"As oft I glided down the silver stream,

Frequent upon the lifted oar I paused,

Listening the sound of far-off merriment.

"There wave the hostile banners! martial Maid, "Give thou the signal!..let me rush upon

"These ministers of murder, who have sack'd

“The fruitful fields, and made the hamlet haunts

66

Silent, or hearing but the widow's groan.

"Give thou the signal, Maiden!"

Fix'd sadly on the foe, the holy Maid

Her dark eye

Answer'd him. "Ere the bloody sword be drawn, "And slaughter be let loose, befits us send

"Some peaceful messenger, who shall make known "The will of Heaven. So timely warn'd, our foes

66

Haply may yet repent, and quit in peace

Besieged Orleans, for I fain would spare "The bloody price of victory."

So she said:

And as she spake, a soldier from the ranks

Came forward: "I will be thy messenger, "Maiden of God! and to the English camp "Will bear thy bidding."

"Go," the Virgin cried,

Say to the Lord of Salisbury, and the chiefs "Of England, Suffolk, Fastolffe, Talbot, Scales, "Invaders of the country, say, thus says

"THE MAID OF ORLEANS. 'With your troops retire "In peace. Of every captured town the keys "Restore to Charles; so bloodless you may seek "Your native island; for the God of Hosts,

"Thus hath decreed. To Charles the rightful heir, "By long descent and by the willing choice" "Of duteous subjects, hath the Lord assign'd "His conquest. In his name the Virgin comes "Arm'd with his sword; yet not of mercy void. "Depart in peace: for ere the morrow dawns, "Victorious upon yonder wall shall wave "The holy banner.'" To the English camp

Fearless the warrior strode.

At mid-day meal

With all the dissonance of boisterous mirth,

The British chiefs caroused and quaff'd the bowl To future conquest. By the sentinel

Conducted came the Frank.

"Chiefs," he exclaim'd,

"Salisbury, and ye the representatives

“Of the English king, usurper of this realm, "To ye the leaders of the invading host

"I come, no welcome messenger. Thus saith "THE MAID OF ORLEANS. 'With your troops retire "In peace. Of every captured town the keys "Restore to Charles; so bloodless you may seek "Your native island; for the God of Hosts "Thus hath decreed. To Charles the rightful heir, "By long descent and by the willing choice "Of duteous subjects, hath the Lord assign'd "His conquest. In his name the Virgin comes "Arm'd with his sword; yet not of mercy void. "Depart in peace: for ere the morrow dawns

"Victorious upon yonder wall shall wave

"The holy banner.'"

Wonder made a pause;

To this the laugh succeeds. "What!" Fastolffe cried, "A woman warrior hath your monarch sent "To save devoted Orleans? By the rood,

"I thank His Grace. If she be young and fair, "No worthless prize, my lords! Go, tell your Maid, 66 Joyful we wait her coming."

There was one

-Among the English chiefs who had grown old
In arms, yet had not age unnerved his limbs,
But from the flexile nimbleless of youth

Braced to unyielding stiffness. One who saw
The warrior at the feast, might well have deem'd
That Talbot with his whole collected might
Wielded the sword in war, for on his neck
The veins were full, and every muscle bore
The character of strength. He his stern eye
Fix'd on the herald, and before he spake,

His silence threaten'd.

"Get thee gone!" exclaim'd

The indignant chief; "away! nor think to scare

"With girlish phantasies the English host

"That scorns your bravest warriors. Hie thee thence,

"Insolent herald! tell this frantic girl,

"This courtly minion, to avoid my wrath,

"For if she dares the war, I will not stain

"My good blood-rusted sword... but she shall meet

"The mockery of the camp!"

"Nay, scare her not,"

Replied their chief; "go, tell this Maid of Orleans, "That Salisbury longs to meet her in the fight.

"Nor let her fear that rude and iron chains

"Shall gall her tender limbs; for I myself

"Will be her prison, and

"Contemptuous man!

"No more!" the Frank exclaim'd, as to his cheek Rush'd the red anger. "Bearing words of peace "And timely warning came I to your camp;