The Maid of Orleans

SCENE III

DUNOIS, DUCHATEL, and LA HIRE, with the banner of JOHANNA.

DUNOIS

 
   Johanna, thee we seek. All is prepared;
   The king hath sent us, 'tis his royal will
   That thou before him shouldst thy banner bear,
   The company of princes thou shalt join;
   And march immediately before the king:
   For he doth not deny it, and the world
   Shall witness, maiden, that to thee alone
   He doth ascribe the honor of this day.
 

LA HIRE

 
   Here is the banner. Take it, noble maiden
   Thou'rt stayed for by the princes and the people.
 

JOHANNA

 
   I march before him? I the banner bear?
 

DUNOIS

 
   Whom else would it become? What other hand
   Is pure enough to bear the sacred ensign!
   Amid the battle thou hast waved it oft;
   To grace our glad procession bear it now.
 

[LA HIRE presents the banner to her, she draws back, shuddering.

JOHANNA

 
   Away! away!
 

LA HIRE

 
          Art thou terrified
   At thine own banner, maiden? Look at it!
 

[He displays the banner.

 
   It is the same thou didst in conquest wave.
   Imaged upon it is the queen of heaven,
   Floating in glory o'er this earthly ball;
   For so the Holy Mother showed it thee.
 

[JOHANNA gazing upon it with horror.

 
   'Tis she herself! so she appeared to me.
   See, how she looks at me and knits her brow,
   And anger flashes from her threatening eye!
 

SOREL

 
   Alas, she raveth! Maiden, be composed!
   Collect thyself! Thou seest nothing real!
   That is her pictured image; she herself
   Wanders above, amid the angelic choir!
 

JOHANNA

 
   Thou comest, fearful one, to punish me?
   Destroy, o'erwhelm, thy lightnings hurl,
   And let them fall upon my guilty head.
   Alas, my vow I've broken. I've profaned
   And desecrated thy most holy name!
 

DUNOIS

 
   Woe's us! What may this mean? What unblest words?
 

LA HIRE (in astonishment, to DUCHATEL)

 
   This strange emotion canst thou comprehend?
 

DUCHATEL

 
   That which I see, I see – I long have feared it.
 

DUNOIS

 
   What sayest thou?
 

DUCHATEL

 
             I dare not speak my thoughts.
   I would to heaven that the king were crowned!
 

LA HIRE

 
   How! hath the awe this banner doth inspire
   Turned back upon thyself? before this sign
   Let Britons tremble; to the foes of France
   'Tis fearful, but to all true citizens
   It is auspicious.
 

JOHANNA

 
             Yes, thou sayest truly!
   To friends 'tis gracious! but to enemies
   It causeth horror!
 

[The Coronation march is heard.

DUNOIS

 
             Take thy banner, then!
   The march begins – no time is to be lost!
 

[They press the banner upon her; she seizes it with evident emotion, and retires; the others follow.

[The scene changes to an open place before the Cathedral.

SCENE IV

Spectators occupy the background; BERTRAND, CLAUDE MARIE, and ETIENNE come forward; then MARGOT and LOUISON. The Coronation march is heard in the distance.

BERTRAND

 
   Hark to the music! They approach already!
   What had we better do? Shall we mount up
   Upon the platform, or press through the crowd,
   That we may nothing lose of the procession?
 

ETIENNE

 
   It is not to be thought of. All the streets
   Are thronged with horsemen and with carriages.
   Beside these houses let us take our stand,
   Here we without annoyance may behold
   The train as it goes by.
 

CLAUDE MARIE

 
                 Almost it seems
   As were the half of France assembled here,
   So mighty is the flood that it hath reached
   Even our distant Lotharingian land
   And borne us thither!
 

BERTRAND

 
               Who would sit at home
   When great events are stirring in the land!
   It hath cost plenty, both of sweat and blood,
   Ere the crown rested on its rightful head!
   Nor shall our lawful king, to whom we give
   The crown, be worse accompanied than he
   Whom the Parisians in St. Denis crowned!
   He is no loyal, honest-minded man
   Who doth absent him from this festival,
   And joins not in the cry: "God save the King!"
 

SCENE V

MARGOT and LOUISON join them.

LOUISON

 
   We shall again behold our sister, Margot!
   How my heart beats!
 

MARGOT

 
              In majesty and pomp
   We shall behold her, saying to ourselves:
   It is our sister, it is our Johanna!
 

LOUISON

 
   Till I have seen her, I can scarce believe
   That she, whom men the Maid of Orleans name,
   The mighty warrior, is indeed Johanna,
   Our sister whom we lost!
 

