The Maid of Orleans (Act 4 Scene 3)

DUNOIS, DUCHATEL, and LA HIRE, with the banner of JOHANNA.

DUNOIS
Johanna, thee we seek. All is prepared;
The king hath sent us, 'tis his royal will
That thou before him shouldst thy banner bear,
The company of princes thou shalt join;
And march immediately before the king:
For he doth not deny it, and the world
Shall witness, maiden, that to thee alone
He doth ascribe the honor of this day.

LA HIRE
Here is the banner. Take it, noble maiden
Thou'rt stayed for by the princes and the people.

JOHANNA
I march before him? I the banner bear?

DUNOIS
Whom else would it become? What other hand
Is pure enough to bear the sacred ensign!
Amid the battle thou hast waved it oft;
To grace our glad procession bear it now.

[LA HIRE presents the banner to her, she draws back, shuddering.]

JOHANNA
Away! away!

LA HIRE
Art thou terrified
At thine own banner, maiden? Look at it!

[He displays the banner.]

It is the same thou didst in conquest wave.
Imaged upon it is the queen of heaven,
Floating in glory o'er this earthly ball;
For so the Holy Mother showed it thee.

[JOHANNA gazing upon it with horror.]

'Tis she herself! so she appeared to me.
See, how she looks at me and knits her brow,
And anger flashes from her threatening eye!

SOREL
Alas, she raveth! Maiden, be composed!
Collect thyself! Thou seest nothing real!
That is her pictured image; she herself
Wanders above, amid the angelic choir!

JOHANNA
Thou comest, fearful one, to punish me?
Destroy, o'erwhelm, thy lightnings hurl,
And let them fall upon my guilty head.
Alas, my vow I've broken. I've profaned
And desecrated thy most holy name!

DUNOIS
Woe's us! What may this mean? What unblest words?

LA HIRE (in astonishment, to DUCHATEL)
This strange emotion canst thou comprehend?

DUCHATEL
That which I see, I see—I long have feared it.

DUNOIS
What sayest thou?

DUCHATEL
I dare not speak my thoughts.
I would to heaven that the king were crowned!

LA HIRE.
How! hath the awe this banner doth inspire
Turned back upon thyself? before this sign
Let Britons tremble; to the foes of France
'Tis fearful, but to all true citizens
It is auspicious.

JOHANNA
Yes, thou sayest truly!
To friends 'tis gracious! but to enemies
It causeth horror!

[The Coronation march is heard.]

DUNOIS
Take thy banner, then!
The march begins—no time is to be lost!

[They press the banner upon her; she seizes it with
evident emotion, and retires; the others follow.]

[The scene changes to an open place before the Cathedral.]