the complete poetical works-第185节
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Giles Corey！
COREY。
I am here。
HATHORNE。
Come forward； then。
COREY ascends the platform。
Is it not true； that on a certain night
You were impeded strangely in your prayers？
That something hindered you？ and that you left
This woman here； your wife； kneeling alone
Upon the hearth？
COREY。
Yes； I cannot deny it。
HATHORNE。
Did you not say the Devil hindered you？
COREY。
I think I said some words to that effect。
HATHORNE。
Is it not true； that fourteen head of cattle；
To you belonging； broke from their enclosure
And leaped into the river； and were drowned？
COREY。
It is most true。
HATHORNE。
And did you not then say
That they were overlooked？
COREY。
So much I said。
I see； they're drawing round me closer； closer；
A net I cannot break； cannot escape from！ （Aside）。
HATHORNE。
Who did these things？
COREY。
I do not know who did them。
HATHORNE。
Then I will tell you。 It is some one near you；
You see her now； this woman； your own wife。
COREY。
I call the heavens to witness； it is false！
She never harmed me； never hindered me
In anything but what I should not do。
And I bear witness in the sight of heaven；
And in God's house here； that I never knew her
As otherwise than patient； brave； and true；
Faithful； forgiving； full of charity；
A virtuous and industrious and good wife！
HATHORNE。
Tut； tut； man； do not rant so in your speech；
You are a witness； not an advocate！
Here； Sheriff； take this woman back to prison。
MARTHA。
O Giles； this day you've sworn away my life！
MARY。
Go； go and join the Witches at the door。
Do you not hear the drum？ Do you not see them？
Go quick。 They're waiting for you。 You are late。
＇Exit MARTHA； COREY following。
COREY。
The dream！ the dream！ the dream！
HATHORNE。
What does he say？
Giles Corey； go not hence。 You are yourself
Accused of Witchcraft and of Sorcery
By many witnesses。 Say； are you guilty？
COREY。
I know my death is foreordained by you；
Mine and my wife's。 Therefore I will not answer。
During the rest of the scene he remains silent。
HATHORNE。
Do you refuse to plead？'T were better for you
To make confession； or to plead Not Guilty。
Do you not hear me？Answer； are you guilty？
Do you not know a heavier doom awaits you；
If you refuse to plead； than if found guilty？
Where is John Gloyd？
GLOYD （coming forward）。
Here am I。
HATHORNE。
Tell the Court
Have you not seen the supernatural power
Of this old man？ Have you not seen him do
Strange feats of strength？
GLOYD。
I've seen him lead the field；
On a hot day； in mowing； and against
Us younger men； and I have wrestled with him。
He threw me like a feather。 I have seen him
Lift up a barrel with his single hands；
Which two strong men could hardly lift together；
And； holding it above his head； drink from it。
HATHORNE。
That is enough； we need not question further。
What answer do you make to this； Giles Corey？
MARY。
See there！ See there！
HATHORNE。
What is it？ I see nothing。
MARY。
Look！ Look！ It is the ghost of Robert Goodell；
Whom fifteen years ago this man did murder
By stamping on his body！ In his shroud
He comes here to bear witness to the crime！
The crowd shrinks back from COREY in horror。
HATHORNE。
Ghosts of the dead and voices of the living
Bear witness to your guilt； and you must die！
It might have been an easier death。 Your doom
Will be on your own head； and not on ours。
Twice more will you be questioned of these things；
Twice more have room to plead or to confess。
If you are contumacious to the Court；
And if； when questioned； you refuse to answer；
Then by the Statute you will be condemned
To the peine forte et dure！ To have your body
Pressed by great weights until you shall be dead！
And may the Lord have mercy on your soul！
ACT V。
SCENE I。 COREy's farm as in Act II。； Scene I。 Enter RICHARD
GARDNER； looking round him。
GARDNER。
Here stands the house as I remember it。
The four tall poplar…trees before the door；
The house； the barn； the orchard； and the well；
With its moss…covered bucket and its trough；