[The music draws nearer.

MARGOT

 
                Thou doubtest still!
   Thou wilt thyself behold her!
 

BERTRAND

 
                   See, they come!
 

SCENE VI

Musicians, with flutes and hautboys, open the procession. Children follow, dressed in white, with branches in their hands; behind them two heralds. Then a procession of halberdiers, followed by magistrates in their robes. Then two marshals with their staves; the DUKE of BURGUNDY, bearing the sword; DUNOIS with the sceptre, other nobles with the regalia; others with sacrificial offerings. Behind these, KNIGHTS with the ornaments of their order; choristers with incense; two BISHOPS with the ampulla; the ARCHBISHOP with the crucifix. JOHANNA follows, with her banner, she walks with downcast head and wavering steps; her sisters, on beholding her, express their astonishment and joy. Behind her comes the KING under a canopy, supported by four barons; courtiers follow, soldiers conclude the procession; as soon as it has entered the church the music ceases.

SCENE VII

LOUISON, MARGOT, CLAUDE MARIE, ETIENNE, BERTRAND.

MARGOT

 
   Saw you our sister?
 

CLAUDE MARIE

 
              She in golden armor,
   Who with the banner walked before the king?
 

MARGOT

 
   It was Johanna. It was she, our sister!
 

LOUISON

 
   She recognized us not! She did not feel
   That we, her sisters, were so near to her.
   She looked upon the ground, and seemed so pale,
   And trembled so beneath her banner's weight
   When I beheld her, I could not rejoice.
 

MARGOT

 
   So now, arrayed in splendor and in pomp,
   I have beheld our sister – who in dreams
   Would ever have imagined or conceived,
   When on our native hills she drove the flock,
   That we should see her in such majesty?
 

LOUISON

 
   Our father's dream is realized, that we
   In Rheims before our sister should bow down.
   That is the church, which in his dream he saw
   And each particular is now fulfilled.
   But images of woe he also saw!
   Alas! I'm grieved to see her raised so high!
 

BERTRAND

 
   Why stand we idly here? Let's to the church
   To view the coronation!
 

MARGOT

 
                Yes! perchance
   We there may meet our sister; let us go!
 

LOUISON

 
   We have beheld her. Let us now return
   Back to our village.
 

MARGOT

 
              How? Ere we with her
   Have interchanged a word?
 

LOUISON

 
                 She doth belong
   To us no longer; she with princes stands
   And monarchs. Who are we, that we should seek
   With foolish vanity to near her state?
   She was a stranger while she dwelt with us!
 

MARGOT

 
   Will she despise, and treat us with contempt?
 

BERTRAND

 
   The king himself is not ashamed of us,
   He kindly greets the meanest of the crowd.
   How high soever she may be exalted,
   The king is raised still higher!
 

[Trumpets and kettle-drums are heard from the church.

CLAUDE MARIE

 
   Let's to the church!
 

[They hasten to the background, where they are lost among the crowd.

SCENE VIII

THIBAUT enters, clad in black. RAIMOND follows him, and tries to hold him back.

 

RAIMOND

 
   Stay, father Thibaut! Do not join the crowds!
   Here, at this joyous festival you meet
   None but the happy, whom your grief offends.
   Come! Let us quit the town with hasty steps.
 

THIBAUT

 
   Hast thou beheld my child? My wretched child?
   Didst thou observe her?
 

RAIMMOND

 
                I entreat you, fly!
 

THIBAUT

 
   Didst mark her tottering and uncertain steps,
   Her countenance, so pallid and disturbed?
   She feels her dreadful state; the hour is come
   To save my child, and I will not neglect it.
 

[He is about to retire.

RAIMOND

 
   What would you do?
 

THIBAUT

 
             Surprise her, hurl her down
   From her vain happiness, and forcibly
   Restore her to the God whom she denies.
 

RAIMOND

 
   Oh, do not work the ruin of your child!
 

THIBAUT

 
   If her soul lives, her mortal part may die.
 

[JOHANNA rushes out of the church, without her banner. The people press around her, worship her, and kiss her garments. She is detained in the background by the crowd.

 
She comes! 'tis she! She rushes from the church.
Her troubled conscience drives her from the fane!
'Tis visibly the judgment of her God!
 

RAIMOND

 
   Farewell! Require not my attendance further!
   Hopeful I came, and sorrowful depart.
   Your daughter once again I have beheld,
   And feel again that she is lost to me!
 

[He goes out. THIBAUT retires on the opposite side.

