the complete plays-第96章
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The hands that shrink； the cheeks that pale
The hands that shrink； the cheeks that pale
In hours of need！
MERYLL The air I breathe to him I owe：
My life is his I count it naught！
PHOEBE
and LEONARD That life is his so count it naught！
MERYLL And shall I reckon risks I run
When services are to be done
To save the life of such an one？
Unworthy thought！ Unworthy thought！
PHOEBE
and LEONARD And shall we reckon risks we run
To save the life of such an one？
ALL Unworthy thought！ Unworthy thought！
We may succeed who can foretell？
May heav'n help our hope
May heav'n help our hope；
farewell！
May heav'n help our hope；
Help our hope；
farewell！
＇LEONARD embraces MERYLL and PHOEBE； and then exits。 PHOEBE
weeping。
MERYLL ＇goes up to PHOEBE＇ Nay； lass； be of good cheer； we
may save him yet。
PHOEBE Oh！ see； after they bring the poor gentleman from the
Beauchamp！ ＇pronounced Bee'cham＇ Oh； father！ his hour
is not yet come？
MERYLL No； no they lead him to the Cold Harbour Tower to
await his end in solitude。 But softly the Lieutenant
approaches！ He should not see thee weep。
＇Enter FAIRFAX； guarded by YEOMEN。 The LIEUTENANT enters；
meeting him。
LIEUT。 Halt！ Colonel Fairfax； my old friend； we meet but
sadly。
FAIRFAX Sir； I greet you with all good…will； and I thank you
for the zealous acre with which you have guarded me
from the pestilent dangers which threaten human life
outside。 In this happy little community； Death； when
he comes； doth so in punctual and business…like
fashion； and； like a courtly gentleman； giveth due
notice of his advent； that one may not be taken
unawares。
LIEUT。 Sir； you bear this bravely； as a brave man should。
FAIRFAX Why； sir； it is no light boon to die swiftly and
surely at a given hour and in a given fashion！ Truth
to tell； I would gladly have my life； but if that may
not be； I have the next best thing to it； which is
death。 Believe me； sir； my lot is not so much amiss！
PHOEBE ＇aside to MERYLL＇ Oh； father； father； I cannot bear
it！
MERYLL My poor lass！
FAIRFAX Nay； pretty one； why weepest thou？ Come； be comforted。
Such a life as mine is not worth weeping for。 ＇sees
MERYLL＇ Sergeant Meryll； is it not？ ＇to LIEUTENANT＇
May I greet my old friend？ ＇Shakes MERYLL's hand；
MERYLL begins to weep＇ Why； man； what's all this？ Thou
and I have faced the grim old king a dozen times； and
never has his majesty come to me in such goodly
fashion。 Keep a stout heart； good fellow we are
soldiers； and we know how to die； thou and I。 Take my
word for it； it is easier to die well than to live
well for； in sooth； I have tried both。
No。 5。 Is life a boon？
（BALLAD）
Fairfax
FAIRFAX Is life a boon？
If so； it must befall
That Death； whene'er he call；
Must call too soon。
Though fourscore years he give；
Yet one would pray to live
Another moon！
What kind of plaint have I；
Who perish in July；
who perish in July？
I might have had to die；
Perchance； in June！
I might have had to die；
Perchance； in June！
Is life a thorn？
Then count it not a whit！
Nay； count it not a whit！
Man is well done with it；
Soon as he's born
He should all means essay
To put the plague away；
And I； war…worn；
Poor captured fugitive；
My life most gladly give
I might have had to live；
Another morn！
I might have had to live；
Another morn！
＇At the end； PHOEBE is led off； weeping； by MERYLL。
FAIRFAX And now； Sir Richard； I have a boon to beg。 I am in
this strait for no better reason than because my
kinsman； Sir Clarence Poltwhistle； one of the
Secretaries of State； has charged me with sorcery； in
order that he may succeed in my estate； which devolves
to him provided I die unmarried。
LIEUT。 As thou wilt most surely do。
FAIRFAX Nay； as I will most surely not do； by your worship's
grace！ I have a mind to thwart this good cousin of
mine。
LIEUT。 How？
FAIRFAX By marrying forthwith； to be sure！
LIEUT。 But heaven ha' mercy； whom wouldst thou marry？
