the complete poetical works-第67节

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purpose；

Steady；　straight…forward；　and　strong；　with　irresistible　logic；

Orthodox；　flashing　conviction　right　into　the　hearts　of　the

heathen。

Now　we　are　ready；　I　think；　for　any　assault　of　the　Indians；

Let　them　come；　if　they　like；　and　the　sooner　they　try　it　the

better；

Let　them　come　if　they　like；　be　it　sagamore；　sachem；　or　pow…wow；

Aspinet；　Samoset；　Corbitant；　Squanto；　or　Tokamahamon！〃



　　Long　at　the　window　he　stood；　and　wistfully　gazed　on　the

landscape；

Washed　with　a　cold　gray　mist；　the　vapory　breath　of　the　east…wind；

Forest　and　meadow　and　hill；　and　the　steel…blue　rim　of　the　ocean；

Lying　silent　and　sad；　in　the　afternoon　shadows　and　sunshine。

Over　his　countenance　flitted　a　shadow　like　those　on　the

landscape；

Gloom　intermingled　with　light；　and　his　voice　was　subdued　with

emotion；

Tenderness；　pity；　regret；　as　after　a　pause　he　proceeded：

〃Yonder　there；　on　the　hill　by　the　sea；　lies　buried　Rose　Standish；

Beautiful　rose　of　love；　that　bloomed　for　me　by　the　wayside！

She　was　the　first　to　die　of　all　who　came　in　the　Mayflower！

Green　above　her　is　growing　the　field　of　wheat　we　have　sown　there；

Better　to　hide　from　the　Indian　scouts　the　graves　of　our　people；

Lest　they　should　count　them　and　see　how　many　already　have

perished！〃

Sadly　his　face　he　averted；　and　strode　up　and　down；　and　was

thoughtful。



　　Fixed　to　the　opposite　wall　was　a　shelf　of　books；　and　among　them

Prominent　three；　distinguished　alike　for　bulk　and　for　binding；

Bariffe's　Artillery　Guide；　and　the　Commentaries　of　Caesar；

Out　of　the　Latin　translated　by　Arthur　Goldinge　of　London；

And；　as　if　guarded　by　these；　between　them　was　standing　the　Bible。

Musing　a　moment　before　them；　Miles　Standish　paused；　as　if

doubtful

Which　of　the　three　he　should　choose　for　his　consolation　and

comfort；

Whether　the　wars　of　the　Hebrews；　the　famous　campaigns　of　the

Romans；

Or　the　Artillery　practice；　designed　for　belligerent　Christians。

Finally　down　from　its　shelf　he　dragged　the　ponderous　Roman；

Seated　himself　at　the　window；　and　opened　the　book；　and　in　silence

Turned　o'er　the　well…worn　leaves；　where　thumb…marks　thick　on　the

margin；

Like　the　trample　of　feet；　proclaimed　the　battle　was　hottest。

Nothing　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the　hurrying　pen　of　the

stripling；

Busily　writing　epistles　important；　to　go　by　the　Mayflower；

Ready　to　sail　on　the　morrow；　or　next　day　at　latest；　God　willing！

Homeward　bound　with　the　tidings　of　all　that　terrible　winter；

Letters　written　by　Alden；　and　full　of　the　name　of　Priscilla；

Full　of　the　name　and　the　fame　of　the　Puritan　maiden　Priscilla！







II



LOVE　AND　FRIENDSHIP



Nothing　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the　hurrying　pen　of　the

