JOAN of ARC
BOOK THE FIFTH.
SCARCE had the earliest ray from Chinon's towers
Made visible the mists that curl'd along
The winding waves of Vienne, when from her couch
Started the martial Maid. She mail'd her limbs;
The white plumes nodded o'er her helmed head; 5
She girt the temper'd falchion by her side,
And, like some youth that from his mother's arms,
For his first field impatient, breaks away,
Poising the lance went forth.
Twelve hundred men,
Rearing in order'd ranks their well-sharp'd spears, 10
Await her coming. Terrible in arms
Before them towered Dunois. His manly face
Made visible the mists that curl'd along
The winding waves of Vienne, when from her couch
Started the martial Maid. She mail'd her limbs;
The white plumes nodded o'er her helmed head; 5
She girt the temper'd falchion by her side,
And, like some youth that from his mother's arms,
For his first field impatient, breaks away,
Poising the lance went forth.
Twelve hundred men,
Rearing in order'd ranks their well-sharp'd spears, 10
Await her coming. Terrible in arms
Before them towered Dunois. His manly face
Dark-
