Page:Celebrated Trials - Volume 1.djvu/100

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JEANNE D'ARC

DISSOLUE, INVOCATRICE DE DIABLES, SCISMATE-QUE, ET HERETIQUE.

Many of the crowd, whose feelings forbade them to view the consummation of this cruel spectacle, hurried away from the scene of horror. As soon as the wretched Jeanne was fastened to the stake, the executioner set fire to the faggots. On witnessing the approach of the flames, Jeanne cried out in a loud voice, "JESUS!" brother Martin L'Advenu was so anxiously engaged in preparing the unhappy sufferer to meet her fate with christian resignation, that he did not perceive the fire rapidly gaining on his own person; Jeanne, however, grateful for his charity, watched over his safety, and had still sufficient presence of mind and courage to give him notice of his danger, and request him to withdraw. She then entreated that he would station himself at the foot of the scaffold, and elevate the crucifix of the Lord be-fore her, in order that she might contemplate the same in her dying moments; and also that he would continue his exhortations in a tone of voice sufficiently loud for her to hear him; with all which that ecclesiastic faith-fully complied.. While he was fulfilling this most pious duty, and preaching to Jeanne on the subject of her salvation, the Bishop of Beauvais and some priests of the church of Rouen approached to view the unfortunate girl. On beholding the prelate near her, Jeanne re-minded him that he was the cause of her sufferings and her death; and said, "Si vows m'eussies mise dans les prisons de Véglise, je ne serois pas ici.—If you had placed me in the prisons of the church, I should not have been here." She persisted to the very last moment in affirming that she had done nothing but by the command of God, and that she did not believe herself deceived in the voices she had heard. Firm in the pro-testation of her innocence, and of the iniquity of her judges, casting round a look fraught with the most agonizing expression, she exclaimed: "Ha, Rouen! ja grand peur gue tu n'ayes & souffrir de ma mort!— Ah, Rouen! I am much afraid that thou wilt have to sutter for my death!"

The executioner, however, sought to shorten her agoniesby increasing the fierceness of the flames. Enveloped on all sides by smoke and fire, Jeanne never-

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