SCENE IX

JOHANNA, People. Afterwards her Sisters.

JOHANNA (she has freed herself from the crowd and comes forward)

 
   Remain I cannot – spirits chase me forth!
   The organ's pealing tones like thunder sound,
   The dome's arched roof threatens to overwhelm me!
   I must escape and seek heaven's wide expanse!
   I left my banner in the sanctuary,
   Never, oh, never, will I touch it more!
   It seemed to me as if I had beheld
   My sisters pass before me like a dream.
   'Twas only a delusion! – they, alas!
   Are far, far distant – inaccessible —
   E'en as my childhood, as mine innocence!
 

MARGOT (stepping forward)

 
   'Tis she! It is Johanna!
 

LOUISON (hastening toward her)

 
                 Oh, my sister!
 

JOHANNA

 
   Then it was no delusion – you are here —
   Thee I embrace, Louison! Thee, my Margot?
   Here in this strange and crowded solitude,
   I clasp once more my sisters' faithful breasts!
 

MARGOT

 
   She knows us still, she is our own kind sister.
 

JOHANNA

 
   Your love hath led you to me here so far!
   So very far! You are not wroth with her
   Who left her home without one parting word!
 

LOUISON

 
   God's unseen providence conducted thee.
 

MARGOT

 
   Thy great renown, which agitates the world,
   Which makes thy name the theme of every tongue,
   Hath in our quiet village wakened us,
   And led us hither to this festival.
   To witness all thy glory we are come;
   And we are not alone!
 

JOHANNA (quickly)

 
               Our father's here!
   Where is he? Why doth he conceal himself?
 

MARGOT

 
   Our father is not with us.
 

JOHANNA

 
                 Not with you?
   He will not see me, then! You do not bring
   His blessing for his child?
 

LOUISON

 
                  He knoweth not
   That we are here.
 

JOHANNA

 
             Not know it! Wherefore not?
   You are embarrassed, and you do not speak;
   You look upon the ground! Where is our father?
 

MARGOT

 
   Since thou hast left —
 

LOUISON (making a sign to MARGOT)

 
               Margot!
 

MARGOT

 
                    Our father hath
   Become dejected.
 

JOHANNA

 
            Ah!
 

LOUISON

 
               Console thyself!
   Our sire's foreboding spirit well thou knowest!
   He will collect himself, and be composed,
   When he shall learn from us that thou art happy.
 

MARGOT

 
   And thou art happy? Yes, it must be so,
   For thou art great and honored!
 

JOHANNA

 
                    I am so,
   Now I again behold you, once again
   Your voices hear, whose fond, familiar tones
   Bring to my mind my dear paternal fields.
   When on my native hills I drove my herd,
   Then I was happy as in paradise —
   I ne'er can be so more, no, never more!
 

[She hides her face on LOUISON'S bosom. CLAUDE MARIE, ETIENNE, and BERTRAND appear, and remain timidly standing in the distance.

MARGOT

 
   Come, Bertrand! Claude Marie! come, Etienne!
   Our sister is not proud: she is so gentle,
   And speaks so kindly, – more so than of yore,
   When in our village she abode with us.
 

[They draw near, and hold out their hands; JOHANNA gazes on them fixedly, and appears amazed.

JOHANNA

 
   Where am I? Tell me! Was it all a dream,
   A long, long dream? And am I now awake?
   Am I away from Dom Remi? Is't so?
   I fell asleep beneath the Druid tree,
   And I am now awake; and round me stand
   The kind, familiar forms? I only dreamed
   Of all these battles, kings, and deeds of war, —
   They were but shadows which before me passed;
   For dreams are always vivid 'neath that tree.
   How did you come to Rheims? How came I here?
   No, I have never quitted Dom Remi!
   Confess it to me, and rejoice my heart.
 

LOUISON

 
   We are at Rheims. Thou hast not merely dreamed
   Of these great deeds – thou hast achieved them all.
   Come to thyself, Johanna! Look around —
   Thy splendid armor feel, of burnished gold!
 

[JOHANNA lays her hand upon her breast, recollects herself, and shrinks back.

BERTRAND

 
   Out of my hand thou didst receive this helm.
 

CLAUDE MARIE

 
   No wonder thou shouldst think it all a dream;
   For nothing in a dream could come to pass
   More wonderful than what thou hast achieved.
 

JOHANNA (quickly)

 
   Come, let us fly! I will return with you
   Back to our village, to our father's bosom.
 

LOUISON

 
   Oh, come! Return with us!
 

