"No!" (To myself I said, "The prophecy has not all failed--half of it has
come true.") "Yes, I did. I hurried up from Domremy to join, and was
within a half a minute of being too late. In fact, I was too late, but I
begged so hard that the governor was touched by my brave devotion to my
country's cause--those are the words he used--and so he yielded, and
allowed me to come."

I thought to myself, this is a lie, he is one of those six the governor
recruited by force at the last moment; I know it, for Joan's prophecy
said he would join at the eleventh hour, but not by his own desire. Then
I said aloud:

"I am glad you came; it is a noble cause, and one should not sit at home
in times like these."

"Sit at home! I could no more do it than the thunderstone could stay hid
in the clouds when the storm calls it."

"That is the right talk. It sounds like you."

That pleased him.

"I'm glad you know me. Some don't. But they will, presently. They will
know me well enough before I get done with this war."

"That is what I think. I believe that wherever danger confronts you you
will make yourself conspicuous."

He was charmed with this speech, and it swelled him up like a bladder. He