life is a dream-第10节
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Where Poland ends and Muscovy begins。
SOLDIER。
We must be close upon the tower； I know；
That half way up the mountain lies ensconced。
CAPT。
How know you that？
SOL。
He told me sothe Page
Who put us on the scent。
SOL。 2。
And； as I think；
Will soon be here to run it down with us。
CAPT。
Meantime； our horses on these ugly rocks
Useless； and worse than useless with their clatter
Leave them behind； with one or two in charge；
And softly； softly； softly。
SOLDIERS。
There it is！
There what？
The towerthe fortress
That the tower！
That mouse…trap！ We could pitch it down the rocks
With our own hands。
The rocks it hangs among
Dwarf its proportions and conceal its strength；
Larger and stronger than you think。
No matter；
No place for Poland's Prince to be shut up in。
At it at once！
CAPT。
NonoI tell you wait
Till those within give signal。 For as yet
We know not who side with us； and the fort
Is strong in man and musket。
SOL。
Shame to wait
For odds with such a cause at stake。
CAPT。
Because
Of such a cause at stake we wait for odds
For if not won at once； for ever lost：
For any long resistance on their part
Would bring Basilio's force to succour them
Ere we had rescued him we come to rescue。
So softly； softly； softly； still
A SOLDIER （discovering Fife）。
Hilloa！
SOLDIERS。
Hilloa！ Here's some one skulking
Seize and gag him！
Stab him at once； say I： the only way
To make all sure。
Hold； every man of you！
And down upon your knees！Why； 'tis the Prince！
The Prince！
Oh； I should know him anywhere；
And anyhow disguised。
But the Prince is chain'd。
And of a loftier presence
'Tis he； I tell you；
Only bewilder'd as he was before。
God save your Royal Highness！ On our knees
Beseech you answer us！
FIFE。
Just as you please。
Well'tis this country's custom； I suppose；
To take a poor man every now and then
And set him ON the throne； just for the fun
Of tumbling him again into the dirt。
And now my turn is come。 'Tis very pretty。
SOL。
His wits have been distemper'd with their drugs。
But do you ask him； Captain。
CAPT。
On my knees；
And in the name of all who kneel with me；
I do beseech your Highness answer to
Your royal title。
FIFE。
Still； just as you please。
In my own poor opinion of myself
But that may all be dreaming； which it seems
Is very much the fashion in this country
No Polish prince at all； but a poor lad
From Muscovy； where only help me back；
I promise never to contest the crown
Of Poland with whatever gentleman
You fancy to set up。
SOLDIERS。
From Muscovy？
A spy then
Of Astolfo's
Spy！ a spy
Hang him at once！
FIFE。
No； pray don't dream of that！
SOL。
How dared you then set yourself up for our Prince Segismund？
FIFE。
/I/ set up！/I/ like that
When 'twas yourselves be…siegesmunded me。
CAPT。
No matterLook！The signal from the tower。
Prince Segismund！
SOL。 （from the tower）。
Prince Segismund！
CAPT。
All's well。 Clotaldo safe secured？
SOL。 （from the tower）。
Noby ill luck；
Instead of coming in； as we had look'd for；
He sprang on horse at once； and off at gallop。
CAPT。
To Court； no doubta blunder thatAnd yet
Perchance a blunder that may work as well
As better forethought。 Having no suspicion
So will he carry none where his not going
Were of itself suspicious。 But of those
Within； who side with us？
SOL。
Oh； one and all
To the last man； persuaded or compell'd。
CAPT。
Enough： whatever be to be retrieved
No moment to be lost。 For though Clotaldo
Have no revolt to tell of in the tower；
The capital will soon awake to ours；
And the King's force come blazing after us。
Where is the Prince？
SOL。
Within； so fast asleep
We woke him not ev'n striking off the chain
We had so cursedly help bind him with；
Not knowing what we did； but too ashamed
Not to undo ourselves what we had done。
CAPT。
No matter； nor by whosesoever hands；
Provided done。 Come； we will bring him forth
Out of that stony darkness here abroad；
Where air and sunshine sooner shall disperse
The sleepy fume which they have drugg'd him with。
（They enter the tower； and thence bring out Segismund asleep on a
pallet； and set him in the middle of the stage。）
CAPT。
Still； still so dead asleep； the very noise
And motion that we make in carrying him
