The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 126
That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.
These are the city gates, the gates of Rouen,
through which we must find a way by cunning:
listen, be careful what you say;
talk as if you were low down market men
come to get payment for their corn.
If we get in, as I hope we will,
and we find the lazy guards are small in number,
I shall alert our friends with a sign,
so that Charles the Dauphin can attack.
FIRST SOLDIER.
Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city,
And we be lords and rulers over Rouen;
Therefore we 'll knock. [Knocks.]
Our sacks shall be our tools to sack the city,
and we shall be lords and rulers over Rouen;
so we shall knock.
WATCH.
[Within] Qui est la?
Who's there?
PUCELLE.
Paysans, pauvres gens de France;
Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.
Peasants, poor Frenchmen;
poor market folks who have come to sell their corn.
WATCH.
Enter, go in; the market bell is rung.
Come in; the market bell has been rung.
PUCELLE.
Now, Rouen, I 'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground.
Now, Rouen, I'll shake your defences to the ground.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter Charles, the Bastard of Orleans, Alencon,
Reignier, and forces.]
CHARLES.
Saint Denis bless this happy stratagem!
And once again we 'll sleep secure in Rouen.
May Saint Denis bless this cunning plan!
Once again we'll sleep soundly in Rouen.
BASTARD.
Here enter'd Pucelle and her practisants;
Now she is there, how will she specify
Here is the best and safest passage in?
The Pucelle and her conspirators went in here;
now she's in, how will she let us know
that this is the best way to go?
REIGNIER.
By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower;
Which, once discern'd, shows that her meaning is,
No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd.
She will hold up a torch from that tower;
once we see it we will know she's telling us
that the way she came in is the weakest point.
[Enter La Pucelle, on the top, thrusting out
a torch burning.]
PUCELLE.
Behold, this is the happy wedding torch
That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen,
But burning fatal to the Talbotites!
See, this is the happy wedding torch
that marries Rouen and her countrymen,
but burns fatally for the Talbotites!
[Exit.]
BASTARD.
See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend;
The burning torch in yonder turret stands.
See, noble Charles, the light of our friend;
the torch is burning on that tower.
CHARLES.
Now shine it like a comet of revenge,
A prophet to the fall of all our foes!
Let it shine like a revenging comet,
prophesying the fall of all our enemies!
REIGNIER.
Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends;
Enter, and cry, 'The Dauphin!' presently,
And then do execution on the watch.
Waste no time, delay could be fatal;
go in and give the shout of “The Dauphin!" at once,
and then destroy the guards.
[Alarum. Exeunt.]
[An alarum. Enter Talbot in an excursion.]
TALBOT.
France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,
If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escaped the pride of France.
France, you shall regret this treason with your tears,
if Talbot can just survive your treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that dammed sorceress,
started this hellish mischief behind our backs,
so that we hardly escaped the nobility of France.
[Exit.]
[An alarum: excursions.]
[Bedford, brought in sick in a chair. Enter Talbot and Burgundy
without: within La Pucelle, Charles, Bastard, Alencon, and
Reignier, on the walls.]
PUCELLE.
Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread?
I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
Before he 'll buy again at such a rate:
'Twas full of darnel: do you like the taste?
Good morning, brave gentlemen! Do you want corn for bread?
I think the Duke of Burgundy will starve
before he'll buy at that price again:
it was full of grass: do you like the taste?
BURGUNDY.
Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan!
I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own,
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.
Keep mocking, horrid devil and shameless whore!
I hope before long I'll be choking you with your own corn,
and I'll make you regret you ever started this business.
CHARLES.
Your Grace may starve perhaps before that time.
Perhaps your Grace will starve before that happens.
BEDFORD.
O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!
Let's not revenge this treason with words, but with deeds!
PUCELLE.
What will you do, good graybeard? break a lance,
And run a tilt at death within a chair?
What are you going to do, good greybeard? Break a lance,
and try and out joust death from your saddle?
TALBOT.
Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,
Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age,
And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I 'll have a bout with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.
Foul devil of France, and hag hated by all,
surrounded with your lustful lovers!
Is it your place to taunt brave old men,
and accuse a man who is half dead of cowardice?
Lady, I shall fight with you again,
or may Talbot die with this shame.
PUCELLE.
Are ye so hot? yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace;
If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.
[The English party whisper together in council. ]
God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker?
That passionate, are you? But, Pucelle, keep your peace;
if Talbot thunders, there will be rain later.
God bless this Parliament! Who's going to be the speaker?
TALBOT.
Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field?
Do you dare to come out and do battle with us?
PUCELLE.
Belike your lordship takes us then for fools,
To try if that our own be ours or no.
It seems your lordship takes us for fools,
who would risk what they already have.
TALBOT.
I speak not to that railing Hecate,
But unto thee, Alencon, and the rest;
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
I'm not speaking to that ranting witch,
but to you, Alencon, and the rest;
will you come and fight i
t out like soldiers?
ALENCON.
Signior, no.
Sir, we will not.
TALBOT.
Signior, hang! base muleters of France!
Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls,
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.
Sir, be hanged! Lowdown peasants of France!
They hide behind the walls like lowborn pageboys,
and do not dare to go into battle like gentlemen.
PUCELLE.
Away, captains! let 's get us from the walls;
For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
God be wi' you, my lord! we came but to tell you
That we are here.
Come away, captains! Let's get away from the walls;
from the look on Talbot's face he means us no good.
May God be with you, my lord! We only came to tell you
that we are here.
