Kneel down!
[He draws his sword and touches her with it.
And rise!
A noble! I, thy monarch, from the dust
Of thy mean birth exalt thee. In the grave
Thy fathers I ennoble—thou shalt bear
Upon thy shield the fleur-de-lis, and be
Of equal lineage with the best in France.
Only the royal blood of Valois shall
Be nobler than thine own! The highest peer
Shall feel himself exalted by thy hand;
To wed thee nobly, maid, shall be my care!
DUNOIS (advancing).
My heart made choice of her when she was lowly.
The recent honor which encircles her,
Neither exalts her merit nor my love.
Here in my sovereign's presence, and before
This holy bishop, maid, I tender thee
My hand, and take thee as my princely wife,
If thou esteem me worthy to be thine.
CHARLES.
Resistless maiden! wonder thou dost add
To wonder! Yes, I now believe that naught's
Impossible to thee! Thou hast subdued
This haughty heart, which still hath scoffed till now
At love's omnipotence.
LA HIRE (advancing).
If I have read
Aright Johanna's soul, her modest heart's
Her fairest jewel. She deserveth well
The homage of the great, but her desires
Soar not so high. She striveth not to reach
A giddy eminence; an honest heart's
True love content's her, and the quiet lot
Which with this hand I humbly proffer her.
CHARLES.
Thou, too, La Hire! two brave competitors,—
Peers in heroic virtue and renown!
—Wilt thou, who hast appeased mine enemies,
My realms united, part my dearest friends?
One only can possess her; I esteem
Each to be justly worthy such a prize.
Speak, maid! thy heart alone must here decide.
SOREL.
The noble maiden is surprised, her cheek
Is crimsoned over with a modest blush.
Let her have leisure to consult her heart,
And in confiding friendship to unseal
Her long-closed bosom. Now the hour is come
When, with a sister's love, I also may
Approach the maid severe, and offer her
This silent, faithful breast. Permit us women
Alone to weigh this womanly affair;
Do you await the issue.
CHARLES (about to retire).
Be it so!
JOHANNA.
No, sire, not so! the crimson on my cheek
Is not the blush of bashful modesty.
Naught have I for this noble lady's ear
Which in this presence I may not proclaim.
The choice of these brave knights much honors me,
But I did not forsake my shepherd-walks,
To chase vain worldly splendor, nor array
My tender frame in panoply of war,
To twine the bridal garland in my hair.
Far other labor is assigned to me,
Which a pure maiden can alone achieve.
I am the soldier of the Lord of Hosts,
And to no mortal man can I be wife.
ARCHBISHOP.
To be a fond companion unto man
Is woman born—when nature she obeys,
Most wisely she fulfils high heaven's decree!
When His behest who called thee to the field
Shall be accomplished, thou'lt resign thy arms,
And once again rejoin the softer sex,
Whose gentle nature thou dost now forego,
And which from war's stern duties is exempt.
JOHANNA.
Most reverend sir! as yet I cannot say
What work the Spirit will enjoin on me.
But when the time comes round, his guiding voice
Will not be mute, and it I will obey.
Now he commands me to complete my task;
My royal master's brow is still uncrowned,
'Twere better for me I had ne'er been born!
Henceforth no more of this, unless ye would
Provoke the Spirit's wrath who in me dwells!
The eye of man, regarding me with love,
To me is horror and profanity.
CHARLES.
Forbear! It is in vain to urge her further.
JOHANNA.
Command the trumpets of the war to sound!
This stillness doth perplex and harass me;
An inward impulse drives me from repose,
It still impels me to achieve my work,
And sternly beckons me to meet my doom.
SCENE V.
A KNIGHT, entering hastily.
CHARLES.
What tidings? Speak!
KNIGHT.
The foe has crossed the Marne,
And marshalleth his army for the fight.
JOHANNA (inspired).
Battle and tumult! Now my soul is free.
Arm, warriors, arm! while I prepare the troops.
[She goes out.
CHARLES.
Follow, La Hire! E'en at the gates of Rheims
They will compel us to dispute the crown!
