Berliner Ensemble Adaptations

by Bertolt Brecht

  Chation Absolutely.

  Joan Ask me something else.

  Bishop Don’t you know that the Scriptures say: The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment?

  Joan I had the best of advice and I trusted it.

  Beaupère How did you get to this man whom you call your king?

  Joan No trouble at all. I arrived in Chinon around noon and went to an inn. After dinner I went to the castle. I recognized the king right away, with the help of my voice. I told him I wanted to go out and fight the English.

  Manchon May I interrupt?

  Bishop (to Beaupère) Monsieur Manchon!

  Manchon Did the king have voices too?

  Joan Ask him, maybe he’ll tell you.

  Lefèvre Question: How far away from the king were you standing?

  Joan About a lance’s length, I think.

  Lefèvre When you first saw the man whom you call your king was there an angel beside him?

  Joan God forbid, I didn’t see one.

  Bishop (to Beaupère, with contempt) Monsieur Lefèvre!

  D’Estivet Was there a halo around his head?

  Joan There was a splendid gathering of knights around him. Close to three hundred knights. And about fifty torches were burning, not to mention the spiritual light.

  Manchon By your leave. Do you still hear your voice?

  Joan Not a day goes by without my hearing it and I’m badly in need of it too.

  La Fontaine What do you ask of your voice?

  Joan Victory for my side.

  Chation The day when you fought before Paris was a feast day.

  Joan Possible.

  Chation Was it right to fight on a feast day?

  Joan Ask me something else.

  La Fontaine When you came to Compiègne, before you were taken prisoner, would you have gone on fighting if the voice had foretold that you would be captured?

  Joan With a heavy heart. I would always have done what it told me.

  Midi How long were you a prisoner in the tower of Beaurevoir?

  Joan Four months. When I found out I’d been sold to the English and they were going to take me away, I became very downcast. My voices gave me no counsel and at first I was scared. But then I was more scared of the English, so I forced myself to jump.

  Midi Did you say at the time that you would rather die than fall into the hands of the English?

  Joan I’d certainly rather be in the hands of God than of the English.

  Beaupère When was the last time you heard your voices?

  Joan Today.

  Bishop What did they say?

  Joan They said I should answer you judges boldly. You, Bishop of Beauvais, call yourself my judge. I don’t know if that is true. But I must tell you that you will be putting yourself in great peril if you judge me wrongly.

  Beaupère Was it saints that spoke to you, or angels, or God Himself?

  Joan Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret.

  Bishop Anyone else?

  Joan Saint Michael.

  Beaupère Which was the last?

  Joan Saint Michael. He’s the one who sent me to Chinon.

  Beaupère What is he telling you now?

  (Midi is shaking with repressed laughter)

  Joan Always to show you a friendly face and to answer you boldly.

  Massieu Was Saint Michael naked?

  Joan Naked? Do you think God can’t afford to clothe him?

  Lefèvre Did he wear his hair cut short?

  Joan (for the first time slightly impatient) Why should Saint Michael have his hair cut short?

  The English Observer Let her be asked whether Saint Margaret speaks English.

  Adjutant (to Massieu) My lord wishes to know whether Saint Margaret speaks English.

  Massieu (to Joan) Does Saint Margaret speak English?

  Joan Why would she speak English when she’s against the English?

  (The English Observer laughs)

  Chation How could you be sure it was Saint Michael and not the devil pretending to be Saint Michael?

  Joan By the way he spoke, and because he taught me a lot of good things.

  Chation What did he teach you?

  Joan Most of all that I must come to the help of my people, which so many have abandoned. And he told me about the great misery in France.

  Beaupère I see. Did you wear a sword?

  Joan The sword from Vaucouleurs. I had a sheath made for it out of strong leather.

  Beaupère Did you carry a flag?

  Joan I had a banner, snow-white.

  La Fontaine Which did you like more, your sword or your banner?

  Joan My banner, much more. At least forty times more. Holding it high, I led the troops against the enemy. I never killed anybody myself.

  D’Estivet Were you never present when Englishmen were killed?

  Joan (laughing) I sure was. You talk like a ninny. On battlefields there are dead people. They should have stayed home.

  Beaupère Why did you never negotiate with the enemy?

  Joan My side sent word to the English that no delay would be tolerated, no postponement granted. They should clear out then and there. I shouted over to them myself to beat it on the spot, without bothering to dress, with no other baggage than their bare lives.

  The English Observer (pushing the Adjutant) Go and tell him.

  Adjutant (aside) Your Eminence.

  Bishop What’s up?

