swan song-第3章

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said：　〃Give　up　the　stage！〃　Give　up　the　stage！　Do　you　understand？
She　could　love　an　actor；　but　marry　himnever！　I　was　acting　that
day；　I　rememberI　had　a　foolish；　clown's　part；　and　as　I　acted；　I
felt　my　eyes　being　opened；　I　saw　that　the　worship　of　the　art　I
had　held　so　sacred　was　a　delusion　and　an　empty　dream；　that　I　was
a　slave；　a　fool；　the　plaything　of　the　idleness　of　strangers。　I
understood　my　audience　at　last；　and　since　that　day　I　have　not
believed　in　their　applause；　or　in　their　wreathes；　or　in　their
enthusiasm。　Yes；　Nikitushka！　The　people　applaud　me；　they　buy　my
photograph；　but　I　am　a　stranger　to　them。　They　don't　know　me；　I　am
as　the　dirt　beneath　their　feet。　They　are　willing　enough　to　meet
me　。　。　。　but　allow　a　daughter　or　a　sister　to　marry　me；　an
outcast；　never！　I　have　no　faith　in　them；　＇sinks　onto　the　stool＇
no　faith　in　them。

IVANITCH。　Oh；　sir！　you　look　dreadfully　pale；　you　frighten　me　to
death！　Come；　go　home；　have　mercy　on　me！

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　I　saw　through　it　all　that　day；　and　the　knowledge
was　dearly　bought。　Nikitushka！　After　that　。　。　。　when　that　girl　。
。　。　well；　I　began　to　wander　aimlessly　about；　living　from　day　to
day　without　looking　ahead。　I　took　the　parts　of　buffoons　and　low
comedians；　letting　my　mind　go　to　wreck。　Ah！　but　I　was　a　great
artist　once；　till　little　by　little　I　threw　away　my　talents；
played　the　motley　fool；　lost　my　looks；　lost　the　power　of
expressing　myself；　and　became　in　the　end　a　Merry　Andrew　instead
of　a　man。　I　have　been　swallowed　up　in　that　great　black　pit。　I
never　felt　it　before；　but　to…night；　when　I　woke　up；　I　looked
back；　and　there　behind　me　lay　sixty…eight　years。　I　have　just
found　out　what　it　is　to　be　old！　It　is　all　over　。　。　。　＇sobs＇　。　。　。
all　over。

IVANITCH。　There；　there；　dear　master！　Be　quiet　。　。　。　gracious！
＇Calls＇　Petrushka！　Yegorka！

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　But　what　a　genius　I　was！　You　cannot　imagine　what
power　I　had；　what　eloquence；　how　graceful　I　was；　how　tender；　how
many　strings　＇beats　his　breast＇　quivered　in　this　breast！　It
chokes　me　to　think　of　it！　Listen　now；　wait；　let　me　catch　my
breath；　there；　now　listen　to　this：

　　〃The　shade　of　bloody　Ivan　now　returning
　　　Fans　through　my　lips　rebellion　to　a　flame；
　　　I　am　the　dead　Dimitri！　In　the　burning
　　　Boris　shall　perish　on　the　throne　I　claim。
　　　Enough！　The　heir　of　Czars　shall　not　be　seen
　　　Kneeling　to　yonder　haughty　Polish　Queen！〃*

*From　〃Boris　Godunoff；〃　by　Pushkin。　＇translator's　note＇

Is　that　bad；　eh？　＇Quickly＇　Wait；　now；　here's　something　from　King
Lear。　The　sky　is　black；　see？　Rain　is　pouring　down；　thunder　roars；
lightningzzz　zzz　zzzsplits　the　whole　sky；　and　then；　listen：

　　〃Blow　winds；　and　crack　your　cheeks！　rage！　blow！
　　　You　cataracts　and　hurricanoes　spout
　　　Till　you　have　drench'd　our　steeples；　drown'd　the　cocks！
　　　You　sulphurous　thought…executing　fires
　　　Vaunt…couriers　of　oak…cleaving　thunderbolts
　　　Singe　my　white　head！　And　thou；　all　shaking　thunder；
　　　Strike　flat　the　thick　rotundity　o'　the　world！
　　　Crack　nature's　moulds；　all　germons　spill　at　once
　　　That　make　ungrateful　man！〃

＇Impatiently＇　Now；　the　part　of　the　fool。　＇Stamps　his　foot＇　Come
take　the　fool's　part！　Be　quick；　I　can't　wait！

IVANITCH。　＇Takes　the　part　of　the　fool＇

〃O；　Nuncle；　court　holy…water　in　a　dry　house　is　better　than　this
rain…water　out　o'　door。　Good　Nuncle；　in；　ask　thy　daughter's
blessing：　here's　a　night　pities　neither　wise　men　nor　fools。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。

　　〃Rumble　thy　bellyful！　spit；　fire！　spout；　rain！
　　　Nor　rain；　wind；　thunder；　fire；　are　my　daughters；
　　　I　tax　not　you；　you　elements；　with　unkindness；
　　　I　never　gave　you　kingdom；　call'd　you　children。〃

Ah！　there　is　strength；　there　is　talent　for　you！　I'm　a　great
artist！　Now；　then；　here's　something　else　of　the　same　kind；　to
bring　back　my　youth　to　me。　For　instance；　take　this；　from　Hamlet；
I'll　begin　。　。　。　Let　me　see；　how　does　it　go？　Oh；　yes；　this　is　it。
＇Takes　the　part　of　Hamlet＇

