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Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
Chapter 32
THE GREAT news of Patay was carried over the whole of France in twenty
hours, people said. I do not know as to that; but one thing is sure,
anyway: the moment a man got it he flew shouting and glorifying God and
told his neighbor; and that neighbor flew with it to the next homestead;
and so on and so on without resting the word traveled; and when a man got
it in the night, at what hour soever, he jumped out of his bed and bore
the blessed message along. And the joy that went with it was like the
light that flows across the land when an eclipse is receding from the
face of the sun; and, indeed, you may say that France had lain in an
eclipse this long time; yes, buried in a black gloom which these
beneficent tidings were sweeping away now before the onrush of their
white splendor.
The news beat the flying enemy to Yeuville, and the town rose against its
English masters and shut the gates against their brethren. It flew to
Mont Pipeau, to Saint Simon, and to this, that, and the other English
fortress; and straightway the garrison applied the torch and took to the
fields and the woods. A detachment of our army occupied Meung and
pillaged it.
When we reached Orleans that tow was as much as fifty times insaner with
joy than we had ever seen it before--which is saying much. Night had just
fallen, and the illuminations were on so wonderful a scale that we seemed
to plow through seas of fire; and as to the noise--the hoarse cheering of
the multitude, the thundering of cannon, the clash of bells--indeed,
there was never anything like it. And everywhere rose a new cry that
burst upon us like a storm when the column entered the gates, and
nevermore ceased: "Welcome to Joan of Arc--way for the SAVIOR OF FRANCE!"
And there was another cry: "Crecy is avenged! Poitiers is avenged!
Agincourt is avenged!--Patay shall live forever!"
Mad? Why, you never could imagine it in the world. The prisoners were in
the center of the column. When that came along and the people caught
sight of their masterful old enemy Talbot, that had made them dance so
long to his grim war-music, you may imagine what the uproar was like if
you can, for I can not describe it. They were so glad to see him that
presently they wanted to have him out and hang him; so Joan had him
brought up to the front to ride in her protection. They made a striking
pair.
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