JOHANNA

 
                  The people here
   Exalt me far above what I deserve.
   You have beheld me weak and like a child;
   You love me, but you do not worship me.
 

MARGOT

 
   Thou wilt abandon this magnificence.
 

JOHANNA

 
   I will throw off the hated ornaments
   Which were a barrier 'twixt my heart and yours,
   And I will be a shepherdess again,
   And like a humble maiden I will serve you,
   And will with bitter penitence atone,
   That I above you vainly raised myself.
 

[Trumpets sound.

SCENE X

The KING comes forth from the church. He is in the coronation robes. AGNES SOREL, ARCHBISHOP, BURGUNDY, DUNOIS, LA HIRE, DUCHATEL, KNIGHTS, COURTIERS, and PEOPLE.

Many voices shout repeatedly, while the KING advances, – Long live the king! Long live King Charles the Seventh!

[The trumpets sound. Upon a signal from the KING, the HERALDS with their staves command silence.

KING

 
   Thanks, my good people! Thank you for your love!
   The crown which God hath placed upon our brow
   Hath with our valiant swords been hardly won:
   With noble blood 'tis wetted; but henceforth
   The peaceful olive branch shall round it twine.
   Let those who fought for us receive our thanks;
   Our pardon, those who joined the hostile ranks,
   For God hath shown us mercy in our need,
   And our first royal word shall now be, mercy!
 

PEOPLE

 
   Long live the king! Long live King Charles the good!
 

KING

 
   From God alone, the highest potentate,
   The monarchs of the French receive the crown;
   But visibly from his Almighty hand
   Have we received it.
 

[Turning to the MAIDEN.

 
   Here stands the holy delegate of heaven,
   Who hath restored to you your rightful king,
   And rent the yoke of foreign tyranny.
   Her name shall equal that of holy Denis,
   The guardian and protector of this realm,
   And to her fame an altar shall be reared.
 

PEOPLE

 
   Hail to the maiden, the deliverer!
 

[Trumpets.

KING (to JOHANNA)

 
   If thou art born of woman, like ourselves,
   Name aught that can augment thy happiness.
   But if thy fatherland is there above,
   If in this virgin form thou dost conceal
   The radiant glory of a heavenly nature,
   From our deluded sense remove the veil,
   And let us see thee in thy form of light
   As thou art seen in heaven, that in the dust
   We may bow down before thee.
 

[A general silence; every eye is fixed upon the MAIDEN.

JOHANNA (with a sudden cry)

 
   God! my father!
 

SCENE XI

THIBAUT comes forth from the crowd, and stands opposite to her.

 

Many voices exclaim, —

Her father!

THIBAUT

 
          Yes, her miserable father,
   Who did beget her, and whom God impels
   Now to accuse his daughter.
 

BURGUNDY

 
                  Ha! What's this?
 

DUCHATEL

 
   Now will the fearful truth appear!
 

THIBAUT (to the KING)

 
                     Thou think'st
   That thou art rescued through the power of God?
   Deluded prince! Deluded multitude!
   Ye have been rescued through the arts of hell!
 

[All step back with horror.

DUNOIS

 
   Is this man mad?
 

THIBAUT

 
            Not I, but thou art mad.
   And this wise bishop, and these noble lords,
   Who think that through a weak and sinful maid
   The God of heaven would reveal himself.
   Come, let us see if to her father's face
   She will maintain the specious, juggling arts
   Wherewith she hath deluded king and people.
   Now, in the name of the blest Trinity,
   Belongst thou to the pure and holy ones?
 

[A general silence; all eyes are fixed upon her; she remains motionless.

SOREL

 
   God! she is dumb!
 

THIBAUT

 
             Before that awful name,
   Which even in the depths of hell is feared,
   She must be silent! She a holy one,
   By God commissioned? On a cursed spot
   It was conceived; beneath the Druid tree
   Where evil spirits have from olden time
   Their Sabbath held. There her immortal soul
   She bartered with the enemy of man
   For transient, worldly glory. Let her bare
   Her arm, and ye will see impressed thereon
   The fatal marks of hell!
 

BURGUNDY

 
                Most horrible!
   Yet we must needs believe a father's words
   Who 'gainst his daughter gives his evidence.
 

DUNOIS

 
   The madman cannot be believed
   Who in his child brings shame upon himself.
 

SOREL (to JOHANNA)

 
   Oh, maiden, speak! this fatal silence break!
   We firmly trust thee! we believe in thee!
   One syllable from thee, one single word
   Shall be sufficient. Speak! annihilate
   This horrid accusation. But declare
   Thine innocence, and we will all believe thee.
 

