loving Charles VII.! Certainly it had been the cause of her destruction, for if she had not loved him, nothing human could have induced her to continue her career to the fatal walls of Paris. But when the Dominican, who expected the most horrible revelations of sorcery and magic, found that nothing of the sort was offered; when he heard only a detail of the most glorious exploits, and beheld at his feet, about to perish by a horrible punishment, a woman who deserved the greatest rewards which a nation could bestow, he felt the amazement which the stupefaction of sorrow hindered her from any longer feeling. At the same time he feared that his penitent deceived herself, and still entertained hopes from an obstinate concealment of the truth. He urged upon her the hopelessness of such a course with tremulous lips, for he felt that he had scarcely courage left to sustain the horrible facts he expected to be obliged to hear; and for a while Jeanne d'Arc forgot the terror of her situation in endeavors to prevail on the Dominican to believe in her innocence of the supernatural offenses laid to her charge. But she was painfully recalled to the consideration. A priest entered with a cup containing the sacrament, but brought it uncovered, without taper or ceremonial, as if to a creature altogether unworthy of sharing the rites of religion.

It was the canon, Perrinet, who brought an imperious message, not in the least softened by his tone, that the judges were all assembled in the churchyard of St. Ouen, and desired not to be kept waiting for the criminal.

Jeanne rose from her knees with a deadly flush on her pale features, and Friar Martin himself looked scandalized at the indecent manner in which the host was brought.

"It is good enough for her, and too good," replied the indignant canon; "and, such as it is, you are ordered not to give it to her unless she acknowledges her sins and demands it."

"I do, I do," said Jeanne, kneeling again. 66 Ah, sweet Lord Jesu! Thou alone canst deliver me, and didst Thyself suffer so bitterly that Thou wilt take compassion on me, a woman and shamefully betrayed !"

"Dost thou believe any longer in these fiends which thou callest voices ?" said the trembling Dominican.

"I believe in God only! May that suffice ?" replied Jeanne; and the young Dominican, anxious to be rid of his task, hastily murmured an absolution, and handed her the chalice, the canon mockingly observing, "Help yourself if you can."

France when she perceived how many of the people of Rouen had brought kindled torches to add to her funeral pyre.

On this final occasion she was led into the square of St. Ouen on foot. Almost the same mass of spectators were assembled as on the previous one, save that the churchyard of the abbey was chiefly occupied by the young King of England, and a great retinue, on horseback. They were magnificently arrayed, as became the nature of the triumphal coronation progress Henry VI. was to take to Paris. Among other displays, two heralds bore as many crowns before the king, on cushions of cloth of gold, distinguished by the different ornaments appropriate to those of France and England.

It was a dark and lowering day; it seemed as if the very skies took part against Jeanne d'Are. From the earliest hour the news was spread throughout Rouen, that she had relapsed, and was detected practicing some dreadful act of witchcraft; and the superstitious masses ascribed the gloom of the day to her spells, or to the indignation of heaven at the delay in her punishment. What she had done was unknown, but, therefore, excited the more terrible expectation to learn.

Still the unimaginable anguish in the looks of the fallen heroine affected the hardest-perhaps even Cauchon. There was something wild and strained in the gayety and satisfaction of some words he addressed to Cardinal Beaufort, as the train approached the raised scaffolding on which they both stood. "If England only keeps her word as I have kept mine, I am Archbishop of Rouen now!" he exclaimed. The cardinal gave a stern and not altogether pleasing smile and nod.

According to custom, Jeanne d'Arc was led up the scaffolding that she might be solemnly relinquished by her judges to her doom. But the most determined and exasperated of them all shrunk back appalled from the supernatural sorrow and reproach in her looks. It was the living hell of many to remember that glance of mute appeal to an hour of their own existences, when it arose before them like a summons to judgment.

But the Maid of Orleans strove, and with success, to regain her composure when she beheld the immense mass of the people all gazing fixedly on her alone. It dimly occurred to her, that her demeanor in this dread hour must stamp her either a martyr or a criminal. Her dress was put on in a disordered manner, and with a natural modesty she drew the cloak around her, bent The terrific reality of her fate was at the same thrice to the multitude, while thrice a solemn and instant thrust visually upon the unhappy prisoner. dubious murmur arose, and then she complied A strong guard of axmen and spearmen entered with the imperious gesture of Cauchon, by vaulther dungeon, under command of Fastolfe and ing on a high three-legged stool prepared for her, Wulfstan of Warbois. The few remaining pre-as lightly and deftly as if upon the back of her parations were completed, and she was hurried charger. out of the castle.

