For another fortnight Jeanne was sent back into the silence,and to her own thoughts,which must have grown heavier and heavier as the weary days went on,and no sound of approaching deliverance came,no rumour of help at hand.All was quiet and safe at Rouen;amid the babble of the courtyard which she might hear fitfully when her guardians were quieter than usual,there was not one word which brought the hope of a French army at hand,or of any movement to rescue her.All was silent in the world around,not a breath of hope,not the whisper of a friend.It was not till the 2d of May that the dreadful blank was again broken,and she was called to the great hall of the castle for another interview with her tormentors.When she was led into the hall it was full,as in the first sitting,sixty-three judges in all being present.The interest had flagged or the pity had grown as the trial dragged its slow length along;but now,when every day the verdict was expected from Paris,the interest had risen again.
On her way from her prison to the hall,it was necessary to pass the door of the castle chapel:and here once or twice Massieu,the officer of the court,had permitted her to pause and kneel down as she passed.
This was all the celebration of the Paschal Feast that was permitted to Jeanne.The compassionate official,however,was discovered in this small service of charity,and sternly reprimanded and threatened.
Henceforward she had to pass without even a longing look through the door at the altar on which was the holy sacrament.
She came in on the renewed sitting of the 2d May to find the assembled priests settling themselves,after the address which had been made to them,to hear another address which John de Chasteillon,Archdeacon,had prepared for herself,in which he said much that was good both for body and soul,to which she consented.He had a list of twelve articles in his hands,and explained and expounded them to her,as they were the occasion of the sitting.He then "admonished her in charity,"explaining that those who were faithful to Christ hold firmly and closely to the Christian creed,and adjuring her to consent and to amend her ways.To this Jeanne answered:"Read your book,"meaning the schedule held by Monseigneur the Archdeacon,"and then Iwill answer you.I refer myself to God my master in all things;and Ilove Him with all my heart."
To read this book,however,was precisely what Monseigneur the Archdeacon had no intention of doing.She was never allowed to hear the twelve articles upon which the verdict against her was founded;but the speaker gave her a long discourse by way of explanation,following more or less the schedule which he held.This "monition general,"however,elicited no detailed reply from Jeanne,who answered briefly with some impatience,"I refer myself to my judge,who is the King of Heaven and earth."The "Lord Archdeacon"then proceeded to "monitions particulares."It was then once more explained to her that this reference to God alone was a refusal to submit to the Church militant,and she was instructed in the authority of the Church,which it was the duty of every Christian to believe--/unam sanctam Ecclesiam/always guided by the Holy Spirit and which could not err,to the judgment of which every question should be referred.She answered:"I believe in the Church here below;but my doings and sayings,as I have already said,I refer and submit to God.I believe that the Church militant cannot err or fail;but as for my deeds and words I put them all before God,who has made me do that which I have done";she also said that she submitted herself to God,her Creator,who had made her do everything,and referred everything to Him,and to Him alone.
She was then asked,if she would have no judge on earth and if our Holy Father the Pope were not her judge;she answered:"I will tell you nothing more.I have a good master,that is our Lord,on whom Idepend for everything,and not an any other."She was then told that if she would not believe the Church and the article /Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam/,that she might be reckoned as a heretic and punished by burning:to which she answered:"I can say nothing else to you;and if I saw the fire before me,I should say only that which I say,and could do nothing else."(Once more at this point the clerk writes on his margin,"Proud reply"--/Superba responsio/--but whether in admiration or in blame it would be hard to say.)Asked,if the Council General,or the Holy Father,Cardinals,etc.were there--whether she would submit to them."You shall have no other answer from me,"she said.
Asked,if she would submit to our Holy Father the Pope:she answered,"Take me to him and I will answer him,"but would say no more.
Questioned in respect to her dress,she answered,that she would willingly accept a long dress and a woman's hood to go to church to receive her Saviour,provided that,as she had already said,she were allowed to wear it on that occasion only,and then to take back that which she at present wore.Further,when it was set before her that she wore that dress without any need,being in prison,she answered,"When I have done that for which I was sent by God,I will then take back a woman's dress."Asked,if she thought she did well in being dressed like a man,she answered,"I refer every thing to our Lord."Again,after the exhortation made to her,namely,that in saying that she did well and did not sin in wearing that dress,and in the circumstances which concerned her assuming and wearing it,and in saying that God and the saints made her do so--she blasphemed,and as is contained in this schedule,erred and did evil:she answered that she never blasphemed God or the saints.
She was then admonished to give up that dress,and no longer to think it was right,and to return to the garb of a woman;but answered that she would make no change in this respect.