Their shining weapons glitter in the vale.
JOHANNA (with enthusiasm).
My people come this way! Proud England now
Forth in the field! now boldly must you fight!
FASTOLFE.
Deluded woman, moderate your joy!
You will not see the issue of this day.
JOHANNA.
My friends will win the fight and I shall die!
The gallant heroes need my arm no more.
LIONEL.
These dastard enemies I scorn. They have
In twenty battles fled before our arms,
Ere this heroic maiden fought for them.
All the whole nation I despise, save one,
And this one they have banished. Come, Fastolfe,
We soon will give them such another day
As that of Poictiers and of Agincourt.
Do you remain with the fortress, queen,
And guard the maiden till the fight is o'er.
I leave for your protection fifty knights.
FASTOLFE.
How! general, shall we march against the foe
And leave this raging fury in our rear?
JOHANNA.
What! can a fettered woman frighten thee?
LIONEL.
Promise, Johanna, not to free thyself.
JOHANNA.
To free myself is now my only wish.
ISABEL.
Bind her with triple chains. I pledged my life
That she shall not escape.
[She is bound with heavy chains.
LIONEL (to JOHANNA).
Thou will'st it so!
Thou dost compel us! still it rests with thee!
Renounce the French-the English banner bear,
And thou art free, and these rude, savage men
Who now desire thy blood shall do thy will.
FASTOLFE (urgently).
Away, away, my general!
JOHANNA.
Spare thy words,
The French are drawing near. Defend thyself!
[Trumpets sound, LIONEL hastens forth.
FASTOLFE.
You know your duty, queen! if fate declares
Against us, should you see our people fly.
ISABEL (showing a dagger).
Fear not. She shall not live to see our fall.
FASTOLFE (to JOHANNA).
Thou knowest what awaits thee, now implore
A blessing on the weapons of thy people.
[Exit.
SCENE XI.
ISABEL, JOHANNA, SOLDIERS.
JOHANNA.
Ay! that I will! no power can hinder me.
Hark to that sound, the war-march of my people!
How its triumphant notes inspire my heart!
Ruin to England! victory to France!
Up, valiant countrymen! The maid is near;
She cannot, as of yore, before you bear
Her banner-she is bound with heavy chains;
But freely from her prison soars her soul,
Upon the pinions of your battle-song.
ISABEL (to a SOLDIER).
Ascend the watch-tower which commands the field,
And thence report the progress of the fight.
[SOLDIER ascends.
JOHANNA.
Courage, my people! 'Tis the final struggle-
Another victory, and the foe lies low!
ISABEL.
What see'st thou?
SOLDIER.
They're already in close fight.
A furious warrior on a Barbary steed,
In tiger's skin, leads forward the gens d'armes.
JOHANNA.
That's Count Dunois! on, gallant warrior!
Conquest goes with thee.
SOLDIER.
The Burgundian duke
Attacks the bridge.
ISABEL.
Would that ten hostile spears
Might his perfidious heart transfix, the traitor!
SOLDIER.
Lord Fastolfe gallantly opposes him.
Now they dismount-they combat man to man
Our people and the troops of Burgundy.
ISABEL.
Behold'st thou not the Dauphin? See'st thou not
The royal wave?
SOLDIER.
A cloud of dust
Shrouds everything. I can distinguish naught.
JOHANNA.
Had he my eyes, or stood I there aloft,
The smallest speck would not elude my gaze!
The wild fowl I can number on the wing,
And mark the falcon in his towering flight.
SOLDIER.
There is a fearful tumult near the trench;
The chiefs, it seems, the nobles, combat there.
ISABEL.
Still doth our banner wave?
SOLDIER.
It proudly floats.
JOHANNA.
Could I look through the loopholes of the wall,
I with my lance the battle would control.
SOLDIER.
Alas! What do I see? Our general's
Surrounded by the foe!
ISABEL (points the dagger at JOHANNA).
Die, wretch!
SOLDIER (quickly).
He's free!
The gallant Fastolfe in the rear attacks
The enemy-he breaks their serried ranks.
ISABEL (withdrawing the dagger).
There spoke thy angel!
SOLDIER.
Victory! They fly.
ISABEL.
Who fly?
SOLDIER.
The French and the Burgundians fly;
The field is covered o'er with fugitives.
JOHANNA.
My God! Thou wilt not thus abandon me!
SOLDIER.
Yonder they lead a sorely wounded knight;
The people rush to aid him-he's a prince.
ISABEL.
One of our country, or a son of France?
SOLDIER.
They loose his helmet-it is Count Dunois.
JOHANNA (seizes her fetters with convulsive violence).
And I am nothing but a fettered woman!
SOLDIER.
Look yonder! Who the azure mantle wears
Bordered with gold?
JOHANNA.
That is my lord, the king.
SOLDIER.
His horse is restive, plunges, rears and falls-
He struggles hard to extricate himself.
[JOHANNA accompanies these words with passionate movements.
Our troops are pressing on in full career,
They near him, reach him-they surround him now.
JOHANNA.
Oh, have the heavens above no angels more!
ISABEL (laughing scornfully).
Now is the time, deliverer-now deliver!
JOHANNA (throws herself upon her knees, and prays with passionate
violence).
Hear me, O God, in my extremity!
In fervent supplication up to Thee,
Up to thy heaven above I send my soul.
The fragile texture of a spider's web,
As a ship's cable, thou canst render strong;
Easy it is to thine omnipotence
To change these fetters into spider's webs-
Command it, and these massy chains shall fall,
And these thick walls be rent, Thou, Lord of old,
Didst strengthen Samson, when enchained and blind