THE CENTURY CO.

New York London

Copyright, 1928, by

First Printing March, 1928

Printed in U. S. A.

To

WHOSE GENIUS HAS CHARMED AWAY THE BOUNDARIES
of LANGUAGE AND EXTENDED THE PROVINCE

OF LITERARY DELIGHT

THIS is the greatest story in the world, of the most remarkable person, though but a mere unlettered girl in her teens, that has ever lived in the tide of times. I repeat, the greatest story in the world save ONE, that is beyond all human comparison.

If I have failed to do justice to it the failure cannot be ascribed to any lack of admiration for the heroine or any lack of faith in the saint. Still less may it be imputed to a careless or deficient preparation. I have journeyed far and wide in quest of materials and inspiration for this book, visiting all the places identified with her brief and glorious career. I have consulted, in the original texts, mostly French, the best work of modern scholars, histories, romances, legends dealing with Jeanne d'Arc and her epoch—a great body of literature.

There is a voluminous common stock upon which all writers must draw more or less; as to which no one can honestly profess to be without obligations. But I have not suffered myself to be hampered by my precursors: having read, assimilated, digested, and moreover carried the subject in my mind for years, I have produced my own conception and set forth the. narrative in my own fashion, without perverse or unwarranted treatment of the accepted grounds. After

all is said, one's chief obligation is to the Maid herself, to her imperishable words and deeds, which surpass the imagination of any writer.

I confess it was with no small diffidence, though under a strong sense of compulsion, that I set myself to the task of writing a book on Jeanne d'Arc, adding needlessly perhaps to the immense literature that has gathered about this pure and inspiring figure. If my title seems to imply an undue presumption--if I may not call her my Jeanne d'Arc, at least she has possessed me during many years, and I do not now for the first time take up the pen in her cause. I assure myself, with a special regard to the American public, that it will not be a labor in vain—nay, that it may have been reserved for me to bring one more stone to the Temple of Truth.

MICHAEL MONAHAN.

MICHAEL, Catherine, Margaret,

Chapter ------------------------------------------------------Page

I. A PILGRIM IN ORLEANS ----------------------------3

II. THE MAID OF FRANCE------------------------------8

III. HEAVEN DESCENDS --------------------------------20

IV. FILLS DE DIEU --------------------------------------26

V. LA BELLE GUERRIERE ------------------------------30

The Ride to Chinon ----------------------------------35

VI. SOYEZ GALE ET HARDIE-------------------------38

VII. CHINON-----------------------------------------------42

VIII. VIRGINITY------------------------------------------48

IX. KNAVES AND A KING ------------------------------53

X. THE GREAT DUKES -----------------------------------60

XI. ALLEZ-VOUS-EN--------------------------------------68

XII. LA PUCELLE IN BATTLE --------------------------74

XIII. THE EPIC OF ORLEANS --------------------------79

XIV. VICTORY!------------------------------------------------85

XV. INTERLUDE -----------------------------------------94

XVI. THE VOICES PREVAIL----------------------------100

A Soldier's Song --------------------------------------105

XVII. YOUTH IN THE SADDLE-----------------------108

XVIII. A BATTLE OF SPURS ----------------------------116

The Deer Chase --------------------------------------125

XIX. MICHING MALICHO -----------------------------127

XX. AWAKE, ST. GEORGE!----------------------------135

XXI. RING, BELLS OF REIMS! ------------------------141

XXII. A PACT OF TRAITORS --------------------------147

XXIII. LA PUCELLE ABANDONED ------------------153

I am Her General, She My Captain Is------------159

XXIV. THE MAID FIGHTS ON -------------------------160

XXV. ANOTHER INTERLUDE -------------------------165

XXVI. COMPIEGNE ---------------------------------------170

Judas --------------------------------------------------177

XXVII. CAUCHON.----------------------------------------178

XXVIII. SOLD AND DELIVERED ----------------------185

XXIX. "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD"---191

XXX. ROUEN -------------------------------------------------196

XXXI. CAUCHON'S GOOD THING -----------------------205

XXXII. INCENSE AND SULPHUR ------------------------211

XXXIII. BEFORE THE JUDGES ---------------------------218

XXXIV. THE ACCUSATIONS-----------------------------228

XXXV. THE GREATER MISSION -------------------------233

The Maid's Defense --------------------------------------241

XXXVI. IN THE SHADOW ----------------------------------244

XXXVII. THE CONDEMNATION --------------------------254

XXXVIII. ON A MAY MORNING ------------------------262

XXXIX. THE VOICES DIE OUT ---------------------------268

In the Market-Place ------------------------------------271

XL. SILENCE ----------------------------------------------------273

1. EXEUNT OMNES------------------------------------------279
2. GILLES DE RAIS-------------------------------------------284
3. SHAKESPEARE AND THE MAID ---------------------288
4. THE FALSE JEANNE D’ARC ---------------------------293

IT is strong and eloquent and beautiful. The inspiration which tipped your pen with fire is from the Maid. After all these centuries that force still lives—lives and grows, I think.

-MARK TWAIN to the Author (referring to an essay partly incorporated into this book)

Jeanne d'Arc devant Paris, Abbe Henri Couget ("Editions Spes," Paris)

La Bienheureuse Jeanne d'Arc, Mgr. Henri Debout Ce Que Fut Jeanne d'Arc, Mgr. Toucher, Bishop of Oreleans