The time appointed was drawing near, and she had come to Vaucouleurs once more, to do that which was required of her! O, was it not wonderful?
Must not it be of heaven, this thing?
And should we seek to put the message aside as a thing of nought?
Bertrand was already speaking eagerly with his kinsman; but it seemed as though his words did only serve to irritate the Governor the more.

In my heart I was sure that had he been certain the Maid was an impostor, he would have been in no wise troubled or disturbed, but would have contented himself by sharply ordering her to leave the town and return home and trouble him no more.

It was because he was torn by doubts as to her mission that he was thus perturbed in spirit.

He dared not treat her in this summary fashion, lest haply he should be found to be fighting against God; and yet he found it hard to believe that any deliverance for hapless France could come through the hands of a simple, unlettered peasant girl; and he shrank with a strong man's dislike from making himself in any sort an object of ridicule, or of seeming to give credence to a wild tale of visions and voices, such as the world would laugh to scorn.

So he was filled with doubt and perplexity, and this betrayed itself in gloomy looks and in harsh speech.
"Tush, boy! You are but an idle dreamer.