chastelard-第14节
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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 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 from any sin of hers
But multiplied in whoredoms toward all these
That hate God mightily； for these； he saith；
These are the fair French people； and these her kin
Sought out of England with her love…letters
To bring them to her kiss of love； and thus
With a prayer made that God would break such love
Ended some while； then crying out for strong wrath
Spake with a great voice after： This is she；
Yea the lewd woman； yea the same woman
That gat bruised breasts in Egypt； when strange men
Swart from great suns； foot…burnt with angry soils
And strewn with sand of gaunt Chaldean miles；
Poured all their love upon her： she shall drink
The Lord's cup of derision that is filled
With drunkenness and sorrow； great of sides
And deep to drink in till the dreg drips out：
Yea； and herself with the twain shards thereof
Pluck off her breasts； so said he。
4TH CITIZEN。
See that stir…
Are not they come？
3D CITIZEN。
There wants an hour of them。
Draw near and let us hearken； he will speak
Surely some word of this。
2D CITIZEN。
What saith he now？
THE PREACHER。
The mercy of a harlot is a sword；
And her mouth sharper than a flame of fire。
SCENE II。…In Prison。
CHASTELARD。
So here my time shuts up； and the last light
Has made the last shade in the world for me。
The sunbeam that was narrow like a leaf
Has turned a hand； and the hand stretched to an arm；
And the arm has reached the dust on the floor； and made
A maze of motes with paddling fingers。 Well；
I knew now that a man so sure to die
Could care so little； a bride…night's lustiness
Leaps in my veins as light fire under a wind：
As if I felt a kindling beyond death
Of some new joys far outside of me yet；
Sweet sound； sweet smell and touch of things far out
Sure to come soon。 I wonder will death be
Even all it seems now？ or the talk of hell
And wretched changes of the worn…out soul
Nailed to decaying flesh； shall that be true？
Or is this like the forethought of deep sleep
Felt by a tired man？ Sleep were good enough…
Shall sleep be all？ But I shall not forget
For any sleep this love bound upon me…
For any sleep or quiet ways of death。
Ah； in my weary dusty space of sight
Her face will float with heavy scents of hair
And fire of subtle amorous eyes； and lips
More hot than wine； full of sweet wicked words
Babbled against mine own lips； and long hands
Spread out； and pale bright throat and pale bright breasts；
Fit to make all men mad。 I do believe
This fire shall never quite burn out to the ash
And leave no heat and flame upon my dust
For witness where a man's heart was burnt up。
For all Christ's work this Venus is not quelled；
But reddens at the mouth with blood of men；
Sucking between small teeth the sap o' the veins；
Dabbling with death her little tender lips…
A bitter beauty； poisonous…pearled mouth。
I am not fit to live but for love's sake；
So I were best die shortly。 Ah； fair love；
Fair fearful Venus made of deadly foam；
I shall escape you somehow with my death…
Your splendid supple body and mouth on fire
And Paphian breath that bites the lips with heat。
I had best die。
＇Enter MARY BEATON。＇
What； is my death's time come；
And you the friend to make death kind to me？
'T is sweetly done； for I was sick for this。
MARY BEATON。
Nay； but see here； nay； for you shall not die：
She has reprieved you； look； her name to that；
A present respite； I was sure of her：
You are quite safe： here； take it in your hands：
I am faint with the end of pain。 Read there。
CHASTELARD。
Reprieve？
Wherefore reprieve？ Who has done this to me？
MARY BEATON。
I never feared but God would have you live；
Or I knew well God must have punished me；
But I feared nothing； had no sort of fear。
What makes you stare upon the seal so hard？
Will you not read now？
CHASTELARD。
A reprieve of life…
Reprieving me from living。 Nay； by God；
I count one death a bitter thing enough。
MARY BEATON。
See what she writes； you love； for love of you；
Out of her love； a word to save your life：
But I knew this too though you love me not：
She is your love； I knew that： yea； by heaven。
CHASTELARD。
You knew I had to live and be reprieved：
Say I were bent to die now？
MARY BEATON。
Do not die；
For her sweet love's sake； not for pity of me；
You would not bear with life for me one hour；
But for hers only。
CHASTELARD。
Nay； I love you well；
I would not hurt you for more lives than one。
But for this fair…faced paper of reprieve；
We'll have no riddling to make death shift sides：
Look； here ends one of us。
＇Tearing it。＇
For her I love；
She will not anger heaven with slaying me；
For me； I am well quit of loving her；
For you； I pray you be well comforted；
Seeing in my life no man gat good by me
And by my death no hurt is any man's。
MARY BEATON。
And I that loved you？ nay； I loved you； nay；
Why should your like be pitied when they love？
Her hard heart is not yet so hard as yours；
Nor God's hard heart。 I care not if you die。
These bitter madmen are not fit to live。
I will not have you touch me； speak to me；
Nor take farewell of you。 See you die well；
Or death will play with shame for you； and win；
And laugh you out of life。 I am right glad
I never am to see you any more；
For I should come to hate you easily；
I would not have you live。
＇Exit。＇
CHASTELARD。
She has cause enow。
I would this wretched waiting had an end；
For I wax feebler than I was： God knows
I had a mind once to have saved this flesh
And made life one with shame。 It marvels me
This girl that loves me should desire so much
To have me sleep with shame for bedfellow
A whole life's space； she would be glad to die
To escape such life。 It may be too her love
Is but an amorous quarrel with herself；
Not love of me but her own wilful soul；
Then she will live and be more glad of this
Than girls of their own will and their heart's love
Before love mars them： so God go with her！
For mine own love…I wonder will she come
Sad at her mouth a little； with drawn cheeks
And eyelids wrinkled up？ or hot and quick
To lean her head on mine and leave her lips
Deep in my neck？ For surely she must come；
And I should fare the better to be sure
What she will do。 But as it please my sweet；
For some sweet thing she must do if she come；
Seeing how I have to die。 Now three years since
This had not seemed so good an end for me；
But in some wise all things wear round betimes
And wind up well。 Yet doubtless she might take
A will to come my way and hold my hands
And kiss me some three kisses； throat； mouth； eyes；
And say some soft three words to soften death：
I do not see how this should break her ease。
Nay； she will come to get her warrant back：
By this no doubt she is sorely penitent；
Her fit of angry mercy well blown out
And her wits cool again。 She must have chafed
A great while through for anger to become
So like pure pity； they must have fretted her
Night mad for anger： or it may be mistrust；
She is so false； yea； to my death I think
She will not trust me； alas the hard sweet heart！
As if my lips could hurt her any way
But by too keenly kissing of her own。
Ah false poor sweet fair lips that keep no faith；
They shall not catch mine false or dangerous；
They must needs kiss me one good time； albeit
They love me not at all。 Lo； here she comes；
For the blood leaps and catches at my face；
There go her feet and tread upon my heart；
Now shall I see what way I am to die。
＇Enter the QUEEN。＇
QUEEN