DUNOIS.
No genuine courage prompts them. This essay
Is the last effort of enraged despair.
CHARLES.
I do not urge you, duke. To-day's the time
To compensate the errors of the past.
BURGUNDY.
You shall be satisfied with me.
CHARLES.
Myself
Will march before you on the path of fame;
Here, with my royal town of Rheims in view,
I'll fight, and gallantry achieve the crown.
Thy knight, my Agnes, bids thee now farewell!
AGNES (embracing him).
I do not weep, I do not tremble for thee;
My faith, unshaken, cleaveth unto God!
Heaven, were we doomed to failure, had not given
So many gracious pledges of success!
My heart doth whisper me that, victory-crowned,
In conquered Rheims, I shall embrace my king.
[Trumpets sound with a spirited tone, and while the scene
is changing pass into a wild martial strain. When the
scene opens, the orchestra joins in, accompanied by warlike
instruments behind the scene.
SCENE VI.
The scene changes to an open country skirted with trees. During the
music soldiers are seen retreating hastily across the background.
TALBOT, leaning on FASTOLFE, and accompanied by soldiers. Soon
after, LIONEL.
TALBOT.
Here lay me down beneath the trees, and then
Betake you back, with speed, unto the fight;
I need no aid to die.
FASTOLFE.
Oh, woful day!
[LIONEL enters.
Behold what sign awaits you, Lionel!
Here lies our general wounded unto death.
LIONEL.
Now, God forbid! My noble lord, arise!
No moment this to falter and to sink.
Yield not to death. By your all-powerful will
Command your ebbing spirit still to live.
TALBOT.
In vain! The day of destiny is come,
Which will o'erthrow the English power in France.
In desperate combat I have vainly risked
The remnant of our force to ward it off.
Struck by the thunderbolt I prostrate lie,
Never to rise again. Rheims now is lost,
Hasten to succor Paris!
LIONEL.
Paris is with the Dauphin reconciled;
A courier even now has brought the news.
TALBOT (tearing off his bandages).
Then freely flow, ye currents of my blood,
For Talbot now is weary of the sun!
LIONEL.
I may no longer tarry: Fastolfe, haste!
Convey our leader to a place of safety.
No longer now can we maintain this post;
Our flying troops disperse on every side,
On, with resistless might, the maiden comes.
TALBOT.
Folly, thou conquerest, and I must yield!
Against stupidity the very gods.
Themselves contend in vain. Exalted reason,
Resplendent daughter of the head divine,
Wise foundress of the system of the world,
Guide of the stars, who art thou then if thou,
Bound to the tail of folly's uncurbed steed,
Must, vainly shrieking with the drunken crowd,
Eyes open, plunge down headlong in the abyss.
Accursed, who striveth after noble ends,
And with deliberate wisdom forms his plans!
To the fool-king belongs the world.
LIONEL.
My lord,
But for a few brief moments can you live—
Think of your Maker!
TALBOT.
Had we, like brave men,
Been vanquished by the brave, we might, indeed,
Console ourselves that 'twas the common lot;
For fickle fortune aye revolves her wheel.
But to be baffled by such juggling arts!
Deserved our earnest and laborious life
Not a more earnest issue?
LIONEL (extends his hand to him).
Fare you well!
The debt of honest tears I will discharge
After the battle—if I then survive.
Now Fate doth call me hence, where on the field
Her web she waveth, and dispenseth doom.
We in another world shall meet again;
For our long friendship, this a brief farewell.
[Exit.
TALBOT.
Soon is the struggle past, and to the earth,
To the eternal sun, I render back
These atoms, joined in me for pain and pleasure.
And of the mighty Talbot, who the world
Filled with his martial glory, there remains
Naught save a modicum of senseless dust.
Such is the end of man—the only spoil
We carry with us from life's battle-field,
Is but an insight into nothingness,
And utter scorn of all which once appeared
To us exalted and desirable.
SCENE VII.
CHARLES, BURGUNDY, DUNOIS, DUCHATEL, and Soldiers.
