Reig. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower; Which, once discern'd, shows that her meaning is,— No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd. Enter LA PUCELLE on a battlement, holding out a torch burning. Puc. Behold, this is the happy wedding-torch That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen, But burning fatal to the Talbotites. Bast. See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend; The burning torch in yonder turret stands. Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge, A prophet to the fall of all our foes! Reig. Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends; Enter, and cry "The Dauphin !" presently, And then do execution on the watch. [They enter the town. Exit La Pucelle above. Alarums. Enter, from the town, TALBOT and English Soldiers. Tal. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears, If Talbot but survive thy treachery. Pucelle, that witch, that damnèd sorceress, [Exeunt into the town. Alarums: excursions. Enter, from the town, BEDFORD, brought in sick in a chair, with TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and the English Forces. Then enter on the walls LA PUCELLE, CHARLES, the Bastard of Orleans, ALENÇON, and REIGNIER. Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread? I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast, Before he'll buy again at such a rate: 'Twas full of darnel ;-do you like the taste? Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan! I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own, And make thee curse the harvest of that corn. Char. Your grace may starve, perhaps, before that time. Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason! Puc. What will you do, good graybeard? break a lance, And run a tilt at death within a chair? Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite, Puc. Are ye so hot, sir?—yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace; If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow. [Talbot and the rest whisper together in council. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field? Puc. Belike your lordship takes us, then, for fools, To try if that our own be ours or no. Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecaté, But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest; Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out? Alen. Signior, no. Tal. Signior, hang!-base muleters of France! Puc. Captains, away!(95) let's get us from the walls; (96) but to tell you [Exeunt La Pucelle, &c. from the walls. Tal. And there will we be too, ere it be long, Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in France- And I, as sure as English Henry lives, And as his father here was conqueror,- Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy vows. Bed. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me: Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen, And will be partner of your weal or woe. Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you. That stout Pendragon, in his litter, sick, Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!— But gather we our forces out of hand, And set upon our boasting enemy. [Exeunt, into the town, Burgundy, Talbot, and Forces, leaving Bedford and others. Alarums: excursions; in one of which, enter Sir JOHN FASTOLFE and a Captain. Cap. Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste? We are like to have the overthrow again. Cap. What! will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot? All the Talbots in the world, to save my life. Cap. Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee! Ay, [Exit. [Exit into the town. Retreat: excursions. Re-enter, from the town, LA PUCELLE, Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please, For I have seen our enemies' overthrow. What is the trust or strength of foolish man? [Dies, and is carried off in his chair. Alarums. Re-enter TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and others. Tal. Lost and recover'd in a day again! This is a double honour, Burgundy: Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot,(98) Burgundy Enshrines thee in his heart, and there erects Thy noble deeds, as valour's monuments. Tal. Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pucelle now? I think her old familiar is asleep: Now where's the Bastard's braves and Charles his gleeks? What, all amort? Rouen hangs her head for grief, That such a valiant company are fled. Now will we take some order in the town, And then depart to Paris to the king, For there young Henry with his nobles lie. (99) Bur. What wills Lord Talbot pleaseth Burgundy. The noble Duke of Bedford late deceas'd, A gentler heart did never sway in court: But kings and mightiest potentates must die, [Exeunt. SCENE III. The plains near Rouer. Enter CHARLES, the Bastard of Orleans, ALENÇON, LA PUCELLE, and Forces. Puc. Dismay not, princes, at this accident, Char. We have been guided by thee hitherto, Bast. Search out thy wit for secret policies, Alen. We'll set thy statue in some holy place, Puc. Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise: To leave the Talbot and to follow us. Char. Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that, France were no place for Henry's warriors; Nor should that nation boast it so with us, But be extirpèd from our provinces. Alen. For ever should they be expuls'd from France, And not have title of an earldom here. Puc. Your honours shall perceive how I will work To bring this matter to the wishèd end. Hark! by the sound of drum you may perceive [Drums heard. An English march. Enter, and pass over at a distance, TALBOT and his Forces. There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread, And all the troops of English after him. A French march. Enter the Duke of BURGUNDY and his Forces. Now in the rearward comes the duke and his : [Trumpets sound a parley. Char. A parley with the Duke of Burgundy! Stay, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee. Bur. Speak on; but be not over-tedious. Puc. Look on thy country, look on fertile France, And see the cities and the towns defac'd |