A Noble Woman

ion of the victim certain German newspapers printed an account that was mainly a brief for the prosecution, whil

certainty; and surely never since Joan of Arc faced the corrupt Bishop of Beauvais has th

he principal were Edith Cavell and Princess Marie de Croy, the Comtesse de Belleville and Mademoiselle Thulier, and M. Philippe Bancq. Prince Reginald de Croy did not stand his trial,

ners had been questioned and cross-examined ad nauseam long before this final s

otion to duty places her in the forefront of the world's womanhood. She appeared in the uniform in which she had been arrested: the white cap covering

distracted at a time when cool collectedness should be the first line of their defence. But Miss Cavell knew that she was arraigned before unju

t of dire misfortune; but 'misfortune is never mournful to the soul that accepts it; for such do always see that every cloud is an angel's face.' Edith Cavell fearlessly looked about the court, viewing with evident curiosity the row of malevolent-looking officers

ium. It was alleged that fugitives were first smuggled into Brussels, where they were hidden either in a convent or in Miss Cavell's hospital. Later, as opportu

est of her belief she had but served her country, and, so far as that was wrong, she was ready to take the blame. Calmly she contemplated her end; cheerfull

and acute mind. Often she added some greater precision to her previous depositions. Her answers were always direct and unhesitating. When the Military Prosecutor inquired why

cutor, 'but it did not apply to young Belgians. Why did you help them to cross t

e knew only too well what freedom and safety had been accorded to many Bel

ks from those who had reached England in safety. This was a vital admission. German evidence alone could have charged her

he admitted that he had assisted young Belgians to escape and rejoin their army. '

impression on her judges, one cannot tell. Their apparent disagreement may only have been a theatrical adjunct to the tragedy which Baron von Bissing had staged with consummate care. It may have been that they lacked the m

er escort to her cell to wait-to wait for the assured condemnation that her eye