Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Complete Edition). Mark Twain

the last. When poor Joan had been in her grave a quarter of a century, the Pope called together that great court which was to re-examine her history, and whose just verdict cleared her illustrious name from every spot and stain, and laid upon the verdict and conduct of our Rouen tribunal the blight of its everlasting execrations. Manchon and several of the judges who had been members of our court were among the witnesses who appeared before that Tribunal of Rehabilitation. Recalling these miserable proceedings which I have been telling you about, Manchon testified thus:—here you have it, all in fair print in the unofficial history:

      When Joan spoke of her apparitions she was interrupted at almost every word. They wearied her with long and multiplied interrogatories upon all sorts of things. Almost every day the interrogatories of the morning lasted three or four hours; then from these morning interrogatories they extracted the particularly difficult and subtle points, and these served as material for the afternoon interrogatories, which lasted two or three hours. Moment by moment they skipped from one subject to another; yet in spite of this she always responded with an astonishing wisdom and memory. She often corrected the judges, saying, "But I have already answered that once before—ask the recorder," referring them to me.

      And here is the testimony of one of Joan's judges. Remember, these witnesses are not talking about two or three days, they are talking about a tedious long procession of days:

      They asked her profound questions, but she extricated herself quite well. Sometimes the questioners changed suddenly and passed on to another subject to see if she would not contradict herself. They burdened her with long interrogatories of two or three hours, from which the judges themselves went forth fatigued. From the snares with which she was beset the expertest man in the world could not have extricated himself but with difficulty. She gave her responses with great prudence; indeed to such a degree that during three weeks I believed she was inspired.

      Ah, had she a mind such as I have described? You see what these priests say under oath—picked men, men chosen for their places in that terrible court on account of their learning, their experience, their keen and practised intellects, and their strong bias against the prisoner. They make that poor country-girl out the match, and more than the match, of the sixty-two trained adepts. Isn't it so? They from the University of Paris, she from the sheepfold and the cow-stable!

      Ah, yes, she was great, she was wonderful. It took six thousand years to produce her; her like will not be seen in the earth again in fifty thousand. Such is my opinion.

      Chapter 7.

       Craft That Was in Vain

       Table of Contents

      The third meeting of the court was in that same spacious chamber, next day, 24th of February.

      How did it begin? In just the same old way. When the preparations were ended, the robed sixty-two massed in their chairs and the guards and order-keepers distributed to their stations, Cauchon spoke from his throne and commanded Joan to lay her hands upon the Gospels and swear to tell the truth concerning everything asked her!

      Joan's eyes kindled, and she rose; rose and stood, fine and noble, and faced toward the Bishop and said:

      "Take care what you do, my lord, you who are my judge, for you take a terrible responsibility on yourself and you presume too far."

      It made a great stir, and Cauchon burst out upon her with an awful threat—the threat of instant condemnation unless she obeyed. That made the very bones of my body turn cold, and I saw cheeks about me blanch—for it meant fire and the stake! But Joan, still standing, answered him back, proud and undismayed:

      "Not all the clergy in Paris and Rouen could condemn me, lacking the right!"

      This made a great tumult, and part of it was applause from the spectators. Joan resumed her seat.

      The Bishop still insisted. Joan said:

      "I have already made oath. It is enough."

      The Bishop shouted:

      "In refusing to swear, you place yourself under suspicion!"

      "Let be. I have sworn already. It is enough."

      The Bishop continued to insist. Joan answered that "she would tell what she knew—but not all that she knew."

      The Bishop plagued her straight along, till at last she said, in a weary tone:

      "I came from God; I have nothing more to do here. Return me to God, from whom I came."

      It was piteous to hear; it was the same as saying, "You only want my life; take it and let me be at peace."

      The Bishop stormed out again:

      "Once more I command you to—"

      Joan cut in with a nonchalant "Passez outre," and Cauchon retired from the struggle; but he retired with some credit this time, for he offered a compromise, and Joan, always clear-headed, saw protection for herself in it and promptly and willingly accepted it. She was to swear to tell the truth "as touching the matters et down in the proces verbal." They could not sail her outside of definite limits, now; her course was over a charted sea, henceforth. The Bishop had granted more than he had intended, and more than he would honestly try to abide by.

      By command, Beaupere resumed his examination of the accused. It being Lent, there might be a chance to catch her neglecting some detail of her religious duties. I could have told him he would fail there. Why, religion was her life!

      "Since when have you eaten or drunk?"

      If the least thing had passed her lips in the nature of sustenance, neither her youth nor the fact that she was being half starved in her prison could save her from dangerous suspicion of contempt for the commandments of the Church.

      "I have done neither since yesterday at noon."

      The priest shifted to the Voices again.

      "When have you heard your Voice?"

      "Yesterday and to-day."

      "At what time?"

      "Yesterday it was in the morning."

      "What were you doing then?"

      "I was asleep and it woke me."

      "By touching your arm?"

      "No, without touching me."

      "Did you thank it? Did you kneel?"

      He had Satan in his mind, you see; and was hoping, perhaps, that by and by it could be shown that she had rendered homage to the arch enemy of God and man.

      "Yes, I thanked it; and knelt in my bed where I was chained, and joined my hands and begged it to implore God's help for me so that I might have light and instruction as touching the answers I should give here."

      "Then what did the Voice say?"

      "It told me to answer boldly, and God would help me." Then she turned toward Cauchon and said, "You say that you are my judge; now I tell you again, take care what you do, for in truth I am sent of God and you are putting yourself in great danger."

      Beaupere asked her if the Voice's counsels were not fickle and variable.

      "No. It never contradicts itself. This very day it has told me again to answer boldly."

      "Has it forbidden you to answer only part of what is asked you?"

      "I will tell you nothing as to that. I have revelations touching the King my master, and those I will not tell you." Then she was stirred by a great emotion, and the tears sprang to her eyes and she spoke out as with strong conviction, saying:

      "I believe wholly—as wholly as I believe the Christian faith and that God has redeemed us from the fires of hell, that God speaks to me by that Voice!"

      Being questioned further concerning the Voice, she said she was not at liberty to tell all she knew.

      "Do