Joan of Arc: A Play in Five Acts

								

Is by his thoughtless master shamed to gravity.)
Your grace forgets the maid from Domremie
Doth wait an audience.


CHA.                   We much regret,
My lord, our weak compliance with such folly.


ALEN. The royal word is pledged.


CHA.                                 We'll not retract it.
It may at least afford us novelty.
Let her appear.


XAINT.            Why not devise some plan
To prove her truth, or to detect the fraud?


CHA. Well thought--but how?


XAINT.                         To thee she bears this message.
If Heaven, as she asserts, has sent her hither,
He will not fail, by certain proof, to mark
The mission his. Amongst ourselves then mingle,
And let another represent thee.


CHA.                             Good.
No better representative than thou;
In truth we do but play the part of king,
And thou as aptly as ourself may act it.

                                            [They exchange places.



    Enter JOAN.


XAINT. Thou hast an audience asked: thy suit thus granted,
We bid thee fearlessly declare thy will.


JOAN. I seek the royal ear: this is my prince!
And thus with veneration deep--

                                               [Kneels to Charles.


CHA.                           Not so.
No female at my feet may kneel thus lowly.
Maiden! I own no earthly state which claims
Such reverence; but simply as a man
I stand midst men, protector of thy sex,
Admirer of thy charms!


JOAN.                 Just is the homage--
But now (rises) I stand the delegate of heav'n,
And thus declare my mission. "Go!" said the Mighty,
"Go! tell thy prince deliverance is nigh:
And thine the hand to rid him of his foes!
Thou shalt raise the siege of Orleans!"


CHA.                                       Indeed!
Strong arms, and steeled, have not availed to raise it,
And shall a hand more fitting for the dance--


JOAN. Beware of such a sneer. The mountain lily
Would crush the mountain if 'twere bid to do it;
And midst the mighty ruin it had wrought
Itself would smile in safety. This I pledge thee!
The foe shall fly, the land once more be free,
The sceptre to thy line shall be confirmed,
And holy hands at Rheims shall crown thee.


CHA.                                           Thy bearing
Forbids all thought of fraud, and proves that thou
And falsehood have no fellowship: thou art
Thyself deceived.


JOAN.               I know that I may seem
A mere enthusiast, a frail, weak woman:
None think more meanly of me than myself:
But sense of weakness proves me not deceived.
Then scorn me not; if mercy once be spurned,
Indignant Heaven in frowns may hide his face,
And change the dew of blessing to a curse.


CHA. We have declared our will, but even now,
To pass to Dauphin�.


JOAN.                Fly from the foe!