It was in 1424 that the Voices first came to Joan the Maid. The years
went on, bringing more and more sorrow to France. In 1428 only a very
few small towns in the east still held out for the Dauphin, and these
were surrounded on every side by enemies. Meanwhile the Voices came more
frequently, urging Joan to go into France, and help her country. She
asked how she, a girl, who could not ride or use sword and lance, could
be of any help? Rather would she stay at home and spin beside her dear
mother. At the same time she was encouraged by one of the vague old
prophecies which were as common in France as in Scotland. A legend ran
'that France was to be saved by a Maiden from the Oak Wood,' and there
was an Oak Wood, _le bois chenu_, near Domremy. Some such prophecy had
an influence on Joan, and probably helped people to believe in her. The
Voices, moreover, instantly and often commanded her to go to
Vaucouleurs, a neighbouring town which was loyal, and there meet Robert
de Baudricourt, who was captain of the French garrison. Now, Robert de
Baudricourt was not what is called a romantic person. Though little over
thirty, he had already married, one after the other, two rich widows. He
was a gallant soldier, but a plain practical man, very careful of his
own interest, and cunning enough to hold his own among his many enemies,
English, Burgundian, and Lorrainers. It was to him that Joan must go, a
country girl to a great noble, and tell him that she, and she alone,
could save France! Joan knew what manner of man Robert de Baudricourt
was, for her father had been obliged to visit him, and speak for the
people of Domremy when they were oppressed. She could hardly hope that
he would listen to her, and it was with a heavy heart that she found a
good reason for leaving home to visit Vaucouleurs. Joan had a cousin, a
niece of her mother's, who was married to one Durand Lassois, at Burey
en Vaux, a village near Vaucouleurs. This cousin invited Joan to visit
her for a week. At the end of that time she spoke to her cousin's
husband. There was an old saying, as we saw, that France would be
rescued by a Maid, and she, as she told Lassois, was that Maid. Lassois
listened, and, whatever he may have thought of her chances, he led her
to Robert de Baudricourt.
Joan came, on May 18, 1423, in her simple red dress, and walked straight
up to the captain among his men. She knew him, she said, by what her
Voices had told her, but she may also have heard him described by her
father. She told him that the Dauphin must keep quiet, and risk no
battle, for before the middle of Lent next year (1429) God would send
him succour. She added that the kingdom belonged, not to the Dauphin,
but to her Master, who willed that the Dauphin should be crowned, and
she herself would lead him to Reims, to be anointed with the holy oil.
[Illustration: Robert thinks Joan crazed]
'And who is your Master?' said Robert.
'The King of Heaven!'
Robert, very naturally, thought that Joan was crazed, and shrugged his
shoulders. He bluntly told Lassois to box her ears, and take her back to
her father. So she had to go home; but here new troubles awaited her.
The enemy came down on Domremy and burned it; Joan and her family fled
to Neufchateau, where they stayed for a few days. It was perhaps about
this time that a young man declared that Joan had promised to marry him,
and he actually brought her before a court of justice, to make her
fulfil her promise.
Joan was beautiful, well-shaped, dark-haired, and charming in her
manner.
We have a letter which two young knights, Andre and Guy de Laval, wrote
to their mother in the following year. 'The Maid was armed from neck to
heel,' they say, 'but unhelmeted; she carried a lance in her hand.
Afterwards, when we lighted down from our horses at Selles, I went to
her lodging to see her, and she called for wine for me, saying she would
soon make me drink wine in Paris' (then held by the English), 'and,
indeed, she seems a thing wholly divine, both to look on her and to hear
her sweet voice.'
It is no wonder that the young man of Domremy wanted to marry Joan; but
she had given no promise, and he lost his foolish law-suit. She and her
parents soon went back to Domremy.[7]