polyuecte-第4节
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The virtue； once thy pride in days gone by
Doth that same worth now merit blasphemy？
Bewail her bitter fruitbut praised be
The rights that triumph over thee and me！
SEV。
Forgive； Pauline； forgive； ah！ grief hath made me blind
To all but grief's excess； and fortune most unkind。
Forgive that I mistooknay； treated as a crime
Thy constancy of soul； unequalled and sublime；
In pity for my life forlorn； my peace denied；
Ah！ show thyself less fair；one least perfection hide！
Let some alloy be seen； some saving weakness left；
Take pity on a heart of thee and Heaven bereft！
One faintest flaw reveal； to give my soul relief！
Else； how to bear the love that only mates with grief？
PAUL。
Alas！ the rents in armour donned and proved
Too well my fight proclaim； yes； I have loved；
The traitor sigh； the tear unbid； attest
The combat fiercethe warrior sore distrest。
Say； who can stanch these wounds； that armour mend？
Thou who hast pierced； thou； thou alone defend！
Ah； if thou honourest my victory
Depart； that thou may'st still defender be！
So dry the tears that； to my shame； still flow
So quench the fire would work my overthrow！
Yes； go； my only friend； with me combine
To end my torture； for thy pain is mine！
SEV。
This last poor drop of comfort may not be？
PAUL。
The cup is poisoned both for me and thee！
SEV。
The flower is goneI cherish but the root！
PAUL。
Untimely blossom bears a fated fruit！
SEV。
My grief be mine！ Let memory remain！
PAUL。
That grief might hope beget； so leave a stain！
SEV。
Not mine to stain what Heaven hath made so pure！
For me one offering left： 'tis this： Endure！
Thy glory shall be mine； my load I bear；
So； spotless； thou thy peerless crown shalt wear！
Farewell； my love； farewell； I go to prove my faith；
To bless； to save thy life； so will I mate with death！
If prostrate from the blow； there yet remains of life
Enough to summon death； and end the piteous strife！
PAUL。
My grief； too deep for voice； shall silent be；
There； in my chamber； will I pray for thee！
When thou art gone； great Heaven shall hear my cry；
Grief's fruit for thee be hopedeathimmortality！
SEV。
Now with my loss alone let Fate contented be。
May Heaven shower bliss and peace on Polyeucte and thee！
PAUL。
Stern Fate obeyed； end； Death； his agony；
And Jove receive my heroto the sky！
SEV。
/Thou wast/ my heaven！
PAUL。
My father I obeyed
SEV。
O victim pure； obedient； undismayed！
Paulinetoo fairtoo dearI can no more！
PAUL。
So must I saydepartwhere I adore！
（Exit Severus。）
STRAT。
Yes； it is hardmost sadbehold my tears！
But now； at least； there is no cause for fears：
Thy dream is but a dreamis naught； is vain；
Severus pardons。 Gone that cause for pain！
PAUL。
Oh； if from pity start thy easy tear；
Add not that other woeforgotten fear！
Ah！ let me breathe； some respite give from trouble；
Those fears； half…dead； thou dost revive； redouble！
STRAT。
What dost thou dread？
PAUL。
Heavenhellearthempty air！
All； all is food for dread to my despair；
As thou unveil'st； begirt in lurid light；
The pallid ghost that slew me in the night！
STRAT。
Severus he by name； yet noble in his heart！
PAUL。
Ah； Polyeucte bathed in blood！ Depart！ depart！
STRAT。
For Polyeucte's welfare did Severus pray！
PAUL。
Yes； yes； his heart is great； be that my stay！
Yet； tho' his truth； his faith； well…proved be；
Most baleful is his presence here to me；
Yea； tho' he would all ill for me undo
Yet he hath power； he loveshe came to woo。
（Enter Polyeucte and Nearchus。）
POLY。
The source of tears is dry； oh； weep no more；
Thy grief lay down； thy fearful heart restore！
Let night's dark dream with superstition die；
The dream is past； for here in life am I！
PAUL。
The day is young； and oh； the day is long；
And half the dream is true； and Fate is strong；
Severus have I seen； who thought him dead！
POLY。
I know it！ Let no tear for this be shed！
Secure with thee am I！ Tho' great the knight；
Thy father will command to do me right；
The general is a man of honour；he
Would ne'er that honour dim by treachery！
He comes in amity； our friend； our guest；
To greet his worth and valour now my quest。
PAUL。
Radiant he came； who left me hopeless； sad；
