Maid of Orleans | Page 5

corn Is trampled
'neath the tread of warlike steeds; With the new spring new harvests
reappear, And our light huts are quickly reared again!
[They all retire except the maiden.

SCENE IV.
JOHANNA (alone).
Farewell ye mountains, ye beloved glades, Ye lone and peaceful
valleys, fare ye well! Through you Johanna never more may stray! For,
ay, Johanna bids you now farewell. Ye meads which I have watered,
and ye trees Which I have planted, still in beauty bloom! Farewell ye
grottos, and ye crystal springs! Sweet echo, vocal spirit of the vale.
Who sang'st responsive to my simple strain, Johanna goes, and ne'er
returns again.
Ye scenes where all my tranquil joys I knew, Forever now I leave you

far behind! Poor foldless lambs, no shepherd now have you! O'er the
wide heath stray henceforth unconfined! For I to danger's field, of
crimson hue, Am summoned hence another flock to find. Such is to me
the spirit's high behest; No earthly, vain ambition fires my breast.
For who in glory did on Horeb's height Descend to Moses in the bush
of flame, And bade him go and stand in Pharaoh's sight-- Who once to
Israel's pious shepherd came, And sent him forth, his champion in the
fight,-- Who aye hath loved the lowly shepherd train,-- He, from these
leafy boughs, thus spake to me, "Go forth! Thou shalt on earth my
witness be.
"Thou in rude armor must thy limbs invest, A plate of steel upon thy
bosom wear; Vain earthly love may never stir thy breast, Nor passion's
sinful glow be kindled there. Ne'er with the bride-wreath shall thy locks
be dressed, Nor on thy bosom bloom an infant fair; But war's
triumphant glory shall be thine; Thy martial fame all women's shall
outshine.
"For when in fight the stoutest hearts despair, When direful ruin
threatens France, forlorn, Then thou aloft my oriflamme shalt bear, And
swiftly as the reaper mows the corn, Thou shalt lay low the haughty
conqueror; His fortune's wheel thou rapidly shalt turn, To Gaul's heroic
sons deliverance bring, Relieve beleaguered Rheims, and crown thy
king!"
The heavenly spirit promised me a sign; He sends the helmet, it hath
come from him. Its iron filleth me with strength divine, I feel the
courage of the cherubim; As with the rushing of a mighty wind It
drives me forth to join the battles din; The clanging trumpets sound, the
chargers rear, And the loud war-cry thunders in mine ear.
[She goes out.

ACT I.
SCENE I.

The royal residence at Chinon. DUNOIS and DUCHATEL.
DUNOIS. No longer I'll endure it. I renounce This recreant monarch
who forsakes himself. My valiant heart doth bleed, and I could rain Hot
tear-drops from mine eyes, that robber-swords Partition thus the royal
realm of France; That cities, ancient as the monarchy, Deliver to the foe
the rusty keys, While here in idle and inglorious ease We lose the
precious season of redemption. Tidings of Orleans' peril reach mine ear,
Hither I sped from distant Normandy, Thinking, arrayed in panoply of
war, To find the monarch with his marshalled hosts; And find
him--here! begirt with troubadours, And juggling knaves, engaged in
solving riddles, And planning festivals in Sorel's honor, As brooded
o'er the land profoundest peace! The Constable hath gone; he will not
brook Longer the spectacle of shame. I, too, Depart, and leave him to
his evil fate.
DUCHATEL. Here comes the king.

SCENE II.
KING CHARLES. The same.
CHARLES. The Constable hath sent us back his sword And doth
renounce our service. Now, by heaven! He thus hath rid us of a churlish
man, Who insolently sought to lord it o'er us.
DUNOIS. A man is precious in such perilous times; I would not deal
thus lightly with his loss.
CHARLES. Thou speakest thus from love of opposition; While he was
here thou never wert his friend.
DUNOIS. He was a tiresome, proud, vexatious fool, Who never could
resolve. For once, however, He hath resolved. Betimes he goeth hence,
Where honor can no longer be achieved.
CHARLES. Thou'rt in a pleasant humor; undisturbed I'll leave thee to

enjoy it. Hark, Duchatel! Ambassadors are here from old King Rene,
Of tuneful songs the master, far renowned. Let them as honored guests
be entertained, And unto each present a chain of gold. [To the Bastard.
Why smilest thou, Dunois?
DUNOIS. That from thy mouth Thou shakest golden chains.
DUCHATEL. Alas! my king! No gold existeth in thy treasury.
CHARLES. Then gold must be procured. It must not be That bards
unhonored from our court depart. 'Tis they who make our barren
sceptre bloom, 'Tis they who wreath around our fruitless crown Life's
joyous branch of never-fading green. Reigning, they justly rank
themselves as kings, Of gentle wishes they erect their