The Executioner's Knife; Or, Joan of ArcSue, Eugène
General
The Executioner's Knife; Or, Joan of Arc
Sue, Eugène
Biographical fiction; Christian fiction; Christian women saints -- Fiction; Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431 -- Fiction
JOAN--"The signs I shall give will be my acts.[54] You will then be able
to judge whether they proceed from God."
MASTER ERAUT--"What acts do you mean?"
JOAN--"Those that I have to accomplish by the will of God."
FRANCOIS GARIVEL--"Well, tell us what acts those will be. You will have
to give more definite answers."
JOAN--"They are three."
BROTHER SEGUIN--"Which is the first?"
JOAN--"The raising of the siege of Orleans, after which I shall drive
the English out of Gaul."
MASTER ERAUT--"And the second?"
JOAN--"I shall have the Dauphin consecrated at Rheims."
BROTHER SEGUIN--"And the third?"
JOAN--"I shall deliver Paris to the King."
Despite their prejudice against Joan and the ill will they entertained
for the girl, whom they now saw for the first time, the members of the
tribunal were struck no less by the Maid's beauty and conduct than by
the exactness of her answers, that bore an irresistible accent of
conviction. The audience, composed mainly of France's partisans, among
whom was John of Novelpont, indicated by a murmur of approbation the
increasingly favorable impression made upon them by the girl's answers.
Even some of the members of the tribunal seemed to begin to feel an
interest in her. Alarmed at these symptoms, the Bishop of Chartres
addressed Joan almost in a rage: "You promise to raise the siege of
Orleans, to drive the English out of Gaul, to consecrate the King at
Rheims and to place Paris in his hands? These are idle words! We refuse
to believe you unless you give some sign to show that you are truly
inspired by God, and chosen by Him to accomplish these truly marvelous
things."
JOAN (impatiently)--"Once more, I say to you, I have not come to
Poitiers to display signs! Give me men-at-arms and take me to Orleans.
The siege will be speedily raised, and the English driven from the
kingdom. That will be the sign of my mission. If you do not believe me,
come and fight under me. You will then see whether, with the help of
God, I fail to keep my promise. These will be my signs and my actions."
MASTER ERAUT--"Your assurance is great! Where do you get it from?"
JOAN--"From my confidence in the voice of my dear saints. They advise
and inspire me in the name of God."
BROTHER SEGUIN (roughly)--"You speak of God. Do you believe in Him?"
JOAN--"I believe in Him more than you do, who can imagine such a thing
possible as not to believe in Him!"
BROTHER AIMERY (with a grotesque Limousin accent)--"You say, Joan, that
voices advise you in the name of God? In what tongue do those voices
speak to you?"
JOAN (slightly smiling)--"In a better tongue than yours, sir."[55]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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