e English. Talbot is slain. In the
next scene, the ghost of this warrior appears to Johanna, under the form
of a black knight with the visor closed. The apparition lures her away
from the heat of the contest, and then addresses to her this solemn
warning:--

"Johanna d'Arc!
Up to the gates of Rheims hast thou been borne
Upon the wings of victory. Now pause.
Content thee with the fame that thou hast won.
Let fortune go, whom thou hast held in bonds,
Ere it in anger shall break loose from thee;
For never is it constant to the end."

Johanna, however, who can hear of nothing, and think of nothing, but of
fighting for her country, and who has a particular detestation for this
black knight, strikes at it with her sword. It vanishes with the
appropriate accompaniments of thunder and lightning.

The apparition of the black knight has occasioned some embarrassment and
discussion among the critics. It was at first quite plain that it was
the ghost of Talbot; and when there was no longer any doubt on this
head, it was not easy to decide what brought the ghost of Talbot there,
and why he should give what, knowing as we do the history of Johanna,
has the appearance of very sound advice. But in that lay the very snare
of Satan. It was wise counsel that the devil, through this ghost, gave
to Johanna; but it was _worldly_ wise. It was well suited to some
ambitious person engaged in a career of conquest. Had such a black
knight appeared, for example, to Napoleon, on the eve of entering on his
war with Russia, and warned him to furl his banner of conquest, it would
have been a friendly and intelligent ghost, though we do not believe it
would have been listened to for a moment. A human passion is stronger
than a whole regiment of ghosts. But such advice addressed to Johanna,
the missionary of heaven, who fought from duty, not ambition, could have
no other effect than to infuse into her mind ideas of vain-glory and
love of fame, a selfish regard to personal consequences, and a distrust
of the protection of her divine mistress. The ghost of Talbot,
therefore, was evidently in league with her enemies, the devils, in the
insidious counsel it gave. But the counsel was rejected with disdain,
and Johanna went on still victorious over all.

But the maiden next encounters a more pernicious apparition than the
black knight. She contends with the gallant Lionel. Here, as elsewhere,
she is