The Maid of Orleans, Friedrich Schiller [top novels to read txt] 📗

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?


SCENE II.

RAIMOND and JOHANNA enter.

RAIMOND.
See! here are cottages; in them at least
We may find shelter from the raging storm.
You are not able longer to endure it.
Three days already you have wandered on,
Shunning the eye of man--wild herbs and root
Your only nourishment. Come, enter in.
These are kind-hearted cottagers.

[The storm subsides; the air grows bright and clear.

CHARCOAL-BURNER.
You seem
To need refreshment and repose--you're welcome
To what our humble roof can offer you!

WIFE.
What has a tender maid to do with arms?
Yet truly! these are rude and troublous times
When even women don the coat of mail!
The queen herself, proud Isabel, 'tis said,
Appears in armor in the hostile camp;
And a young maid, a shepherd's lowly daughter,
Has led the armies of our lord the king.

CHARCOAL-BURNER.
What sayest thou? Enter the hut, and bring
A goblet of refreshment for the damsel.

[She enters the hut.

RAIMOND (to JOHANNA).
All men, you see, are not so cruel; here
E'en in the wilderness are gentle hearts.
Cheer up! the pelting storm hath spent its rage,
And, beaming peacefully, the sun declines.

CHARCOAL-BURNER.
I fancy, as you travel thus in arms,
You seek the army of the king. Take heed!
Not far remote the English are encamped,
Their troops are roaming idly through the wood.

RAIMOND.
Alas for us! how then can we escape?

CHARCOAL-BURNER.
Stay here till from the town my boy returns.
He shall conduct you safe by secret paths.
You need not fear-we know each hidden way.

RAIMOND (to JOHANNA).
Put off your helmet and your coat-of-mail,
They will not now protect you, but betray.

[JOHANNA shakes her head.

CHARCOAL-BURNER.
The maid seems very sad--hush! who comes here?


SCENE III.

CHARCOAL-BURNER'S WIFE comes out of the hut
with a bowl. A Boy.

WIFE.
It is our boy whom we expected back.
[To JOHANNA.
Drink, noble maiden! may God bless it to you!

CHARCOAL-BURNER (to his son).
Art come, Anet? What news?

[The boy looks at JOHANNA, who is just raising the
bowl to her lips; he recognizes her, steps forward,
and snatches it from her.

BOY.
Oh, mother! mother!
Whom do you entertain? This is the witch
Of Orleans!

CHARCOAL-BURNER (and his WIFE).
God be gracious to our souls!

[They cross themselves and fly.


SCENE IV.

RAIMOND, JOHANNA.

JOHANNA (calmly and gently)
Thou seest, I am followed by the curse,
And all fly from me. Do thou leave me, too;
Seek safety for thyself.

RAIMOND.
I leave thee! now
Alas, who then would bear thee company?

JOHANNA.
I am not unaccompanied. Thou hast
Heard the loud thunder rolling o'er my head--
My destiny conducts me. Do not fear;
Without my seeking I shall reach the goal.

RAIMOND.
And whither wouldst thou go? Here stand our foes,
Who have against thee bloody vengeance sworn--
There stand our people who have banished thee.

JOHANNA.
Naught will befall me but what heaven ordains.

RAIMOND.
Who will provide thee food? and who protect thee
From savage beasts, and still more savage men?
Who cherish thee in sickness and in grief?

JOHANNA.
I know all roots and healing herbs; my sheep
Taught me to know the poisonous from the wholesome.
I understand the movements of the stars,
And the clouds' flight; I also hear the sound
Of hidden springs. Man hath not many wants,
And nature richly ministers to life.

RAIMOND (seizing her hand).
Wilt thou not look within? Oh, wilt thou not
Repent thy sin, be reconciled to God,
And to the bosom of the church return?

JOHANNA.
Thou hold'st me guilty of this heavy sin?

RAIMOND.
Needs must I--thou didst silently confess----

JOHANNA.
Thou, who hast followed me in misery,
The only being who continued true,
Who slave to me when all the world forsook,
Thou also hold'st me for a reprobate
Who hath renounced her God----
[RAIMOND is silent.
Oh, this is hard!

RAIMOND (in astonishment).
And thou wert really then no sorceress?

JOHANNA.
A sorceress!

RAIMOND.
And all these miracles
Thou hast accomplished through the power of God
And of his holy saints?

JOHANNA.
Through whom besides?

RAIMOND.
And thou wert silent to that fearful charge?
Thou speakest now, and yet before the king,
When words would have availed thee, thou wert dumb!

JOHANNA.
I silently submitted to the doom
Which God, my lord and master, o'er me hung.

RAIMOND.
Thou couldst not to thy father aught reply?