Stirs not a leaf in all the living tree。
SOLDIERS。
If livingBut if by some inward blow
For ever and irrevocably fell'd
By what strikes deeper to the root than sleep？
He's dead！ He's dead！ They've kill'd him
Nohe breathes
And the heart beatsand now he breathes again
Deeply； as one about to shake away
The load of sleep。
CAPT。
Come； let us all kneel round；
And with a blast of warlike instruments；
And acclamation of all loyal hearts；
Rouse and restore him to his royal right；
From which no royal wrong shall drive him more。
（They all kneel round his bed： trumpets； drums； etc。）
SOLDIERS。
Segismund！ Segismund！ Prince Segismund！
King Segismund！ Down with Basilio！
Down with Astolfo！ Segismund our King！ etc。
He stares upon us wildly。 He cannot speak。
I said sodriv'n him mad。
Speak to him； Captain。
CAPTAIN。
Oh Royal Segismund； our Prince and King；
Look on uslisten to usanswer us；
Your faithful soldiery and subjects； now
About you kneeling； but on fire to rise
And cleave a passage through your enemies；
Until we seat you on your lawful throne。
For though your father； King Basilio；
Now King of Poland； jealous of the stars
That prophesy his setting with your rise；
Here holds you ignominiously eclipsed；
And would Astolfo； Duke of Muscovy；
Mount to the throne of Poland after him；
So will not we； your loyal soldiery
And subjects； neither those of us now first
Apprised of your existence and your right：
Nor those that hitherto deluded by
Allegiance false； their vizors now fling down；
And craving pardon on their knees with us
For that unconscious disloyalty；
Offer with us the service of their blood；
Not only we and they； but at our heels
The heart； if not the bulk； of Poland follows
To join their voices and their arms with ours；
In vindicating with our lives our own
Prince Segismund to Poland and her throne。
SOLDIERS。
Segismund； Segismund； Prince Segismund！
Our own King Segismund； etc。
（They all rise。）
SEG。
Again？ So soon？What； not yet done with me？
The sun is little higher up； I think；
Than when I last lay down；
To bury in the depth of your own sea
You that infest its shallows。
CAPT。
Sir！
SEG。
And now；
Not in a palace； not in the fine clothes
We all were in； but here； in the old place；
And in our old accoutrement
Only your vizors off； and lips unlock'd
To mock me with that idle title
CAPT。
Nay；
Indeed no idle title； but your own；
Then； now； and now for ever。 For； behold；
Ev'n as I speak； the mountain passes fill
And bristle with the advancing soldiery
That glitters in your rising glory； sir；
And； at our signal； echo to our cry；
'Segismund； King of Poland！' etc。
（Shouts； trumpets； etc。）
SEG。
Oh； how cheap
The muster of a countless host of shadows；
As impotent to do with as to keep！
All this they said beforeto softer music。
CAPT。
Soft music； sir； to what indeed were shadows；
That； following the sunshine of a Court；
Shall back be brought with itif shadows still；
Yet to substantial reckoning。
SEG。
They shall？
The white…hair'd and white…wanded chamberlain；
So busy with his wand toothe old King
That I was somewhat hard onhe had been
Hard upon meand the fine feather'd Prince
Who crow'd so loudmy cousin；and another；
Another cousin； we will not bear hard on
AndBut Clotaldo？
CAPT。
Fled； my lord； but close
Pursued； and then
SEG。
Then； as he fled before；
And after he had sworn it on his knees；
Came back to take mewhere I am！No more；
No more of this！ Away with you！ Begone！
Whether but visions of ambitious night
That morning ought to scatter； or grown out
Of night's proportions you invade the day
To scare me from my little wits yet left；
Begone！ I know I must be near awake；
Knowing I dream； or； if not at my voice；
Then vanish at the clapping of my hands；
Or take this foolish fellow for your sport：
Dressing me up in visionary glories；
Which the first air of waking consciousness
Scatters as fast as from the almander
That； waking one fine morning in full flower；
One rougher insurrection of the breeze
Of all her sudden honour disadorns
To the last blossom； and she stands again
The winter…naked scare…crow that she was！
CAPT。
I know not what to do； nor what to say；
With all this dreaming； I begin to doubt
They have driv'n him mad indeed； and he and we
