the complete poetical works-第178节
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ENDICOTT。
I am not superstitions； Bellingham；
And yet I tremble lest it may have been
A judgment on him。
BELLINGHAM。
So the people think。
They say his horse saw standing in the way
The ghost of William Leddra； and was frightened。
And furthermore； brave Richard Davenport；
The captain of the Castle； in the storm
Has been struck dead by lightning。
ENDICOTT。
Speak no more。
For as I listen to your voice it seems
As if the Seven Thunders uttered their voices；
And the dead bodies lay about the streets
Of the disconsolate city！ Bellingham；
I did not put those wretched men to death。
I did but guard the passage with the sword
Pointed towards them； and they rushed upon it！
Yet now I would that I had taken no part
In all that bloody work。
BELLINGHAM。
The guilt of it
Be on their heads； not ours。
ENDICOTT。
Are all set free？
BELLINGHAM。
All are at large。
ENDICOTT。
And none have been sent back
To England to malign us with the King？
BELLINGHAM。
The ship that brought them sails this very hour；
But carries no one back。
A distant cannon。
ENDICOTT。
What is that gun？
BELLINGHAM。
Her parting signal。 Through the window there；
Look； you can see her sails； above the roofs；
Dropping below the Castle； outward bound。
ENDICOTT。
O white； white； white！ Would that my soul had wings
As spotless as those shining sails to fly with！
Now lay this cushion straight。 I thank you。 Hark！
I thought I heard the hall door open and shut！
I thought I beard the footsteps of my boy！
BELLINGHAM。
It was the wind。 There's no one in the passage。
ENDICOTT。
O Absalom； my son！ I feel the world
Sinking beneath me； sinking； sinking； sinking！
Death knocks！ I go to meet him！ Welcome； Death！
Rises； and sinks back dead； his head failing aside upon his
shoulder。
BELLINGHAM。
O ghastly sight！ Like one who has been hanged！
Endicott！ Endicott！ He makes no answer！
Raises Endicott's head。
He breathes no more！ How bright this signet…ring
Glitters upon his hand； where he has worn it
Through such long years of trouble； as if Death
Had given him this memento of affection；
And whispered in his ear； 〃Remember me！〃
How placid and how quiet is his face；
Now that the struggle and the strife are ended
Only the acrid spirit of the times
Corroded this true steel。 Oh； rest in peace；
Courageous heart！ Forever rest in peace！
GILES COREY OF THE SALEM FARMS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE。
GILES COREY Farmer。
JOHN HATHORNE Magistrate。
COTTON MATHER Minister of the Gospel。
JONATHAN WALCOT A youth。
RICHARD GARDNER Sea…Captain。
JOHN GLOYD Corey's hired man。
MARTHA Wife of Giles Corey。
TITUBA An Indian woman。
MARY WALCOT One of the Afflicted。
The Scene is in Salem in the year 1692。
PROLOGUE。
Delusions of the days that once have been；
Witchcraft and wonders of the world unseen；
Phantoms of air； and necromantic arts
That crushed the weak and awed the stoutest hearts；
These are our theme to…night； and vaguely here；
Through the dim mists that crowd the atmosphere；
We draw the outlines of weird figures cast
In shadow on the background of the Past；
Who would believe that in the quiet town
Of Salem； and； amid the woods that crown
The neighboring hillsides； and the sunny farms
That fold it safe in their paternal arms；
Who would believe that in those peaceful streets；
Where the great elms shut out the summer heats；
Where quiet reigns； and breathes through brain and breast
The benediction of unbroken rest；
Who would believe such deeds could find a place
As these whose tragic history we retrace？
'T was but a village then； the goodman ploughed
His ample acres under sun or cloud；
The goodwife at her doorstep sat and spun；
And gossiped with her neighbors in the sun；
The only men of dignity and state
Were then the Minister and the Magistrate；
Who ruled their little realm with iron rod；
Less in the love than in the fear of God；
And who believed devoutly in the Powers
Of Darkness； working in this world of ours；
In spells of Witchcraft； incantations dread；
And shrouded apparitions of the dead。
Upon this simple folk 〃with fire and flame；〃
