འ

Victorious upon Beder's fertile vale,

And on mount Ohud, and before the walls

Of Chaibar, then when cleaving to the chest
His giant foe, he grasp'd the massy gate,
Shook with strong arm and tore it from the fort,
And lifted it in air, portentous shield!

"Behold the towers of Orleans," cried Dunois. "Lo! this the vale where on the banks of Loire, "Of yore, at close of day the rustic band "Danced to the roundelay. In younger years "As oft I glided down the silver stream,

"There wave the English banners! martial Maid, "Give thou the signal-let me rush upon

"These ministers of murder, who have sack'd

"The fruitful fields, and made the hamlet haunts "Silent-or hearing but the widow's groan. "Give thou the signal Maiden!"

Her dark eye

Fix'd sadly on the foe, the holy Maid

Answer'd him. "Ere the bloody sword be drawn, "Ere slaughter be let loose, befits us send

"Some peaceful messenger, who shall make known "The will of Heaven. So timely warn'd, our foes

Haply may yet repent, and quit in peace "Besieged Orleans. Victory is sad

"When even one man is murder'd."

So she said,

And as she spake a soldier from the ranks
Advanced. "I will be thy messenger,
"Maiden of God! I to the English camp

"Will bear thy bidding."

66

"Go," the Virgin cried,

Say to the Chief of Salisbury, and the host

"Attending, Suffolk, Fastolffe, Talbot, Scales, "Invaders of the country, say, thus says

"THE MAID OF ORLEANS. "With your troops retire "In peace. Of every captur'd town the keys

"Restore to Charles; so bloodless you may seek

"Your native England; for the God of Hosts
"Thus has decreed. To Charles the rightful heir,
"By long descent and voluntary choice,
"Of duteous subjects hath the Lord assign'd

"His conquest. In his name the Virgin comes
"Arm'd with his sword; yet not of mercy void.
"Depart in peace: for ere the morrow dawns,
"Victorious upon Orleans' wall shall wave
"The holy banner." To the English camp
Fearless the warrior strode.

At mid-day meal,

With all the dissonance of boisterous mirth,

The British Chiefs carous'd and quaff'd the bowl
To future conquest. By the centinel

Conducted came the Frank.

"Chiefs," he exclaim'd,

"Salisbury, and ye the representatives

"Of the English King, usurper of this realm,

"To ye the leaders of the invading host

"I come, no welcome messenger. Thus says "THE MAID OF ORLEANS."With your troops retire "In peace. Of every captur'd town the keys

"Restore to Charles; so bloodless you may seek

"

Your native England; for the God of Hosts

"Thus has decreed. To Charles the rightful heir, "By long descent and voluntary choice

Of duteous subjects, hath the Lord assign'd "His conquest. In his name the Virgin comes, "Arm'd with his sword, yet not of mercy void. Depart in peace: for ere the morrow dawns, "Victorious upon Orleans' wall shall wave

"The holy banner."

Wonder made a pause;

To this the laugh succeeds.

"What!" Fastolffe cried,

"A woman warrior has your monarch sent

"To save devoted Orleans? By the rood,

"I thank his Grace. If she be young and fair,

No worthless prize my Lords! Go tell your Maid, "Joyful we wait her coming."

There was one

Among the English Chiefs, who had grown old
In arms, yet had not age unnerv'd his limbs,
But from the flexile nimbleness of youth

Braced to unyielding strength. One, who had seen
The warrior at the feast, might well have deem'd
That Talbot with his whole collected might
Wielded the sword in war, for on his neck

The veins were full,* and every muscle bore
Most powerful character. He his stern eye
Fix'd on the Herald, and before he spake

His silence + threaten'd.

"Get thee gone !" exclaim'd

* Φαίης κεν γνιων νιν όσον σθενος ελλοπιεύειν Αι δε οι ωδηκαντι κατ' αυχενα παντοθεν ίνες, Και πολιω περ εόντι το δε σθενος αξιον αβας.

ΘΕΟΚΡΙΤΟΣ.

Son silence menace.

Le Moyne.