[JOHANNA remains motionless; AGNES steps back with horror.

LA HIRE

 
   She's frightened. Horror and astonishment
   Impede her utterance. Before a charge
   So horrible e'en innocence must tremble.
 

[He approaches her.

 
   Collect thyself, Johanna! innocence
   Hath a triumphant look, whose lightning flash
   Strikes slander to the earth! In noble wrath
   Arise! look up, and punish this base doubt,
   An insult to thy holy innocence.
 

[JOHANNA remains motionless; LA HIRE steps back; the excitement increases.

DUNOIS

 
   Why do the people fear, the princes tremble?
   I'll stake my honor on her innocence!
   Here on the ground I throw my knightly gage;
   Who now will venture to maintain her guilt?
 

[A loud clap of thunder; all are horror-struck.

THIBAUT

 
   Answer, by Him whose thunders roll above!
   Give me the lie! Proclaim thine innocence;
   Say that the enemy hath not thy heart!
 

[Another clap of thunder, louder than the first; the people fly on all sides.

BURGUNDY

 
   God guard and save us! What appalling signs!
 

DUCHATEL (to the KING)

 
   Come, come, my king! Forsake this fearful place!
 

ARCHBISHOP (to JOHANNA)

 
   I ask thee in God's name. Art thou thus silent
   From consciousness of innocence or guilt?
   If in thy favor the dread thunder speaks,
   Touch with thy hand this cross, and give a sign!
 

[JOHANNA remains motionless. More violent peals of thunder.

The KING, AGNES SOREL, the ARCHBISHOP, BURGUNDY, LA HIRE, DUCHATEL retire.

SCENE XII

DUNOIS, JOHANNA.

DUNOIS

 
   Thou art my wife; I have believed in thee
   From the first glance, and I am still unchanged.
   In thee I have more faith than in these signs,
   Than in the thunder's voice, which speaks above.
   In noble anger thou art silent thus;
   Enveloped in thy holy innocence,
   Thou scornest to refute so base a charge.
   Still scorn it, maiden, but confide in me;
   I never doubted of thine innocence.
   Speak not one word; only extend thy hand
   In pledge and token that thou wilt confide
   In my protection and thine own good cause.
 

[He extends his hand to her; she turns from him with a convulsive motion; he remains transfixed with horror.

SCENE XIII

JOHANNA, DUCHATEL, DUNOIS, afterwards RAIMOND.

DUCHATEL (returning)

 
   Johanna d'Arc! uninjured from the town
   The king permits you to depart. The gates
   Stand open to you. Fear no injury, —
   You are protected by the royal word.
   Come follow me, Dunois! You cannot here
   Longer abide with honor. What an issue!
 

[He retires. DUNOIS recovers from his stupor, casts one look upon JOHANNA, and retires. She remains standing for a moment quite alone. At length RAIMOND appears; he regards her for a time with silent sorrow, and then approaching takes her hand.

RAIMOND

 
   Embrace this opportunity. The streets
   Are empty now. Your hand! I will conduct you.
 

[On perceiving him, she gives the first sign of consciousness.

She gazes on him fixedly, and looks up to heaven; then taking his hand she retires.

ACT V

A wild wood: charcoal-burners' huts in the distance.

It is quite dark; violent thunder and lightning; firing heard at intervals.

SCENE I

CHARCOAL-BURNER and his WIFE.

CHARCOAL-BURNER

 
   This is a fearful storm, the heavens seem
   As if they would vent themselves in streams of fire;
   So thick the darkness which usurps the day,
   That one might see the stars. The angry winds
   Bluster and howl like spirits loosed from hell.
   The firm earth trembles, and the aged elms
   Groaning, bow down their venerable tops.
   Yet this terrific tumult, o'er our heads,
   Which teacheth gentleness to savage beasts,
   So that they seek the shelter of their caves,
   Appeaseth not the bloody strife of men —
   Amidst the raging of the wind and storm
   At intervals is heard the cannon's roar;
   So near the hostile armaments approach,
   The wood alone doth part them; any hour
   May see them mingle in the shock of battle.
 

WIFE

 
   May God protect us then! Our enemies,
   Not long ago, were vanquished and dispersed.
   How comes it that they trouble us again?
 

CHARCOAL-BURNER

 
   Because they now no longer fear the king,
   Since that the maid turned out to be a witch
   At Rheims, the devil aideth us no longer,
   And things have gone against us.
 

WIFE

 
                    Who comes here?