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D’Alencon was given six casks of wine, the Maid four, and the town council ordered a robe and huque for Jeanne of green and crimson, the Orleans colours. Her huque was of green satin, and embroidered with the Orleans emblem,–the nettle,–and doubtless this offering was acceptable to the girl who with all her qualities of generalship never lost her feminine liking for pretty clothes.

By the taking of Jargeau the southern sweep of the Loire for fifty miles was wiped clear of English fortresses, but the enemy still held Beaugency and Meung, a few miles downstream, and to their capture Jeanne and her forces now set out. Then with a still greater prize in view, they marched on towards Patay, a town between Meung and Rouvray, where they found the forces of the English massed, in consequence of which Jeanne called together her men for a council of war.

“What is to be done now?” asked d’Alencon, with deep concern.

“Have all of you good spurs?” she cried.

“How is that? Shall we run away?”

“Nay, in the name of God–after them! It is the English who will not defend themselves and shall be beaten. You must have good spurs to follow them. Our victory is certain,” she exclaimed and added with that quick vision which was always the inspiration of her forces, “The gentle King shall have to-day the greatest victory he has ever had!”

And true indeed was her prediction, for the battle of Patay was a great victory, and set the seal of assurance on the work commenced at Orleans. The English rout was complete. Their leaders fled and four thousand men were either killed or captured, and as in every battle, Jeanne’s flaming courage and enthusiasm spurred her men on to victory, even though because of a wound in her foot she was not able to lead her forces, with her great white banner floating before them as usual. But she was none the less the inspiration of the day, and was also able to show a woman’s tender pity and care for those of the enemy who were wounded and in their need of loving ministration turned to the gentle girl as to an angel sent from heaven.

News of the French victories flew like wildfire over all the country. Three fortified towns taken, a great army of the enemy disorganised and put to flight, the whole country almost to the gates of Paris cleared of the enemy in a single brilliant week’s campaign, and all through the commands, the inspiration, the invincible courage, the Vision of a slender slip of a girl! It seemed incredible except to those who had been with her through so many crucial tests, who had proved the fibre of her mental, physical and spiritual force, and reverenced her as one truly inspired by God’s own voice.

After the capture of Patay back again to Orleans went the victorious army, and there were no bounds now to the enthusiasm expressed for the Maid who had done such marvellous things. It was supposed that the Dauphin would surely meet the victors at Orleans, but he was enjoying himself elsewhere, and Jeanne, cruelly impatient, set off to meet him at St. Benoit, on the Loire, where again she begged him to help in the great work on hand, and again was met with cold inaction, but notwithstanding this, the Maid with her dauntless purpose left the Court, still repeating, “By my staff, I will lead the gentle King Charles and his company safely, and he shall be consecrated at Rheims!” showing that all the human weakness, which she could not have failed to see in the Dauphin, did not deter her in the accomplishing of a purpose which she felt she owed to France.

Across the Loire went the Maid and her men, and then as if impelled by some impulse, on the twenty-ninth of June, the Dauphin suddenly followed her on to Champagne. To Troyes went the army now, headed by no less formidable personage than the King-to-be and the Maid, and to one homage was paid because of his royal lineage, and to the other honour because of her marvellous achievements and gracious personality. Never once did Jeanne’s martial spirit fail, or her belief in her vision weaken: even the Dauphin was a better and stronger man while under the spell of her wonder-working personality, and ever his reverence for her grew, seeing her exquisite personal purity, although surrounded by men and under circumstances which made purity difficult; and her great piety, her more than human achievement and her flaming spirit, gave him food for as much serious thought as he ever devoted to anything.