Part 102 (2/2)

Whereupon the examiner asked Jeanne whether when Saint Michael came to her he was accompanied by Saint Gabriel.

Jeanne replied: ”I do not remember.”[2306]

[Footnote 2306: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 84, 85.]

She did not remember whether, in the mult.i.tude of angels who visited her, was the Angel Gabriel who had saluted Our Lady and announced unto her the salvation of mankind. So many angels and archangels had she seen that this one had not particularly impressed her.

After an answer of such perfect simplicity how could these priests proceed to question her on her visions? Were they not sufficiently edified? But no! These innocent answers whetted the examiner's zeal.

With intense ardour and copious amplification, pa.s.sing from angels to saints, he multiplied petty and insidious questions. Did you see the hair on their heads? Had they rings in their ears? Was there anything between their crowns and their hair? Was their hair long and hanging?

Had they arms? How did they speak? What kind of voices had they?[2307]

[Footnote 2307: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 86.]

This last question touched on an important theological point. Demons, whose voices are as rasping as a cart wheel or a winepress screw, cannot imitate the sweet tones of saints.[2308]

[Footnote 2308: Le Loyer, iv, _Livres des Spectres_, Angers, 1605, in 4to.]

Jeanne replied that the Voice was beautiful, sweet, and soft, and spoke in French.

Whereupon she was asked craftily wherefore Saint Margaret did not speak English.

She replied: ”How should she speak English, since she is not on the side of the English?”[2309]

[Footnote 2309: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 86.]

Two hundred years before, a poet of Champagne had said that the French language, which Our Lord created beautiful and graceful, was the language of Paradise.

She was afterwards asked concerning her rings. This was a hard matter; in those days there were many magic rings or rings bearing amulets.

They were fas.h.i.+oned by magicians under the influence of planets; and, by means of wonder-working herbs and stones, these rings had spells cast upon them and received miraculous virtues. Constellation rings worked miracles. Jeanne, alas! had possessed but two poor rings, one of bra.s.s, inscribed with the names Jesus and Marie, which she received from her father and mother, the other her brother had given her. The Bishop kept the latter; the other had been taken from her by the Burgundians.[2310]

[Footnote 2310: _Ibid._, pp. 86, 87. Vallet de Viriville, _Les anneaux de Jeanne d'Arc_, in _Memoires de la Societe des Antiquaires de France_, vol. x.x.x, 1868, pp. 82, 97.]

An attempt was made to incriminate her in a pact made with the Devil near the Fairy Tree. She was not to be caught thus, but retorted by prophesying her deliverance and the destruction of her enemies. ”Those who wish to banish me from this world may very likely leave it before me.... I know that my King will win the realm of France.”

She was asked what she had done with her mandrake. She said she had never had one.[2311]

[Footnote 2311: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 86.]

Then the examiner appeared to be seized with curiosity concerning Saint Michael. ”Was he clothed?”

She replied: ”Doubt ye that Messire lacks wherewithal to clothe himself?”

”Had he hair?”

”Wherefore should he have cut it off?”

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