第112章 THE SACRIFICE.MAY 31,1431.(1)

It is not necessary to be a good man in order to divine what in certain circumstances a good and pure spirit will do.The Bishop of Beauvais had entertained no doubt as to what would happen.He knew exactly，with a perspicuity creditable to his perceptions at least，that，notwithstanding the effect which his theatrical /mise en scène/had produced upon the imagination of Jeanne，no power in heaven or earth would induce that young soul to content itself with a lie.He knew it，though lies were his daily bread；the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.He had bidden his English patrons to wait a little，and now his predictions were triumphantly fulfilled.It is hard to believe of any man that on such a certainty he could have calculated and laid his devilish plans；but there would seem to have existed in the medi？val churchman a certain horrible thirst for the blood of a relapsed heretic which was peculiar to their age and profession，and which no better principle in their own minds could subdue.It was their appetite，their delight of sensation，in distinction from the other appetites perhaps scarcely less cruel which other men indulged with no such horrified denunciation from the rest of the world.Others，it is evident，shared with Cauchon that sharp sensation of dreadful pleasure in finding her out；young Courcelles，so modest and unassuming and so learned，among the rest；not L'Oyseleur，it appears by the sequel.That Judas，like the greater traitor，was struck to the heart；but the less bad man who had only persecuted，not betrayed，stood high in superior virtue，and only rejoiced that at last the victim was ready to drop into the flames which had been so carefully prepared.

The next morning，Tuesday after Trinity Sunday，the witnesses hurried with their news to the quickly summoned assembly in the chapel of the Archbishop's house；thirty-three of the judges，having been hastily called together，were there to hear.Jeanne had relapsed；the sinner escaped had been re-caught；and what was now to be done？One by one each man rose again and gave his verdict.Once more Egidius，Abbot of Fécamp，led the tide of opinion.There was but one thing to be done：to give her up to the secular justice，"praying that she might be gently dealt with."Man after man added his voice "to that of Abbot of Fécamp aforesaid"--that she might be gently dealt with！Not one of them could be under any doubt what gentle meaning would be in the execution；but apparently the words were of some strange use in salving their consciences.

The decree was pronounced at once without further formalities.In point of view of the law，there should have followed another trial，more evidence，pleadings，and admonitions.We may be thankful to Monseigneur de Beauvais that he now defied law，and no longer prolonged the useless ceremonials of that mockery of justice.It is said that in coming out of the prison，through the courtyard full of Englishmen，where Warwick was in waiting to hear what news，the Bishop greeted them with all the satisfaction of success，laughing and bidding them "Make good cheer，the thing is done."In the same spirit of satisfaction was the rapid action of the further proceedings.On Tuesday she was condemned，summoned on Wednesday morning at eight 'clock to the Old Market of Rouen to hear her sentence，and there，without even that formality，the penalty was at once carried out.No time，certainly，was lost in this last stage.

All the interest of the heart-rending tragedy now turns to the prison where Jeanne woke in the early morning without，as yet，any knowledge of her fate.It must be remembered that the details of this wonderful scene，which we have in abundance，are taken from reports made twenty years after by eye-witnesses indeed，but men to whom by that time it had become the only policy to represent Jeanne in the brightest colours，and themselves as her sympathetic friends.There is no doubt that so remarkable an occurrence as her martyrdom must have made a deep impression on the minds of all those who were in any way actors in or spectators of that wonderful scene.And every word of all these different reports is on oath；but notwithstanding，a touch of unconscious colour，a more favourable sentiment，influenced by the feeling of later days，may well have crept in.With this warning we may yet accept these depositions as trustworthy，all the more for the atmosphere of truth，perfectly realistic，and in no way idealised，which is in every deion of the great catastrophe；in which Jeanne figures as no supernatural heroine，but as a terrified，tormented，and often trembling girl.

On the fatal morning very early，Brother Martin l'Advenu appeared in the cell of the Maid.He had a mingled tale to tell--first "to announce to her her approaching death，and to lead her to true contrition and penitence；and also to hear her confession，which the said l'Advenu did very carefully and charitably."Jeanne on her part received the news with no conventional resignation or calm.Was it possible that she had been deceived and really hoped for mercy？She began to weep and to cry at the sudden stroke of fate.Notwithstanding the solemnity of her last declaration，that she would rather bear her punishment all at once than to endure the long punishment of her prison，her heart failed before the imminent stake，the immediate martyrdom.She cried out to heaven and earth："My body，which has never been corrupted，must it be burned to ashes to-day！"No one but Jeanne knew at what cost she had kept her perfect purity；was it good for nothing but to be burned，that young body not nineteen years old？