Part 107 (2/2)

Her aversion to putting off man's dress is not to be explained solely by the fact that this dress preserved her best against the violence of the men-at-arms; it is possible that no such objection existed. She was averse to wearing woman's dress because she had not received permission from her Voices; and we may easily divine why not. Was she not a chieftain of war? How humiliating for such an one to wear petticoats like a townsman's wife! And above all things just now, when at any moment the French might come and deliver her by some great feat of arms. Ought they not to find their Maid in man's attire, ready to put on her armour and fight with them?

Thereafter the examiner asked her whether she would submit to the Church, whether she made a reverence to her Voices, whether she believed the saints, whether she offered them lighted candles, whether she obeyed them, whether in war she had ever done anything without their permission or contrary to their command.[2382]

[Footnote 2382: _Ibid._, pp. 166-169.]

Then they came to the question which they held to be the most difficult of all:

”If the devil were to take upon himself the form of an angel, how would you know whether he were a good angel or a bad?”

She replied with a simplicity which appeared presumptuous: ”I should easily discern whether it were Saint Michael or an imitation of him.”[2383]

[Footnote 2383: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 170, 171.]

Two days later, on Sat.u.r.day, the 17th of March, Jeanne was examined in her prison both morning and evening.[2384]

[Footnote 2384: _Ibid._, p. 173.]

Hitherto she had been very loath to describe the countenance and the dress of the angel and the saints who had visited her in the village.

Maitre Jean de la Fontaine endeavoured to obtain some light on this subject.

”In what form and semblance did Saint Michael come to you? Was he tall and how was he clothed?”

”He came in the form of a true _prud'homme_.”[2385]

[Footnote 2385: _Ibid._]

Jeanne was not one to believe she saw the Archangel in a long doctor's robe or wearing a cope of gold. Moreover it was not thus that he figured in the churches. There he was represented in painting and in sculpture, clothed in glittering armour, with a golden crown on his helmet.[2386] In such guise did he appear to her ”in the form of a right true _prud'homme_,” to take a word from the _Chanson de Roland_, where a great sword thrust is called the thrust of a _prud'homme_. He came to her in the garb of a great knight, like Arthur and Charlemagne, wearing full armour.

[Footnote 2386: S. Luce, _Jeanne d'Arc a Domremy_. Proofs and ill.u.s.trations, pp. 74, 75.]

Once again the examiner put to Jeanne that question on which her life or death depended:

”Will you submit all your deeds and sayings, good or bad, to the judgment of our mother, Holy Church?”

”As for the Church, I love her and would maintain her with all my power, for religion's sake,” the Maid replied; ”and I am not one to be kept from church and from hearing ma.s.s. But as for the good works which I have wrought, and touching my coming, for them I must give an account to the King of Heaven, who has sent me to Charles, son of Charles, King of France. And you will see that the French will shortly accomplish a great work, to which G.o.d will appoint them, in which they will shake nearly all France. I say it in order that when it shall come to pa.s.s, it may be remembered that I have said it.”[2387]

[Footnote 2387: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 174.]

But she was unable to name the time when this great work should be accomplished; and Maitre Jean de la Fontaine returned to the point on which Jeanne's fate depended.

”Will you submit to the judgment of the Church?”

”I appeal to Our Lord, who hath sent me, to Our Lady and to all the blessed saints in Paradise. To my mind Our Lord and his Church are one, and no distinction should be made. Wherefore do you essay to make out that they are not one?”

In justice to Maitre Jean de la Fontaine we are bound to admit the lucidity of his reply. ”There is the Church Triumphant, in which are G.o.d, his saints, the angels and the souls that are saved,” he said.

”There is also the Church Militant, which is our Holy Father, the Pope, the Vicar of G.o.d on earth; the cardinals, the prelates of the Church and the clergy, with all good Christians and Catholics; and this Church in its a.s.sembly cannot err, for it is moved by the Holy Ghost. Will you appeal to the Church Militant?”

<script>