  Adjutant The Duke of Bedford will be angry; he specifically asked for a speedy trial. We consider this additional questioning superfluous.

  Bishop The Duke of Bedford will have to accept the fact that this is an ecclesiastical court, not a court martial. Not that the Duke of Bedford has anything to worry about.—Monsieur Beaupère!

  Manchon Question: What do you believe will happen to your side?

  Joan It will win. The English will have to give up every last shred of French soil. Not a single man will remain.

  Midi Remember where you are, girl.

  Bishop How can you know such things unless the devil told you?

  Joan The devil doesn’t know anything. I know the English are out to kill me. They figure that once I’m dead they’ll conquer the rest of France. But even with a hundred thousand more men, they will never get France.

  (The English Observer rises)

  Beaupère That shouldn’t be in the record.

  Massieu It cannot be stricken. I protest, Professor Beaupère.

  Beaupère Do you believe God hates the English?

  Joan Whether God hates or loves the English or what He may have in mind for their souls, I don’t know. What I do know is that they’re going to be driven out of France, except for the ones who die here.

  The English Observer Incompetent. (Goes out with His Adjutant)

  Bishop D’Estivet! I wish the Duke would realize that this trial must proceed strictly according to law. The eyes of the world are upon us. Monsieur Massieu!—Monsieur Beaupère, please continue!—Brother Raoul! Go and advise my lord that we have observers here from all over, from the council at Basel, from Rome, from every chancellery in Europe. (Brother Raoul leaves) Monsieur Beaupère!

  Beaupère (peevishly) Did God command you to wear male attire?

  Joan (lustily) Why do you keep asking about my clothes? Clothes are nothing, they don’t matter at all. Why don’t you say you want to burn me because I’m against the English?

  Beaupère Did you receive the sacraments in male attire?

  Joan Unarmed, in men’s clothes.

  Bishop Hm, in view of what we have just heard, we declare today’s session closed. Monsieur Massieu, conduct the accused back to prison.

  (Joan is taken away)

  Bishop Gentlemen, from now on we shall question the accused in her cell, myself and two assessors from our number; the public will be excluded. Make use of your time, gentlemen, and study the transcripts. And I remind you once more that no one is permitted to leave
Rouen until the trial is over.—Praised be the Lord.

  All Forever and ever. Amen.

  4

  Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais visits Joan in the prison of La Tour des Champs and asks her a strange question.

  The prison of La Tour des Champs. Joan is lying on a cot. Two English Guards are playing dice.

  First Guard Joan!

  Joan (tired) What is it now?

  First Guard (mocking her) I’m Saint Catherine.

  Joan A very brave soldier, that’s what you are.

  Second Guard I’m Saint Margaret.

  Joan You’re a swine. Shut up!

  Second Guard It’s me, Saint Michael.

  (Joan strikes him)

  Second Guard The bitch. Did Saint Michael wake you like this? Did he hold you like this?

  (Enter Jean de la Fontaine)

  La Fontaine What’s going on?

  (The Guards let Joan go. She gets up)

  First Guard Halt! No one can come in here. It’s forbidden.

  La Fontaine I’m in charge of this interrogation.—Why are you crying, Joan?

  Joan I’m not crying. Leave me alone.

  La Fontaine How have you been getting along since Saturday?

  Joan You can see for yourself how I’ve been getting along, Father. As best as I can. The bishop sent me a piece of carp, but it made me sick.

  La Fontaine Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. (He motions the Guards to step aside) Listen to me. You’ve got to accept my advice; don’t be so obstinate. Several among us assessors wish you well. Do you understand?

  Joan No.

  La Fontaine Get ready, Joan, the interrogation is about to start.

  Joan All over again?

  La Fontaine You have no one but yourself to blame if it’s taking a long time. Here is your bishop.

  (Enter the Bishop, Massieu and the Clerk)

  La Fontaine (in a low voice to the entering churchmen) The conditions here are intolerable. These English guards …

  Bishop Tush. The child is used to soldiers’ company. I trust she can handle them. Monsieur Massieu!

  (At a sign from Massieu the Guards and the Clerk leave)

  Bishop Well then. You have said that we, your bishop, would be putting ourselves in great peril if we called you to account. What did you mean? What would that peril be? For us, your bishop, and the others?

  Joan You’ll find out soon enough.

  Bishop Did your voices tell you something about it?

  Joan This has nothing to do with your trial. But it’s quite possible that the people who want me out of the world will be leaving it before me.

  Bishop Did your voices promise a turn for the better?

  Joan I’ve answered that before.

  Bishop When will it be?

