polyuecte-第7章
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POLY。
Unworthy thee the thought； Pauline； for I
Severus called； and he hath heard my cry。
My importunity he will excuse；
My prayer I know that he will not refuse。
Severusthisthe treasure that was mine
To thy most tender care I now resign：
To thee； as noblest man that I have known；
Since earthly ties and joys I must disown。
The gift is worthy thee；I know thy worth
Is great； but she no equal hath on earth。
My life； the bar；my death the link shall be；
Oh； grudge me not my dear brief ecstasy！
Oh； ease the heart that once was hers；and guide
Her doubting footsteps to the Crucified！
This my last benison！ All else is poor！
Await the promised light！ Believe！ Endure！
But words are vain！
（Polyeucte signs to Guards to conduct him back to prison。 Exeunt
Polyeucte and Guards。）
SEV。
Most vain！ No word have I
Such blindness must amaze！ must stupefy！
Nay； this is frenzy！ I cannot conceive
A mind so strange！ Mine ears cannot believe
That one who loved theeyet； who would not love
A face that must the great immortals move？
Blessed by thy heart！Thy sweetest lips to taste！
Then leave； refuse； spurnyield with clamorous haste；
To yield a girl so dearso pureso fair！
And of that gift to make thy rival heir
This beggars madness！ Or the Christian bliss
Beyond man's soul to grasp！ To spurn thy kiss！
We treasure barter for a just exchange；
But to buy pain for thee！ Pauline； 'tis strange！
Not thus； ye Gods！ Severus had been blind
To perfect blisshad Fortune been more kind
The only heaven for me is in thine eyes；
These are my kings； these my divinities！
To mefor theewere death with torture dear；
But to renounce thee！
PAUL。
Nay； I must not hear！
Thy words bring back the dear； the bygone days；
When I； a maid； might listen to thy praise：
Severus； thou must know my inmost heart；
I hear the knell bids Polyeucte depart。
He dies；the victim of thine Emperor's laws；
And thou； though innocent； art yet the cause。
Oh； if thy soul； to thy desires a slave；
See hope emerging from my husband's grave
Then will I wed with paindespair embrace；
But wed Severus？ Never！ 'Twere disgrace！
To light fresh torch from that pale； flickering fire
Oh； bliss too monstrous！ Thrice abhorred desire！
Back； hope！ Back； happiness！ The mate for me
When Polyeucte leaves my sideis Constancy！
Were this my will； were this； ye Gods； my fate
To shame would memory turn； as love must yield to hate！
But generous art thoumost generous be！
His pardon will my father grant to thee。
He fears thee： more； if Polyeucte's life he take；
For thee he slays himyes； 'tis for thy sake。
Christ died for manlet pagan virtue dim
His fame： plead for thy foe！ so rival him！
No easy boon I ask； there needs a soul most rare；
But when the fight is fiercethen is the victory fair。
To help a man to be what thou wouldst be
Is triumph that belongs alone to thee！
Let this suffice thee： she； whom thou hast loved；
She； who by thy great love was not unmoved；
Of thee； and of no other dares to crave
That thou； Severus； shouldst my husband save！
Farewell！ of this thy labour gauge the scope：
If thou art less than I yet dare to hope；
Then tell me not！ all else Pauline can bear！
（Exit Pauline。）
SEV。
Where am I； Fabian？ Has the crack of doom
Turned heaven to hell？ made life a living tomb？
Nearer and dearer everbut to go！
The prize within my grasp must I o'erthrow？
ThisFortune's brimming cup； with poison filled；
She bids me drain；so new…born hope is killed。
Before I proffer aught； I am refused；
Thus sad； amazed； ashamed； in doubt； abused；
I see the ghost I laid； to life revive；
The more seductive still the more I strive。
Ah！ must a woman； sunk in deep despair；
Teach me that shame is base； and honour fair？
And while I madly shriek； 'O love； be kind！'
Pauline； death…stricken； keeps an equal mind！
O generous； but stern！ Must these dear eyes；
Because I love them； o'er love tyrannise？
'Tis not enough to lose thee； I must give
My aidto make my faithless rival live！
'Tis not enough： his death I would not plan；
But I must save him！ bless where I would ban！
FABIAN。
Ah； let the whole crew light one funeral pyre；
Yes； let the daughter perish with her sire！
This curs'd Armenian is one hornet's nest
Crush all； then sail for Rome； ah！ this were best！
She loves thee not。 What canst thou hope to gain？
SEV。
A glory that shall triumph over pain；
'Tis hers； and； by the Gods； it shall be mine！
Nor God nor fiend can sully such a shrine！
FABIAN。
Speak low； for Jove has bolts； and Hell has ears！
The dangers of this course arouse my fears。
What？ Decius implore a Nazarene to save！
'Tis death that hath thy heart； thou woo'st a grave。
His rage against the sect thou knowest well；
His power unbridledhis revenge is fell。
To plead for Christians is a task too great；
For man or God： thou rushest on thy fate。
SEV。
Yes； such advice； I know； is much approved；
Yet not thus can Severus' soul be moved。
To Fate unequalequal to myself
In duty's path I go。 For power and pelf
I never swerve where honour leads the way；
Come weal； come woe； her call I must obey。
Let fate depress an all unequal scale；
Let Clothe hold her distaffI'll not fail！
Yet one more wordthis to thy private ear
The fables that thou dost of Christians hear
Are fables only； coined； I know not why；
