第90章 THE EXAMINATION IN PRISON.LENT,(3)

We shall not attempt to follow literally those private examinations，which would take a great deal more space than we have at our command，and would be fatiguing to the reader from the constant and prolonged repetitions；we shall therefore quote only such parts as are new or so greatly enlarged from Jeanne's original statements as to seem so.At the first day's examination in her prison she was questioned about Compiègne and her various proceedings before reaching that place.[1]

She was asked，for one thing，if her voices had bidden her make the sally in which she was taken；to which she answered that had she known the time she was to be taken she would not have gone out，unless upon the express command of the saints.She was then asked about her standard，her arms，and her horses，and replied that she had no coat-of-arms，but her brothers had，who also had all her money，from ten to twelve thousand francs，which was "no great treasure to make war upon，"besides five chargers，and about seven other horses，all from the King.The examiners then came to their principal object，and having lulled her mind with these trifles，turned suddenly to a subject on which they still hoped she might commit herself，the sign which had proved her good faith to the King.It is scarcely possible to avoid the feeling，grave as all the circumstances were，that a little /malice/，a glance of mischievous pleasure，kindled in Jeanne's eye.She had refused to enter into further explanations again and again.She had warned them that she would give them no true light on the subjects that concerned the King.Now she would seem to have had sudden recourse to the mystification that is dear to youth，to have tossed her young head and said："/Have then your own way/"；and forthwith proceeded to romance，according to the indications given her of what was wanted，without thought of preserving any appearance of reality.Most probably indeed，her air and tone would make it apparent to her persistent questioners how complete a fable，or at least parable，it was.

Asked，what sign she gave to the King，she replied that it was a beautiful and honourable sign，very creditable and very good，and rich above all.Asked，if it still lasted；answered，"It would be good to know；it will last a thousand years and more if well guarded，"adding that it was in the treasure of the King.Asked，if it was of gold or silver or of precious stones，or in the form of a crown；answered："Iwill tell you nothing more；but no man could devise a thing so rich as this sign；but the sign that is necessary for you is that God should deliver me out of your hands，and that is what He will do."She also said that when she had to go to the King it was said by her voices：

"Go boldly；and when you are before the King he will have a sign which will make him receive and believe in you."Asked，what reverence she made when the sign came to the King，and if it came from God；answered，that she had thanked God for having delivered her from the priests of her own party who had argued against her，and that she had knelt down several times；she also said that an angel from God，and not from another，brought the sign to the King；and she had thanked the Lord many times；she added that the priests ceased to argue against when they had seen that sign.Asked，if the clergy of her party (/de par delà/)saw the above sign；answered yes，that her King if he were satisfied；and he answered yes.And afterwards she went to a little chapel close by，and heard them say that after she was gone more than three hundred people saw the said sign.She said besides that for love of her，and that they should give up questioning her，God permitted those of her party to see the sign.Asked，if the King and she made reverence to the angel when he brought the sign；answered yes，for herself，that she knelt down and took off her hood.

What Jeanne meant by this strange romance can only，I think be explained by this hypothesis.She was "dazed and bewildered，"say some of the historians，evidently not knowing how to interpret so strange an interruption to her narrative；but there is no other sign of bewilderment；her mind was always clear and her intelligence complete.

Granting that the whole story was boldly ironical，its object is very apparent.Honour forbade her to betray the King's secret，and she had expressly said she would not do so.But her story seems to say--/since you will insist that there was a sign，though I have told you I could give you no information，have it your own way；you shall have a sign and one of the very best；it delivered me from the priests of my own party (de par delà)/.Jeanne was no milk-sop；she was bold enough to send a winged shaft to the confusion of the priests of the other side who had tormented her in the same way.One can imagine a lurking smile at the corner of her mouth.Let them take it since they would have it.

And we may well believe there was that in her eye，and in the details heaped up so lightly to form the miraculous tale，which left little doubt in the minds of the questioners，of the spirit in which she spoke：though to us who only read the record the effect is of a more bewildering kind.

Two days after，on Monday，the 12th of March，the Inquisitors began by several additional questions concerning the angel who brought the sign to the King；was it the same whom she first saw，or another？She answered that it was the same，and no other was wanted.Asked，if this angel had not deceived her since she had been taken prisoner；answered，that SHE BELIEVED SINCE IT SO PLEASED OUR LORD THAT IT WASBEST THAT SHE SHOULD BE TAKEN.Asked，if the angel had not failed her；answered，"How could he have failed me，when he comforts me every day？"This comfort is what she understands to come through St.