Tal. A maid, they say. 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. Tal. Not all together: better far, I guess, That we do make our entrance several ways; That, if it chance the one of us do fail, The other yet may rise against their force. Bed. Agreed; I'll to yon corner. Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the walls, crying St. George! a Talbot! and all enter by the town. 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 unready1 so? Hearing alarums at our chamber-doors. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise More venturous, or desperate, than this. (1) Undressed. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel, how he sped. Enter Charles and La Pucelle. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our loss might be ten times so much? Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his. friend? At all times will you have my power alike? Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?— Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, Reig. And so was mine, my lord, Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, I was employ'd in passing to and fro, About relieving of the sentinels: Then how, or which way, should they first break in? But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. (1) Plans, schemes. Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, A Talbot a Talbot! They fly, leaving their clothes behind. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left. The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; For I have loaden me with many spoils, Using no other weapon but his name. [Exit. SCENE II-Orleans. Within the town. Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, a Captain, and others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. [Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; The treacherous manner of his mournful death, I muse, we met not with the dauphin's grace; Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, (1) Wonder. Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, That could not live asunder day or night. Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France? Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with him? Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown, By me entreats, good lord, thou would'st vouchsafe That she may boast, she hath beheld the man Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for, when a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory, Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd: (1) i. e. Where she dwells. Come hither, captain. [Whispers.]-You perceive my mind. Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. [Exeunt. SCENE III-Auvergne. Court of the castle. Enter the Countess and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death. And his achievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, To give their censure of these rare reports. Enter Messenger and Talbot. Mess. Madam, According as your ladyship desir'd, By message crav'd, so is lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome. man? What? is this the Is this the scourge of France? Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers still their babes? I see, report is fabulous and false : I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, It cannot be, this weak and writhled2 shrimp, Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: But since your ladyship is not at leisure, I'll sort some other time to visit you. (1) For opinion. (2) Wrinkled. |