“When the saints appeared to you did you bow, did you make reverence, did you kneel?”
“Yes; I did them the most honor and reverence that I could.”
A good point for Cauchon if he could eventually make it appear that these were no saints to whom she had done reverence, but devils in disguise.
Now there was the matter of Joan’s keeping her supernatural commerce a secret from her parents. Much might be made of that. In fact, particular emphasis had been given to it in a private remark written in the margin of the proces: “She concealed her visions from her parents and from every one.” Possibly this disloyalty to her parents might itself be the sign of the satanic source of her mission.
“Do you think it was right to go away to the wars without getting your parents’ leave? It is written one must honor his father and his mother.”
“I have obeyed them in all things but that. And for that I have begged their forgiveness in a letter and gotten it.”
“Ah, you asked their pardon? So you knew you were guilty of sin in going without their leave!”
Joan was stirred. Her eyes flashed, and she exclaimed:
“I was commanded of God, and it was right to go! If I had had a hundred fathers and mothers and been a king’s daughter to boot I would have gone.”
“Did you never ask your Voices if you might tell your parents?”