stripling；

Or　an　occasional　sigh　from　the　laboring　heart　of　the　Captain；

Reading　the　marvellous　words　and　achievements　of　Julius　Caesar。

After　a　while　he　exclaimed；　as　he　smote　with　his　hand；　palm

downwards；

Heavily　on　the　page：　〃A　wonderful　man　was　this　Caesar！

You　are　a　writer；　and　I　am　a　fighter；　but　here　is　a　fellow

Who　could　both　write　and　fight；　and　in　both　was　equally　skilful！〃

Straightway　answered　and　spake　John　Alden；　the　comely；　the

youthful：

〃Yes；　he　was　equally　skilled；　as　you　say；　with　his　pen　and　his

weapons。

Somewhere　have　I　read；　but　where　I　forget；　he　could　dictate

Seven　letters　at　once；　at　the　same　time　writing　his　memoirs。〃

〃Truly；〃　continued　the　Captain；　not　heeding　or　hearing　the　other；

〃Truly　a　wonderful　man　was　Caius　Julius　Caesar！

Better　be　first；　he　said；　in　a　little　Iberian　village；

Than　be　second　in　Rome；　and　I　think　he　was　right　when　he　said　it。

Twice　was　he　married　before　he　was　twenty；　and　many　times　after；

Battles　five　hundred　he　fought；　and　a　thousand　cities　he

conquered；

He；　too；　fought　in　Flanders；　as　he　himself　has　recorded；

Finally　he　was　stabbed　by　his　friend；　the　orator　Brutus！

Now；　do　you　know　what　he　did　on　a　certain　occasion　in　Flanders；

When　the　rear…guard　of　his　army　retreated；　the　front　giving　way

too；

And　the　immortal　Twelfth　Legion　was　crowded　so　closely　together

There　was　no　room　for　their　swords？　　Why；　he　seized　a　shield　from

a　soldier；

Put　himself　straight　at　the　head　of　his　troops；　and　commanded　the

captains；

Calling　on　each　by　his　name；　to　order　forward　the　ensigns；

Then　to　widen　the　ranks；　and　give　more　room　for　their　weapons；

So　he　won　the　day；　the　battle　of　something…or…other。

That's　what　I　always　say；　if　you　wish　a　thing　to　be　well　done；

You　must　do　it　yourself；　you　must　not　leave　it　to　others！〃



　　All　was　silent　again；　the　Captain　continued　his　reading。

Nothing　was　heard　in　the　room　but　the　hurrying　pen　of　the

stripling

Writing　epistles　important　to　go　next　day　by　the　Mayflower；

Filled　with　the　name　and　the　fame　of　the　Puritan　maiden

Priscilla；

Every　sentence　began　or　closed　with　the　name　of　Priscilla；

Till　the　treacherous　pen；　to　which　he　confided　the　secret；

Strove　to　betray　it　by　singing　and　shouting　the　name　of

Priscilla！

Finally　closing　his　book；　with　a　bang　of　the　ponderous　cover；

Sudden　and　loud　as　the　sound　of　a　soldier　grounding　his　musket；

Thus　to　the　young　man　spake　Miles　Standish　the　Captain　of

Plymouth：

〃When　you　have　finished　your　work；　I　have　something　important　to

tell　you。

Be　not　however　in　haste；　I　can　wait；　I　shall　not　be　impatient！〃

Straightway　Alden　replied；　as　he　folded　the　last　of　his　letters；

Pushing　his　papers　aside；　and　giving　respectful　attention：

〃Speak；　for　whenever　you　speak；　I　am　always　ready　to　listen；

Always　ready　to　hear　whatever　pertains　to　Miles　Standish。〃

Thereupon　answered　the　Captain；　embarrassed；　and　culling　his

phrases：

〃'T　is　not　good　for　a　man　to　be　alone；　say　the　Scriptures。

This　I　have　said　before；　and　again　and　again　I　repeat　it；

Every　hour　in　the　day；　I　think　it；　and　feel　it；　and　say　it。

Since　Rose　Standish　died；　my　life　has　been　weary　and　dreary；

