the complete poetical works-第170节
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In noisy congregation on my roof；
Billing and cooing。 Whir！ take that； ye Quakers。
Throws a stone at the pigeons。 Sees UPSALL。
Ah！ Master Nicholas！
UPSALL。
Good afternoon；
Dear neighbor Walter。
MERRY。
Master Nicholas；
You have to…day withdrawn yourself from meeting。
UPSALL。
Yea； I have chosen rather to worship God
Sitting in silence here at my own door。
MERRY。
Worship the Devil！ You this day have broken
Three of our strictest laws。 First； by abstaining
From public worship。 Secondly； by walking
Profanely on the Sabbath。
UPSALL。
Not one step。
I have been sitting still here； seeing the pigeons
Feed in the street and fly about the roofs。
MERRY。
You have been in the street with other intent
Than going to and from the Meeting…house。
And； thirdly； you are harboring Quakers here。
I am amazed！
UPSALL。
Men sometimes； it is said；
Entertain angels unawares。
MERRY。
Nice angels！
Angels in broad…brimmed hats and russet cloaks；
The color of the Devil's nutting…bag。 They came
Into the Meeting…house this afternoon
More in the shape of devils than of angels。
The women screamed and fainted； and the boys
Made such an uproar in the gallery
I could not keep them quiet。
UPSALL。
Neighbor Walter；
Your persecution is of no avail。
MERRY。
'T is prosecution； as the Governor says；
Not persecution。
UPSALL。
Well； your prosecution；
Your hangings do no good。
MERRY。
The reason is；
We do not hang enough。 But； mark my words；
We'll scour them； yea； I warrant ye； we'll scour them！
And now go in and entertain your angels；
And don't be seen here in the street again
Till after sundown！ There they are again！
Exit UPSALL。 MERRY throws another stone at the pigeons； and then
goes into his house。
SCENE III。 A room in UPSALL'S house。 Night。 EDITH； WHARTON；
and other Quakers seated at a table。 UPSALL seated near them；
Several books on the table。
WHARTON。
William and Marmaduke； our martyred brothers；
Sleep in untimely graves； if aught untimely
Can find place in the providence of God；
Where nothing comes too early or too late。
I saw their noble death。 They to the scaffold
Walked hand in hand。 Two hundred armed men
And many horsemen guarded them； for fear
Of rescue by the crowd； whose hearts were stirred。
EDITH。
O holy martyrs！
WHARTON。
When they tried to speak；
Their voices by the roll of drums were drowned。
When they were dead they still looked fresh and fair；
The terror of death was not upon their faces。
Our sister Mary； likewise； the meek woman；
Has passed through martyrdom to her reward；
Exclaiming； as they led her to her death；
〃These many days I've been in Paradise。〃
And； when she died； Priest Wilson threw the hangman
His handkerchief； to cover the pale face
He dared not look upon。
EDITH。
As persecuted；
Yet not forsaken； as unknown； yet known；
As dying； and behold we are alive；
As sorrowful； and yet rejoicing always；
As having nothing； yet possessing all！
WHARTON。
And Leddra； too； is dead。 But from his prison；
The day before his death； he sent these words
Unto the little flock of Christ： 〃What ever
May come upon the followers of the Light；
Distress； affliction； famine； nakedness；
Or perils in the city or the sea；
Or persecution； or even death itself；
I am persuaded that God's armor of Light；
As it is loved and lived in； will preserve you。
Yea； death itself； through which you will find entrance
Into the pleasant pastures of the fold；
Where you shall feed forever as the herds
That roam at large in the low valleys of Achor。
And as the flowing of the ocean fills
Each creek and branch thereof； and then retires；
Leaving behind a sweet and wholesome savor；
So doth the virtue and the life of God
Flow evermore into the hearts of those
Whom He hath made partakers of His nature；
And； when it but withdraws itself a little；
Leaves a sweet savor after it； that many
Can say they are made clean by every word
That He hath spoken to them in their silence。〃
EDITH （rising and breaking into a kind of chant）。
Truly we do but grope here in the dark；
Near the partition…wall of Life and Death；
At every moment dreading or desiring
