 | Joan of Arc |  |
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BOOK III. RHEIMS.
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I.
Never outleapt more moving blast
From Fame's far trump than when it threw
On Europe's deep resounding vast
The Maiden's exploits, peerless new.
From Fame's far trump than when it threw
On Europe's deep resounding vast
The Maiden's exploits, peerless new.
'T was no brief earth-blast, for it bore
Great messages of high relief,
And swift from men's slow vision tore
The sensuous film of unbelief.
Great messages of high relief,
And swift from men's slow vision tore
The sensuous film of unbelief.
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Men's thoughts were godless—they had lost
Hold on the stable lines that link
Earth to superior spheres, and, tost
Unsteadied in the sensual sink,
Hold on the stable lines that link
Earth to superior spheres, and, tost
Unsteadied in the sensual sink,
Deemed it their home, man's saving good,
His conscience, given in pawn to priests,
Who cunning lent thereon the food
That nurtures men to passive beasts.
His conscience, given in pawn to priests,
Who cunning lent thereon the food
That nurtures men to passive beasts.
As a fresh-bursted bloom of stars,—
Out-dazzling so men's common eyes
It would their thoughts through earthliest bars
Drag up to Him who sows the skies,—
Out-dazzling so men's common eyes
It would their thoughts through earthliest bars
Drag up to Him who sows the skies,—
The Maiden shone siderial strange,
And such great wonders 'bout her grew,
Of sense she balked the grovelling range
And heavenward mortal bosoms drew.
And such great wonders 'bout her grew,
Of sense she balked the grovelling range
And heavenward mortal bosoms drew.
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Old Merlin's whispered prescient dream
Now swelled to sounding prophecy,—
“A Virgin shall the realm redeem,”—
And the good Maid of Arc is she.
Now swelled to sounding prophecy,—
“A Virgin shall the realm redeem,”—
And the good Maid of Arc is she.
II.
From rescued Orleans to the King
She hastened with her victories,
In fearless forethought conquering
For France becrowned regalities.
She hastened with her victories,
In fearless forethought conquering
For France becrowned regalities.
The King was slow to think, and had
No vision for the future's blank,
And when she there the good and bad
Unraveled, he bewildered shrank.
No vision for the future's blank,
And when she there the good and bad
Unraveled, he bewildered shrank.
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She saw,—and she at first alone,—
By consecration would be flung
A sacred splendor on the throne,
And thence a wide submission wrung.
By consecration would be flung
A sacred splendor on the throne,
And thence a wide submission wrung.
His Captains each had partial aims,
His counsellors so laggard dim,
Her plans to them were misty names
Illegible on space's rim.
His counsellors so laggard dim,
Her plans to them were misty names
Illegible on space's rim.
Time's wrinkled children seldom dare
Unwrinkled paths, tied torpid fast
To staid routine; and silvered hair
Is the white livery of the past.
Unwrinkled paths, tied torpid fast
To staid routine; and silvered hair
Is the white livery of the past.
Nor can the younger even keep pace
With girded genius, who outruns
His own thought's light, through whispering space
A life-beam flashing with the suns.
With girded genius, who outruns
His own thought's light, through whispering space
A life-beam flashing with the suns.
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“Use me while yet you may, great King,”
The Maiden said: “My parting date
Comes round within a short year's ring:”—
A first forefeeling of her fate.
The Maiden said: “My parting date
Comes round within a short year's ring:”—
A first forefeeling of her fate.
The sluggard King was moved by this,
By the strong under-swell still more
The Maid was heaving from the abyss
Of a great People's aching core,
By the strong under-swell still more
The Maid was heaving from the abyss
Of a great People's aching core,
Which, quickened by a life like hers,
Felt her deep puissance through its own,
And, instinct-guided, never errs
As to its needs, divinely sown.
Felt her deep puissance through its own,
And, instinct-guided, never errs
As to its needs, divinely sown.
