the complete poetical works-第160节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Are you Ernestus； Abbot of the convent？
ABBOT。
I am。
PRINCE HENRY。
And I Prince Henry of Hoheneck；
Who crave your hospitality to…night。
ABBOT。
You are thrice welcome to our humble walls。
You do us honor； and we shall requite it；
I fear； but poorly； entertaining you
With Paschal eggs； and our poor convent wine；
The remnants of our Easter holidays。
PRINCE HENRY。
How fares it with the holy monks of Hirschau？
Are all things well with them？
ABBOT。
All things are well。
PRINCE HENRY。
A noble convent！ I have known it long
By the report of travellers。 I now see
Their commendations lag behind the truth。
You lie here in the valley of the Nagold
As in a nest： and the still river； gliding
Along its bed； is like an admonition
How all things pass。 Your lands are rich and ample；
And your revenues large。 God's benediction
Rests on your convent。
ABBOT。
By our charities
We strive to merit it。 Our Lord and Master；
When He departed； left us in his will；
As our best legacy on earth； the poor！
These we have always with us； had we not；
Our hearts would grow as hard as are these stones。
PRINCE HENRY。
If I remember right； the Counts of Calva
Founded your convent。
ABBOT。
Even as you say。
PRINCE HENRY。
And； if I err not； it is very old。
ABBOT。
Within these cloisters lie already buried
Twelve holy Abbots。 Underneath the flags
On which we stand； the Abbot William lies；
Of blessed memory。
PRINCE HENRY。
And whose tomb is that；
Which bears the brass escutcheon？
ABBOT。
A benefactor's。
Conrad； a Count of Calva； he who stood
Godfather to our bells。
PRINCE HENRY。
Your monks are learned
And holy men； I trust。
ABBOT。
There are among them
Learned and holy men。 Yet in this age
We need another Hildebrand； to shake
And purify us like a mighty wind。
The world is wicked； and sometimes I wonder
God does not lose his patience with it wholly；
And shatter it like glass！ Even here； at times；
Within these walls； where all should be at peace；
I have my trials。 Time has laid his hand
Upon my heart； gently； not smiting it；
But as a harper lays his open palm
Upon his harp to deaden its vibrations；
Ashes are on my head； and on my lips
Sackcloth； and in my breast a heaviness
And weariness of life； that makes me ready
To say to the dead Abbots under us；
〃Make room for me！〃 Ony I see the dusk
Of evening twilight coming； and have not
Completed half my task； and so at times
The thought of my shortcomings in this life
Falls like a shadow on the life to come。
PRINCE HENRY。
We must all die； and not the old alone；
The young have no exemption from that doom。
ABBOT。
Ah； yes！ the young may die； but the old must！
That is the difference。
PRINCE HENRY。
I have heard much laud
Of your transcribers； Your Scriptorium
Is famous among all； your manuscripts
Praised for their beauty and their excellence。
ABBOT。
That is indeed our boast。 If you desire it
You shall behold these treasures。 And meanwhile
Shall the Refectorarius bestow
Your horses and attendants for the night。
They go in。 The Vesper…bell rings。
THE CHAPEL
Vespers： after which the monks retire； a chorister leading an old
monk who is blind。
PRINCE HENRY。
They are all gone； save one who lingers；
Absorbed in deep and silent prayer。
As if his heart could find no rest；
At times he beats his heaving breast
With clenched and convulsive fingers；
Then lifts them trembling in the air。
A chorister； with golden hair；
Guides hitherward his heavy pace。
Can it be so？ Or does my sight
Deceive me in the uncertain light？
Ah no！ I recognize that face
Though Time has touched it in his flight；
And changed the auburn hair to white。
It is Count Hugo of the Rhine；
The deadliest foe of all our race；
And hateful unto me and mine！
THE BLIND MONK。
Who is it that doth stand so near
His whispered words I almost hear？
PRINCE HENRY。
I am Prince Henry of Hoheneck；
And you； Count Hugo of the Rhine！
I know you； and I see the scar；
The brand upon your forehead； shine
And redden like a baleful star！
THE BLIND MONK。
Count Hugo once； but now the wreck
Of what I was。 O Hoheneck！
The passionate will； the pride； the wrath
That bore me headlong on my path；
Stumbled and staggered into fear；
