Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc

by Mark Twain

  She was not doing that, for that was not her spirit; but others were doing it. The whole town was laughing in its sleeve, and the court knew it, and its dignity was deeply hurt. The members could not hide their annoyance.

  And so, as I have said, the session was stormy. It was easy to see that these men had made up their minds to force words from Joan to-day which should shorten up her case and bring it to a prompt conclusion. It shows that after all their experience with her they did not know her yet.

  They went into the battle with energy. They did not leave the questioning to a particular member; no, everybody helped. They volleyed questions at Joan from all over the house, and sometimes so many were talking at once that she had to ask them to deliver their fire one at a time and not by platoons. The beginning was as usual:

  "You are once more required to take the oath pure and simple."

  "I will answer to what is in the proces verbal. When I do more, I will choose the occasion for myself."

  That old ground was debated and fought over inch by inch with great bitterness and many threats. But Joan remained steadfast, and the questionings had to shift to other matters. Half an hour was spent over Joan's apparitions—their dress, hair, general appearance, and so on—in the hope of fishing something of a damaging sort out of the replies; but with no result.

  Next, the male attire was reverted to, of course. After many well-worn questions had been re-asked, one or two new ones were put forward.

  "Did not the King or the Queen sometimes ask you to quit the male dress?"

  "That is not in your proces."

  "Do you think you would have sinned if you had taken the dress of your sex?"

  "I have done best to serve and obey my sovereign Lord and Master."

  After a while the matter of Joan's Standard was taken up, in the hope of connecting magic and witchcraft with it.

  "Did not your men copy your banner in their pennons?"

  "The lancers of my guard did it. It was to distinguish them from the rest of the forces. It was their own idea."

  "Were they often renewed?"

  "Yes. When the lances were broken they were renewed."

  The purpose of the question unveils itself in the next one.

  "Did you not say to your men that pennons made like your banner would be lucky?"

  The soldier-spirit in Joan was offended at this puerility. She drew herself up, and said with dignity and fire: "What I said to them was, 'Ride those English down!' and I did it myself."

  Whenever she flung out a scornful speech like that at these French menials in English livery it lashed them into a rage; and that is what happened this time. There were ten, twenty, sometimes even thirty of them on their feet at a time, storming at the prisoner minute after minute, but Joan was not disturbed.

  By and by there was peace, and the inquiry was resumed.

  It was now sought to turn against Joan the thousand loving honors which had been done her when she was raising France out of the dirt and shame of a century of slavery and castigation.

  "Did you not cause paintings and images of yourself to be made?"

  "No. At Arras I saw a painting of myself kneeling in armor before the King and delivering him a letter; but I caused no such things to be made."

  "Were not masses and prayers said in your honor?"

  "If it was done it was not by my command. But if any prayed for me I think it was no harm."

  "Did the French people believe you were sent of God?"

  "As to that, I know not; but whether they believed it or not, I was not the less sent of God."

  "If they thought you were sent of God, do you think it was well thought?"

  "If they believed it, their trust was not abused."

  "What impulse was it, think you, that moved the people to kiss your hands, your feet, and your vestments?"

  "They were glad to see me, and so they did those things; and I could not have prevented them if I had had the heart. Those poor people came lovingly to me because I had not done them any hurt, but had done the best I could for them according to my strength."

  See what modest little words she uses to describe that touching spectacle, her marches about France walled in on both sides by the adoring multitudes: "They were glad to see me." Glad?

  Why they were transported with joy to see her. When they could not kiss her hands or her feet, they knelt in the mire and kissed the hoof-prints of her horse. They worshiped her; and that is what these priests were trying to prove. It was nothing to them that she was not to blame for what other people did. No, if she was worshiped, it was enough; she was guilty of mortal sin.

  Curious logic, one must say.

  "Did you not stand sponsor for some children baptized at Rheims?"

  "At Troyes I did, and at St. Denis; and I named the boys Charles, in honor of the King, and the girls I named Joan."

  "Did not women touch their rings to those which you wore?"

  "Yes, many did, but I did not know their reason for it."

  "At Rheims was your Standard carried into the church? Did you stand at the altar with it in your hand at the Coronation?"

  "Yes."

  "In passing through the country did you confess yourself in the Churches and receive the sacrament?"

  "Yes."

  "In the dress of a man?"

  "Yes. But I do not remember that I was in armor."

  It was almost a concession! almost a half-surrender of the permission granted her by the Church at Poitiers to dress as a man. The wily court shifted to another matter: to pursue this one at this time might call Joan's attention to her small mistake, and by her native cleverness she might recover her lost ground. The tempestuous session had worn her and drowsed her alertness.

  "It is reported that you brought a dead child to life in the church at Lagny. Was that in answer to your prayers?"

  "As to that, I have no knowledge. Other young girls were praying for the child, and I joined them and prayed also, doing no more than they."

  "Continue."

  "While we prayed it came to life, and cried. It had been dead three days, and was as black as my doublet. It was straight way baptized, then it passed from life again and was buried in holy ground."

