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