Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXI. Sunday the First of November
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
334 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
many other places. She stood, majestically erect, in her
shining armour, holding in her hand the white standard
adorned with fleurs-de-lys. And yet I could not keep my eyes
off her. She seemed to scrutinise the German warriors in
the nave, and an ironical smile seemed to hover about her
lips.
But how did she get here ? It is true that just twenty
years ago she was declared blessed by Pope Leo XIII, —perhaps
she has meanwhile been actually received into the Canon of
Saints.^ At any rate she is the object of almost divine vener-
ation in this part of France. One could see that her image
was not a regular part of the decorations of the church,
because it had been placed on an upturned packing-case
scantily draped with some cloth. When the war was hanging
over France like a dark thunder-cloud she had been carried
into the church, and the believers had fallen on their knees
before her, imploring her to bestow her spirit and her vic-
torious aid on the French. To propitiate the noble virgin,
the citizens of Bapaume had offered her numerous candles
which were arranged on a stand in front of the image. And
now comes the strangest part, the good Bavarians had glorified
her with a background of tall plants and had lit all the candles,
those candles whose flames were burning prayers for victory
over—the Germans !
The blessed virgin had yet another and greater cause to
smile at human folly. In her time, more than half of France
was overrun by the English and their allies. It was against
them that she had fought—them that she had vanquished
—
and when, overpowered at last, she fell into the hands of her
country’s enemies she was delivered by them into the hands
of the inquisition. She was derided, locked up with rough
soldiers and finally burnt at the stake—all this by those very
Englishmen whom she was now invoked, by burning prayers
and candles, to assist against the Germans. One may pardon
the young lady for making a wry face and feeling somewhat
perplexed ! The Bavarians might well light the candles
without misgivings—she did not heed them, and her helmet
prevented her from hearing the presumptuous prayers.
The peals of the organ now rise loud and clear towards the
roof, and lusty voices from four thousand young warriors’
throats sing Bernard de Clairvaux’s eight-hundred-year-old
’ She was canonised by Pope Pius X. in May, 1909.—Translator.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