  "Why did you jump from the tower of Beaurevoir by night and try to escape?"

  "I would go to the succor of Compiegne."

  It was insinuated that this was an attempt to commit the deep crime of suicide to avoid falling into the hands of the English.

  "Did you not say that you would rather die than be delivered into the power of the English?"

  Joan answered frankly; without perceiving the trap:

  "Yes; my words were, that I would rather that my soul be returned unto God than that I should fall into the hands of the English."

  It was now insinuated that when she came to, after jumping from the tower, she was angry and blasphemed the name of God; and that she did it again when she heard of the defection of the Commandant of Soissons. She was hurt and indignant at this, and said:

  "It is not true. I have never cursed. It is not my custom to swear."

  Chapter 11

  The Court Reorganized for Assassination

  A HALT was called. It was time. Cauchon was losing ground in the fight, Joan was gaining it.

  There were signs that here and there in the court a judge was being softened toward Joan by her courage, her presence of mind, her fortitude, her constancy, her piety, her simplicity and candor, her manifest purity, the nobility of her character, her fine intelligence, and the good brave fight she was making, all friendless and alone, against unfair odds, and there was grave room for fear that this softening process would spread further and presently bring Cauchon's plans in danger.

  Something must be done, and it was done. Cauchon was not distinguished for compassion, but he now gave proof that he had it in his character. He thought it pity to subject so many judges to the prostrating fatigues of this trial when it could be conducted plenty well enough by a h
andful of them. Oh, gentle judge! But he did not remember to modify the fatigues for the little captive.

  He would let all the judges but a handful go, but he would select the handful himself, and he did.

  He chose tigers. If a lamb or two got in, it was by oversight, not intention; and he knew what to do with lambs when discovered.

  He called a small council now, and during five days they sifted the huge bulk of answers thus far gathered from Joan. They winnowed it of all chaff, all useless matter—that is, all matter favorable to Joan; they saved up all matter which could be twisted to her hurt, and out of this they constructed a basis for a new trial which should have the semblance of a continuation of the old one. Another change. It was plain that the public trial had wrought damage: its proceedings had been discussed all over the town and had moved many to pity the abused prisoner. There should be no more of that. The sittings should be secret hereafter, and no spectators admitted. So Noel could come no more. I sent this news to him. I had not the heart to carry it myself. I would give the pain a chance to modify before I should see him in the evening.

  On the 10th of March the secret trial began. A week had passed since I had seen Joan. Her appearance gave me a great shock. She looked tired and weak. She was listless and far away, and her answers showed that she was dazed and not able to keep perfect run of all that was done and said. Another court would not have taken advantage of her state, seeing that her life was at stake here, but would have adjourned and spared her. Did this one? No; it worried her for hours, and with a glad and eager ferocity, making all it could out of this great chance, the first one it had had.

  She was tortured into confusing herself concerning the "sign" which had been given the King, and the next day this was continued hour after hour. As a result, she made partial revealments of particulars forbidden by her Voices; and seemed to me to state as facts things which were but allegories and visions mixed with facts.

  The third day she was brighter, and looked less worn. She was almost her normal self again, and did her work well. Many attempts were made to beguile her into saying indiscreet things, but she saw the purpose in view and answered with tact and wisdom.

  "Do you know if St. Catherine and St. Marguerite hate the English?"

  "They love whom Our Lord loves, and hate whom He hates."

  "Does God hate the English?"

  "Of the love or the hatred of God toward the English I know nothing." Then she spoke up with the old martial ring in her voice and the old audacity in her words, and added, "But I know this—that God will send victory to the French, and that all the English will be flung out of France but the dead ones!"

  "Was God on the side of the English when they were prosperous in France?"

  "I do not know if God hates the French, but I think that He allowed them to be chastised for their sins."

  It was a sufficiently naive way to account for a chastisement which had now strung out for ninety-six years. But nobody found fault with it. There was nobody there who would not punish a sinner ninety-six years if he could, nor anybody there who would ever dream of such a thing as the Lord's being any shade less stringent than men.

  "Have you ever embraced St. Marguerite and St. Catherine?"

  "Yes, both of them."

  The evil face of Cauchon betrayed satisfaction when she said that.

  "When you hung garlands upon L'Arbre Fee Bourlemont, did you do it in honor of your apparitions?"

  "No."

  Satisfaction again. No doubt Cauchon would take it for granted that she hung them there out of sinful love for the fairies.

  "When the saints appeared to you did you bow, did you make reverence, did you kneel?"

  "Yes; I did them the most honor and reverence that I could."

  A good point for Cauchon if he could eventually make it appear that these were no saints to whom she had done reverence, but devils in disguise.

  Now there was the matter of Joan's keeping her supernatural commerce a secret from her parents. Much might be made of that. In fact, particular emphasis had been given to it in a private remark written in the margin of the proces: "She concealed her visions from her parents and from every one." Possibly this disloyalty to her parents might itself be the sign of the satanic source of her mission.

