life is a dream-第11节
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With all this dreaming； I begin to doubt
They have driv'n him mad indeed； and he and we
Are lost together。
A SOLDIER （to Captain）。
Stay； stay； I remember
Hark in your ear a moment。
（Whispers。）
CAPT。
Sososo？
Oh； now indeed I do not wonder； sir；
Your senses dazzle under practices
Which treason； shrinking from its own device；
Would now persuade you only was a dream；
But waking was as absolute as this
You wake in now； as some who saw you then；
Prince as you were and are； can testify：
Not only saw； but under false allegiance
Laid hands upon
SOLDIER 1。
I； to my shame！
SOLDIER 2。
And I！
CAPT。
Who； to wipe out that shame； have been the first
To stir and lead usHark！
（Shouts； trumpets； etc。）
A SOLDIER。
Our forces； sir；
Challenging King Basilio's； now in sight；
And bearing down upon us。
CAPT。
Sir； you hear；
A little hesitation and delay；
And all is lostyour own right； and the lives
Of those who now maintain it at that cost；
With you all saved and won； without； all lost。
That former recognition of your right
Grant but a dream； if you will have it so；
Great things forecast themselves by shadows great：
Or will you have it； this like that dream too；
People； and place； and time itself； all dream
Yet； being in't； and as the shadows come
Quicker and thicker than you can escape；
Adopt your visionary soldiery；
Who； having struck a solid chain away；
Now put an airy sword into your hand；
And harnessing you piece…meal till you stand
Amidst us all complete in glittering；
If unsubstantial； steel
ROSAURA （without）。
The Prince！ The Prince！
CAPT。
Who calls for him？
SOL。
The Page who spurr'd us hither；
And now； dismounted from a foaming horse
（Enter Rosaura）
ROSAURA。
Where isbut where I need no further ask
Where the majestic presence； all in arms；
Mutely proclaims and vindicates himself。
FIFE。
My darling Lady…lord
ROS。
My own good Fife；
Keep to my sideand silence！Oh； my Lord；
For the third time behold me here where first
You saw me； by a happy misadventure
Losing my own way here to find it out
For you to follow with these loyal men；
Adding the moment of my little cause
To yours； which； so much mightier as it is；
By a strange chance runs hand in hand with mine；
The self…same foe who now pretends your right；
Withholding minethat； of itself alone；
I know the royal blood that runs in you
Would vindicate； regardless of your own：
The right of injured innocence； and； more；
Spite of this epicene attire； a woman's；
And of a noble stock I will not name
Till I； who brought it； have retrieved the shame。
Whom Duke Astolfo； Prince of Muscovy；
With all the solemn vows of wedlock won；
And would have wedded； as I do believe；
Had not the cry of Poland for a Prince
Call'd him from Muscovy to join the prize
Of Poland with the fair Estrella's eyes。
I； following him hither； as you saw；
Was cast upon these rocks； arrested by
Clotaldo： who； for an old debt of love
He owes my family； with all his might
Served； and had served me further； till my cause
Clash'd with his duty to his sovereign；
Which； as became a loyal subject； sir；
（And never sovereign had a loyaller；）
Was still his first。 He carried me to Court；
Where； for the second time； I crossed your path；
Where； as I watch'd my opportunity；
Suddenly broke this public passion out；
Which； drowning private into public wrong；
Yet swiftlier sweeps it to revenge along。
SEG。
Oh God； if this be dreaming； charge it not
To burst the channel of enclosing sleep
And drown the waking reason！ Not to dream
Only what dreamt shall once or twice again
Return to buzz about the sleeping brain
Till shaken off for ever
But reassailing one so quick； so thick
The very figure and the circumstance
Of sense…confess'd reality foregone
In so…call'd dream so palpably repeated；
The copy so like the original；
We know not which is which； and dream so…call'd
Itself inweaving so inextricably
Into the tissue of acknowledged truth；
The very figures that empeople it
Returning to assert themselves no phantoms
In something so much like meridian day；
And in the very place that not my worst
And veriest disenchanter shall deny
For the too well…remember'd theatre
Of my long tragedyStrike up the drums！
