JOAN OF ARC. THE NINTH BOOK. FAR thro' the shadowy sky the ascending flames Stream'd their fierce torrents, by the gales of night Now curl'd, now flashing their long lightnings up That made the stars seem pale; less frequent now Thro' the red volumes briefer splendours shot, And blacker waves roll'd o'er the darken'd heaven. Dismay'd amid the forts which yet remain'd The invaders saw, and clamour'd for retreat, Deeming that aided by invisible powers The Maid went forth to conquer. Not a sound Mov'd on the air but filled them with vague dread Of unseen dangers; if the blast arose Sudden, thro' every fibre a deep fear Crept shivering, and to their expecting minds Silence itself was dreadful. One there was "Hath hid his face from England! wherefore thus Quitting the comforts of domestic life, "Swarm we to desolate this goodly land, 66 Making the drench'd earth rank with human blood, "Scatter pollution on the winds of Heaven? "Oh! that the sepulchre had closed its jaws "On that foul priest, on that blood-guilty man, "Who, trembling for the churches ill-got wealth, "Bade Henry look on France, ere he had drawn "The desolating sword, and sent him forth "To slaughter! Sure that holy hermit spake "The Almighty's bidding, who in his career "Of conquest met the king, and bade him cease "The work of death, before the wrath divine "Fell heavy on his head;.. and soon it fell "And sunk him to the grave; .. and soon that wrath "On us, alike in sin, alike shall fall, "For thousands and ten thousands, by the sword "Cut off, and sent before the eternal judge, "With all their unrepented crimes upon them, 66 Cry out for vengeance! for the widow's groan, "Tho' here she groan unpitied or unheard, “Is heard in heaven against us! o'er this land "For hills of human slain, unsepulchred, "Steam pestilence, and cloud the blessed sun! "The wrath of God is on us, .. God hath call'd "This virgin forth, and gone before her path;.. "Our brethren, vainly valiant, fall beneath them, Clogging with gore their weapons, or in the flood "Whelm'd like the Egyptian tyrant's impious host, 66 Mangled and swoln, their blacken'd carcasses "Toss on the tossing billows! We remain, The life his goodness gave us, on the chance "Of war, and in obedience to our chiefs "Durst disobey our God." Then terror seiz'd The troops and late repentance; and they thought The spirits of the mothers and their babes Famish'd at Roan sat on the clouds of night, Circling the forts, to hail with gloomy joy The hour of vengeance. Nor the English chiefs. Heard their loud murmurs heedless; counselling They met despondent. Suffolk, now their chief, Since conquered by the arm of Theodore Fell Salisbury, thus began. 66 "It now were vain Lightly of this our more than mortal foe "To speak contemptuous. She hath vanquish'd us, "Aided by hell's leagued powers, nor aught avails "Man unassisted 'gainst the powers of hell "To dare the conflict: were it best remain "Waiting the doubtful aid of Burgundy, "Yet struggle to preserve the guarded towns "Of Orleannois?" He ceas'd, and with a sigh, Struggling with pride that heav'd his gloomy breast, "For by their numbers now made bold in fear "The expected host from England: even now 'By vengeance nerv'd, and shame of such defeat, Shall, from the crest-fall'n courage of yon "Regain its ancient glory. Near the coast "Best is it to retreat, and there expect witch,. |