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

lance the battle would control.

SOLDIER.
Alas! What do I see? Our general's
Surrounded by the foe!

ISABEL (points the dagger at JOHANNA).
Die, wretch!

SOLDIER (quickly).
He's free!
The gallant Fastolfe in the rear attacks
The enemy--he breaks their serried ranks.

ISABEL (withdrawing the dagger).
There spoke thy angel!

SOLDIER.
Victory! They fly.

ISABEL.
Who fly?

SOLDIER.
The French and the Burgundians fly;
The field is covered o'er with fugitives.

JOHANNA.
My God! Thou wilt not thus abandon me!

SOLDIER.
Yonder they lead a sorely wounded knight;
The people rush to aid him--he's a prince.

ISABEL.
One of our country, or a son of France?

SOLDIER.
They loose his helmet--it is Count Dunois.

JOHANNA (seizes her fetters with convulsive violence).
And I am nothing but a fettered woman!

SOLDIER.
Look yonder! Who the azure mantle wears
Bordered with gold?

JOHANNA.
That is my lord, the king.

SOLDIER.
His horse is restive, plunges, rears and falls--
He struggles hard to extricate himself.

[JOHANNA accompanies these words with passionate movements.

Our troops are pressing on in full career,
They near him, reach him--they surround him now.

JOHANNA.
Oh, have the heavens above no angels more!

ISABEL (laughing scornfully).
Now is the time, deliverer--now deliver!

JOHANNA (throws herself upon her knees, and prays with passionate
violence).
Hear me, O God, in my extremity!
In fervent supplication up to Thee,
Up to thy heaven above I send my soul.
The fragile texture of a spider's web,
As a ship's cable, thou canst render strong;
Easy it is to thine omnipotence
To change these fetters into spider's webs--
Command it, and these massy chains shall fall,
And these thick walls be rent, Thou, Lord of old,
Didst strengthen Samson, when enchained and blind
He bore the bitter scorn of his proud foes.
Trusting in thee, he seized with mighty power
The pillars of his prison, bowed himself,
And overthrew the structure.

SOLDIER.
Triumph!

ISABEL.
How?

SOLDIER.
The king is taken!

JOHANNA (springing up).
Then God be gracious to me!

[She seizes her chains violently with both hands, and
breaks them asunder. At the same moment rushing upon the
nearest soldier, she seizes his sword and hurries out.
All gaze after her, transfixed with astonishment.


SCENE XII.

The same, without JOHANNA.

ISABEL (after a long pause).
How was it? Did I dream? Where is she gone?
How did she break these ponderous iron chains?
A world could not have made me credit it,
If I had not beheld it with these eyes.

SOLDIER (from the tower).
How? Hath she wings? Hath the wind borne her down?

ISABEL.
Is she below?

SOLDIER.
She strides amidst the fight:
Her course outspeeds my sight--now she is here--
Now there--I see her everywhere at once!
--She separates the troops--all yield to her:
The scattered French collect--they form anew!
--Alas! what do I see! Our people cast
Their weapons to the ground, our banners sink----

ISABEL.
What? Will she snatch from us the victory?

SOLDIER.
She presses forward, right towards the king.
She reaches him--she bears him from the fight--
Lord Fastolfe falls--the general is taken!

ISABEL.
I'll hear no more! Come down!

SOLDIER.
Fly, queen! you will be taken by surprise.
Armed soldiers are advancing tow'rds the tower.

[He comes down.

ISABEL (drawing her sword).
Then fight, ye cowards!


SCENE IV.

LA HIRE with soldiers. At his entrance the people
of the QUEEN lay down their arms.

LA HIRE (approaching her respectfully).
Queen, submit yourself--
Your knights have yielded--to resist is vain!
--Accept my proffered services. Command
Where you would be conducted.

ISABEL.
Every place
The same, where I encounter not the Dauphin.

[She resigns her sword, and follows him with the soldiers.

The Scene changes to the battle-field.


SCENE XIV.

Soldiers with flying banners occupy the background. Before them the
KING and the DUKE OF BURGUNDY appear, bearing JOHANNA in their arms;
she is mortally wounded, and apparently lifeless. They advance
slowly to the front of the stage. AGNES SOREL rushes in.

SOREL (throwing herself on the bosom of the KING).
You're free--you live--I have you back again!

KING.
Yes, I am free--I am so at this price!

[Pointing to JOHANNA.

SOREL.
Johanna! God! she's dying!

BURGUNDY.
She is gone
An angel passeth hence! See, how she lies,
Easy and tranquil, like a sleeping child!
The peace of heaven around her features plays,
The breath of life no longer heaves her breast,
But vital warmth still lingers in her hand.

KING.
She's gone! She never will awaken more,
Her eye will gaze no more on earthly things.
She soars on high, a spirit glorified,
She seeth not our grief, our penitence.

SOREL.
Her eyes unclose--she lives!

BURGUNDY (in astonishment).
Can she return
Back from the grave, triumphant e'en o'er death?
She riseth up! She standeth!

JOHANNA (standing up, and looking round).
Where am I?

BURGUNDY.
With thine own people, maiden--with thy friends!

KING.
Supported by thy friend, and by thy king.

JOHANNA (after looking at him fixedly for some time).
No! I am not a sorceress! Indeed
I am not one.

KING.
Thou'rt holy, as an angel;
A cloud of error dimmed our mental sight.

JOHANNA (gazing round her with a joyful smile).
And am I really, then, among my friends,
And am no more rejected and despised?
They curse me not--kindly they look on me!
--Yes, all around me now seems clear again!
That is my king!--the banners these of France!
My banner I behold not--where is it?
Without my banner I dare not appear;
To me it was confided by my Lord,
And I before his throne must lay it down;
I there may show it, for I bore it truly.

KING (averting his face).
Give her the banner!

[It is given to her. She stands quite unsupported,
the banner in her hand. The heaven is illumined
by a rosy light.

JOHANNA.
See you the rainbow yonder in the air?
Its golden portals heaven doth wide unfold,
Amid the angel choir she radiant stands,
The eternal Son she claspeth to her breast,
Her arms she stretcheth forth to me in love.
How is it with me? Light clouds bear me up--
My ponderous mail becomes a winged robe;
I mount--I fly--back rolls the dwindling earth--
Brief is the sorrow--endless is the joy!

[Her banner falls and she sinks lifeless on the ground.
All remain for some time in speechless sorrow. Upon a
signal from the KING, all the banners are gently placed
over her, so that she is entirely concealed by them.
Imprint

Publication Date: 05-21-2008

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