Bed. Coward of France !-how much he wrongs his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. Bur. Traitors have never other company. But what's that, Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tal. A maid, they say. Bed. A maid, and be so martial? Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere long; If underneath the standard of the French, She carry armour, as she hath begun. Tal. Well, let them practice and converse with spirits, God is our fortress, in whose conquering name Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks. Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. That we do make our entrance several ways, Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury, for thee, and for the right Of English Henry, shall this night appear [The English scale the Walls, crying St. George! Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault ! Frenchmen leap over the Walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, BASTARD, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, half ready' and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords! what, all unready so? Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd so well. Keig. 'T was time, I trow, to wake and leave our beds, Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I followed arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. 1 Half-dressed. Alen. Here cometh Charles: I marvel, how he sped Enter CHARLES and LA PUCELLE. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our loss might be ten times so much? Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend? Or will you blame, and lay the fault on me ?- Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, We had not been thus shamefully surpris'd. Reig. And so was mine, my lord. Char. And for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, I was employ'd in passing to and fro, About relieving of the sentinels: Then, how, or which way, should they first break in? Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the case, How, or which way: 't is sure, they found some place Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, a Talbot ! 1 Plots, or plans. [Ext SCENE II.-Orleans. Within the Town. Enter TALBOT, Bedford, BurguUNDY, a Captain, ana others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; What ruin happen'd in revenge of him, The treacherous manner of his mournful death, I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace, Bed. 'T is thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Bur. Myself, as far as I could well discern, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves, That could not live asunder, day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. Enter a Messenger. Mess. All hail, my lords! Which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France ? Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with him? Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, By me entreats, great lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe That she may boast she hath beheld the man Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see, our wars When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit. Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for when a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory, Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd.— And therefore tell her, I return great thanks, And in submission will attend on her.Will not your honours bear me company? Bed. No, truly, it is more than manners will; And I have heard it said, unbidden guests Are often welcomest when they are gone. Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Auvergne. Court of the Castle. Enter the COUNTESS and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will. [Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his achievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, Mess. Madam, according as your ladyship desir'd, By message crav'd, so is lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome.-What! is this the man? Count. Is this the scourge of France ? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers still their babes? I see report is fabulous and false : I thought I should have seen some Hercules, A second Hector for his grim aspect, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. It cannot be, this weak and writhled shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you; I'll sort some other time to visit you. Count. What means he now?—Go, ask him, whither he goes. Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves Re-enter Porter, with Keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Count. But now the substance shall endure the like, Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond, To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow, Count. Why, art not thou the man? Count. Then have I substance too. I am indeed. Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here; For what you see, is but the smallest part And least proportion of humanity. |