King Henry VI, Part I
| ACT II SCENE III | Auvergne. The COUNTESS’s castle. | |
| [Enter the COUNTESS and her Porter] | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Porter, remember what I gave in charge; | |
| And when you have done so, bring the keys to me. | ||
| Porter | Madam, I will. | |
| [Exit] | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, | |
| I shall as famous be by this exploit | 5 | |
| As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus’ death. | ||
| Great is the rumor of this dreadful knight, | ||
| And his achievements of no less account: | ||
| Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, | ||
| To give their censure of these rare reports. | 10 | |
| [Enter Messenger and TALBOT] | ||
| Messenger | Madam, | |
| According as your ladyship desired, | ||
| By message craved, so is Lord Talbot come. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | And he is welcome. What! is this the man? | |
| Messenger | Madam, it is. | 15 |
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Is this the scourge of France? | |
| Is this the Talbot, so much fear’d abroad | ||
| That with his name the mothers still their babes? | ||
| I see report is fabulous and false: | ||
| I thought I should have seen some Hercules, | 20 | |
| A second Hector, for his grim aspect, | ||
| And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. | ||
| Alas, this is a child, a silly dwarf! | ||
| It cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp | ||
| Should strike such terror to his enemies. | 25 | |
| TALBOT | Madam, I have been bold to trouble you; | |
| But since your ladyship is not at leisure, | ||
| I’ll sort some other time to visit you. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | What means he now? Go ask him whither he goes. | |
| Messenger | Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my lady craves | 30 |
| To know the cause of your abrupt departure. | ||
| TALBOT | Marry, for that she’s in a wrong belief, | |
| I go to certify her Talbot’s here. | ||
| [Re-enter Porter with keys] | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. | |
| TALBOT | Prisoner! to whom? | 35 |
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | To me, blood-thirsty lord; | |
| And for that cause I trained thee to my house. | ||
| Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me, | ||
| For in my gallery thy picture hangs: | ||
| But now the substance shall endure the like, | 40 | |
| And I will chain these legs and arms of thine, | ||
| That hast by tyranny these many years | ||
| Wasted our country, slain our citizens | ||
| And sent our sons and husbands captivate. | ||
| TALBOT | Ha, ha, ha! | 45 |
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. | |
| TALBOT | I laugh to see your ladyship so fond | |
| To think that you have aught but Talbot’s shadow | ||
| Whereon to practise your severity. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Why, art not thou the man? | 50 |
| TALBOT | I am indeed. | |
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Then have I substance too. | |
| TALBOT | No, no, I am but shadow of myself: | |
| You are deceived, my substance is not here; | ||
| For what you see is but the smallest part | 55 | |
| And least proportion of humanity: | ||
| I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here, | ||
| It is of such a spacious lofty pitch, | ||
| Your roof were not sufficient to contain’t. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; | 60 |
| He will be here, and yet he is not here: | ||
| How can these contrarieties agree? | ||
| TALBOT | That will I show you presently. | |
| [ Winds his horn. Drums strike up: a peal of ordnance. Enter soldiers ] | ||
| How say you, madam? are you now persuaded | ||
| That Talbot is but shadow of himself? | 65 | |
| These are his substance, sinews, arms and strength, | ||
| With which he yoketh your rebellious necks, | ||
| Razeth your cities and subverts your towns | ||
| And in a moment makes them desolate. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: | 70 |
| I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited | ||
| And more than may be gather’d by thy shape. | ||
| Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath; | ||
| For I am sorry that with reverence | ||
| I did not entertain thee as thou art. | 75 | |
| TALBOT | Be not dismay’d, fair lady; nor misconstrue | |
| The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake | ||
| The outward composition of his body. | ||
| What you have done hath not offended me; | ||
| Nor other satisfaction do I crave, | 80 | |
| But only, with your patience, that we may | ||
| Taste of your wine and see what cates you have; | ||
| For soldiers’ stomachs always serve them well. | ||
| COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE | With all my heart, and think me honoured | |
| To feast so great a warrior in my house. | 85 | |
| [Exeunt] | ||
Continue to 1 Henry VI, Act 2, Scene 4