).
Slay what is mortal!

[Darkness, thunder and lightning. The KNIGHT sinks into the earth.

JOHANNA (stands at first in amazement, but soon recovers herself).
'Twas nothing living. 'Twas a base delusion,
An instrument of hell, a juggling fiend,
Uprisen hither from the fiery pool
To shake and terrify my steadfast heart.
Wielding the sword of God, whom should I fear!
I will triumphantly achieve my work.
My courage should not waver, should not fail
Were hell itself to champion me to fight!

[She is about to depart.

SCENE X.

LIONEL, JOHANNA.

LIONEL.
Accursed one, prepare thee for the fight!
Not both of us shall quit this field alive.
Thou hast destroyed the bravest of our host
The noble Talbot hath his mighty soul
Breathed forth upon my bosom. I'll avenge
The hero, or participate his doom.
And wouldst thou know who brings thee glory now,
Whether he live or die,--I'm Lionel,
The sole survivor of the English chiefs,
And still unconquered is this valiant arm.

[He rushes upon her; after a short combat she strikes
the sword out of his hand.

Perfidious fortune!

[He wrestles with her. JOHANNA seizes him by the crest
and tears open his helmet; his face is thus exposed;
at the same time she draws her sword with her right hand.

JOHANNA.
Suffer, what thou soughtest!
The Virgin sacrifices thee through me!

[At this moment she gazes in his face. His aspect
softens her, she remains motionless and slowly lets
her arm sink.

LIONEL.
Why linger, why withhold the stroke of death?
My glory thou hast taken--take my life!
I want no mercy, I am in thy power.

[She makes him a sign with her hand to fly.

How! shall I fly and owe my life to thee?
No, I would rather die.

JOHANNA (with averted face).
I will not know
That ever thou didst owe thy life to me.

LIONEL.
I hate alike thee and thy proffered gift.
I want no mercy--kill thine enemy
Who loathes and would have slain thee.

JOHANNA.
Slay me, then,
And fly!

LIONEL.
Ha! What is this?

JOHANNA (hiding her face).
Woe's me!

LIONEL (approaching her).
'Tis said
Thou killest all the English whom thy sword
Subdues in battle--why spare me alone?

JOHANNA (raises her sword with a rapid movement as if to strike him,
but lets it fall quickly when she gazes on his face).
Oh, Holy Virgin!

LIONEL.
Wheref