They are an allegory.

Her triple birth signifies that the peace of Christendom shall be born of her work, that after she shall have fulfilled her divine mission, the Pope, the Emperor, and the King--all three sons of God--shall cause concord and love to reign in the Church of Jesus Christ.

The apologue is quite clear; and yet a certain amount of intelligence is necessary for its comprehension.

The Captain failed to understand it; he interpreted it literally and answered accordingly, for he was a simple fellow and a merry.[390] [Footnote 390: See _ante_, page 66.] Jeanne lodged in the town with humble folk, Henri Leroyer and his wife Catherine, friends of her cousin Lassois.

She used to occupy her time in spinning, being a good spinster; and the little she had she gave to the poor.