Part 422 (1/2)

Beneath thy royal sceptre thou shalt gather The realm entire of France. Thou shalt become The root and ancestor of mighty kings; Succeeding monarchs, in their regal state, Shall those outs.h.i.+ne, who filled the throne before.

Thy stock, in majesty shall bloom so long As it stands rooted in the people's love.

Pride only can achieve its overthrow, And from the lowly station, whence to-day G.o.d summoned thy deliverer, ruin dire Obscurely threats thy crime-polluted sons!

BURGUNDY.

Exalted maid! Possessed with sacred fire!

If thou canst look into the gulf of time, Speak also of my race! Shall coming years With ampler honors crown my princely line!

JOHANNA.

High as the throne, thou, Burgundy, hast built Thy seat of power, and thy aspiring heart Would raise still higher, even to the clouds, The lofty edifice. But from on high A hand omnipotent shall check its rise.

Fear thou not hence the downfall of thy house!

Its glory in a maiden shall survive; Upon her breast shall sceptre-bearing kings, The people's shepherds, bloom. Their ample sway Shall o'er two realms extend, they shall ordain Laws to control the known world, and the new, Which G.o.d still veils behind the pathless waves.

CHARLES.

Oh, if the Spirit doth reveal it, speak; Shall this alliance which we now renew In distant ages still unite our sons?

JOHANNA (after a pause).

Sovereigns and kings! disunion shun with dread!

Wake not contention from the murky cave Where he doth lie asleep, for once aroused He cannot soon be quelled? He doth beget An iron brood, a ruthless progeny; Wildly the sweeping conflagration spreads.

--Be satisfied! Seek not to question further In the glad present let your hearts rejoice, The future let me shroud!

SOREL.

Exalted maid!

Thou canst explore my heart, thou readest there If after worldly greatness it aspires, To me to give a joyous oracle.

JOHANNA.

Of empires only I discern the doom; In thine own bosom lies thy destiny!

DUNOIS.

What, holy maid, will be thy destiny?

Doubtless, for thee, who art beloved of heaven, The fairest earthly happiness shall bloom, For thou art pure and holy.

JOHANNA.

Happiness Abideth yonder, with our G.o.d, in heaven.

CHARLES.

Thy fortune be henceforth thy monarch's care!

For I will glorify thy name in France, And the remotest age shall call thee blest.

Thus I fulfil my word. Kneel down!

[He draws his sword and touches her with it.

And rise!

A n.o.ble! I, thy monarch, from the dust Of thy mean birth exalt thee. In the grave Thy fathers I enn.o.ble--thou shalt bear Upon thy s.h.i.+eld the fleur-de-lis, and be Of equal lineage with the best in France.

Only the royal blood of Valois shall Be n.o.bler than thine own! The highest peer Shall feel himself exalted by thy hand; To wed thee n.o.bly, maid, shall be my care!

DUNOIS (advancing).

My heart made choice of her when she was lowly.

The recent honor which encircles her, Neither exalts her merit nor my love.

Here in my sovereign's presence, and before This holy bishop, maid, I tender thee My hand, and take thee as my princely wife, If thou esteem me worthy to be thine.