If this be Truth； and all of us awake；
Indeed a famous quarrel is at stake：
If but a Vision I will see it out；
And； drive the Dream； I can but join the rout。
CAPT。
And in good time； sir； for a palpable
Touchstone of truth and rightful vengeance too；
Here is Clotaldo taken。
SOLDIERS。
In with him！
In with the traitor！
（Clotaldo brought in。）
SEG。
Ay； Clotaldo； indeed
Himselfin his old habithis old self
What！ back again； Clotaldo； for a while
To swear me this for truth； and afterwards
All for a dreaming lie？
CLO。
Awake or dreaming；
Down with that sword； and down these traitors theirs；
Drawn in rebellion 'gainst their Sovereign。
SEG。 （about to strike）。
Traitor！ Traitor yourself！
But softsoftsoft！
You told me； not so very long ago；
Awake or dreamingI forgetmy brain
Is not so clear about itbut I know
One test you gave me to discern between；
Which mad and dreaming people cannot master；
Or if the dreamer could； so best secure
A comfortable wakingWas't not so？
（To Rosaura）。
Needs not your intercession now； you see；
As in the dream before
Clotaldo； rough old nurse and tutor too
That only traitor wert； to me if true
Give him his sword； set him on a fresh horse；
Conduct him safely through my rebel force；
And so God speed him to his sovereign's side！
Give me your hand； and whether all awake
Or all a…dreaming； ride； Clotaldo； ride
Dream…swiftfor fear we dreams should overtake。
（A Battle may be supposed to take place； after which）
ACT III。
Scene I。A wooded pass near the field of battle： drums； trumpets；
firing； etc。 Cries of 'God save Basilio！ Segismund；' etc。
（Enter Fife； running。）
FIFE。
God save them both； and save them all！ say I！
Ohwhat hot work！Whichever way one turns
The whistling bullet at one's earsI've drifted
Far from my mad youngmasterwhom I saw
Tossing upon the very crest of battle；
Beside the PrinceGod save her first of all！
With all my heart I say and prayand so
Commend her to His keepingbang！bang！bang！
And for myselfscarce worth His thinking of
I'll see what I can do to save myself
Behind this rock； until the storm blows over。
（Skirmishes； shouts； firing； etc。 After some time enter King Basilio；
Astolfo； and Clotaldo）
KING。
The day is lost！
AST。
Do not despairthe rebels
KING。
Alas！ the vanquish'd only are the rebels。
CLOTALDO。
Ev'n if this battle lost us； 'tis but one
Gain'd on their side； if you not lost in it；
Another moment and too late： at once
Take horse； and to the capital； my liege；
Where in some safe and holy sanctuary
Save Poland in your person。
AST。
Be persuaded：
You know your son： have tasted of his temper；
At his first onset threatening unprovoked
The crime predicted for his last and worst。
How whetted now with such a taste of blood；
And thus far conquest！
KING。
Ay； and how he fought！
Oh how he fought； Astolfo； ranks of men
Falling as swathes of grass before the mower；
I could but pause to gaze at him； although；
Like the pale horseman of the Apocalypse；
Each moment brought him nearerYet I say；
I could but pause and gaze on him； and pray
Poland had such a warrior for her king。
AST。
The cry of triumph on the other side
Gains ground upon us herethere's but a moment
For you； my liege； to do； for me to speak；
Who back must to the field； and what man may
Do； to retrieve the fortune of the day。
（Firing。）
FIFE （falling forward； shot）。
Oh； Lord； have mercy on me。
KING。
What a shriek
Oh； some poor creature wounded in a cause
Perhaps not worth the loss of one poor life！
So young tooand no soldier
FIFE。
A poor lad；
Who choosing play at hide and seek with death；
Just hid where death just came to look for him；
For there's no place； I think； can keep him out；
Once he's his eye upon you。 All grows dark
You glitter finely tooWellwe are dreaming
But when the bullet's offHeaven save the mark！
So tell my mistermastress
（Dies。）
KING。
Oh God！ How this poor creature's ignorance
Confounds our so…call'd wisdom！ Even now
When death has stopt his lips； the wound through which
His soul went out； still with its bloody tongue
Preaching how vain our struggle against fate！
（Voices within）。
After them！ After them！ This way！ This way！
The day is oursDown with Basilio； etc。
AST。
Fly； sir
KING。
And slave…like flying not out…ride
The fate which better like a King abide！
（Enter Segism