How soul doth answer soul, and might
Breed might, and one warm bosom tune
Millions to higher beat, new sight
Kindling old eyes in Truth's broad noon!
Breed might, and one warm bosom tune
Millions to higher beat, new sight
Kindling old eyes in Truth's broad noon!
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Faith in themselves so stout was born
Of faith in her, in a few days
Men grew like pulse of slow-breathed morn
Now panting up meridian blaze.
Of faith in her, in a few days
Men grew like pulse of slow-breathed morn
Now panting up meridian blaze.
III.
The impalpable is ever best,
His subtlest is man's liveliest food,—
The viewless air that feeds his breast,
The unconscious life that heats his blood.
His subtlest is man's liveliest food,—
The viewless air that feeds his breast,
The unconscious life that heats his blood.
The clamor of the common voice,
The grumbling winds of discontent,
Seemed of King Charles to sway the choice;
But with the grosser vigors blent
The grumbling winds of discontent,
Seemed of King Charles to sway the choice;
But with the grosser vigors blent
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Supreme the omnipresent breath
That whispers to th' unwilling will,
With ceaseless circling baffles death,
And ever wafts us higher still.
That whispers to th' unwilling will,
With ceaseless circling baffles death,
And ever wafts us higher still.
And so, all other counsels quashed,
The King and Court must yield to her,
Their creeping crook'd devices dashed
By Orleans' fleet deliverer.
The King and Court must yield to her,
Their creeping crook'd devices dashed
By Orleans' fleet deliverer.
And now began that laurelled march
To regal Rheims from distant Selles,
The heavens a glad triumphal arch
O'er feats as bright as story tells.
To regal Rheims from distant Selles,
The heavens a glad triumphal arch
O'er feats as bright as story tells.
Like seas before a tropic gale
Onward the martial torrent roared,
Through ford and fortress, shout and wail,—
Fresh fighters in it daily poured.
Onward the martial torrent roared,
Through ford and fortress, shout and wail,—
Fresh fighters in it daily poured.
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Onward still onward towards the goal
Her joyous swiftness never flags:
As fleshly members lifts the soul,
With her the sensual King she drags.
Her joyous swiftness never flags:
As fleshly members lifts the soul,
With her the sensual King she drags.
Onward with victor speed she swept,
Great Talbot's self her prisoner ta'en:
Bravely the foe their life-blood wept,
Her path besprinkled by the slain.
Great Talbot's self her prisoner ta'en:
Bravely the foe their life-blood wept,
Her path besprinkled by the slain.
Suffolk held Jargeau in her way,—
She carried it by assault; then Fort
Beaugency stormed; and with Patay
She quitted them for Agincourt.
She carried it by assault; then Fort
Beaugency stormed; and with Patay
She quitted them for Agincourt.
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IV.
They halt before the gates of Troyes,—
To the English and Burgundians liege,—
Where envy sucked its impish joys
From hope of an arresting siege.
To the English and Burgundians liege,—
Where envy sucked its impish joys
From hope of an arresting siege.
A week's delay the French unmanned,—
Enhungered guests without a feast,—
While pompous Councils feebly planned,
Ruled by a forward faith-less priest.
Enhungered guests without a feast,—
While pompous Councils feebly planned,
Ruled by a forward faith-less priest.
Ere they resolved retreat,—which all
Save one, advised,—they summoned her;
While she, who had doomed the city's fall,
Nor longer would its fall defer,
Save one, advised,—they summoned her;
While she, who had doomed the city's fall,
Nor longer would its fall defer,
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Was tapping at their Council-door.
When asked—“Can six days win these towers?”
She said—“There needs not half of four:
To-morrow noon they shall be ours.”
When asked—“Can six days win these towers?”
She said—“There needs not half of four:
To-morrow noon they shall be ours.”
Mounting, she waved her pennon white,
And as it shimmered on the wind
Brave thousands mustered with delight,
Ready to do her utmost mind.
