pretty; certainly she was very courageous. She was only a girl.
But she had a big, brave idea which possessed her--the liberation
of her country. Pure? Yes. I am sure she was virtuous. Otherwise
the troops would not have followed and obeyed her as they did.
Soldiers are very quick about those things. They recognize and respect
an honest woman. Several men were in love with her, I think. But
she was _une nature froide._ The only thing that moved her
was her big, brave idea--to save France. The Maid was a mother, but
not of a mortal child. Her offspring was the patriotism of France."

The other captain was a man of middle age, from Lyons, the son of
an architect. He was tall and pale and his large brown eyes had
the tranquillity of a devout faith in them. He argued with quiet
tenacity for his convictions.

"You are right to believe in her," said he, "but I think you are
mistaken to deny her 'voices.' They were as real as anything in
her life. You credit her when she says that she was born here, that
she went to Chinon and saw the king, that delivered Orleans. Why
not credit her when she says she heard God and the saints speaking
to her? The proof of it was in what she did. Have you read the story
of her trial? How clear and steady her answers were! The judges
could not shake her. Yet at any moment she could have saved her
life by denying the 'voices.' It was because she knew, because
she was sure, that she could not deny. Her vision was a part of
her real life. She was the mother of French patriotism--yes. But
she was also the daughter of true faith. That was her power."

"Well," said the younger man, "she sacrificed herself and she
saved France. That was the great thing."