chastelard(蔡斯特拉德)-第12章
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I had been forgotten of men's love More than dead women's faces are
forgot Of after lovers。 All men are not of earth： For all the frost of fools
and this cold land There be some yet catch fever of my face And burning
for mine eyes' sake。 I did think My time was gone when men would dance
to death As to a music； and lie laughing down In the grave and take their
funerals for their feasts； To get one kiss of me。 I have some strength yet；
Though I lack power on men that lack men's blood。 Yea； and God wot I
will be merciful； For all the foolish hardness round my heart That tender
women miss of to their praise； They shall not say but I had grace to give
Even for love's sake。 Why； let them take their way： What ails it them
though I be soft or hard？ Soft hearts would weep and weep and let men die
For very mercy and sweet…heartedness； I that weep little for my pity's sake；
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
I have the grace to save men。 Let fame go… I care not much what shall
become of fame； So I save love and do mine own soul right； I'll have my
mercy help me to revenge On all the crew of them。 How will he look；
Having my pardon！ I shall have sweet thanks And love of good men for
my mercy's love… Yea； and be quit of these I hate to death； With one good
deed。
＇Enter the MARIES。＇
MARY BEATON。 Madam； the lords are here。
QUEEN。 Stand you about me； I will speak to them。 I would the whole
world stood up in my face And heard what I shall say。 Bid them come in。
＇Enter MURRAY； RANDOLPH； MORTON； LINDSAY； and other
LORDS。＇
Hear you； fair lords； I have a word to you； There is one thing I would
fain understand… If I be queen or no； for by my life Methinks I am growing
unqueenly。 No man speak？ Pray you take note； sweet lord ambassador； I
am no queen： I never was born queen； Alack； that one should fool us in
this wise！ Take up my crown； sir； I will none of it Till it hath bells on as a
fool's cap hath。 Nay； who will have it？ no man take it up？ Was there none
worthy to be shamed but I？ Here are enow good faces； good to crown；
Will you be king； fair brother？ or you； my lord？ Give me a spinner's curch；
a wisp of reed； Any mean thing； but； God's love； no more gold； And no
more shame： let boys throw dice for it； Or cast it to the grooms for tennis…
play； For I will none。
MURRAY。 What would your highness have？
QUEEN。 Yea； yea； I said I was no majesty； I shall be shortly fallen out
of grace。 What would I have？ I would have leave to live； Perchance I shall
not shortly： nay； for me That have no leave to respite other lives To keep
mine own life were small praise enow。
MURRAY。 Your majesty hath power to respite men； As we well wot；
no man saith otherwise。
QUEEN。 What； is this true？ 't is a thing wonderful… So great I cannot
be well sure of it。 Strange that a queen should find such grace as this At
such lords' hands as ye be； such great lords： I pray you let me get assured
again； Lest I take jest for truth and shame myself And make you mirth： to
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
make your mirth of me； God wot it were small pains to you； my lords； But
much less honor。 I may send reprieve… With your sweet leaves I may？
MURRAY。 Assuredly。
QUEEN。 Lo； now； what grace is this I have of you！ I had a will to
respite Chastelard； And would not do it for very fear of you： Look you； I
wist not ye were merciful。
MORTON。 Madam…
QUEEN。 My lord； you have a word to me？ Doth it displease you such
a man should live？
MORTON。 'T were a mad mercy in your majesty To lay no hand upon
his second fault And let him thrice offend you。
QUEEN。 Ay； my lord？
MORTON。 It were well done to muffle lewd men's mouths By casting
of his head into their laps： It were much best。
QUEEN。 Yea； truly were it so？ But if I will not； yet I will not； sir； For
all the mouths in Scotland。 Now； by heaven； As I am pleased he shall not
die but live； So shall ye be。 There is no man shall die； Except it please me；
and no man shall say； Except it please me； if I do ill or well。 Which of you
now will set his will to mine？ Not you； nor you I think； nor none of you；
Nor no man living that loves living well。 Let one stand forth and smite me
with his hand； Wring my crown off and cast it underfoot； And he shall get
my respite back of me； And no man else： he shall bid live or die； And no
man else； and he shall be my lord； And no man else。 What； will not one be
king？ Will not one here lay hold upon my state？ I am queen of you for all
things come and gone。 Nay； my chief lady； and no meaner one； The
chiefest of my maidens； shall bear this And give it to my prisoner for a
grace； Who shall deny me？ who shall do me wrong？ Bear greeting to the
lord of Chastelard； And this withal for respite of his life； For by my head