JOHANNA.
Coming from him, methought it came from God;
And fatherly the chastisement will prove.

RAIMOND.
The heavens themselves bore witness to thy guilt!

JOHANNA.
The heavens spoke, and therefore I was silent.

RAIMOND.
Thou with one word couldst clear thyself, and hast
In this unhappy error left the world?

JOHANNA.
It was no error--'twas the will of heaven.

RAIMOND.
Thou innocently sufferedst this shame,
And no complaint proceeded from thy lips!
--I am amazed at thee, I stand o'erwhelmed.
My heart is troubled in its inmost depths.
Most gladly I receive the word as truth,
For to believe thy guilt was hard indeed.
But could I ever dream a human heart
Would meet in silence such a fearful doom!

JOHANNA.
Should I deserve to be heaven's messenger
Unless the Master's will I blindly honored?
And I am not so wretched as thou thinkest.
I feel privation--this in humble life
Is no misfortune; I'm a fugitive,--
But in the waste I learned to know myself.
When honor's dazzling radiance round me shone,
There was a painful struggle in my breast;
I was most wretched, when to all I seemed
Most worthy to be envied. Now my mind
Is healed once more, and this fierce storm in nature,
Which threatened your destruction, was my friend;
It purified alike the world and me!
I feel an inward peace--and come, what may,
Of no more weakness am I conscious now!

RAIMOND.
Oh, let us hasten! come, let us proclaim
Thine innocence aloud to all the world!
JOHANNA.
He who sent this delusion will dispel it!
The fruit of fate falls only when 'tis ripe!
A day is coming that will clear my name,
When those who now condemn and banish me,
Will see their error and will weep my doom.

RAIMOND.
And shall I wait in silence, until chance----

JOHANNA (gently taking her hand).
Thy sense is shrouded by an earthly veil,
And dwelleth only on external things,
Mine eye hath gazed on the invisible!
--Without permission from our God no hair
Falls from the head of man. Seest thou the sun
Declining to the west? So certainly
As morn returneth in her radiant light,
Infallibly the day of truth shall come!


SCENE V.

QUEEN ISABEL, with soldiers, appears in the background.

ISABEL (behind the scene).
This is the way toward the English camp!

RAIMOND.
Alas! the foe!

[The soldiers advance, and perceiving JOBANNA fall back in terror.

ISABEL.
What now obstructs the march?

SOLDIERS.
May God protect us!

ISABEL.
Do ye see a spirit?
How! Are ye soldiers! Ye are cowards all!
[She presses forward, but starts back on beholding the MAIDEN.
What do I see!
[She collects herself quickly and approaches her.
Submit thyself! Thou art
My prisoner!

JOHANNA.
I am.

[RAIMOND flies in despair.

ISABEL (to the soldiers).
Lay her in chains!

[The soldiers timidly approach the MAIDEN;
she extends her arms and is chained.

Is this the mighty, the terrific one,
Who chased your warriors like a flock of lambs,
Who, powerless now, cannot protect herself?
Doth she work miracles with credulous fools,
And lose her influence when she meets a man?

[To the MAIDEN.

Why didst thou leave the army? Where's Dunois,
Thy knight and thy protector.

JOHANNA.
I am banished.

[ISABEL, stepping back astonished.

ISABEL.
What say'st thou? Thou art banished? By the Dauphin?

JOHANNA.
Inquire no further! I am in thy power,
Decide my fate.

ISABEL.
Banished, because thou hast
Snatched him from ruin, placed upon his brow
The crown at Rheims, and made him King of France?
Banished! Therein I recognize my son!
--Conduct her to the camp, and let the host
Behold the phantom before whom they trembled!
She a magician? Her sole magic lies
In your delusion and your cowardice!
She is a fool who sacrificed herself
To save her king, and reapeth for her pains
A king's reward. Bear her to Lionel.
The fortune of the French! send him bound;
I'll follow anon.

JOHANNA.
To Lionel?
Slay me at once, ere send me unto him.

ISABEL (to the soldiers).
Obey your orders, soldiers! Bear her hence.

[Exit.


SCENE VI.

JOHANNA, SOLDIERS.

JOHANNA (to the soldiers).
Ye English, suffer not that I escape
Alive out of your hands! Revenge yourselves!
Unsheath your weapons, plunge them in my heart,
And drag me lifeless to your general's feet!
Remember it was I who slew your heroes,
Who never showed compassion, who poured forth
Torrents of English blood, who from your sons
Snatched the sweet pleasure of returning home!
Take now a bloody vengeance! Murder me!
I now am in your power; I may perchance
Not always be so weak.

CONDUCTOR OF THE SOLDIERS.