Jeanne Monologue

Today Jeanne is five years old. A cute frail pint-sized girl. Her nanny compares her skin to fresh white cream. Even in the summer it seems that the sun cannot color it. She has kept her large deep blue eyes which are unfathomable yet observant. Akin to a little wizard with a placid and quiet personality, she does not interact easily with the other buoyant children, but overall, Jeanne appears healthy and content. Her chores on this blessed hot July day are feeding the caged rabbits and gatherings the eggs from the chicken coop. As usual, the hens are nervous when she enters, cackling and rustling their wings in protestations. But Jeanne is soundless and the hens relax. They like Jeanne who caresses them and speaks softly, explaining that she is there to help

Nanny is a simple woman and doesn't understand this little girl, but she can give her the best she has, which is love. Together they pick wild strawberries, and fight with the birds over the cherries in spring, snatch the big fuzzy peaches the color of apricots, away from the buzzing bees and wasps. These are good times, when both laugh and share their mutual admiration, for an abundant benign nature. Sister Marie-Benoîte comes often to visit the children and tries to teach them about the love of God, but for the young ones it is too abstract and the elders are skeptical: After-all, they were abandoned, where was God then, why did he not come to their rescue? Jeanne, on the other hand, likes the religious woman. She compares her to a very big magpie with her ankle long black robe with the wide sleeves, and her snow white coif draping on each side of her face, giving her wings. Just as the magpies who steal sparkling items, she must like lustrous beads and things, because Jeanne has observed the gleaming cord around the neck, where hangs a large shiny cross with a man on it, who looks extremely sad to