〃O！　the　recorders；　let　me　see　one。　To　withdraw　with　you。　Why　do
you　go　about　to　recover　the　wind　of　me；　as　if　you　would　drive　me
into　a　toil？〃

IVANITCH。　〃O；　my　lord；　if　my　duty　be　too　bold；　my　love　is　too
unmannerly。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　do　not　well　understand　that。　Will　you　play　upon
this　pipe？〃

IVANITCH。　〃My　lord；　I　cannot。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　pray　you。〃

IVANITCH。　〃Believe　me；　I　cannot。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　do　beseech　you。〃

IVANITCH。　〃I　know　no　touch　of　it；　my　lord。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃　'Tis　as　easy　as　lying：　govern　these　vantages
with　your　finger　and　thumb；　give　it　breath　with　your　mouth；　and
it　will　discourse　most　eloquent　music。　Look　you；　these　are　the
stops。〃

IVANITCH。　〃But　these　I　cannot　command　to　any　utterance　of
harmony：　I　have　not　the　skill。〃

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃Why；　look　you；　how　unworthy　a　thing　you　make　of
me。　You　would　play　upon　me；　you　would　seem　to　know　my　stops；　you
would　pluck　out　the　heart　of　my　mystery；　you　would　sound　me　from
my　lowest　note　to　the　top　of　my　compass；　and　there　is　much　music；
exce　llent　voice；　in　this　little　organ；　yet　cannot　you　make　it
speak。　S'blood！　Do　you　think　I　am　easier　to　be　played　on　than　a
pipe？　Call　me　what　instrument　you　will；　though　you　can　fret　me；
you　cannot　play　upon　me！〃　＇laughs　and　clasps＇　Bravo！　Encore！
Bravo！　Where　the　devil　is　there　any　old　age　in　that？　I'm　not　old；
that　is　all　nonsense；　a　torrent　of　strength　rushes　over　me；　this
is　life；　freshness；　youth！　Old　age　and　genius　can't　exist
together。　You　seem　to　be　struck　dumb；　Nikitushka。　Wait　a　second；
let　me　come　to　my　senses　again。　Oh！　Good　Lord！　Now　then；　listen！
Did　you　ever　hear　such　tenderness；　such　music？　Sh！　Softly；

　　〃The　moon　had　set。　There　was　not　any　light；
　　　Save　of　the　lonely　legion'd　watch…stars　pale
　　　In　outer　air；　and　what　by　fits　made　bright
　　　Hot　oleanders　in　a　rosy　vale
　　　Searched　by　the　lamping　fly；　whose　little　spark
　　　Went　in　and　out；　like　passion's　bashful　hope。〃

＇The　noise　of　opening　doors　is　heard＇　What's　that？

IVANITCH。　There　are　Petrushka　and　Yegorka　coming　back。　Yes；　you
have　genius；　genius；　my　master。

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　＇Calls；　turning　toward　the　noise＇　Come　here　to　me；
boys！　＇To　IVANITCH＇　Let　us　go　and　get　dressed。　I'm　not　old！　All
that　is　foolishness；　nonsense！　＇laughs　gaily＇　What　are　you　crying
for？　You　poor　old　granny；　you；　what's　the　matter　now？　This　won't
do！　There；　there；　this　won't　do　at　all！　Come；　come；　old　man；
don't　stare　so！　What　makes　you　stare　like　that？　There；　there！
＇Embraces　him　in　tears＇　Don't　cry！　Where　there　is　art　and　genius
there　can　never　be　such　things　as　old　age　or　loneliness　or
sickness　。　。　。　and　death　itself　is　half　。　。　。　＇Weeps＇　No；　no；
Nikitushka！　It　is　all　over　for　us　now！　What　sort　of　a　genius　am
I？　I'm　like　a　squeezed　lemon；　a　cracked　bottle；　and　youyou　are
the　old　rat　of　the　theatre　。　。　。　a　prompter！　Come　on！　＇They　go＇
I'm　no　genius；　I'm　only　fit　to　be　in　the　suite　of　Fortinbras；　and
even　for　that　I　am　too　old。。。。　Yes。。。。　Do　you　remember　those
lines　from　Othello；　Nikitushka？

　　〃Farewell　the　tranquil　mind！　Farewell　content！
　　　Farewell　the　plumed　troops　and　the　big　wars
　　　That　make　ambition　virtue！　O　farewell！
　　　Farewell　the　neighing　steed　and　the　shrill　trump；
　　　The　spirit…stirring　drum；　the　ear…piercing　fife；
　　　The　royal　banner；　and　all　quality；
　　　Pride；　pomp　and　circumstance　of　glorious　war！〃

IVANITCH。　Oh！　You're　a　genius；　a　genius！

SVIETLOVIDOFF。　And　again　this：

　　〃Away！　the　moor　is　dark　beneath　the　moon；
　　　Rapid　clouds　have　drunk　the　last　pale　beam　of　even：
　　　Away！　the　gathering　winds　will　call　the　darkness　soon；
　　　And　profoundest　midnight　shroud　the　serene　lights　of　heaven。〃

They　go　out　together；　the　curtain　falls　slowly。





End