Part 18 (1/2)
In one of her conversations with him she spoke of strange matters: ”Once I have accomplished the behest Messire has given me, I shall marry and I shall bear three sons, the eldest of whom shall be pope, the second emperor, and the third king.”
Sire Robert answered gayly: ”Since thy sons are to be such great personages, I should like to give thee one. Thereby should I myself have honour.”
Jeanne replied: ”Nay, gentle Robert, nay. It is not yet time. The Holy Ghost shall appoint the time.”[389]
[Footnote 389: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 219, 220. The source is doubtful.
Nevertheless the accusation here lays stress on these facts produced by the inquiry. If Jeanne denied having spoken these words, it was because she had forgotten them, or because they had been so changed that she could disavow the form in which they were presented to her.]
To judge from the few of her words handed down to us, in the early days of her mission the young prophetess spoke alternately two different languages. Her speech seemed to flow from two distinct sources. The one ingenuous, candid, nave, concise, rustically simple, unconsciously arch, sometimes rough, alike chivalrous and holy, generally bearing on the inheritance and the anointing of the Dauphin and the confounding of the English. This was the language of her Voices, her own, her soul's language. The other, more subtle, flavoured with allegory and flowers of speech, critical with scholastic grace, bearing on the Church, suggesting the clerk and betraying some outside influence. The words she uttered to Sire Robert touching the children she should bear are of the second sort. They are an allegory. Her triple birth signifies that the peace of Christendom shall be born of her work, that after she shall have fulfilled her divine mission, the Pope, the Emperor, and the King--all three sons of G.o.d--shall cause concord and love to reign in the Church of Jesus Christ. The apologue is quite clear; and yet a certain amount of intelligence is necessary for its comprehension. The Captain failed to understand it; he interpreted it literally and answered accordingly, for he was a simple fellow and a merry.[390]
[Footnote 390: See _ante_, page 66.]
Jeanne lodged in the town with humble folk, Henri Leroyer and his wife Catherine, friends of her cousin La.s.sois. She used to occupy her time in spinning, being a good spinster; and the little she had she gave to the poor. With Catherine she went to the parish church.[391] In the morning, in her most devout moods, she would climb the hill, round the foot of which cl.u.s.ter the roofs of the town, and enter the chapel of Sainte Marie-de-Vaucouleurs. This collegiate church, built in the reign of Philippe VI, adjoined the _chateau_ wherein dwelt the Commander of Vaucouleurs. The venerable stone nave rose up boldly towards the east, overlooking the vast extent of hills and meadows, and dominating the valley where Jeanne had been born and bred. She used to hear ma.s.s and remain long in prayer.[392]
[Footnote 391: _Trial_, vol. ii, p. 446.]
[Footnote 392: _Trial_, vol. ii, p. 461.]
Under the chapel, in the crypt, there was an image of the Virgin, ancient and deeply venerated, called Notre-Dame-de-la-Voute.[393] It worked miracles, but especially on behalf of the poor and needy.
Jeanne delighted to remain in this dark and lonely crypt, where the saints preferred to visit her.
[Footnote 393: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, p. cxcxiv.]
One day a young clerk, barely more than a child, who waited in the chapel, saw the damsel motionless, with hands clasped, head thrown back, eyes full of tears raised to heaven; and as long as he lived the vision of that rapture remained imprinted on his mind.[394]
[Footnote 394: _Trial_, vol. ii, pp. 460, 461 (evidence of Jean le Fumeux in the rehabilitation trial).]
She confessed often, usually to Jean Fournier, priest of Vaucouleurs.[395]
[Footnote 395: _Ibid._, p. 446.]
Her hostess was touched by the goodness and gentleness of her manner of life; but she was profoundly agitated when one day the damsel said to her: ”Dost thou not know it hath been prophesied that France ruined by a woman shall be saved by a maiden from the Lorraine Marches?”
Leroyer's wife knew as well as Durand La.s.sois that Madame Ysabeau, as full of wickedness as Herodias, had delivered up Madame Catherine of France and the Kingdom of the Lilies to the King of England. And henceforth she was almost persuaded to believe that Jeanne was the maid announced by the prophecy.[396]
[Footnote 396: _Ibid._, p. 447.]
This pious damsel held converse with devout persons and also with men of n.o.ble rank. To all alike she said: ”I must to the gentle Dauphin.
It is the will of Messire, the King of Heaven, that I wend to the gentle Dauphin. I am sent by the King of Heaven. I must go even if I go on my knees.”[397]
[Footnote 397: _Trial_, vol. ii, p. 448.]
Revelations of this nature she made to Messire Aubert, Lord of Ourches. He was a good Frenchman and of the Armagnac party, since four years earlier he had made war against the English and Burgundians. She told him that she must go to the Dauphin, that she demanded to be taken to him, and that to him should redound profit and honour incomparable.
At length through her illuminations and her prophecies, her fame was spread abroad in the town; and her words were found to be good.[398]
[Footnote 398: _Quae puella multum bene loquebatur._ _Trial_, vol. ii, p. 450. S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_, p. 103.]
In the garrison there was a man-at-arms of about twenty-eight years of age, Jean de Novelompont or Nouillompont, who was commonly called Jean de Metz. By rank a freeman, albeit not of n.o.ble estate, he had acquired or inherited the lords.h.i.+p of Nouillompont and Hovecourt, situate in that part of Barrois which was outside the Duke's domain; and he bore its name.[399] Formerly in the pay of Jean de Wals, Captain and Provost of Stenay, he was now, in 1428, in the service of the Commander of Vaucouleurs.