Here she sat exposed to the universal gaze of Her appearance as she emerged from the gates the people, and a confused mutter of commenof this dark pile-according to the testimony of tary arose all around, far and near. She folded bystanders was so weeping, wo-begone, and her arms on her breast, and gazed over the mulbarbarously maltreated, that her enemies, who titude, and then turned her eyes upward with a were ready to greet her with insulting shouts of bewildered glare to the sky, with what triumph-the populace, who intended to over- thoughts, with what anguish, who but He that whelm her with scorn and contumely-all were gives to the soul of genius its illimitable powers silent! Still the last mighty moral pang was of joy and suffering can tell? But she became, given to the breaking heart of the deliverer of to all appearance, calm, and listened with an

expressson of profound and melancholy resigna- enjoy the most Christian crown of France? tion to the exhortation which was again delivered Deny it if thou canst, Jeanne, for I speak to thee, against her by a preacher chosen for the purpose. or rather confess that thy false king is a heretic It was no longer Guillaume Erard that pro- and schismatic, unfit to live, much more to reign nounced the harangue. He was found too long- over this good people of France ?" breathed to suit the eagerness of vengeance. It "He is no false king, he was crowned in was one Nicole Midi, the assessor of the inquisi-Rheims!" returned the Maid, her heroic spirit tional court had that condemned her. He took rekindling from its ashes. By my faith, friar, for his text the words, "If any limb is hurt, saving your reverence, I dare well say and swear the whole body suffers." it too I that am about to perish-that my king is the noblest of all Christians, and who best loves the faith and the Church! And he is not what you call him, but a noble knight, beautiful, kingly, most royal in all actions wherein he is not misgoverned; and that France shall some day know and believe, when she has truly placed her sword and scepter in his hand, to sway freelywhich she shall! yea, that rebellious Paris herself-Paris, whose stony breast dashed her true children back that would have rushed into it in all love,-Paris shall be the loudest to say so!" "Peace, peace! Paris will be anything and everything, doubtless, by turns!" interrupted Cauchon. Peace, or let her be gagged!"

The curiosity of the people was vehemently excited to learn what was the specific act of sorcery in which Jeanne d'Arc had been detected. But only a very general information was communicated, that she had been caught exercising her magic art; the rest of the harangue consisted of violent abuse and invective, prophecies of the worse doom awaiting her in the world wherein she was about to pass, and declarations of the justice of the one to be inflicted upon her on earth. Jeanne listened throughout without any sign of anger or impatience, tears continuing to flow silenily and unregardedly down her smirched and pallid cheehs. Perhaps her thoughts were busied elsewhere, amidst remote scenes and events of her wondrous existence for she gave a start like one awaking from a dream, when the droning voiee of the preacher ceased, and the dark tones of the bishop of Beauvais succeeded.

Cauchon had strung himself by every effort of pride and resolution to complete his cruel task unwaveringly, and the muscles and veins of his lean visage were raised and set like those of a horse straining to pass the goal. He looked dreadful as his deed, all the while that he pronounced the sentence which made him and his accomplices murderers, in the name of God and of the Church. His harangue included a long recapitulation of the supposed crimes of the condemned, as if the speaker strove to harden and convince his own conscience; but his voice thickened and became incoherent as he concluded with the usual deceitful and cruel formula,

Jeanne, go in peace! The Church can no longer defend thee, and yields thee to the secular arm, beseeching it to be mild and merciful to thee !"

"Ye have condemned me to earthly flames, and yourselves to everlasting ones," said Jeanne, in a low dizzy tone, "but I have done that I had to do on earth, and am ripe for death. I would not have given such a doom to the vilest thing that lives! Often when the camp-fires blazed, and I was wearied, I have risen from my couch to drive the bats from the fiames,-it so painful a death! But ye, God forgive ye, England herself will hate your memories for this deed, and for France,-Oh, France !"-And her voice became suffocated with the indignant grief, that swelled in her great heart..

Ay, ye may silence me, but ye cannot silence the voice of time!" exclaimed Jeanne, with eyes that flashed inspiration amidst their despair and tears. "England herself, I tell ye, shall yet lament me; her women some day shall weep over my story; and though now I set in stormy clouds, ye cannot hide the glory of my day! yea, where yonder stake is now piled, my statue shall be raised, and ages that spare not the monuments of kings shall pass mine in reverence!" "Bailiff, send her to judgment! it is your duty!" said the prelate, furiously rising. The bailiff of Rouen, who was close at hand with his officers, essayed to speak but could not. "Give me a few instants for prayer!" said Jeanne; and kneeling on the scaffold, she clasped her hands, and wrung them with bitter anguish toward the people. "Ah, Rouen, Rouen! much I fear the judgment of innocent blood will fall upon thee, but from this my dying word may perchance save thee! Whenever France wins thee, I bid it spare thee! and, my God! still love and cherish and give the victory to my king and to France, for the just cause is thine, and it is just that every people should inherit its own! and hear me, France,-oh, that my voice were in all thy winds, on the murmur of all thy streams; deem what thou wilt of me and of my deeds, but impute none of the blame and all of the glory to Him! and, my God, grant that this dread chastisement may win the pardon of the sin wherein I perish and must-despite this cruelty and aban donment-which God forgive him and all France and ye, mine enemies!"

