Joan of Arc: A Play in Five Acts

								

No doubt, and ignorant.


ALEN.                     Her soul hath stamped her manner
Simple, yet dignified--lofty, yet meek.


XAINT. Ta'en captive--grown poetic.


ALEN.                                Age like mine
Has little thought of love or poesy;
But yet there is a charm where loveliness
Meets virtue, which it were a shame to slight.
The snow which crowns the old man's head should make
His reason cool, yet need not chill his heart.
But come--the council must be now assembled.


XAINT. One question more--is Richemont here?


ALEN.                                              Not he,
Nor e'en desired. The hate the Dauphin bears him
Continues undiminished.


XAINT.                   Yet the world
Believes them cordial friends; that with the rank
He craved, the constable of France has lost
All that disgust the Earl of Richemont felt.


ALEN. Charles never will forgive the insult shown
To them he valued most. Du Ch�tel first,
Then Louvel he required should be dismissed
His service and the council--price of friendship.
The first his interest in his master's sank,
But Louvel's firm adherence to his post,
Bringing Camouse's death.


XAINT.                        Camouse's death!


ALEN. Ay, 'twas a bloody deed: but more anon,
This maid absorbs all thought.


XAINT.                  Let's hasten then:
My curiosity is all awake--
And more, I bear an answer from the regent,
Which to the prince and council I must show.

SCENE II.--Council.
CHARLES, LOUVEL, VALANCOUR, &c.


CHA. We'll hear no more. Whilst one poor hope remained
We would have hazarded our chance; but now
Tis madness to resist.



    Enter XAINTRAILLES and ALEN�ON.



                           Returned! How met
The haughty occupant of our own place
The offer tendered him?


XAINT.                    As one who holds
The game already in his hands may hear
His adversary's scheme to share the stake.
"I am not one," he said, "to beat the bush
That others may secure the birds. Ere Orleans
Can be sequestered, we must see good title
To execute the deed; Bedford, not Burgundy,
Must hold that city for his liege and lord."


CHA. Fool that we were to court such insolence!
But yet perhaps 'tis only what ourselves
Had, in like circumstances, said more rudely.


ALEN. Will not your grace resent the indignity?


CHA. But how? words are but poor revenge;
And words are all we boast. We will retire
To Dauphin�.


OMNES.            To Dauphin�!


ALEN.                        You jest.
You cannot mean--


CHA.                  We've said, and mean it too.
Fear not, my friends, we'll lead a joyous life.
War we will have, as dappled deer shall find,
A court midst sylvan shades, not lacking beauty,
Though of but rural kind, to cheer our toils.


ALEN. (aside. Will nought correct this levity of speech?
Xaintrailles himself, though not a whit more staid,