y
captive. _Le beau jour fleuri_ passed over her in darkness and
desertion: her agony and passion lay before her like those of the
Divine Sufferer, to whom every day of the succeeding week is specially
consecrated. There is almost indeed a painful following of the Saviour's
steps in these dark days, the circumstances lending themselves in a
wonderful way to the comparison which French writers love to make, but
which many of us must always feel, however spotless the sufferer, to
have a certain irreverence in them. But if ever martyr were worthy of
being called a partaker of the sufferings of Christ it was surely this
girl, free, if ever human creature was, from self-seeking, or thought
of reward, or ambitious hope, in whose heart there had never been any
motive but the service of God and the deliverance of her country, who
had neither looked before nor after, nor put her own interests into
consideration in any way. Silently the feast passed with no holy
privileges of religion, no blessed token of the spring, no remembrance
of the waving palms and scattered blossoms over which her Lord rode into
Jerusalem to die. She had not that sweet fallacious triumph; but the
darker ordeal remained for her to follow.

On Tuesday the 27th of March, her troubles began again. Before Palm
Sunday, the report of the trial had been read to her. She had now to
hear the formal reading of the articles founded upon it, to give a final
response if she had any to give, or explanation, or addition, if she
thought proper. The sitting was held in the great hall of the Castle
of Rouen before a band of more than forty, all assembled for this final
test. The Bishop made a prefactory speech to the prisoner, pointing out
to her how benign and merciful were the judges now assembled, that they
had no wish to punish, but rather to instruct and lead her in the right
way; and requesting her at this late period in the proceedings to choose
one or more from among them to help her. To which Jeanne replied; "In
the first place concerning my good and our faith, I thank you and all
the company. As for the counsellor you offer me I thank you also, but I
have no need to depart from our Lord as my counsellor."

The articles, in which the former questions put to her and answered by
her, were now repeated in the form of accusations, were then read to her
one by one; her sorcery, sacrilege, etc., being taken as facts. To a
few she repeated, with various forcible and fine