  Joan I don’t know the day and the hour.

  Bishop The year then.

  Joan I won’t tell you just yet.

  Bishop Before Saint John’s day?

  Joan Ask me something else.

  (Massieu whispers in the Bishop’s ear)

  Bishop What did you say to Grey of the guards?

  Joan That something might happen to them before All Saints’ Day.

  Bishop Monsieur La Fontaine.

  (At a sign from Massieu the Clerk returns)

  La Fontaine (stepping close to Joan) Have your voices promised that you would be rescued from prison?

  Joan (with sudden gaiety) My voices promised me help. But I don’t know if it means that I’ll be rescued from prison, or not until the day of the execution, when a great turmoil will make it possible for me to escape. My voices keep telling me that a great victory will set me free.

  La Fontaine I take it you know that others have claimed to hear voices.

  (Joan is silent)

  La Fontaine You have met a certain Catherine of La Rochelle, have you not?

  Joan I have. She told me a white lady in a golden robe appeared to her; she said the lady commanded her to ask the king for heralds and trumpeters. They were to go from city to city proclaiming that anyone possessing gold or silver or hidden treasures must hand them over at once. She said she could tell who was holding back and find all the treasure anyway. Catherine said she’d use the money to pay my infantry.

  La Fontaine What was your answer?

  Joan I told her to go home to her husband and take care of her house and feed her children. But to make perfectly sure I talked it over with Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret and they said Catherine La Rochelle’s talk was nonsense. Nothing in it. I wrote my king a report, telling him just that.

  La Fontaine Did you discuss anything else with her?

  Joan Oh yes. She wanted to go to the English and arrange for peace. I told her I didn’t think they’d give us any peace except at lance’s point.

  Bishop I see.

  Joan I also asked Catherine if her white lady came every night, because then I’d spend a night with her. I did. I stayed awake until midnight and I didn’t see a thing. Then I fell asleep. In the morning I asked Catherine if the white lady had come. Yes, she said, while I was asleep. But she hadn’t been able to wake me. I asked her if the lady would come the next night and she said yes. So I slept all day so as to stay awake at night. And I stayed awake all night but I didn’t see a thing. I asked her several times if the white lady would come soon. Catherine always answered, yes, soon.

  La Fontaine Then you believe you are in a state of grace?

  Joan If I am not, God will put me in it; if I am, God will keep me in it. I would be the unhappiest creature in the whole world if I knew I wasn’t in God’s grace.

  La Fontaine But when you jumped from the tower, you wanted to kill yourself, did you not?

  Joan No. To escape.

  La Fontaine (with extreme insistence) Then you believe you can never again commit a deadly sin?

  Joan I firmly believe in my salvation.

  Bishop If you are confident of your salvation, why then would you wish to confess?

  Joan A body can never keep her conscience clear enough, bishop.

  La Fontaine (no longer kindly, almost furious) Wouldn’t you say it was a deadly sin to capture a man by ruse, and then to kill him?

  Joan I never did any such thing.

  La Fontaine You did not? What about a certain Franqué of Arras who was murdered in Lagny at your command?

  Joan Him? He deserved it. By his own admission he was a scoundrel, a thief, and a traitor. I wanted to exchange him for one of our people, a good man, Monsieur de l’Ours in Paris. But the man died on us in the meantime. It would have been stupid to let that no-good Franqué go.

  La Fontaine Did you give money to the man who captured Franqué?

  Joan I have no mint or treasury in France; how would I pay out large sums of money?

  Bishop Joan, in summation, we charge you as follows:

  1. You fought before Paris on a feast day.

  2. You jumped from the tower at Beaurevoir with intent to commit suicide.

  3. You brought about the death of Franqué of Arras.

  4. You have worn men’s clothes.

  La Fontaine Is it possible that you see no mortal sin in all this? Joan!

  Joan Bishop of Beauvais, you’d better watch what you’re doing. This trial of yours is crooked. First, this thing about Paris—what if it was a feast day? Sin or not, it has nothing to do with this trial, the confessional’s the place for it. Secondly, I jumped from the tower in hope and not despair.

  Bishop And the men’s clothes?

  Joan As long as I’m here, I have to wear them. If you give me women’s clothes and let me go back to my mother, I’ll put them on and go home.

  Massieu Joan, what would you prefer, to forgo mass or to attend it in women’s clothes?

  Joan Dress me in women’s clothes like any burgher’s daughter, I’ll even wear a long train and a big hat if that’s the only way I can hear mass. When it’s over I’ll tear them off. But with all my heart I beseech you, let me be as I am.