Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Charles, Bastard, Alanson, Pucelle, and Soldiers. PUCELLE
Dismay not, princes, at this accident,
Nor grieve that Roan is so recoverèd.
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantic Talbot triumph for a while, 5
And like a peacock sweep along his tail;
We’ll pull his plumes and take away his train,
If dauphin and the rest will be but ruled. | When the next scene opens, Joan is telling the French nobles that it's
really not so bad—she says if they'll just listen to her, she'll
straighten it all out. |
CHARLES
We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence. 10
One sudden foil shall never breed distrust. BASTARD, to Pucelle
Search out thy wit for secret policies,
And we will make thee famous through the world. ALANSON, to Pucelle
We’ll set thy statue in some holy place
And have thee reverenced like a blessèd saint. 15
Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good. PUCELLE
Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise:
By fair persuasions mixed with sugared words
We will entice the Duke of Burgundy
To leave the Talbot and to follow us. 20 | Charles says one small setback won't keep him from trusting Joan, and the others agree; Alencon even says they'll honor her like a saint. Joan unfolds her plan. More spy stuff going down. She thinks they can convince Burgundy to come over to their side, with a little persuasion. |
CHARLES
Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that,
France were no place for Henry’s warriors,
Nor should that nation boast it so with us,
But be extirpèd from our provinces. ALANSON
Forever should they be expulsed from France, 25
And not have title of an earldom here. PUCELLE
Your honors shall perceive how I will work
To bring this matter to the wishèd end. Drum sounds afar off. Hark! By the sound of drum you may perceive
Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward. 30 Here sound an English march. There goes the Talbot with his colors spread,
And all the troops of English after him. French march. Now in the rearward comes the Duke and his.
Fortune in favor makes him lag behind.
Summon a parley; we will talk with him. 35 Trumpets sound a parley. | Everyone agrees that the plan is a good one. Joan says you can hear the English drums as they march toward Paris. The Duke of Burgundy is in the back, so they can talk to him alone. |
CHARLES
A parley with the Duke of Burgundy! Enter Burgundy. BURGUNDY
Who craves a parley with the Burgundy? PUCELLE
The princely Charles of France, thy countryman. BURGUNDY
What say’st thou, Charles?—for I am marching hence. CHARLES, aside to Pucelle
Speak, Pucelle, and enchant him with thy words. 40 PUCELLE
Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of France,
Stay; let thy humble handmaid speak to thee. BURGUNDY
Speak on, but be not over-tedious. PUCELLE
Look on thy country, look on fertile France,
And see the cities and the towns defaced 45
By wasting ruin of the cruel foe.
As looks the mother on her lowly babe
When death doth close his tender-dying eyes,
See, see the pining malady of France:
Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds, 50
Which thou thyself hast given her woeful breast.
O, turn thy edgèd sword another way;
Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that help.
One drop of blood drawn from thy country’s bosom
Should grieve thee more than streams of foreign gore. 55
Return thee therefore with a flood of tears,
And wash away thy country’s stainèd spots. | They manage to get an audience with Burgundy. He seems skeptical at
first, but Joan gives a pretty awesome speech about how he has wounded
France by helping the English. She begs him to turn his sword against
the invading English and protect his country. |
BURGUNDY, aside
Either she hath bewitched me with her words,
Or nature makes me suddenly relent. PUCELLE
Besides, all French and France exclaims on thee, 60
Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny.
Who join’st thou with but with a lordly nation
That will not trust thee but for profit’s sake?
When Talbot hath set footing once in France
And fashioned thee that instrument of ill, 65
Who then but English Henry will be lord,
And thou be thrust out like a fugitive?
Call we to mind, and mark but this for proof:
Was not the Duke of Orleance thy foe?
And was he not in England prisoner? 70
But when they heard he was thine enemy,
They set him free, without his ransom paid,
In spite of Burgundy and all his friends.
See then, thou fight’st against thy countrymen,
And join’st with them will be thy slaughtermen. 75
Come, come, return; return, thou wandering lord.
Charles and the rest will take thee in their arms. | Burgundy is impressed. He can't tell if Joan is bewitching him with words, or if by nature he should be supporting France and he is now just coming to realize it. Joan presses her advantage. She says when English Henry is lord of France, they'll shove Burgundy out of power—England has recently failed to do what Burgundy wants, and it will hardly get better when the English have more power. She welcomes Burgundy back and pleads with him to return to the French side. |
BURGUNDY, aside
I am vanquishèd. These haughty words of hers
Have battered me like roaring cannon-shot,
And made me almost yield upon my knees.— 80
Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen;
And, lords, accept this hearty kind embrace.
He embraces Charles, Bastard, and Alanson.
My forces and my power of men are yours.
So, farewell, Talbot. I’ll no longer trust thee. PUCELLE, aside
Done like a Frenchman: turn and turn again. 85 CHARLES
Welcome, brave duke. Thy friendship makes us fresh. BASTARD
And doth beget new courage in our breasts. ALANSON
Pucelle hath bravely played her part in this
And doth deserve a coronet of gold. CHARLES
Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers, 90
And seek how we may prejudice the foe. They exit. | Burgundy says her words have battered him like shots from a cannon, and he can't hold out against them. He'll come back to the French side. The French have a big group hug to celebrate. The others welcome him back and Alencon praises Joan for getting Burgundy to change sides. According to Alencon, Joan deserves a coronet of gold. Charles encourages them all to battle. |