The Executioner's Knife Part 28

JOAN DARC (kneels down and puts both her hands on the missal)--"I swear to tell the truth."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"What are your given names?"

JOAN DARC--"In Lorraine I was called Jeannette. Since my arrival in France I have been called Joan. That is my name."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"Where were you born?"

JOAN DARC--"In the village of Domremy, in the valley of Vaucouleurs."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"What are the names of your father and your mother?"

JOAN DARC (with deep emotion)--"My father is named James Darc, my mother Isabelle Romee. These are the names of my dear parents."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"In what place were you baptized?"

JOAN DARC--"In the church of Domremy."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"Who were your G.o.d-father and G.o.d-mother?"

JOAN DARC--"My G.o.d-father's name was John Linguet, my G.o.d-mother's Sybille." (At the recollections invoked by this name a tear rolls down her cheek.)

BISHOP CAUCHON--"This woman claimed to have seen fairies. Did she not pa.s.s in the region for a soothsayer and sorceress?"

JOAN DARC (with a firmer voice)--"My G.o.d-mother was a good and wise woman."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"What priest baptized you at your birth?"

JOAN DARC--"Master John Minet, our curate, a holy man."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"How old are you?"

JOAN DARC--"Nearly nineteen."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"Do you know your Pater Noster?"

JOAN DARC--"My mother taught it to me, and I recite it mornings and evenings." (She sighs.)

BISHOP CAUCHON--"Will you pledge yourself not to flee from the Castle of Rouen, under pain of pa.s.sing for a heretic?"

JOAN DARC (remains silent for a moment and reflects; by degrees she regains her self-a.s.surance; she answers in a firm voice)--"I shall not take that pledge. I will not promise not to seek to flee, if the opportunity offers."

RAOUL SAUVAGE (threateningly)--"Your chains will then be doubled, to keep you from escaping."

JOAN DARC--"It is allowed to all prisoners to escape from their prison."

BISHOP CAUCHON (with severity, after consulting in a low voice with several of the judges sitting near him)--"The rebellious words of the said Joan having been heard, we shall particularly commit her to the keeping of the n.o.ble John Le Gris, a guardsman of our Sire, the King of England and France, and join to John Le Gris the equerries Berwick and Talbot, English men-at-arms. All the three are hereby charged to keep the prisoner, and we recommend to them not to allow anyone to approach her or to speak with her without our permission. (Addressing himself to the tribunal) Those of our very dear brothers who have any question to put to the accused, are now free to do so."

A JUDGE--"Joan, do you swear to tell the whole truth? I await your answer."

JOAN DARC (with dignity)--"I have sworn; that is enough. I never lie."

THE SAME JUDGE--"Did you in your infancy learn to work like the other girls of the fields?"

JOAN DARC--"My mother taught me to sew and to spin, and also the labors of the field."

ANOTHER JUDGE--"Did you have a confessor?"

JOAN DARC--"Yes, the curate of our parish is my confessor and spiritual guide."

THE SAME JUDGE--"Did you confess your revelations to your curate or to any other man of the church?"

JOAN DARC--"No, I said nothing upon that."

The priests exchange meaning glances and a few words in a low voice.

THE SAME JUDGE--"Why that secrecy towards your curate?"

JOAN DARC--"Had I spoken about my apparitions my father and mother would have opposed my undertaking."

ANOTHER JUDGE--"Do you think you committed a sin in leaving your father and your mother, contrary to the precept of the Scriptures--'Thou shalt honor thy father and mother'?"

JOAN DARC--"I never disobeyed them before I left them. But I wrote to them; they pardoned me."

THE SAME JUDGE--"Accordingly, you think you can violate without sin the commandments of the church?"

JOAN DARC--"G.o.d commanded me to go to the aid of Orleans. I would not have been the King's servant had I not departed."

BISHOP CAUCHON (with a significant look at the judges)--"You claim, Joan, to have had revelations, visions--at what age did that happen to you?"

JOAN DARC--"I was then thirteen and a half years old. It was noon, in summer. I had fasted the previous day. I heard the voice, that seemed to proceed from the church. At the same time I saw a great light that dazzled me."

BISHOP CAUCHON (slowly and weighing every word)--"You say you heard voices--are you quite certain?"

JOAN DARC (to herself: Here is the snare that the good priest warned me against--I shall escape it by telling the truth)--"I heard the voices as clearly as I hear yours, Sir Bishop."

BISHOP CAUCHON--"Do you affirm that?"

JOAN DARC--"Yes, sir; because it is the truth."

BISHOP CAUCHON (lets his eyes travel triumphantly over the tribunal; his gesture is understood; a momentary silence ensues; then to the registrars)--"Have you taken down textually the prisoner's answer?"

A REGISTRAR--"Yes, monseigneur."

A JUDGE--"And in France, Joan, did you there also hear those voices?"

JOAN DARC--"Yes, sir."

ANOTHER JUDGE--"Whence do you suppose came those voices?"