And as it shimmered on the wind
Brave thousands mustered with delight,
Ready to do her utmost mind.
This swarm boards, tables, fagots heaped
Into the fosse; whereat, appalled,
The foe,—before the French had reaped
Their escalade,—a parley called;
Into the fosse; whereat, appalled,
The foe,—before the French had reaped
Their escalade,—a parley called;
Then oped their gates; whence marching swift,
No more assailing or assailed,
Thank-radiant eyes she soon could lift,
As of dear Rheims the spires she hailed.
No more assailing or assailed,
Thank-radiant eyes she soon could lift,
As of dear Rheims the spires she hailed.
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V.
Time's friendliest fervors seldom bore
To martial France so freighted hour,
As when that temple, holy hoar,
Breathed its old benison of power
To martial France so freighted hour,
As when that temple, holy hoar,
Breathed its old benison of power
Upon the Monarch, girt with lay
And spiritual peers, and dignities,
And colored pomp and solemn play
Of sensuous-sacred liturgies.
And spiritual peers, and dignities,
And colored pomp and solemn play
Of sensuous-sacred liturgies.
And as the gaudy regal rites
Unrolled themselves to saintly song,
Nor king nor priest nor gilded sights
Held the hushed gazes of the throng;
Unrolled themselves to saintly song,
Nor king nor priest nor gilded sights
Held the hushed gazes of the throng;
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But she, in splendent maidenhood,
Whose presence all their bosoms thrilled,
Who foremost near the altar stood,
And the wide church with wonder filled;
Whose presence all their bosoms thrilled,
Who foremost near the altar stood,
And the wide church with wonder filled;
Her great heart beating in accord
With music of the spheral dance,
Her thanks and praises to the Lord,
Her wishes with the King and France.
With music of the spheral dance,
Her thanks and praises to the Lord,
Her wishes with the King and France.
When ceased the pageant's ritual flow,
And blazed the King with forehead crowned,
On humbleness she slid so low
She clasped his knees upon the ground.
And blazed the King with forehead crowned,
On humbleness she slid so low
She clasped his knees upon the ground.
Then gushed in stream of sudden tears
Her deep benignant being, rent
By exultation, wherewith fears
Unconsciously with triumph blent.
Her deep benignant being, rent
By exultation, wherewith fears
Unconsciously with triumph blent.
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In such high rapturous unison
The crowd's rough heart beat with the Maid,
Quick as the dew with risen sun
Glistened the church in tears arrayed.
The crowd's rough heart beat with the Maid,
Quick as the dew with risen sun
Glistened the church in tears arrayed.
She spake—“My King, the work decreed
For me to do is done. O! send
Me to my parents poor: they need
My help, and thither would I wend.”
For me to do is done. O! send
Me to my parents poor: they need
My help, and thither would I wend.”
VI.
'T was not to be, that filial flight,
Her only home the sinless blue:
Her simple name has grown a might,
And France's King doth claim his due.
Her only home the sinless blue:
Her simple name has grown a might,
And France's King doth claim his due.
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Domremy lay beyond a flood
Whose waters she herself had loosed,
Their bellowing billows, black with blood,
Henceforth on earth her only roost.
Whose waters she herself had loosed,
Their bellowing billows, black with blood,
Henceforth on earth her only roost.
No more a mother's ripened love
Shall feed her with its autumn balm;
Nor her warm teemful bosom prove
Young mother's first ecstatic calm.
Shall feed her with its autumn balm;
Nor her warm teemful bosom prove
Young mother's first ecstatic calm.
No youth with her great look shall gild
The home his fancy's wealth has given,
While her coy boldness helps him build
One future for the two to live in.
The home his fancy's wealth has given,
While her coy boldness helps him build
One future for the two to live in.
Nor toil-earned joys nor sweetened care,
Nor the week's crown of Sunday ease,
None shall be hers, nor the loved stare
Of upturned faces at her knees.
Nor the week's crown of Sunday ease,
None shall be hers, nor the loved stare
Of upturned faces at her knees.