Sick　at　heart　have　I　been；　beyond　the　healing　of　friendship。

Oft　in　my　lonely　hours　have　I　thought　of　the　maiden　Priscilla。

She　is　alone　in　the　world；　her　father　and　mother　and　brother

Died　in　the　winter　together；　I　saw　her　going　and　coming；

Now　to　the　grave　of　the　dead；　and　now　to　the　bed　of　the　dying；

Patient；　courageous；　and　strong；　and　said　to　myself；　that　if　ever

There　were　angels　on　earth；　as　there　are　angels　in　heaven；

Two　have　I　seen　and　known；　and　the　angel　whose　name　is　Priscilla

Holds　in　my　desolate　life　the　place　which　the　other　abandoned。

Long　have　I　cherished　the　thought；　but　never　have　dared　to　reveal

it；

Being　a　coward　in　this；　though　valiant　enough　for　the　most　part。

Go　to　the　damsel　Priscilla；　the　loveliest　maiden　of　Plymouth；

Say　that　a　blunt　old　Captain；　a　man　not　of　words　but　of　actions；

Offers　his　hand　and　his　heart；　the　hand　and　heart　of　a　soldier。

Not　in　these　words；　you　know；　but　this　in　short　is　my　meaning；

I　am　a　maker　of　war；　and　not　a　maker　of　phrases。

You；　who　are　bred　as　a　scholar；　can　say　it　in　elegant　language；

Such　as　you　read　in　your　books　of　the　pleadings　and　wooings　of

lovers；

Such　as　you　think　best　adapted　to　win　the　heart　of　a　maiden。〃



　　When　he　had　spoken；　John　Alden；　the　fair…haired；　taciturn

stripling；

All　aghast　at　his　words；　surprised；　embarrassed；　bewildered；

Trying　to　mask　his　dismay　by　treating　the　subject　with　lightness；

Trying　to　smile；　and　yet　feeling　his　heart　stand　still　in　his

bosom；

Just　as　a　timepiece　stops　in　a　house　that　is　stricken　by

lightning；

Thus　made　answer　and　spake；　or　rather　stammered　than　answered：

〃Such　a　message　as　that；　I　am　sure　I　should　mangle　and　mar　it；

If　you　would　have　it　well　done；I　am　only　repeating　your

maxim；

You　must　do　it　yourself；　you　must　not　leave　it　to　others！〃

But　with　the　air　of　a　man　whom　nothing　can　turn　from　his　purpose；

Gravely　shaking　his　head；　made　answer　the　Captain　of　Plymouth：

〃Truly　the　maxim　is　good；　and　I　do　not　mean　to　gainsay　it；

But　we　must　use　it　discreetly；　and　not　waste　powder　for　nothing。

Now；　as　I　said　before；　I　was　never　a　maker　of　phrases。

I　can　march　up　to　a　fortress　and　summon　the　place　to　surrender；

But　march　up　to　a　woman　with　such　a　proposal；　I　dare　not。

I'm　not　afraid　of　bullets；　nor　shot　from　the　mouth　of　a　cannon；

But　of　a　thundering　〃No！〃　point…blank　from　the　mouth　of　a　woman；

That　I　confess　I'm　afraid　of；　nor　am　I　ashamed　to　confess　it！

So　you　must　grant　my　request；　for　you　are　an　elegant　scholar；

Having　the　graces　of　speech；　and　skill　in　the　turning　of

phrases。〃

Taking　the　hand　of　his　friend；　who　still　was　reluctant　and

doubtful；

Holding　it　long　in　his　own；　and　pressing　it　kindly；　he　added：

〃Though　I　have　spoken　thus　lightly；　yet　deep　is　the　feeling　that

prompts　me；

Surely　you　cannot　refuse　what　I　ask　in　the　name　of　our

friendship！〃

Then　made　answer　John　Alden：　〃The　name　of　friendship　is　sacred；

What　you　demand　in　that　name；　I　have　not　the　power　to　deny　you！〃

So　the　strong　will　prevailed；　subduing　and　moulding　the　gentler；

Friendship　prevailed　over　love；　and　Alden　went　on　his　erra