he shall die no such way： Nay； sweet； no words； but hence and back again。
＇Exit MARY BEATON。＇
Farewell； dear lords； ye have shown grace to me； And some time I will
thank you as I may； Till when think well of me and what is done。
END OF THE FOURTH ACT。
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
ACT V。
CHASTELARD。
SCENE I。…Before Holyrood。
A crowd of people； among them Soldiers； Burgesses； a Preacher； &c。
1ST CITIZEN。 They are not out yet。 Have you seen the man？ What
manner of man？
2D CITIZEN。 Shall he be hanged or no？ There was a fellow hanged
some three days gone Wept the whole way： think you this man shall die In
better sort； now？
1ST CITIZEN。 Eh； these shawm…players That walk before strange
women and make songs！ How should they die well？
3D CITIZEN。 Is it sooth men say Our dame was wont to kiss him on
the face In lewd folk's sight？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； saith one； all day long He used to sit and jangle
words in rhyme To suit with shakes of faint adulterous sound Some French
lust in men's ears； she made songs too； Soft things to feed sin's amorous
mouth upon… Delicate sounds for dancing at in hell。
4TH CITIZEN。 Is it priest Black that he shall have by him When they
do come？
3D CITIZEN。 Ah！ by God's leave； not so； If the knave show us his
peeled onion's head And that damned flagging jowl of his…
2D CITIZEN。 Nay； sirs； Take heed of words； moreover； please it you；
This man hath no pope's part in him。
3D CITIZEN。 I say That if priest whore's friend with the lewd thief's
cheek Show his foul blinking face to shame all ours； It goes back fouler；
well； one day hell's fire Will burn him black indeed。
A WOMAN。 What kind of man？ 'T is yet great pity of him if he be
Goodly enow for this queen's paramour。 A French lord overseas？ what
doth he here； With Scotch folk here？
1ST CITIZEN。 Fair mistress； I think well He doth so at some times
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
that I were fain To do as well。
THE WOMAN。 Nay； then he will not die。
1ST CITIZEN。 Why； see you； if one eat a piece of bread Baked as it
were a certain prophet's way； Not upon coals； now…you shall apprehend… If
defiled bread be given a man to eat； Being thrust into his mouth； why he
shall eat； And with good hap shall eat； but if now； say； One steal this；
bread and beastliness and all； When scarcely for pure hunger flesh and
bone Cleave one to other…why； if he steal to eat； Be it even the filthiest
feeding…though the man Be famine…flayed of flesh and skin； I say He shall
be hanged。
3D CITIZEN。 Nay； stolen said you； sir？ See； God bade eat abominable
bread； And freely was it eaten…for a sign This； for a sign…and doubtless as
did God； So may the devil； bid one eat freely and live； Not for a sign。
2D CITIZEN。 Will you think thus of her？ But wherefore should they
get this fellow slain If he be clear toward her？
3D CITIZEN。 Sir； one must see The day comes when a woman sheds
her sin As a bird moults； and she being shifted so； The old mate of her old
feather pecks at her To get the right bird back； then she being stronger
Picks out his eyes…eh？
2D CITIZEN。 Like enough to be； But if it be…Is not one preaching
there With certain folk about him？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； the same Who preached a month since from
Ezekiel Concerning these twain…this our queen that is And her that was；
and is not now so much As queen over hell's worm。
3D CITIZEN。 Ay； said he not； This was Aholah； the first one of these；
Called sisters only for a type…being twain； Twain Maries； no whit Nazarine？
the first Bred out of Egypt like the water…worm With sides in wet green
places baked with slime And festered flesh that steams against the sun； A
plague among all people； and a type Set as a flake upon a leper's fell。
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； said he； and unto her the men went in； The men of
Pharaoh's； beautiful with red And with red gold； fair foreign…footed men；
The bountiful fair men； the courteous men； The delicate men with delicate
feet； that went Curling their small beards Agag…fashion； yea Pruning their
mouths to nibble words behind With pecking at God's skirts…small broken
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
oaths Fretted to shreds between most dainty lips； And underbreath some
praise of Ashtaroth Sighed laughingly。
2D CITIZEN。 Was he not under guard For the good word？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； but now forth again。… And of the latter said he…
there being two； The first Aholah； which interpreted…
3D CITIZEN。 But； of this latter？
1ST CITIZEN。 Well； of her he said How she made letters for Chaldean
folk And men that came forth of the wilderness And all her sister's chosen
men； yea； she Kept not her lip f