BURGUNDY.
The trench is stormed!
DUNOIS.
The victory is ours!
CHARLES (perceiving TALBOT.)
Look! Who is he, who yonder of the sun
Taketh reluctant, sorrowful farewell?
His armor indicates no common man;
Go, succor him, if aid may yet avail.
[Soldiers of the KING'S retinue step forward.
FASTOLFE.
Back! Stand apart! Respect the mighty dead,
Whom ye in life ne'er ventured to approach!
BURGUNDY.
What do I see? Lord Talbot in his blood!
[He approaches him. TALBOT gazes fixedly at him, and dies.
FASTOLFE.
Traitor, avaunt! Let not the sight of thee
Poison the dying hero's parting glance.
DUNOIS.
Resistless hero! Dread-inspiring Talbot!
Does such a narrow space suffice thee now,
And this vast kingdom could not satisfy
The large ambition of thy giant soul!
Now first I can salute you, sire, as king:
The diadem but tottered on your brow,
While yet a spirit tenanted this clay.
CHARLES (after contemplating the body in silence).
A higher power hath vanquished him, not we!
He lies upon the soil of France, as lies
The hero on the shield he would not quit.
Well, peace be with his ashes! Bear him hence!
[Soldiers take up the body and carry it away.
Here in the heart of France, where his career
Of conquest ended, let his relics lie!
So far no hostile sword attained before.
A fitting tomb shall memorize his name;
His epitaph the spot whereon he fell.
FASTOLFE (yielding his sword).
I am your prisoner, sir.
CHARLES (returning his sword).
Not so! Rude war
Respects each pious office; you are free
To render the last honors to the dead,
Go now, Duchatel—still my Agnes trembles—
Hasten to snatch her from anxiety—
Bring her the tidings of our victory,
And usher her in triumph into Rheims!
[Exit DUCHATEL.
SCENE VIII.
The same. LA HIRE.
DUNOIS.
La Hire, where is the maiden?
LA HIRE.
That I ask
Of you; I left her fighting by your side.
DUNOIS.
I thought she was protected by your arm,
When I departed to assist the king.
BURGUNDY.
Not long ago I saw her banner wave
Amidst the thickest of the hostile ranks.
DUNOIS.
Alas! where is she? Evil I forebode?
Come, let us haste to rescue her. I fear
Her daring soul hath led her on too far;
Alone she combats in the midst of foes,
And without succor yieldeth to the crowd.
CHARLES.
Haste to her rescue!
LA HIRE.
Come!
BURGUNDY.
We follow all!
[Exit.
[They retire in haste. A deserted part of the
battle-field. In the distance are seen the towers
of Rheims illumined by the sun.
SCENE IX.
A KNIGHT in black armor, with closed visor. JOHANNA follows
him to the front of the stage, where he stops and awaits her.
JOHANNA.
Deluder! now I see thy stratagem!
Thou hast deceitfully, through seeming flight,
Allured me from the battle, doom and death
Averting thus from many a British head.
Destruction now doth overtake thyself.
BLACK KNIGHT.
Why dost thou follow after me and track
My steps with quenchless rage? I am not doomed
To perish by thy hand.
JOHANNA.
Deep in my soul
I hate thee as the night, which is thy color;
To blot thee out from the fair light of day
An irresistible desire impels me.
Who art thou? Raise thy visor. I had said
That thou wert Talbot had I not myself
Seen warlike Talbot in the battle fall.
BLACK KNIGHT.
Is the divining-spirit mute in thee?
JOHANNA.
His voice speaks loudly in my spirit's depth
The near approach of woe.
BLACK KNIGHT.
Johanna D'Arc!
Borne on the wings of conquest, thou hast reached
The gates of Rheims. Let thy achieved renown
Content thee. Fortune, like thy slave, till now
Hath followed thee; dismiss her, ere in wrath
She free herself; fidelity she hates;
She serveth none with constancy till death.
JOHANNA.
Why check me in the midst of my career?