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Her woman's walk shall be a tramp
Along the soldier's gairish path,
Till she exchange the brutal camp
For the dim dungeon's tutored wrath,—
Along the soldier's gairish path,
Till she exchange the brutal camp
For the dim dungeon's tutored wrath,—
A dungeon round whose wall shall hiss
Exultant nations' rabid breath,
While kings and bishops crosiers kiss,
With thanks all bloodied by a death.
Exultant nations' rabid breath,
While kings and bishops crosiers kiss,
With thanks all bloodied by a death.
VII.
The crowning made allegiance cheap:
Soissons, Laon, Chateau-Thierry
Gave in, each opening gates and keep,
As marched the King towards Picardy.
Soissons, Laon, Chateau-Thierry
Gave in, each opening gates and keep,
As marched the King towards Picardy.
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Far shone above the serried line
That pious banner dipt in light,
A moving fortress, being a sign
That Heaven marched with them for the right.
That pious banner dipt in light,
A moving fortress, being a sign
That Heaven marched with them for the right.
But she who bore it, she was changed;
Her mood was sad, and oft she sighed.
Her angel-friends, were they estranged?
Not so, or breathless she had died.
Her mood was sad, and oft she sighed.
Her angel-friends, were they estranged?
Not so, or breathless she had died.
But shadows, from the future blown,
Upon her silence coldly crept,
And, with dark nearness heavier grown,
Her tenderest life-strings grimly swept.
Upon her silence coldly crept,
And, with dark nearness heavier grown,
Her tenderest life-strings grimly swept.
As Indian in his boat, who feels
At night the current's quickened pace,
To whom a flash 'mid thunderpeals
Lays bare his helpless deathward race,
At night the current's quickened pace,
To whom a flash 'mid thunderpeals
Lays bare his helpless deathward race,
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Light beaming on her inner ken
Through earth's o'ercharged incumbent gloom,
She saw, close yawning at Compiegne,
Her dread inevitable doom.
Through earth's o'ercharged incumbent gloom,
She saw, close yawning at Compiegne,
Her dread inevitable doom.
VIII.
But ere it came to this, moons waned
On discord, feud, and jealousy,
While she, though thwarted, still had gained
Bold battles with her martial eye.
On discord, feud, and jealousy,
While she, though thwarted, still had gained
Bold battles with her martial eye.
And now once more the year was warmed
By nuptial breath of florid May,
When, where Burgundians thickest swarmed,
To sieged Compiegne she fought her way.
By nuptial breath of florid May,
When, where Burgundians thickest swarmed,
To sieged Compiegne she fought her way.
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One morning in the holy house,—
Her vision by communion purged,—
With motions such as martyr rouse,
Thus spake she calm, by prescience urged:
Her vision by communion purged,—
With motions such as martyr rouse,
Thus spake she calm, by prescience urged:
“Good friends, pray for me—I am sold,
Betrayed: my captors now are nigh,
To drag me through a dungeon-hold
To death, by English hands to die.”
Betrayed: my captors now are nigh,
To drag me through a dungeon-hold
To death, by English hands to die.”
With dread and wonder gaping wide
Were yet the ears her voice had touched,
When dreadless she rode forth to bide
The perils those strange words had vouched.
Were yet the ears her voice had touched,
When dreadless she rode forth to bide
The perils those strange words had vouched.
She led a sortie from the town,
And, shielding the pursued retreat,
Ere she had cleared the gateway, down
Portcullis dropt behind her feet,
And, shielding the pursued retreat,
Ere she had cleared the gateway, down
Portcullis dropt behind her feet,
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Leaving her helpless 'mid the foes,
Whose circling spearmen quickly forced
Her cease from brave and manlike blows,
And captive made her, first unhorsed.
Whose circling spearmen quickly forced
Her cease from brave and manlike blows,
And captive made her, first unhorsed.
| Joan of Arc | |