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me d'Alliance。 And when she wished to leave； several of Metz went to see her at the said Marnelle and gave her several jewels； and they knew well that she was the maid Jeanne of France； and she then went to Erlon； in the Duchy of Luxembourg； where she was thronged；。。。。 and there was solemnized the marriage of Monsieur de Hermoise； knight； and the said maid Jeanne； and afterwards the said sieur Hermoise； with his wife； the Maid； came to live at Metz； in the house the said sieur had； opposite St。 Seglenne； and remained there until it pleased them to depart。〃
This is surprising enough； but more remains behind。 Dining shortly afterwards with M。 des Armoises； member of one of the oldest families in Lorraine； Father Vignier was invited to look over the family archives； that he might satisfy his curiosity regarding certain ancestors of his host。 And on looking over the family register； what was his astonishment at finding a contract of marriage between Robert des Armoises； Knight； and Jeanne d'Arcy； the so…called Maid of Orleans！
In 1740； some time after these occurrences； there was found； in the town hall of Orleans； a bill of one Jacques l'Argentier； of the year 1436； in which mention is made of a small sum paid for refreshments furnished to a messenger who had brought letters from the Maid of Orleans； and of twelve livres given to Jean du Lis； brother of Jeanne d'Arc； to help him pay the expenses of his journey back to his sister。 Then come two charges which we shall translate literally。 〃To the sieur de Lis； 18th October； 1436； for a journey which he made through the said city while on his way to the Maid； who was then at Erlon in Luxembourg； and for carrying letters from Jeanne the Maid to the King at Loicher； where he was then staying； six livres。〃 And again： 〃To Renard Brune； 25th July； 1435； at evening； for paying the hire of a messenger who was carrying letters from Jeanne the Maid； and was on his way to William Beliers； bailiff of Troyes； two livres。〃
As no doubt has been thrown upon the genuineness of these documents； it must be considered established that in 1436； five years after the public execution at Rouen； a young woman； believed to be the real Jeanne d'Arc； was alive in Lorraine and was married to a M。 Hermoises or Armoises。 She may； of course； have been an impostor； but in this case it is difficult to believe that her brothers； Jean and Pierre； and the people of Lorraine； where she was well known； would not have detected the imposture at once。 And that Jean du Lis； during a familiar intercourse of at least several months； as indicated in the above extracts； should have continued to mistake a stranger for his own sister； with whom he had lived from childhood； seems a very absurd supposition。 Nor is it likely that an impostor would have exposed herself to such a formidable test。 If it had been a bold charlatan who； taking advantage of the quite general belief； to which we have ample testimony； that there was something more in the execution at Rouen than was allowed to come to the surface； had resolved to usurp for herself the honours due to the woman who had saved France； she would hardly have gone at the outset to a part of the country where the real Maid had spent nearly all her life。 Her instant detection and exposure； perhaps a disgraceful punishment； would have been inevitable。 But if this person were the real Jeanne； escaped from prison or returning from an exile dictated by prudence； what should she have done but go straightway to the haunts of her childhood； where she might meet once more her own friends and family？
But the account does not end here。 M。 Wallon； in his elaborate history of Jeanne d'Arc； states that in 1436 the supposed Maid visited France； and appears to have met some of the men…at…arms with whom she had fought。 In 1439 she came to Orleans； for in the accounts of the town we read； 〃July 28； for ten pints of wine presented to Jeanne des Armoises； 14 sous。〃 And on the day of her departure； the citizens of Orleans； by a special decree of the town…council； presented her with 210 livres； 〃for the services which she had rendered to the said city during the siege。〃 At the same time the annual ceremonies for the repose of her soul were； quite naturally； suppressed。 Now we may ask if it is at all probable that the people of Orleans； who； ten years before； during the siege； must have seen the Maid day after day； and to whom her whole appearance must have been perfectly familiar； would have been likely to show such attentions as these to an impostor？ 〃In 1440；〃 says Mr。 Delepierre； 〃the people so firmly believed that Jeanne d'Arc was still alive； and that another had been sacrificed in her place； that an adventuress who endeavoured to pass herself off as the Maid of Orleans was ordered by the government to be exposed before the public on the marble stone of the palace hall； in order to prove that she was an impostor。 Why were not such measures taken against the real Maid of Orleans； who is mentioned in so many public documents； and who took no pains to hide herself？〃
There is yet another document bearing on this case； drawn from the accounts of the auditor of the Orleans estate； in the year 1444； which we will here translate。 〃An island on the River Loire is restored to Pierre du Lis； knight； 'on account of the supplication of the said Pierre； alleging that for the acquittal of his debt of loyalty toward our Lord the King and M。 the Duke of Orleans； he left his country to come to the service of the King and M。 the Duke； accompanied by his sister； Jeanne the Maid； with whom； down to the time of her departure； and since； unto the present time； he has exposed his body and goods in the said service； and in the King's wars； both in resisting the former enemies of the kingdom who were besieging the town of Orleans； and since then in divers enterprises；' &c。； &c。〃 Upon this Mr。 Delepierre justly remarks that the brother might have presented his claims in a much stronger light； 〃if in 1444；〃 instead of saying 'up to the time of her departure；' he had brought forward the martyrdom of his sister； as having been the means of saving France from the yoke of England。〃 The expression here cited and italicized in the above translation； may indeed be held to refer delicately to her death； but the particular French phrase employed； 〃jusques a son absentement；〃 apparently excludes such an interpretation。 The expression； on the other hand； might well refer to Jeanne's departure for Lorraine； and her marriage； after which there is no evidence that she returned to France； except for brief visits。 Thus a notable amount of evidence goes to show that Jeanne was not put to death in 1431； as usually supposed； but was alive； married； and flourishing in 1444。 Upon this supposition； certain alleged difficulties in the traditional account are easily disposed of。 Mr。 Delepierre urges upon the testimony of Perceval de Cagny； that at the execution in Rouen 〃the victim's face was covered when walking to the stake； while at the same time a spot had been chosen for the execution that permitted the populace to have a good view。 Why this contradiction？ A place is chosen to enable the people to see everything； but the victim is care