The Maid of Orleans
What is to be thought of her? What is to be thought of the poor shepherd girl from the hills and forests of Lorraine, that—like the Hebrew shepherd boy from the hills and forests of Judea—rose suddenly out of the quiet, out of the safety, out of the religious inspiration, rooted in deep pastoral solitudes, to a station in the van of armies, and to the more perilous station at the right hand of kings?
The boy rose to a splendor and a noonday prosperity, both personal and public, that rang through the records of his people, and became a by-word amongst his posterity for a thousand years, until the sceptre was departing from Judah. The poor, forsaken girl, on the contrary, drank not herself from that cup of rest which she had secured for France.
Pure, innocent, noble-hearted girl!... This was amongst the strongest pledges for thy truth, that never once didst thou revel in the vision of coronets and honor from man.... To suffer and to do, that was thy portion in this life; that was thy destiny; and not for a moment was it hidden from thyself.
Great was the throne of France even in those days, and great was he that sat upon it: but well Joanna knew that not the throne, nor he that sat upon it, was for her; but, on the contrary, that she was for them; not she by them, but they by her, should rise from the dust. Gorgeous were the lilies of France, and for centuries had the privilege to spread their beauty over land and sea; ... but well Joanna knew, early at Domrémy she had read that bitter truth, that the lilies of France would decorate no garland for her. Flower nor bud, bell nor blossom, would ever bloom for her!
THOMAS DE QUINCEY
IN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NEW YORK
JOAN OF ARC, BY JULES BASTIEN-LEPAGE
