Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with him? Mess. The virtuous lady, Countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown,

By me entreats, great lord, thou would'st vouchsafe
To visit her poor castle where she lies;

That she may boast she hath beheld the man
Whose glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars
Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport,

When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.

You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit.
Tal.

Ne'er trust me, then; for when a world of men

Could not prevail with all their oratory,

Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd.
And therefore tell her I return great thanks,
And in submission will attend on her.

Will not your honours bear me company?

Bed. No, truly, it is more than manners will;
And I have heard it said, unbidden guests
Are often welcomest when they are gone.

Tal. Well, then, alone, since there's no remedy,

I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.

Come hither, Captain. [Whispers.]— You perceive my mind?

Captain. I do, my lord, and mean accordingly.

SCENE III. Auvergne. Court of the Castle.

Enter the Countess and her Porter.

[Exeunt.

Countess. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me.

41 lies, dwells. (R)

59 Not made a question by White. (R)

40

50

60

Porter.

[Exit.

Madam, I will.

Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right,

I shall as famous be by this exploit

As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death.

Great is the rumour 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.

Enter Messenger and TALBOT.

Mess. Madam, according as your ladyship desir'd, By message crav'd, so is Lord Talbot come.

10

Count.

And he is welcome.

What! is this the man?

Mess. Madam, it is.

Count.

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,
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.

Tal.

Madam, I have been bold to trouble you;
But, since your ladyship is not at leisure,
I'll sort some other time to visit
What means he now?

Count.

he goes.

& Thomyris. A Scythian Queen who defeated the army of Cyrus and slew Cyrus himself. (R)

10 censure, judgment. (R)

you.

- Go ask him whither

20 for, with respect to. (R) silly, harmless. (R)

23 writhled, wrinkled. shrimp, a term of contempt. (R) 27 sort, select. (R)

Mess. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my Lady

craves

To know the cause of your abrupt departure.
Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief,
I go to certify her Talbot's here.

Enter Porter, with keys.

Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Prisoner! to whom?

Count.
And for that cause I train'd thee to my house.
Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs ;

To me, blood-thirsty lord;

But now the substance shall endure the like,
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.

Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn

to moan.

Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond

To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow
Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why, art not thou the man?

Tal.

Count.

Then have I substance too.

I am indeed.

Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here;

85 train'd, enticed. (R)

36-8 shadow . . . substance. The antithesis and play on these words is carried through a number of lines. It occurs once again

30

40

50

in the play in quite another connection (V. iv. 133-5). Tennyson makes a well-known use of it in the Princess. (n)

45 fond, foolish. (R)

For what you see is but the smallest part
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.

Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here :

How can these contrarieties agree?

Tal. That will I shew you presently.

60

He winds his horn. Drums strike up; a peal of ordnance.
The gates being forced, enter Soldiers.

How say you, Madam? are you now persuaded
That Talbot is but shadow of himself?

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.

Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abuse:
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.

Tal. 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:
No other satisfaction do I crave,

But only, with your patience, that we may

57 a riddling merchant. "Merchant" was sometimes used of old in the derogatory sense now attached to "huckster." (w) [for

the nonce.

70

70

Herford notes that this seems to mean "without parallel" a use not found in Shakespeare's undoubted works.]

TALBOT AND THE COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE

From an engraving by C. W. Sharpe, after the painting by W. Q. Orchardson

HENRY VI, Part First, Act II, Sc. iii