Saith the old chronicle； 〃the Devil came；
Scattering his firebrands and his poisonous darts；
To set on fire of Hell all tongues and hearts！
And 't is no wonder； for； with all his host；
There most he rages where he hateth most；
And is most hated； so on us he brings
All these stupendous and portentous things！〃
Something of this our scene to…night will show；
And ye who listen to the Tale of Woe；
Be not too swift in casting the first stone；
Nor think New England bears the guilt alone；
This sudden burst of wickedness and crime
Was but the common madness of the time；
When in all lands； that lie within the sound
Of Sabbath bells； a Witch was burned or drowned。
ACT I。
SCENE I。 The woods near Salem Village。 Enter TITUBA； with a
basket of herbs。
TITUBA。
Here's monk's…hood； that breeds fever in the blood；
And deadly nightshade； that makes men see ghosts；
And henbane； that will shake them with convulsions；
And meadow…saffron and black hellebore；
That rack the nerves； and puff the skin with dropsy；
And bitter…sweet； and briony； and eye…bright；
That cause eruptions； nosebleed； rheumatisms；
I know them； and the places where they hide
In field and meadow； and I know their secrets；
And gather them because they give me power
Over all men and women。 Armed with these；
I； Tituba； an Indian and a slave；
Am stronger than the captain with his sword；
Am richer than the merchant with his money；
Am wiser than the scholar with his books；
Mightier than Ministers and Magistrates；
With all the fear and reverence that attend them！
For I can fill their bones with aches and pains；
Can make them cough with asthma； shake with palsy；
Can make their daughters see and talk with ghosts；
Or fall into delirium and convulsions；
I have the Evil Eye； the Evil Hand；
A touch from me and they are weak with pain；
A look from me； and they consume and die。
The death of cattle and the blight of corn；
The shipwreck； the tornado； and the fire；
These are my doings； and they know it not。
Thus I work vengeance on mine enemies
Who； while they call me slave； are slaves to me！
Exit TITUBA。 Enter MATHER； booted and spurred； with a
riding…whip in his hand。
MATHER。
Methinks that I have come by paths unknown
Into the land and atmosphere of Witches；
For； meditating as I journeyed on；
Lo！ I have lost my way！ If I remember
Rightly； it is Scribonius the learned
That tells the story of a man who； praying
For one that was possessed by Evil Spirits；
Was struck by Evil Spirits in the face；
I； journeying to circumvent the Witches；
Surely by Witches have been led astray。
I am persuaded there are few affairs
In which the Devil doth not interfere。
We cannot undertake a journey even；
But Satan will be there to meddle with it
By hindering or by furthering。 He hath led me
Into this thicket； struck me in the face
With branches of the trees； and so entangled
The fetlocks of my horse with vines and brambles；
That I must needs dismount； and search on foot
For the lost pathway leading to the village。
Re…enter TITUBA。
What shape is this？ What monstrous apparition；
Exceeding fierce； that none may pass that way？
Tell me； good woman； if you are a woman
TITUBA。
I am a woman； but I am not good；
I am a Witch！
MATHER。
Then tell me； Witch and woman；
For you must know the pathways through this wood；
Where lieth Salem Village？
TITUBA。
Reverend sir；
The village is near by。 I'm going there
With these few herbs。 I'll lead you。 Follow me。
MATHER。
First say； who are you？ I am loath to follow
A stranger in this wilderness； for fear
Of being misled； and left in some morass。
Who are you？
TITUBA。
I am Tituba the Witch；
Wife of John Indian。
MATHER。
You are Tituba？
I know you then。 You have renounced the Devil；
And have become a penitent confessor；
The Lord be praised！ Go on； I'll follow you。
Wait only till I fetch my horse； that stands
Tethered among the trees； not far from here。
TITUBA。
Let me get up behind you； reverend sir。
MATHER。
The Lord forbid！ What would the people think；
If they should see the Reverend Cotton Mather
Ride into Salem with a Witch behind him？
The Lord forbid！
TITUBA。
I do not need a horse！
I can ride through the air upon a
