Jeanne – known as Jannet – Aubrit, who had been one of Jeannette’s godmothers, said she had seen the fairies dancing round L’Arbre des Dames and Jannet was the wife of a very important man who worked for the lords of Bourlémont; Jannet was too pious to have told a lie. So there were fairies but Jeannette was more interested in the saints.
Thus she was growing up in an atmosphere of extreme piety with a belief in miracles and a growing awareness of the horrors of war as it crept close to Domrémy. She heard the talk of the days before the Godons came. Then apparently all had been peace, though there had occasionally been skirmishes between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians. But the Godons were devils who came from over the seas and were determined to take France from its rightful King.
When she was alone in the church Jeannette knelt before the statue of the Virgin and prayed that the Godons might be driven back to their own lands and that France might be happy again.
Jeannette had some little friends in the village. When she worked in the fields or was spinning in the house she would be joined by Isabelle Despinal and Mengette Joyart who would bring their distaffs with them and they would all laugh and talk together. Isabelle and Mengette were a little older than she was but Jeannette was advanced for her years and this passed unnoticed. There was a young girl, Hauviette Sydna, who liked to join them. She adored Jeannette who never failed to make her welcome in spite of her youth; and the girls were very happy together.
They had very little spare time when they were not spinning or working in the fields or carrying water into the house but one day when they found there was no yarn left for spinning and they had done their work in the fields, Jeannette said she was going to walk to the Chapel of Notre Dame de Bermont.
‘It’s a long way,’ said Isabelle.
Jeannette said she would go even though it was. She was used to walking and it was only for very long distances that she would be allowed to take the little mare.
Hauviette begged permission to join them, so they all made their way to the chapel.
‘Once,’ said Isabelle, ‘the lord and lady of Bourlémont used to lead the processions.’
‘Why don’t they now?’ asked Hauviette.
‘Because they are dead, silly,’ said Isabelle.
‘How was Hauviette to know?’ asked Jeannette.
Hauviette took her hand and pressed it. Jeannette was kind, though she could be sharp with those who displeased her, but she was always gentle to Hauviette, because she was younger than the others.
She turned to Hauviette now and said: ‘Madame d’Ogivillier is now the owner of the Lord of Bourlémont’s lands. There were no children to have them so they have gone to Madame d’Ogivillier who was his niece.’
‘She lives in Nancy,’ said Isabelle, to show her knowledge equalled that of Jeannette.
‘And she married the chamberlain of the Duke of Lorraine,’ added Mengette.
They were all silent with awe.
Isabelle then pointed out to them the small castle in the distance. It was on a little islet in the middle of the river.
‘That’s the Château de l’Isle,’ she said.
‘We know that,’ Jeannette reminded her.
‘It belongs to Madame d’Ogivillier now,’ added Mengette.
‘How wonderful to have a castle of your own,’ sighed Hauviette and they all laughed.
At length they came to the chapel.
‘What shall we do?’ asked Hauviette. ‘Shall we pick flowers and lay them at her feet?’
‘No,’ said Jeannette. ‘We’ll just pray to her.’
The children went on their knees and prayed as they did in the church of Saint Rémy.
Isabelle rose after a few moments and Mengette did the same.
‘I’ve prayed,’ said Isabelle. ‘Come on, let’s go into the field. There is a little time before we leave.’
Jeannette said: ‘You go. I wish to stay awhile.’
Hauviette hesitated and stayed with Jeannette, kneeling beside her, thinking how the hard floor hurt her knees. She was about to tell Jeannette when she noticed that her friend with her hands together as in prayer was staring up at the Virgin, and her face had become more beautiful.
Hauviette was overawed and words died on her lips. She waited.
And for some time Jeannette remained as though enrapt.
Then she arose and looked at Hauviette as though she were surprised to see her there and was wondering who she was.
She took Hauviette’s hand. She said: ‘It was as though the Virgin spoke to me.’
Then they ran out of the church and joined the others in the field. They gathered wild flowers and chased each other, but Hauviette noticed that Jeannette still looked enraptured as she had when she said the Virgin had spoken to her.
It was considered right that godparents should see their godchildren from time to time and therefore when Madame de Vittel declared that it was time for Jeannette to visit her in Neufchâteau Jacques and Zabillet agreed that the girl should go.
They could spare her for a week and she could make herself useful in the Vittel household. It was good for her to be with such learned people.
Jeannette made the journey of some seven miles on the little mare and it was a great pleasure to her to ride through the countryside. The woods were beautiful with oaks, ilex and chestnuts. In those woods bears lurked but they did not come out by day. At night they were very bold and if they were hungry they would venture into the village. People never went about singly after dark because the bears could be vicious and any night wanderers had to be prepared for them.
During daylight it was safe. Daylight was like peace, thought Jeannette, night, like war. Bears were like Godons, wicked and cruel, trying to snatch what did not belong to them.
Jacquemin was accompanying her and she rode behind him on the little mare. He would stay one night in Neufchâteau and go back to Domrémy the next day. He could not be spared longer. It would have been so much more convenient for Jeannette to have gone alone for it was hard to have to spare two little workers together. However Jacquemin would soon be back and Jeannette’s visit would not be so long and there was no doubt that godparents should see often those whom they had sponsored. Perhaps Jeannette and Thiesselin de Vittel would bring the child back.
Past the castle of Bourlémont they went, past the little castle on the island – all familiar landmarks – and after a while they came to the rocky valleys below the heights of Les Faucilles and followed the winding river until the walls and towers of Neufchâteau came into sight.
There was a warm welcome for the children at the house of the Vittels. Jeannette de Vittel was delighted with her little goddaughter and Thiesselin embraced her and told her how pleased he was that she was staying with them for a while.
‘I would that Jacquemin might too,’ he said.
Jacquemin looked wistful. ‘We cannot both be spared,’ he said.
That was understandable and there was a wonderful meal with meat such as the children rarely tasted at Domrémy. By the d’Arc standards the Vittels were rich. It was because Thiesselin was a scholar. He could read and write. There were books in his house and Jeannette was allowed to hold them and open them and study the strange shapes on the pages which Thiesselin could so miraculously decipher.