But the overwhelming recollections rushing upon her with the words once more subdued the woman's heart that had beaten most womanly in "Ha, France!" exclaimed the preacher, Midi, her bosom beneath the cuirass of battle, and the "how art thou abused that wert alway so Chris- Maid yielded to a passion of tears and lamentatian a land! And Charles, that calls himself thy tions which affected even the iron cardinal. A king and governor, has adhered, like a heretic woman and so mercilessly betrayed, so glorious and schismatic as he is, to the words and deeds and so fallen, given to so horrible a doom,of a worthless woman, defamed, and full of every moved Beaufort himself to tears, while the honest dishonor; and not he only, but all the clergy ex-verdurer, covering his face with his gauntlets, under his obedience and lordship, by whom she wept aloud. The canon, Perrinet, muttered was examined and not forbidden, as she says. within his teeth Peter, indeed, thou art a Ha, Charles! heretic and consorter with sorcer- rock!" A dead silence pervaded both soldiers esses and demon-worshipers! dost thou hope to and people; the only human thing present that

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preserved an unshaken ferocity was the brutish of Bedford, and the executioner seemed to regain

Earl of Stafford. “Make haste, priests! will ye
Keep us here to dinner?" he exclaimed.

"We yield her into your hands; she has wandered beyond the tinkle of the bell to recall her !" said the bishop, rising; and his slavish colleagues mechanically imitated him. "Go, Jeanne, and God pardon thy manifold crimes; for we cannot ! Bailiff, we surrender her to justice!" he then turned his back, and the rest of the judges did the same. This was the signal of renunciation, and the bailiff of Rouen, turning very pale, and without articulating a word, made a signal to the executioner.

courage. He clutched his prey with a species of rage by the collar of her doublet, and dragged her on until they reached the fatal circle of the stake. This was kept by a gleaming and many times inserted ring of axmen and archers, through whose thick ranks only the victim, the executioner, Fastolfe, and Wulfstan of Warbois, were suffered to penetrate.

There was a frightful pause when the group entered the broad circular space thus kept around the stake and its piles of fagots and pitchy sawdust. Jeanne looked up with horror at the extraordinary hight of the stake, and perceived Loupgarou advanced, and Jeanne d'Arc gazed with a ghastly smile that it was formed of a with dreamy horror at his hideous face, while the green beech-tree, whose flowering boughs were seasoned official himself seemed dismayed at his still suffered to remain on the top. It was fastentask. He extended his hand to his victim, but ed at the base by rings and stakes of iron to the she shrank away, and some soldiers, in obedience stone pavement, which was elevated into a little to a remote signal, rushed forward, seized, and mound, for the purposes of such executions. At dragged her roughly down the scaffold. Jeanne the unusual hight of a lance, two massive rivets endeavored in vain to be released from their marked where the feet of the condemned were hard, griping grasps by weeping assurances that to rest, and seemed to threaten her with a lingershe would go without resistance; and she was ing death of inexpressible agony, being elevated hurled on, she scarcely knew how, until suddenly so far above the fire to be kindled. she found herself passing through the noble The executioner himself found fault with this squadron that surrounded Henry VI. A thought arrangement. "It will broil her rather than burn flashed through her brain. her; she will burst and boil till it will be a pity "Let me breathe for an instant !" she ex-for christian eyes to look at her!" he muttered. claimed. "It was told me that I should be freed when I saw the King of England!-Is this he?" "Let her halt; ye have nigh dragged her to pieces!" said Wulfstan, fiercely interposing, and procuring the desired pause. The Maid was now nearly opposite the person of the boy-king from whom she had torn so mighty a realm; and in all the despair and horror of her position she remembered that it was in his name France was ravaged, and the prayer for mercy she had perhaps intended to utter spoke only in her wild and supplicating looks, her streaming eyes, and outstretched hands!

"Why pause ye, knave ?" shouted a voice from the scaffolding of the judges, and Cauchon appeared overhanging the rails with a countenance fiendish with impatience and horror. "It must be so, that the people may see her perish, or we shall have false Maids as plentiful as vipers beneath our feet!"

