Saint Joan

But I never made any such claim. The Gentleman As before.⁠—the Church has examined the claim exhaustively in the usual course, and, having admitted the said Joan successively to the ranks of Venerable and Blessed⁠— Joan Chuckling. Me venerable! The Gentleman —has finally declared her to have been endowed with heroic virtues and favored with private revelations, and calls the said Venerable and Blessed Joan to the communion of the Church Triumphant as Saint Joan. Joan Rapt. Saint Joan! The Gentleman On every thirtieth day of May, being the anniversary of the death of the said most blessed daughter of God, there shall in every Catholic church to the end of time be celebrated a special office in commemoration of her; and it shall be lawful to dedicate a special chapel to her, and to place her image on its altar in every such church. And it shall be lawful and laudable for the faithful to kneel and address their prayers through her to the Mercy Seat. Joan Oh no. It is for the saint to kneel. She falls on her knees, still rapt. The Gentleman Putting up his paper, and retiring beside the Executioner. In Basilica Vaticana, the sixteenth day of May, nineteen hundred and twenty. Dunois Raising Joan. Half an hour to burn you, dear saint; and four centuries to find out the truth about you! De Stogumber Sir: I was chaplain to the Cardinal of Winchester once. They always would call him the Cardinal of England. It would be a great comfort to me and to my master to see a fair statue to The Maid in Winchester Cathedral. Will they put one there, do you think? The Gentleman As the building is temporarily in the hands of the Anglican heresy, I cannot answer for that. A vision of the statue in Winchester Cathedral is seen through the window. De Stogumber Oh look! look! that is Winchester. Joan Is that meant to be me? I was stiffer on my feet. The vision fades. The Gentleman I have been requested by the temporal authorities of France to mention that the multiplication of public statues to The Maid threatens to become an obstruction to traffic. I do so as a matter of courtesy to the said authorities, but must point out on behalf of the Church that The Maid’s horse is no greater obstruction to traffic than any other horse. Joan Eh! I am glad they have not forgotten my horse. A vision of the statue before Rheims Cathedral appears. Joan Is that funny little thing me too? Charles That is Rheims Cathedral where you had me crowned. It must be you. Joan Who has broken my sword? My sword was never broken. It is the sword of France. Dunois Never mind. Swords can be mended. Your soul is unbroken; and you are the soul of France. The vision fades. The Archbishop and the Inquisitor are now seen on the right and left of Cauchon. Joan My sword shall conquer yet: the sword that never struck a blow. Though men destroyed my body, yet in my soul I have seen God. Cauchon Kneeling to her. The girls in the field praise thee; for thou hast raised their eyes; and they see that there is nothing between them and heaven. Dunois Kneeling to her. The dying soldiers praise thee, because thou art a shield of glory between them and the judgment. The Archbishop Kneeling to her. The princes of the Church praise thee, because thou hast redeemed the faith their wordlinesses have dragged through the mire. Warwick Kneeling to her. The cunning counsellors praise thee, because thou hast cut the knots in which they have tied their own souls. De Stogumber Kneeling to her. The foolish old men on their deathbeds praise thee, because their sins against thee are turned into blessings. The Inquisitor Kneeling to her. The judges in the blindness and bondage of the law praise thee, because thou hast vindicated the vision and the freedom of the living soul. The Soldier Kneeling to her. The wicked out of hell praise thee, because thou hast shown them that the fire that is not quenched is a holy fire. The Executioner Kneeling to her. The tormentors and executioners praise thee, because thou hast shown that their hands are guiltless of the death of the soul. Charles Kneeling to her. The unpretending praise thee, because thou hast taken upon thyself the heroic burdens that are too heavy for them. Joan Woe unto me when all men praise me! I bid you remember that I am a saint, and that saints can work miracles. And now tell me: shall I rise from the dead, and come back to you a living woman? A sudden darkness blots out the walls of the room as they all spring to their feet in consternation. Only the figures and the bed remain visible. Joan What! Must I burn again? Are none of you ready to receive me? Cauchon The heretic is always better dead. And mortal eyes cannot distinguish the saint from the heretic. Spare them. He goes out as he came. Dunois Forgive us, Joan: we are not yet good enough for you. I shall go back to my bed. He also goes. Warwick We sincerely regret our little mistake; but political necessities, though occasionally erroneous, are still imperative; so if you will be good enough to excuse me⁠—He steals discreetly away. The Archbishop Your return would not make me the man you once thought me. The utmost I can say is that though I dare not bless you, I hope I may one day enter into your blessedness. Meanwhile, however⁠—He goes. The Inquisitor I who am of the dead, testified that day that you were innocent. But I do not see how The Inquisition could possibly be dispensed with under existing circumstances. Therefore⁠—He goes. De Stogumber Oh, do not come back: you must not come back. I must die in peace. Give us peace in our time, O Lord! He goes. The Gentleman The possibility