Saintrailles--pooh! and that blustering La Hire, now what a general that
is!"

It shocked everybody to hear these great names so flippantly handled, for
to us these renowned soldiers were almost gods. In their far-off splendor
they rose upon our imaginations dim and huge, shadowy and awful, and it
was a fearful thing to hear them spoken of as if they were mere men, and
their acts open to comment and criticism. The color rose in Joan's face,
and she said:

"I know not how any can be so hardy as to use such words regarding these
sublime men, who are the very pillars of the French state, supporting it
with their strength and preserving it at daily cost of their blood. As
for me, I could count myself honored past all deserving if I might be
allowed but the privilege of looking upon them once--at a distance, I
mean, for it would not become one of my degree to approach them too
near."

The Paladin was disconcerted for a moment, seeing by the faces around him
that Joan had put into words what the others felt, then he pulled his
complacency together and fell to fault-finding again. Joan's brother Jean
said:

"If you don't like what our generals do, why don't you go to the great
wars yourself and better their work? You are always talking about going
to the wars, but you don't go."

"Look you," said the Paladin, "it is easy to say that. Now I will tell
you why I remain chafing here in a bloodless tranquillity which my
reputation teaches you is repulsive to my nature. I do not go because I