bout Compiegne, than about her own coming doom. She was
already sold to the English, like a sheep to the slaughter; they bought
their French bishop Cauchon, he summoned his shavelings, the doctors of
the University and of the Inquisition.

[Illustration: Joan at Beaurevoir]

The chivalry of England locked up the Maid in an iron cage at Rouen. The
rest was easy to men of whom all, or almost all, were the slaves of
superstition, fear, and greed. They were men like ourselves, and no
worse, if perhaps no better, but their especial sins and temptations
were those to which few of us are inclined. We, like Charles, are very
capable of deserting, or at least of delaying to rescue, our bravest and
best, like Gordon in Khartoum. But, as we are not afraid of witches, we
do not cage and burn girls of nineteen. If we were as ignorant as our
ancestors on this point, no doubt we should be as cowardly and cruel.

V

HOW THE MAID WAS TRIED AND CONDEMNED, AND HOW BRAVELY SHE DIED

ABOUT the trial and the death of the Maid, I have not the heart to write
a long story. Some points are to be remembered. The person who conducted
the trial, itself illegal, was her deadly enemy, the false Frenchman,
the Bishop of Beauvais, Cauchon, whom she and her men had turned out of
his bishoprick. It is most unjust and unheard of, that any one should be
tried by a judge who is his private enemy. Next, Joan was kept in strong
irons day and night, and she, the most modest of maidens, was always
guarded by five brutal English soldiers of the lowest rank. Again, she
was not allowed to receive the Holy Communion as she desired with tears.
Thus weakened by long captivity and ill usage, she, an untaught girl,
was questioned repeatedly for three months, by the most cunning and
learned doctors in law of the Paris University. Often many spoke at
once, to perplex her mind. But Joan always showed a wisdom which
confounded them, and which is at least as extraordinary as her skill in
war. She would never swear an oath to answer _all_ their questions.
About herself, and all matters bearing on her own conduct, she would
answer. About the king and the secrets of the king, she would not
answer. If they forced her to reply about these things, she frankly
said, she would not tell them the truth. The whole object of the trial
was to prove that she dealt with powers of evil, and that her king had
been crowned and aided by the devil. Her examiners, therefore, attacked
her