"Never until now have I seen such cruelty, since I began my trade by striking off the head of my master Capeluche !" muttered Loupgarou. "How shall we even get her up to be chained, since there is no ladder? we always have one at Paris for people to mount by, and then we take 'Keep her off, uncle! or she will bewitch it away, and they come down as they best me too!" said the child, shrinking back from her can." in horror. He then began piling the fagots in the fashion "Delivered!-ay, by death, thou accursed of a flight of steps, altering and re-arranging limb of Satan, and so shall we be all of thy mis-them during several minutes. Meanwhile Jeanne chief-working presence!" said the exasperated remained motionless between her mute custoregent. Where be thy prophecies now? dians, sometimes glaring upward with a fearfully Didst thou not say thou wouldst drive us out of enlarged eye, as if she still clung to the hope of France?" aid from heaven, and had abandoned all on earth.

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My memory shall!" replied Jeanne, pas-"The sun himself shines blackly to-day!" she sionately, and the spirit of prophecy seemed to murmured, as Loupgarou, having completed his come over her as she continued gazing at the preparations, approached and offered his hand. crowned child. 66 Ah, I pity thee, I that go to "Ah, merciful Jesu! it is plain that my time is the fiery stake thee that goest to receive a come! would to God I had perished on some of second crown in Paris! One alone were too the fields of my glory, or at the coronation of heavy and would crush those temples, poor boy! Rheims, at the moment they put the crown on Were thou meant by nature to be a king, thou thy head, when indeed my heart nigh burst with wouldst not suffer me, thine enemy and in thy joy! Pray for me, ye that are Christians, though power, to be dragged to this unjust doom! No, mine enemies, for I fear my God hath deserted thou wert not made to rule over these ferocious me ! Hath no one a cross for me to kiss? I godams!-Thou art the last of thy race, and, I prayed my confessor to get me one, but he too know not why, but the innocent roses thou wear- has deserted me !" est on thy breast seem to me dyed crimson in gore!" She pointed, as she spoke, to a nosegay of white roses which the youthful sovereign

wore.

"Take the witch away, uncle, she withers me with her eyes!" exclaimed Henry.

"He has gone to beg one of the abbey !" said the deep, horror-struck tones of Sir John Fastolfe. "He will come too late!' you see they want me!" said Jeanne, with a shuddering glance at the executioner.

"Here is my cross, poor soul, though my mo"On with her to the stake! and burn her well ther bade me give it only to her who should be and quickly, good rogue, if thou wouldst earn my wife!" said Wulfstan taking a rude wooden a luckpenny to thy wage!" said the Duke carving from his belt, which he handed to Jeanne

d'Arc: she snatched it eagerly, kissed it with so much accustomed to them! She will make a wild devotion, and put it in her bosom. "The mockery of us all-and what will become of my flames will hurt me most there-but this will reputation? Capeluche's envious saying at the comfort me!" she murmured, and gazing intent-block will be believed at last, that I should never ly from Fastolfe to Wulfstan, she exclaimed make an executioner, forsooth!-Do not look brokenly, "I see ye pity me!-my faith, I fear I down upon us, criminal! or the flames will afwronged ye! but it was yonder traitorous priest ! fright you into struggling, and you are not so well Fastolfe, if indeed my doom anything touches fastened as I could desire!" thee, swear that thou wilt redeem the lady of Commercy from his wicked grasp! she is still innocent, still may be saved, and if in aught she aided in my doom, Heaven pardon ye both only at the altar when ye kneel to be made one!" Fastolfe stood rigidly as a statue, and made no manner of reply.

"By heaven and all true faith, I will, though my reward be death and torture !" replied Wulf-instant the executioner applied a torch to the stan; and her courage seemed to revive.

remain without sharing the victim's fate. The in his helmet?" said Bedford, considerably surprogress of the horrible work was only known prised. for awhile by the groans and lamentations within the columns of black smoke which rushed one after the other to the gloomy skies.

Fastolfe stood gazing in a mute and horrible ecstacy on the verge of the ring of guards, insensible to everything but the dread spectacle before him. Suddenly a horseman stood by his side, Thus, and by this cruel doom, departed the and a salutation to which he had been for some great spirit of the Maid of Orleans for those time unaccustomed sounded in his ears. "Sir realms where only all that was divine and sorJohn Fastolfe!" said the Regent-Duke of Bed-rowful in her generosity and self-abandonment, ford. "The sorceress and her spells are gone for- in her unrewarded love, in her resignation, piety, ever!-and the king commands me to restore to courage, glory, triumph, despair, and woful death, you your knighthood, and these glorious badges could be appreciated or rewarded; leaving, as she of the garter, which you only lost through magic had prophesied, an eternal remorse in the heart arts!" of the nation that sacrificed her, in the delirium of its furious fears!