To lay our hands upon the unseen door！
Let us； then； labor for an inward stillness；
An inward stillness and an inward healing；
That perfect silence where the lips and heart
Are still； and we no longer entertain
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions；
But God alone speaks in us； and we wait
In singleness of heart； that we may know
His will； and in the silence of our spirits；
That we may do His will； and do that only！
A long pause； interrupted by the sound of a drum approaching；
then shouts in the street； and a loud knocking at the door。
MARSHAL。
Within there！ Open the door！
MERRY。
Will no one answer？
MARSHAL。
In the King's name！ Within there！
MERRY。
Open the door！
UPSALL （from the window）。
It is not barred。 Come in。 Nothing prevents you。
The poor man's door is ever on the latch。
He needs no bolt nor bar to shut out thieves；
He fears no enemies； and has no friends
Importunate enough to need a key。
Enter JOHN ENDICOTT； the MARSHAL； MERRY； and a crowd。 Seeing the
Quakers silent and unmoved； they pause； awe…struck。 ENDICOTT
opposite EDITH。
MARSHAL。
In the King's name do I arrest you all！
Away with them to prison。 Master Upsall；
You are again discovered harboring here
These ranters and disturbers of the peace。
You know the law。
UPSALL。
I know it； and am ready
To suffer yet again its penalties。
EDITH （to ENDICOTT）。
Why dost thou persecute me； Saul of Tarsus？
ACT II。
SCENE I。 JOHN ENDICOTT's room。 Early morning。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
〃Why dost thou persecute me； Saul of Tarsus？〃
All night these words were ringing in mine ears！
A sorrowful sweet face； a look that pierced me
With meek reproach； a voice of resignation
That had a life of suffering in its tone；
And that was all！ And yet I could not sleep；
Or； when I slept； I dreamed that awful dream！
I stood beneath the elm…tree on the Common；
On which the Quakers have been hanged； and heard
A voice； not hers； that cried amid the darkness；
〃This is Aceldama； the field of blood！
I will have mercy； and not sacrifice！〃
Opens the window and looks out。
The sun is up already； and my heart
Sickens and sinks within me when I think
How many tragedies will be enacted
Before his setting。 As the earth rolls round；
It seems to me a huge Ixion's wheel；
Upon whose whirling spokes we are bound fast；
And must go with it！ Ah； how bright the sun
Strikes on the sea and on the masts of vessels；
That are uplifted； in the morning air；
Like crosses of some peaceable crusade！
It makes me long to sail for lands unknown；
No matter whither！ Under me； in shadow；
Gloomy and narrow； lies the little town；
Still sleeping； but to wake and toil awhile；
Then sleep again。 How dismal looks the prison；
How grim and sombre in the sunless street；
The prison where she sleeps； or wakes and waits
For what I dare not think of；death； perhaps！
A word that has been said may he unsaid：
It is but air。 But when a deed is done
It cannot be undone； nor can our thoughts
Reach out to all the mischiefs that may follow。
'T is time for morning prayers。 I will go down。
My father； though severe； is kind and just；
And when his heart is tender with devotion；
When from his lips have fallen the words； 〃Forgive us
As we forgive；〃then will I intercede
For these poor people； and perhaps may save them。
＇Exit。
SCENE II。 Dock Square。 On one side； the tavern of the Three
Mariners。 In the background； a quaint building with gables； and；
beyond it； wharves and shipping。 CAPTAIN KEMPTHORN and others
seated at a table before the door。 SAMUEL COLE standing near
them。
KEMPTHORN。
Come； drink about！ Remember Parson Melham；
And bless the man who first invented flip！
They drink。
COLE。
Pray； Master Kempthorn； where were you last night？
KEMPTHORN。
On board the Swallow； Simon Kempthorn； master；
Up for Barbadoes； and the Windward Islands。
COLE。
The town was in a tumult。
KEMPTHORN。
And for what？
COLE。
Your Quakers were arrested。
KEMPTHORN。
How my Quakers？
COLE。
These you brought in your vessel from Barbadoes。
They made an uproar in the Meeting…house
Yesterday； and they're now in prison for it。
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