Why bid me falter and forsake my work?
I will complete it and fulfil my vow!
BLACK KNIGHT.
Nothing can thee, thou mighty one, withstand,
In battle thou art aye invincible.
But henceforth shun the fight; attend my warning.
JOHANNA.
Not from my hand will I resign this sword
Till haughty England's prostrate in the dust.
BLACK KNIGHT.
Behold! there Rheims ariseth with its towers,
The goal and end of thy career. Thou seest
The lofty minster's sun-illumined dome;
Thou in triumphal pomp wouldst enter there,
Thy monarch crown, and ratify thy vow.
Enter not there! Return! Attend my warning!
JOHANNA.
What art thou, double-tongued, deceitful being,
Who wouldst bewilder and appal me? Speak!
By what authority dost thou presume
To greet me with fallacious oracles?
[The BLACK KNIGHT is about to depart, she steps in his way.
No, thou shalt speak, or perish by my hand!
[She endeavors to strike him.
BLACK KNIGHT (touches her with his hand, she remains motionless).
Slay what is mortal!
[Darkness, thunder and lightning. The KNIGHT sinks into the earth.
JOHANNA (stands at first in amazement, but soon recovers herself).
'Twas nothing living. 'Twas a base delusion,
An instrument of hell, a juggling fiend,
Uprisen hither from the fiery pool
To shake and terrify my steadfast heart.
Wielding the sword of God, whom should I fear!
I will triumphantly achieve my work.
My courage should not waver, should not fail
Were hell itself to champion me to fight!
[She is about to depart.
SCENE X.
LIONEL, JOHANNA.
LIONEL.
Accursed one, prepare thee for the fight!
Not both of us shall quit this field alive.
Thou hast destroyed the bravest of our host
The noble Talbot hath his mighty soul
Breathed forth upon my bosom. I'll avenge
The hero, or participate his doom.
And wouldst thou know who brings thee glory now,
Whether he live or die,—I'm Lionel,
The sole survivor of the English chiefs,
And still unconquered is this valiant arm.
[He rushes upon her; after a short combat she strikes
the sword out of his hand.
Perfidious fortune!
[He wrestles with her. JOHANNA seizes him by the crest
and tears open his helmet; his face is thus exposed;
at the same time she draws her sword with her right hand.
JOHANNA.
Suffer, what thou soughtest!
The Virgin sacrifices thee through me!
[At this moment she gazes in his face. His aspect
softens her, she remains motionless and slowly lets
her arm sink.
LIONEL.
Why linger, why withhold the stroke of death?
My glory thou hast taken—take my life!
I want no mercy, I am in thy power.
[She makes him a sign with her hand to fly.
How! shall I fly and owe my life to thee?
No, I would rather die.
JOHANNA (with averted face).
I will not know
That ever thou didst owe thy life to me.
LIONEL.
I hate alike thee and thy proffered gift.
I want no mercy—kill thine enemy
Who loathes and would have slain thee.
JOHANNA.
Slay me, then,
And fly!
LIONEL.
Ha! What is this?
JOHANNA (hiding her face).
Woe's me!
LIONEL (approaching her).
'Tis said
Thou killest all the English whom thy sword
Subdues in battle—why spare me alone?
JOHANNA (raises her sword with a rapid movement as if to strike him,
but lets it fall quickly when she gazes on his face).
Oh, Holy Virgin!
LIONEL.
Wherefore namest thou
The Holy Virgin? she knows naught of thee;
Heaven hath no part in thee.
JOHANNA (in the greatest anxiety).
What have I done?
Alas! I've broke my vow!
[She wrings her hands in despair.
LIONEL (looks at her with sympathy and approaches her).
Unhappy maid!
I pity thee! Thy sorrow touches me;
Thou hast shown mercy unto me alone,
My hatred yielded unto sympathy!
Who art thou, and whence comest thou?
JOHANNA.
Away!
LIONEL.
Thy youth, thy beauty, move my soul to pity!
Thy look sinks in my heart. I fain would save thee!
How may I do so? tell me.
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