[Exeunt from the walls.]
TALBOT.
And there will we be too, ere it be long,
Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!
Vow, Burgundy, by honor of thy house,
Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in France,
Either to get the town again or die:
And I, as sure as English Henry lives,
And as his father here was conqueror,
As sure as in this late-betrayed town
Great Coeur-de-lion's heart was buried,
So sure I swear to get the town or die.
And we will be there too, before long,
otherwise let criticism be all Talbot receives!
Make a vow, Burgundy, on the honour of your family,
spurred on by the public insults you have been given in France,
either to recapture this town or die:
and I, as sure as English Henry is alive,
as his father was a conqueror here,
as sure as the heart of the great Richard
the Lionheart is buried in here,
I swear by all this I will capture the town or die.
BURGUNDY.
My vows are equal partners with thy vows.
My vows are equal to your own.
TALBOT.
But, ere we go, regard this dying prince,
The valiant Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord,
We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sickness and for crazy age.
But, before we go, we must pay attention to this dying Prince,
the brave Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord,
we will put you in some better place,
more suitable for sickness and for fragile age.
BEDFORD.
Lord Talbot, do not so dishonor me:
Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen,
And will be partner of your weal or woe.
Lord Talbot, do not insult me like this:
I will sit here in front of the walls of Rouen,
and will be your partner in your wounds or sorrows.
BURGUNDY.
Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.
Brave Bedford, please let us persuade you.
BEDFORD.
Not to be gone from hence; for once I read
That stout Pendragon in his litter sick
Came to the field and vanquished his foes.
Methinks I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever found them as myself.
Not to leave here; I once read
that great King Arthur was carried onto the
battlefield when ill and beat his enemies.
I think I should stay here to give courage to the soldiers,
because I've always had a kinship with them.
TALBOT.
Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!
Then be it so: heavens keep old Bedford safe!
And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,
But gather we our forces out of hand
And set upon our boasting enemy.
Brave spirit in a dying heart!
Then let it be so: may heaven keep old Bedford safe!
And now no more delay, brave Burgundy,
let's gather up our forces at once
and attack our arrogant enemy.
[Exeunt all but Bedford and Attendants.]
[An alarum: excursions. Enter Sir John Fastolfe
and a Captain.]
CAPTAIN.
Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?
Where are you going, Sir John Fastolfe, so quickly?
FASTOLFE.
Whither away! to save myself by flight:
We are like to have the overthrow again.
Where am I going! To save myself by running away:
we are probably going to be beaten again.
CAPTAIN.
What! Will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot?
What! Will you run, and leave Lord Talbot?
FASTOLFE.
Aye,
All the Talbots in the world, to save my life.
Yes,
all the Talbots in the world, to save my life.
[Exit.]
CAPTAIN.
Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee!
Cowardly knight! May bad luck follow you!
[Exit.]
[Retreat: excursions. La Pucelle, Alencon, and Charles fly.]
BEDFORD.
Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please,
For I have seen our enemies' overthrow.
What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They that of late were daring with their scoffs
Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.
Now, quiet soul, you can leave when heaven orders,
for I have seen our enemies beaten.
What consistency or strength is there in foolish humanity?
Those who were recently talking so big
are now fleeing to save themselves.
[Bedford dies, and is carried in by two in his chair.]
[An alarum. Re-enter Talbot, Burgundy, and the rest.]
TALBOT.
Lost, and recover'd in a day again!
This is a double honor, Burgundy:
Yet heavens have glory for this victory!
Lost and recaptured in a day!
This is doubly honourable, Burgundy:
praise the heavens for this victory!
BURGUNDY.
Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Enshrines thee in his heart, and there erects
Thy noble deeds as valor's monuments.
Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
venerates you in his heart, and places
your noble deeds there as monuments to bravery.
TALBOT.
Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pucelle now?
I think her old familiar is asleep:
Now where 's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks?
What, all amort? Rouen hangs her head for grief
That such a valiant company are fled.
Now will we take some order in the town,
Placing therein some expert officers;
And then depart to Paris to the king,
For there young Henry with his nobles lie.
Thanks, gentle Duke. But where is Pucelle now?
I think her spiritual accomplice is asleep:
now where are the Bastard's challenges, and the jokes of Charles?
What, all dead? Rouen hangs her head in grief
that such a brave company has fled.
Now we will establish order in the town,
placing some expert officers in charge;
and then we shall go to Paris to see the King,
for that is where young Henry and his noblemen are.
BURGUNDY.
What wills Lord Talbot pleaseth Burgundy.
What Lord Talbot wants is pleasing to Burgundy.
TALBOT.
<
br /> But yet, before we go, let 's not forget
The noble Duke of Bedford late deceased,
But see his exequies fulfill'd in Rouen:
A braver soldier never couched lance,
A gentler heart did never sway in court;
But kings and mightiest potentates must die,
For that's the end of human misery.
But still, before we go, let's not forget
the recently deceased Duke of Bedford,
and make sure his funeral rites are done in Rouen:
a braver soldier never held a lance,
and a more gentle heart never ruled a court;
but Kings and the greatest of rulers must die,
for that is the way we end the misery of life.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter Charles, the Bastard of Orleans, Alencon, La Pucelle,
and forces.]
PUCELLE.
Dismay not, princes, at this accident,
Nor grieve that Rouen is so recovered:
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive,
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantic Talbot triumph for a while
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.
Do not be dismayed, Princes, at this unlucky event,