The garden； with its hedge of currant…bushes；
The woods； the harvest…fields； and； far beyond；
The pleasant landscape stretching to the sea。
But everything is silent and deserted！
No bleat of flocks； no bellowing of herds；
No sound of flails； that should be beating now；
Nor man nor beast astir。 What can this mean？
Knocks at the door。
What ho！ Giles Corey！ Hillo…ho！ Giles Corey！
No answer but the echo from the barn；
And the ill…omened cawing of the crow；
That yonder wings his flight across the fields；
As if he scented carrion in the air。
Enter TITUBA with a basket。
What woman's this； that； like an apparition；
Haunts this deserted homestead in broad day？
Woman； who are you？
TITUBA。
I'm Tituba。
I am John Indian's wife。 I am a Witch。
GARDNER。
What are you doing here？
TITUBA。
I am gathering herbs；
Cinquefoil； and saxifrage； and pennyroyal。
GARDNER （looking at the herbs）。
This is not cinquefoil； it is deadly nightshade！
This is not saxifrage； but hellebore！
This is not pennyroyal； it is henbane！
Do you come here to poison these good people？
TITUBA。
I get these for the Doctor in the Village。
Beware of Tituba。 I pinch the children；
Make little poppets and stick pins in them；
And then the children cry out they are pricked。
The Black Dog came to me and said； 〃Serve me！〃
I was afraid。 He made me hurt the children。
GARDNER。
Poor soul！ She's crazed； with all these Devil's doings。
TITUBA。
Will you； sir； sign the book？
GARDNER。
No； I'll not sign it。
Where is Giles Corey？ Do you know Giles Corey！
TITUBA。
He's safe enough。 He's down there in the prison。
GARDNER。
Corey in prison？ What is he accused of？
TITURA。
Giles Corey and Martha Corey are in prison
Down there in Salem Village。 Both are witches。
She came to me and whispered； 〃Kill the children！〃
Both signed the Book！
GARDNER。
Begone； you imp of darkness！
You Devil's dam！
TITUBA。
Beware of Tituba！
＇Exit。
GARDNER。
How often out at sea on stormy nights；
When the waves thundered round me； and the wind
Bellowed； and beat the canvas； and my ship
Clove through the solid darkness； like a wedge；
I've thought of him upon his pleasant farm；
Living in quiet with his thrifty housewife；
And envied him； and wished his fate were mine！
And now I find him shipwrecked utterly；
Drifting upon this sea of sorceries；
And lost； perhaps； beyond all aid of man！
＇Exit。
SCENE II。。 The prison。 GILES COREY at a table on which are
some papers。
COREY。
Now I have done with earth and all its cares；
I give my worldly goods to my dear children；
My body I bequeath to my tormentors；
And my immortal soul to Him who made it。
O God！ who in thy wisdom dost afflict me
With an affliction greater than most men
Have ever yet endured or shall endure；
Suffer me not in this last bitter hour
For any pains of death to fall from Thee！
MARTHA is heard singing。
Arise； O righteous Lord！
And disappoint my foes；
They are but thine avenging sword；
Whose wounds are swift to close。
COREY。
Hark； hark！ it is her voice！ She is not dead！
She lives！ I am not utterly forsaken！
MARTHA； singing。
By thine abounding grace；
And mercies multiplied；
I shall awake； and see thy face；
I shall be satisfied。
COREY hides his face in his hands。 Enter the JAILER； followed by
RICHARD GARDNER。
JAILER。
Here's a seafaring man； one Richard Gardner；
A friend of yours； who asks to speak with you。
COREY rises。 They embrace。
COREY。
I'm glad to see you； ay； right glad to see you。
GARDNER。
And I am most sorely grieved to see you thus。
COREY。
Of all the friends I had in happier days；
You are the first； ay； and the only one；
That comes to seek me out in my disgrace！
And you but come in time to say farewell；
They've dug my grave already in the field。
I thank you。 There is something in your presence；
I know not what it is； that gives me strength。
Perhaps it is the bearing of a man
Familiar with all dangers of the deep；
Familiar with the cries of drowning men；
With fire； and wreck； and foundering ships at sea！
GARDNER。
Ah； I have never known a wreck like yours！
Would I could save y