  "Do you think it was right to go away to the wars without getting your parents' leave? It is written one must honor his father and his mother."

  "I have obeyed them in all things but that. And for that I have begged their forgiveness in a letter and gotten it."

  "Ah, you asked their pardon? So you knew you were guilty of sin in going without their leave!"

  Joan was stirred. Her eyes flashed, and she exclaimed:

  "I was commanded of God, and it was right to go! If I had had a hundred fathers and mothers and been a king's daughter to boot I would have gone."

  "Did you never ask your Voices if you might tell your parents?"

  "They were willing that I should tell them, but I would not for anything have given my parents that pain."

  To the minds of the questioners this headstrong conduct savored of pride. That sort of pride would move one to see sacrilegious adorations.

  "Did not your Voices call you Daughter of God?"

  Joan answered with simplicity, and unsuspiciously:

  "Yes; before the siege of Orleans and since, they have several times called me Daughter of God."

  Further indications of pride and vanity were sought.

  "What horse were you riding when you were captured? Who gave it you?"

  "The King."

  "You had other things—riches—of the King?"

  "For myself I had horses and arms, and money to pay the service in my household."

  "Had you not a treasury?"

  "Yes. Ten or twelve thousand crowns." Then she said with naivete "It was not a great sum to carry on a war with."

  "You have it yet?"

  "No. It is the King's money. My brothers hold it for him."

  "What were the arms which you left as an offering in the church of St. Denis?"

  "My suit of silver mail and a sword."

  "Did you put them there in order that they might be adored?"

  "No. It was but an act of devotion. And it is the custom of men of war who have been wounded to make such offering there. I had been wounded before Paris."

  Nothing appealed to these stony hearts, those dull imaginations—not even this pretty picture, so simply drawn, of the wounded girl-soldier hanging her toy harness there in curious companionship with the grim and dusty iron mail of the historic defenders of France. No, there was nothing in it for them; nothing, unless evil and injury for that innocent creature could be gotten out of it somehow.

  "Which aided most—you the Standard, or the Standard you?"

  "Whether it was the Standard or whether it was I, is nothing—the victories came from God."

  "But did you base your hopes of victory in yourself or in your Standard?"

  "In neither. In God, and not otherwise."

  "Was not your Standard waved around the King's head at the Coronation?"

  "No. It was not."

  "Why was it that your Standard had place at the crowning of the King in the Cathedral of Rheims, rather than those of the other captains?"

  Then, soft and low, came that touching speech which will live as long as language lives, and pass into all tongues, and move all gentle hearts wheresoever it shall come, down to the latest day:

  "It had borne the burden, it had earned the honor."7 How simple it is, and how beautiful. And how it beggars the studies eloquence of the masters of oratory. Eloquence was a native gift of Joan of Arc; it came from her lips without effort and without preparation. Her words were as sublime as her deeds, as sublime as her character; they had their source in a great heart and were coined in a great brain.

  Chapter 12

  Joan's Master-Stroke Diverted

  NOW, as a next move, this small secret court of holy assassins did a
thing so base that even at this day, in my old age, it is hard to speak of it with patience.

  In the beginning of her commerce with her Voices there at Domremy, the child Joan solemnly devoted her life to God, vowing her pure body and her pure soul to His service. You will remember that her parents tried to stop her from going to the wars by haling her to the court at Toul to compel her to make a marriage which she had never promised to make—a marriage with our poor, good, windy, big, hard-fighting, and most dear and lamented comrade, the Standard-Bearer, who fell in honorable battle and sleeps with God these sixty years, peace to his ashes! And you will remember how Joan, sixteen years old, stood up in that venerable court and conducted her case all by herself, and tore the poor Paladin's case to rags and blew it away with a breath; and how the astonished old judge on the bench spoke of her as "this marvelous child."

  You remember all that. Then think what I felt, to see these false priests, here in the tribunal wherein Joan had fought a fourth lone fight in three years, deliberately twist that matter entirely around and try to make out that Joan haled the Paladin into court and pretended that he had promised to marry her, and was bent on making him do it.

  Certainly there was no baseness that those people were ashamed to stoop to in their hunt for that friendless girl's life. What they wanted to show was this—that she had committed the sin of relapsing from her vow and trying to violate it.

  Joan detailed the true history of the case, but lost her temper as she went along, and finished with some words for Cauchon which he remembers yet, whether he is fanning himself in the world he belongs in or has swindled his way into the other.

  The rest of this day and part of the next the court labored upon the old theme—the male attire. It was shabby work for those grave men to be engaged in; for they well knew one of Joan's reasons for clinging to the male dress was, that soldiers of the guard were always present in her room whether she was asleep or awake, and that the male dress was a better protection for her modesty than the other.

  The court knew that one of Joan's purposes had been the deliverance of the exiled Duke of Orleans, and they were curious to know how she had intended to manage it. Her plan was characteristically businesslike, and her statement of it as characteristically simple and straightforward: