"Go, daughter of God! Fear naught; the Lord is with you. Answer in all sincerity and bravely. You will issue triumphant from this new trial."
The Bishop of Chartres motioned to Joan to approach nearer to the table, and said to her in a grave, almost threatening voice: "Joan, we have been sent by the King to examine and interrogate you. Do not hope to impose upon us with your lies and falsifications."
The interrogatory, being thus opened, proceeded as follows:
Joan—"I have never lied! I shall answer you. But you are learned clerks, while I know not A from B. I can say nothing to you but that I have a mission from God to raise the siege of Orleans."
Brother Seguin (harshly)—"Do you pretend that the Lord God sends you to the King? You can not be believed. Holy Writ forbids faith being attached to the words of people who claim to be inspired from above, unless they give a positive sign of the divinity of their mission. Now, then, what sign can you give of yours? We want to know."
Joan—"The signs I shall give will be my acts.[54] You will then be able to judge whether they proceed from God."
Master Eraut—"What acts do you mean?"
Joan—"Those that I have to accomplish by the will of God."
Francois Garivel—"Well, tell us what acts those will be. You will have to give more definite answers."
Joan—"They are three."