SCENE V. The Same. Before one of the Gates. Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursues the Dauphin, and drives him: then enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her. Then enter TALBOT. Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force? Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; Enter LA PUCELLE. Here, here she comes.-I'll have a bout with thee; Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch 8, And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st. [They fight. Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail? My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage, And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder, But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come : O'ertake me if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. This day is ours, as many more shall be. [PUCELLE enters the Town, with Soldiers. Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch,] It was supposed of old, and the superstition has survived even to our own day, that if blood could be drawn from a witch, the enchantment was dissolved, and her power at an end. 9thy HUNGER-starved men ;] The folio has hungry-starved; but if "hungry, starved men," as Boswell would have printed it, had been intended, and not a compound word, the hyphen in the old copy would have been omitted. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; I know not where I am, nor what I do. A witch by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists: [A short Alarum. Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves. [Alarum. Another skirmish. It will not be.-Retire into your trenches: In spite of us, or aught that we could do. O! would I were to die with Salisbury. The shame hereof will make me hide my head. [Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt TALBOT and his Forces. SCENE VI. The Same. Flourish. Enter, on the Walls, PUCELLE, CHARLES, REIGNIER, ALENÇON, and Soldiers. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls! 1 Sheep run not half so TREACHEROUS from the wolf,] The folio, 1623, reads treacherous, and the word was adopted in all editions previous to that of Pope, who changed it to "timorous." Talbot may call them "treacherous," or not to be trusted, because they are cowardly. Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves 2. Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next.- More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Reig. Why ring not out the bells aloud throughout the town? Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, After this golden day of victory. [Flourish. Exeunt. 2 Rescu'd is Orleans from the English WOLVES.] The word "wolves" is derived from the second folio, and seems necessary, though Malone contends that "English" ought to be pronounced as a trisyllable. In the next line but bright" is also from the second folio, but Malone goes the length of contending that "Astræa" ought to be pronounced Asteræa. one, ACT II. SCENE I. The Same. Enter to the Gates, a French Sergeant, and Two Sentinels. Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant. If any noise, or soldier, you perceive, Near to the walls, by some apparent sign Let us have knowledge at the court of guard. [Exit Sergeant. 1 Sent. Sergeant, you shall. Thus are poor servitors (When others sleep upon their quiet beds) Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, and Forces, with As fitting best to quittance their deceit, 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? 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 practise 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. Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury, for thee, and for the right [The English scale the Walls, crying St. George! Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault ! The French 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? beds, Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I followed arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. 3 half READY, and half UNREADY.] i. e. half dressed, and half undressed. "Ready" and "unready," in the time of Shakespeare, were the commonest words for dressed and undressed. Examples might be pointed out in nearly every old writer. |