And failed me in my mad career；
As a tired steed some evil…doer；
Alone upon a desolate moor；
Bewildered； lost； deserted； blind；
And hearing loud and close behind
The o'ertaking steps of his pursuer。
Then suddenly from the dark there came
A voice that called me by my name；
And said to me； 〃Kneel down and pray！〃
And so my terror passed away；
Passed utterly away forever。
Contrition； penitence； remorse；
Came on me； with o'erwhelming force；
A hope； a longing； an endeavor；
By days of penance and nights of prayer；
To frustrate and defeat despair！
Calm； deep； and still is now my heart；
With tranquil waters overflowed；
A lake whose unseen fountains start；
Where once the hot volcano glowed。
And you； O Prince of Hoheneck！
Have known me in that earlier time；
A man of violence and crime；
Whose passions brooked no curb nor check。
Behold me now； in gentler mood；
One of this holy brotherhood。
Give me your hand； here let me kneel；
Make your reproaches sharp as steel；
Spurn me； and smite me on each cheek；
No violence can harm the meek；
There is no wound Christ cannot heal！
Yes； lift your princely hand； and take
Revenge； if 't is revenge you seek；
Then pardon me； for Jesus' sake！
PRINCE HENRY。
Arise； Count Hugo！ let there be
No further strife nor enmity
Between us twain； we both have erred
Too rash in act； too wroth in word；
From the beginning have we stood
In fierce； defiant attitude；
Each thoughtless of the other's right；
And each reliant on his might。
But now our souls are more subdued；
The hand of God； and not in vain；
Has touched us with the fire of pain。
Let us kneel down and side by side
Pray till our souls are purified；
And pardon will not be denied！
They kneel。
THE REFECTORY
Gaudiolum of Monks at midnight。 LUCIFER disguised as a Friar。
FRIAR PAUL sings。
Ave！ color vini clari；
Dulcis potus； non amari；
Tua nos inebriari
Digneris potentia！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Not so much noise； my worthy freres；
You'll disturb the Abbot at his prayers。
FRIAR PAUL sings。
O！ quam placens in colore！
O！ quam fragrans in odore！
O！ quam sapidum in ore！
Dulce linguae vinculum！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
I should think your tongue had broken its chain！
FRIAR PAUL sings。
Felix venter quem intrabis！
Felix guttur quod rigabis！
Felix os quod tu lavabis！
Et beata labia！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Peace！ I say； peace！
Will you never cease！
You will rouse up the Abbot； I tell you again！
FRIAR JOHN。
No danger！ to…night he will let us alone；
As I happen to know he has guests of his own。
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Who are they？
FRIAR JOHN。
A German Prince and his train；
Who arrived here just before the rain。
There is with him a damsel fair to see；
As slender and graceful as a reed！
When she alighted from her steed；
It seemed like a blossom blown from a tree。
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
None of your pale…faced girls for me！
None of your damsels of high degree！
FRIAR JOHN。
Come； old fellow； drink down to your peg！
But do not drink any further； I beg！
FRIAR PAUL sings。
In the days of gold；
The days of old；
Crosier of wood
And bishop of gold！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
What an infernal racket and riot！
Can you not drink your wine in quiet？
Why fill the convent with such scandals；
As if we were so many drunken Vandals？
FRIAR PAUL continues。
Now we have changed
That law so good
To crosier of gold
And bishop of wood！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Well； then； since you are in the mood
To give your noisy humors vent；
Sing and howl to your heart's content！
CHORUS OF MONKS。
Funde vinum； funde！
Tanquam sint fluminis undae；
Nec quaeras unde；
Sed fundas semper abunde！
FRIAR JOHN。
What is the name of yonder friar；
With an eye that glows like a coal of fire；
And such a black mass of tangled hair？
FRIAR PAUL。
He who is sitting there；
With a rollicking；
Devil may care；
Free and easy look and air；
As if he were used to such feasting and frolicking？
FRIAR JOHN。
The same。
FRIAR PAUL。
He's a stranger。 You had better ask his name；
And where he is going and whence he came。
FRIAR JOHN。
Hallo！
