ore Saint Martin in
the winter?"

"I said that before Saint Martin in the winter many things should
befall and it might be that the English would be discomfited."

Whereupon the examiner asked Jeanne whether when Saint Michael came to
her he was accompanied by Saint Gabriel.

Jeanne replied: "I do not remember."[2306]

[Footnote 2306: _Trial_, vol. i, pp. 84, 85.]

She did not remember whether, in the multitude of angels who visited
her, was the Angel Gabriel who had saluted Our Lady and announced unto
her the salvation of mankind. So many angels and archangels had she
seen that this one had not particularly impressed her.

After an answer of such perfect simplicity how could these priests
proceed to question her on her visions? Were they not sufficiently
edified? But no! These innocent answers whetted the examiner's zeal.
With intense ardour and copious amplification, passing from angels to
saints, he multiplied petty and insidious questions. Did you see the
hair on their heads? Had they rings in their ears? Was there anything
between their crowns and their hair? Was their hair long and hanging?
Had they arms? How did they speak? What kind of voices had they?[2307]

[Footnote 2307: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 86.]

This last question touched on an important theological point. Demons,
whose voices are as rasping as a cart wheel or a winepress screw,
cannot imitate the sweet tones of saints.[2308]

[Footnote 2308: Le Loyer, iv, _Livres des Spectres_, Angers, 1605, in
4to.]

Jeanne replied that the Voice was beautiful, sweet, and soft, and
spoke in French.

Whereupon she was asked craftily wherefore Saint Margaret did not
speak English.

She replied: "How should she speak English, since she is not on the
side of the English?"[2309]

[Footnote 2309: _Trial_, vol. i, p. 86.]

Two hundred years before, a poet of Champagne had said that the French
language, which Our Lord created beautiful and graceful, was the
language of Paradise.

She was afterwards asked concerning her rings. This was a hard matter;
in those days there were many magic rings or rings bearing amulets.
They were fashioned by magicians under the influence of planets; and,
by means of wonder-working herbs and stones, these rings had spells
cast upon them and received miraculous virtues. Constellation rings
worked miracles. Jeanne, alas! had possessed but two poor rings, one
of brass, inscribed with the names Jesus and Marie, which she received
fro