Distorted are they seen in Decius' eye。
They practice the black art；so all men say。
I sought to learn the laws that they obey；
And to discover what the secret guilt
The which to expiate their blood is spilt。
Yet priests of Cybele dark rites pursue
At Romeuntrammelledthis is nothing new：
To thousand gods men build； unchecked； their fanes；
The Christians' God alone our state disdains。
Each foul Egyptian beast his temple rears；
Caligula a god to Roman ears
Tiberius is enshrineda Nero deified
To Christto Christ alonea temple is denied！
Such metamorphoses confuse the mind
As gods in cats； and saints in fiends we find；
As Ruler absolute Jehovah stands；
Alone o'er heaven and earth and hell commands；
While pagan gods each 'gainst the other strive；
And ne'er one queen is found o'er all the hive；
Now（strike me dead； Jove's tarrying thunderbolt！）
So many masters must provoke revolt。
And ah！ where Christians livethere life is pure；
Vice dies untended； virtues all endure。
We give these men to rack； and cord； and flame；
While they forgive usin their Pardoner's name。
They no sedition raise； they ne'er rebel；
Rome makes them soldiers； and they serve her well。
They rage in battle； faithful ward they keep；
They fight like lions； but they die like sheep。
They serve the State： Rome's servant must defend
Those who to might of Rome such succour lend。
Pauline； I will obey； whate'er befall；
The man who loseth honour loseth all。
ACT V
FELIX。 ALBIN。 CLEON
FELIX。
Caught in Severus' net thy Felix see！
He hates and holds meoh； the misery！
ALBIN。
I see a generous man； who cries； 'Forgive；
Let Pauline smile once morelet Polyeucte live！'
FELIX。
His soul thou canst not readtho' noble heart he feigns。
The father he abhors；the daughter he disdains！
What Polyeucte won he sought： his suit denied；
Severus sues no more；I know his pride。
His words； his prayers； his threats for Polyeucte plead；
His /tongue/ says； 'Listen； or be lost indeed！'
Unskilled the fowler who his snare reveals：
If at the bait I snatchmy doom is sealed：
Too plain； too coarse； this web for any fly
Shall I this spider hail in my fatuity？
His wrath is wrath arranged； his generous fire is nursed；
That I； at Decius' hand； may meet the doom accurst；
If I should pardon grantthat grace my crime would be；
For he the spoil would reap of my credulity。
No simpleton am I； each promise to believe；
Wordsoathsare but the tools wherewith all men deceive；
Too oft escaped am I to be so lightly caught；
I know that words are wind。 I know that wind is naught。
The trapper shall be trapped；the biter shall be bit；
Unravelled is the web that he； poor fool； hath knit！
ALBIN。
Jove！ What a plague to thee is this mistrust！
FELIX。
Nay； those at court must fence； their weapons never rust；
If once thou yield the clue to thread the maze；
The sequence is most plainthe man betrayed betrays；
Severus； and his gifts； alike I fear！
If Polyeucte still to reason close his ear；
Severus' love is hatehis peace is strife
First law of nature this； 'Preserve thy life！'
ALBIN。
Ah； let Pauline at least thy grace obtain！
FELIX。
If Decius grace withhold； my pardon vain！
Andfar from saving this rebellious son
Behold us all alike entrapped； undone！
ALBIN。
Severus' promise
FELIX。
He can never keep！
For Decius' rage and hatred never sleep：
If for that sect abhorred Severus plead；
He trebles lossso are we lost indeed！
One only way is ours；that way I try：
（To Guards）
Bring Polyeucte and if he still defy；
Self…doomed； insensate； this my proffered grace；
He shall the death he wooes forthwith embrace！
ALBIN。
Ah； this is stern！
FELIX。
'Tis stern； 'tis justas fate；
When justice drags a halting foot； too late；
She is not justicefor the vengeful mob
（Whose hearts for Polyeucte ne'er cease to throb）；
Usurps her place； and； spurning curb and rein；
The felon crowns； and all our work is vain。
My sceptre trembles； and all insecure
Totters my crown；a prey for every boor。
Then； swift； Severus hears the welcome news；
The jaundiced mind of Decius to abuse。
Shall I； the rabble's lord； obey the rabble's will？
ALBIN。
Who ill in all around foresees；but doubles ill。
Each prop thou hast is but a sword to pierce；
If Polyeucte hold their heart； the people fierce
Will gather fiercer courage from despair。
FELIX。
Death settles all； they'll find no helper there；
And ifwithout a headthe body should rebel；
Convulsive throes I mock； and nerveless fury quell。
Whate'er ensues the Emperor must approve；
I shall have done my part； and win his love。
Here comes the man
（Enter Polyeucte and Soldiers）
I still must try to save；
If he repent'tis well！ If notthe grave！
（To Polyeucte）
Is life still hateful？ Doth death still allure？
Is earth still naught？ Do heavenly joys endure？
Doth Christ still counsel thee to hate thy wife；
To sheathe thy sword；to cast away thy life？
POLY。
I never hated life； or wooed a grave；
To life I am a servantnot a slave。
Here service free I give upon this earth below；
For higher service changed when to His Home I go。
Eternal life is this： to tread the path He trod；
To Him your body yield！ Then trust your soul to God！
FELIX。
Yes； trust to an abyss of depth unknown！
POLY。
No； trust to Holy Cross！ That Cross my own！
FELIX。
The steep ascent； my son； I too would climb；
Yes； I wou