FAIRFAX Nay； I am indifferent on that score。 Coming Death hath
made of me a true and chivalrous knight； who holds all
womankind in such esteem that the oldest； and the
meanest； and the worst…favoured of them is good enough
for him。 So； my good Lieutenant； if thou wouldst serve
a poor soldier who has but an hour to live； find me
the first that comes my confessor shall marry us； and
her dower shall be my dishonoured name and a hundred
crowns to boot。 No such poor dower for an hour of
matrimony！
LIEUT。 A strange request。 I doubt that I should be warranted
in granting it。
FAIRFAX There never was a marriage fraught with so little of
evil to the contracting parties。 In an hour she'll be
a widow； and I a bachelor again for aught I know！
LIEUT。 Well； I will see what can be done； for I hold thy
kinsman in abhorrence for the scurvy trick he has
played thee。
FAIRFAX A thousand thanks； good sir； we meet again in this
spot in an hour or so。 I shall be a bridegroom then；
and your worship will wish me joy。 Till then；
farewell。 ＇To GUARD＇ I am ready； good fellows。
＇Exit with GUARD into Cold Harbour Tower＇
LIEUT。 He is a brave fellow； and it is a pity that he should
die。 Now； how to find him a bride at such short
notice？ Well； the task should be easy！ ＇Exit＇
＇Enter JACK POINT and ELSIE MAYNARD； pursued by a CROWD of
men and women。 POINT and ELSIE are much terrified； POINT；
however； assuming an appearance of self…possession。
No。 6。 Here's a man of jollity
（CHORUS）
People； Elsie； and Jack Point
CHORUS Here's a man of jollity；
Jibe； joke； jollify！
Give us of your quality；
Come； fool； follify！
If you vapour vapidly；
River runneth rapidly；
Into it we fling
Bird who doesn't sing！
Give us an experiment
In the art of merriment；
Into it we throw
Cock who doesn't crow！
Banish your timidity；
And with all rapidity
Give us quip and quiddity
Willy…nilly； O！
River none can mollify；
Into it we throw
Fool who doesn't follify；
Cock who doesn't crow！
Banish your timidity；
And with all rapidity
Give us quip and quiddity
Willy…nilly； O！
POINT ＇alarmed＇ My masters； I pray you bear with us； and we
will satisfy you； for we are merry folk who would make
all merry as ourselves。 For； look you； there is humour
in all things； and the truest philosophy is that which
teaches us to find it and to make the most of it。
ELSIE ＇struggling with 1ST CITIZEN＇ Hands off； I say；
unmannerly fellow！ ＇she boxes his ears＇
POINT ＇to 1ST CITIZEN＇ Ha！ Didst thou hear her say； 〃Hands
off〃？
1ST
CITIZEN Aye； I heard her say it； and I felt her do it！ What
then？
POINT Thou dost not see the humour of that？
1ST
CITIZEN Nay； if I do； hang me！
POINT Thou dost not？ Now； observe。 She said； 〃Hands off！
〃Whose hands？ Thine。 Off whom？ Off her。 Why？ Because
she is a woman。 Now； had she not been a woman； thine
hands had not been set upon her at all。 So the reason
for the laying on of hands is the reason for the
taking off of hands； and herein is contradiction
contradicted！ It is the very marriage of pro with con；
and no such lopsided union either； as times go； for
pro is not more unlike con than man is unlike woman
yet men and women marry every day with none to say；
〃Oh； the pity of it！〃 but I and fools like me！ Now
wherewithal shall we please you？ We can rhyme you
couplet； triolet； quatrain； sonnet；rondolet； ballade；
what you will。 Or we can dance you saraband； gondolet；
carole； pimpernel； or Jumping Joan。
ELSIE Let us give them the singing farce of the Merryman and
his Maid therein is song and dance too。
ALL Aye； the Merryman and his Maid！
No。 7。 I have a song to sing； O！
（DUET）
Elsie and Point
POINT I have a song to sing； O！
ELSIE Sing me your song； O！
POINT It is sung to the moon
By a love…lorn loon；
Who fled from the mocking throng； O！
It's a song of a merryman； moping mum；
Whose soul was sad； and whose glance was glum；
Who sipped no sup； and who craved no crumb；
As he sighed for the love of a ladye。
Heighdy！ heighdy！
Misery melack…a…day…dee！
He sipped no sup； and he craved no crumb；
