tard of Orleans and D'Alencon and D'Aulon lived to see France
free, and to testify with Jean and Pierre d'Arc and Pasquerel and me at
the Rehabilitation. But they are all at rest now, these many years.
I alone am left of those who fought at the side of Joan of Arc in the
great wars.

She said I would live until those wars were forgotten--a prophecy which
failed. If I should live a thousand years it would still fail. For
whatsoever had touch with Joan of Arc, that thing is immortal.

Members of Joan's family married, and they have left descendants. Their
descendants are of the nobility, but their family name and blood bring
them honors which no other nobles receive or may hope for. You have seen
how everybody along the way uncovered when those children came yesterday
to pay their duty to me. It was not because they are noble, it is
because they are grandchildren of the brothers of Joan of Arc.

Now as to the Rehabilitation. Joan crowned the King at Rheims. For
reward he allowed her to be hunted to her death without making one
effort to save her. During the next twenty-three years he remained
indifferent to her memory; indifferent to the fact that her good name
was under a damning blot put there by the priest because of the deeds
which she had done in saving him and his scepter; indifferent to the
fact that France was ashamed, and longed to have the Deliverer's fair
fame restored. Indifferent all that time. Then he suddenly changed and
was anxious to have justice for poor Joan himself. Why? Had he become
grateful at last? Had remorse attacked his hard heart? No, he had a
better reason--a better one for his sort of man. This better reason was
that, now that the English had been finally expelled from the country,
they were beginning to call attention to the fact that this King had
gotten his crown by the hands of a person proven by the priests to
have been in league with Satan and burned for it by them as a
sorceress--therefore, of what value or authority was such a Kingship as
that? Of no value at all; no nation could afford to allow such a king to
remain on the throne.

It was high time to stir now, and the King did it. That is how Charles
VII. came to be smitten with anxiety to have justice done the memory of
his benefactress.

He appealed to the Pope, and the Pope appointed a great commission of
churchmen to examine into the facts of Joan's life and award judgment.
The Commission sat at Paris, at Domremy, at Rouen,