Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, Mark Twain [ebook reader online .txt] 📗

in their line. They decided to do the only thing proper to do now in the new circumstances of the case⁠—feign an attack on the most important bastille on the Orleans side, and then, if the English weakened the far more important fortresses on the other side of the river to come to its help, cross in force and capture those works. This would give them the bridge and free communication with the Sologne, which was French territory. They decided to keep this latter part of the program secret from Joan.

Joan intruded and took them by surprise. She asked them what they were about and what they had resolved upon. They said they had resolved to attack the most important of the English bastilles on the Orleans side next morning⁠—and there the spokesman stopped. Joan said:

“Well, go on.”

“There is nothing more. That is all.”

“Am I to believe this? That is to say, am I to believe that you have lost your wits?” She turned to Dunois, and said, “Bastard, you have sense, answer me this: if this attack is made and the bastille taken, how much better off would we be than we are now?”

The Bastard hesitated, and then began some rambling talk not quite germane to the question. Joan interrupted him and said:

“That will not do, good Bastard, you have answered. Since the Bastard is not able to mention any advantage to be gained by taking that bastille and stopping there, it is not likely that any of you could better the matter. You waste much time here in inventing plans that lead to nothing, and making delays that are a damage. Are you concealing something from me? Bastard, this council has a general plan, I take it; without going into details, what is it?”

“It is the same it was in the beginning, seven months ago⁠—to get provisions for a long siege, then sit down and tire the English out.”

“In the name of God! As if seven months was not enough, you want to provide for a year of it. Now ye shall drop these pusillanimous dreams⁠—the English shall go in three days!”

Several exclaimed:

“Ah, General, General, be prudent!”

“Be prudent and starve? Do ye call that war? I tell you this, if you do not already know it: The new circumstances have changed the face of matters. The true point of attack has shifted; it is on the other side of the river now. One must take the fortifications that command the bridge. The English know that if we are not fools and cowards we will try to do that. They are grateful for your piety in wasting this day. They will reinforce the bridge forts from this side tonight, knowing what ought to happen tomorrow. You have but lost a day and made our task harder, for we will cross and take the bridge forts. Bastard, tell me the truth⁠—does not this council know that there is no other course for us than the one I am speaking of?”

Dunois conceded that the council did know it to be the most desirable, but considered it impracticable; and he excused the council as well as he could by saying that inasmuch as nothing was really and rationally to be hoped for but a long continuance of the siege and wearying out of the English, they were naturally a little afraid of Joan’s impetuous notions. He said:

“You see, we are sure that the waiting game is the best, whereas you would carry everything by storm.”

“That I would!⁠—and moreover that I will! You have my orders⁠—here and now. We will move upon the forts of the south bank tomorrow at dawn.”

“And carry them by storm?”

“Yes, carry them by storm!”

La Hire came clanking in, and heard the last remark. He cried out:

“By my baton, that is the music I love to hear! Yes, that is the right time and the beautiful words, my General⁠—we will carry them by storm!”

He saluted in his large way and came up and shook Joan by the hand.

Some member of the council was heard to say:

“It follows, then, that we must begin with the bastille St. John, and that will give the English time to⁠—”

Joan turned and said:

“Give yourselves no uneasiness about the bastille St. John. The English will know enough to retire from it and fall back on the bridge bastilles when they see us coming.” She added, with a touch of sarcasm, “Even a war-council would know enough to do that itself.”

Then she took her leave. La Hire made this general remark to the council:

“She is a child, and that is all ye seem to see. Keep to that superstition if you must, but you perceive that this child understands this complex game of war as well as any of you; and if you want my opinion without the trouble of asking for it, here you have it without ruffles or embroidery⁠—by God, I think she can teach the best of you how to play it!”

Joan had spoken truly; the sagacious English saw that the policy of the French had undergone a revolution; that the policy of paltering and dawdling was ended; that in place of taking blows, blows were ready to be struck now; therefore they made ready for the new state of things by transferring heavy reinforcements to the bastilles of the south bank from those of the north.

The city learned the great news that once more in French history, after all these humiliating years, France was going to take the offensive; that France, so used to retreating, was going to advance; that France, so long accustomed to skulking, was going to face about and strike. The joy of the people passed all bounds. The city walls were black with them to see the army march out in the morning in that strange new position⁠—its front, not its tail, toward an English camp. You shall imagine for yourselves what the excitement was like and how it expressed itself, when Joan rode out at the head of the