But he will come no more；this grace I had。
POLY。
What？ Thinkest thou that I can jealous be？
PAUL。
An outrage this on him； on thee； on me！
He came in peace； who all my peace hath marred。
Who would run safely； every step must guard；
The wife who danger courts but courts her fall
My husband； aid me！I would tell thee all！
His worth； his charm； do my weak hearth enflame
A traitor here！ And he is aye the same！
If I should gaze； and long'gainst virtue； honour； sense；
The citadel I yield； and mine my own defence！
I know my virtues sure； and fair my fame；
But struggle is defeat；and combat shame！
POLY。
Oh； true thy shield； thy victory is won；
He only who has lost thee is undone；
His noble grief the cost of all my bliss；
Ah； Cleopatra's pearl was naught to this！
The more my faults I see； the more thy truth I learn；
The more do I admire
（Enter Cleon。）
CLEON。
My lord； the altars burn
With holy fire。 The victim they prepare；
On thee alone they wait； our rites to share。
POLY。
Go； we do follow thee！
PAUL。
I cannot go；
Severus flies my sight； to him I owe
My absencenot； alas！ to him alone！
Go thou； and oh； remember he is great；
In his sole hands Severus holds thy fate！
POLY。
A foe so great； so noble； is a friend；
Oh； not from him the lance that Heaven will send！
Exeunt Pauline； Stratonice and Cleon。
NEAR。
Where go'st thou？
POLY。
To the temple is the call。
NEAR。
What！ Wouldst thou mingle in their heathen brawl？
Thou art a Christian； and canst thou forget？
POLY。
Canst /thou/； who fore mine eyes the cross didst set？
NEAR。
Not mine their gods！
POLY。
He calls me！ I must go！
NEAR。
I fly their altars！
POLY。
I would overthrow！
Not mine to fly a worship I disown；
By me Jehovah； King of kings； be known！
Not mine to tremble as I kiss the rod！
I conquer by the Cross； I fight for God！
Thou wouldst abstain！ For me another course
From Heaven the call； and Heaven will give the force！
What！ Yield to evil！ His Cross on my brow！
His freemen we！ O fight； Nearchus； now！
For us our Lord was scourged； pierced； tortured； slain！
For us He bled！ Say； has He died in vain？
NEAR。
Let timely moderation temper zeal！
POLY。
HisHis alone am I！ His woe my weal！
NEAR。
In love with death？
POLY。
For Him I love I die！
He died for me！ So death is victory！
NEAR。
Thy flesh is weak！
POLY。
Yet He will make me bold！
NEAR。
And if thou waver？
POLY。
He will me uphold！
NEAR。
To tempt the Lord thy God were an offence。
POLY。
He is my shieldhence！ cursed tempter； hence！
NEAR。
In time of need the faith must be confessed。
POLY。
The offering grudged is sacrifice unblessed。
NEAR。
Seek thou the death thine own self…will prepares！
POLY。
A crown I seek； which every martyr shares！
NEAR。
A life of duty well that crown can win。
POLY。
The purest life on earth is stained with sin。
Why yield to time and chance what death assures？
Death but the gate of life that aye endures。
If I be Hislet me be His alone！
The faith that soars shall full fruition own；
Who trusts； yet fears and doubts； his faith is dead！
NEAR。
Not death the Christian's prayer； but daily bread。
Live to protect the flock； so sore oppressed。
POLY。
Example be their friend； most sure； most blessed！
NEAR。
Thou woo'st thy death！
POLY。
Is this poor life so dear？
NEAR。
Ah； I must own my heart is slave to fear。
The rack！ The cross！ I might my Lord disown！
POLY。
From Him our help； our strength； from Him alone！
Who fears denial does at heart deny；
Who doubts the power of faith makes faith a lie！
NEAR。
Who leans upon a reed shall find distress。
POLY。
His staff will guide； support my feebleness。
Thou wert my staff； to show the Truth； the Way；
Must I now urge thee to the realms of day？
Thou fearest death？
NEAR。
The Christ once feared to die！
POLY。
Yet drained the bitter cup of agony！
The way that thou hast shownthat way He trod；
His way be ours to lead man's soul to God
For heathen shrineto rear His altar fair；
The deathless hope alone can kill despair！
Thou said'st： 'If Him thou wilt for pattern take；
Then leave wife； wealth； home； all for His dear sake！'
Alas； that love of thine； now weak and poor；
Glows yet within my breastand shall endure；
Ah； must the dawn of this my perfect day
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