorted by her uncle Laxart，and apparently by Jean de Metz，she had made a pilgrimage to a shrine of St.Nicolas，as already mentioned，on which occasion，being near Nancy，she was sent for by the Duke of Lorraine，then lying ill at his castle in that city，who had a fancy to consult the young prophetess，sorceress--who could tell what she was？--on the subject apparently of his illness.He was the son of Queen Yolande of Anjou，who was mother-in-law to Charles VII.and it would no doubt be thought of some importance to secure his good opinion.Jeanne gave the exalted patient no light on the subject of his health，but only the (probably unpleasing)advice to flee from the wrath of God and to be reconciled with his wife，from whom he was separated.He too，however，was moved by the sight of her and her straightforward，undeviating purpose.He gave her four francs，Durand tells us，--not much of a present，--which she gave to her uncle，and which helped to buy her outfit.Probably he made a good report of her to his mother，for shortly after her return to Vaucouleurs (I again follow Michelet who ought to be well informed)a messenger from Chinon arrived to take her to the King.[4]In the councils of that troubled Court，perhaps，the idea of a prodigy and miraculous leader，though she was nothing but a peasant girl，would be not without attraction，a thing to conjure withal，so far as the multitude were concerned.

Anyhow from any point of view，in the hopeless condition of affairs，it was expedient that nothing which gave promise of help，either real or visionary，should lightly be rejected.There was much anxiety no doubt in the careless Court still dancing and singing in the midst of calamity，but the reception of the ambitious peasant would form an exciting incident at least，if nothing more important and notable.

Thus the whole anxious world of France stirred round that youthful figure in the little frontier town，repeating with many an alteration and exaggeration the sayings of Jeanne，and those popular superstitions about the Maid from Lorraine which might be so naturally applied to her.It would seem，indeed，that she had herself attached some importance to this prophecy，for both her uncle Laxart and her hostess at Vaucouleurs report that she asked them if they had heard it：which question "stupefied"the latter，whose mind evidently jumped at once to the conviction that the prophecy was fulfilled.Not in Domremy itself，however，were these things considered with the same awe-stricken and admiring faith.Nothing had softened the mood of Jacques d'Arc.It was a shame to the village /prud'homme/to think of his daughter away from all the protection of home，living among men，encountering the young Seigneurs who cared for no maiden's reputation，hearing the soldiers'rude talk，exposed to their insults，or worse still to their kindness.Probably even now he thought of her as surrounded by troopers and men-at-arms，instead of the princes and peers with whom henceforth Jeanne's lot was to be cast；but in the former case there would have perhaps been less to fear than in the latter.Anyhow，Jeanne's communications with her family were more painful to her than had been the jeers of Baudricourt or the exorcism of the curé.They sent her angry orders to come back，threats of parental curses and abandonment.We may hope that the mother，grieved and helpless，had little to do with this persecution.The woman who had nourished her children upon saintly legend and Scripture story could scarcely have been hard upon the child，of whom she，better than any，knew the perfect purity and steadfast resolution.One of the little household at least，revolted by the stern father's fury，perhaps secretly encouraged by the mother，broke away and joined his sister at a later period.But we hear，during her lifetime，little or nothing of Pierre.