king henry v(亨利五世)-第11节
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come upon us now。 KING HENRY。 We are in God's hand； brother； not in
theirs。 March to the bridge； it now draws toward night； Beyond the river
we'll encamp ourselves； And on to…morrow bid them march away。 Exeunt
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SCENE VII。 The French camp near Agincourt
Enter the CONSTABLE OF FRANCE； the LORD RAMBURES； the
DUKE OF ORLEANS； the DAUPHIN； with others
CONSTABLE。 Tut！ I have the best armour of the world。 Would it
were day！ ORLEANS。 You have an excellent armour； but let my horse
have his due。 CONSTABLE。 It is the best horse of Europe。 ORLEANS。
Will it never be morning？ DAUPHIN。 My Lord of Orleans and my Lord
High Constable； you talk of horse and armour？ ORLEANS。 You are as
well provided of both as any prince in the world。 DAUPHIN。 What a long
night is this！ I will not change my horse with any that treads but on four
pasterns。 Ca； ha！ he bounds from the earth as if his entrails were hairs； le
cheval volant； the Pegasus； chez les narines de feu！ When I bestride him I
soar； I am a hawk。 He trots the air； the earth sings when he touches it； the
basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of
Hermes。 ORLEANS。 He's of the colour of the nutmeg。 DAUPHIN。
And of the heat of the ginger。 It is a beast for Perseus： he is pure air and
fire； and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him； but only
in patient stillness while his rider mounts him； he is indeed a horse； and all
other jades you may call beasts。 CONSTABLE。 Indeed； my lord； it is a
most absolute and excellent horse。 DAUPHIN。 It is the prince of palfreys；
his neigh is like the bidding of a monarch； and his countenance enforces
homage。 ORLEANS。 No more； cousin。 DAUPHIN。 Nay； the man hath no
wit that cannot； from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the lamb； vary
deserved praise on my palfrey。 It is a theme as fluent as the sea： turn the
sands into eloquent tongues； and my horse is argument for them all： 'tis a
subject for a sovereign to reason on； and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride
on； and for the world… familiar to us and unknown… to lay apart their
particular functions and wonder at him。 I once writ a sonnet in his praise
and began thus： 'Wonder of nature'… ORLEANS。 I have heard a sonnet
begin so to one's mistress。 DAUPHIN。 Then did they imitate that which I
compos'd to my courser； for my horse is my mistress。 ORLEANS。 Your
mistress bears well。 DAUPHIN。 Me well； which is the prescript praise and
perfection of a good and particular mistress。 CONSTABLE。 Nay； for
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methought yesterday your mistress shrewdly shook your back。 DAUPHIN。
So perhaps did yours。 CONSTABLE。 Mine was not bridled。 DAUPHIN。 O；
then belike she was old and gentle； and you rode like a kern of Ireland；
your French hose off and in your strait strossers。 CONSTABLE。 You have
good judgment in horsemanship。 DAUPHIN。 Be warn'd by me； then： they
that ride so； and ride not warily； fall into foul bogs。 I had rather have my
horse to my mistress。 CONSTABLE。 I had as lief have my mistress a jade。
DAUPHIN。 I tell thee； Constable； my mistress wears his own hair。
CONSTABLE。 I could make as true a boast as that； if I had a sow to my
mistress。 DAUPHIN。 'Le chien est retourne a son propre vomissement； et
la truie lavee au bourbier。' Thou mak'st use of anything。 CONSTABLE。
Yet do I not use my horse for my mistress； or any such proverb so little kin
to the purpose。 RAMBURES。 My Lord Constable； the armour that I saw
in your tent to…night… are those stars or suns upon it？ CONSTABLE。 Stars；
my lord。 DAUPHIN。 Some of them will fall to…morrow； I hope。
CONSTABLE。 And yet my sky shall not want。 DAUPHIN。 That may be；
for you bear a many superfluously； and 'twere more honour some were
away。 CONSTABLE。 Ev'n as your horse bears your praises； who would
trot as well were some of your brags dismounted。 DAUPHIN。 Would I
were able to load him with his desert！ Will it never be day？ I will trot to…
morrow a mile； and my way shall be paved with English faces。
CONSTABLE。 I will not say so； for fear I should be fac'd out of my way；
but I would it were morning； for I would fain be about the ears of the
English。 RAMBURES。 Who will go to hazard with me for twenty
prisoners？ CONSTABLE。 You must first go yourself to hazard ere you
have them。 DAUPHIN。 'Tis midnight； I'll go arm myself。 Exit ORLEANS。
The Dauphin longs for morning。 RAMBURES。 He longs to eat the
English。 CONSTABLE。 I think he will eat all he kills。 ORLEANS。 By the
white hand of my lady； he's a gallant prince。 CONSTABLE。 Swear by her
foot； that she may tread out the oath。 ORLEANS。 He is simply the most
active gentleman of France。 CONSTABLE。 Doing is activity； and he will
still be doing。 ORLEANS。 He never did harm that I heard of。
CONSTABLE。 Nor will do none to…morrow： he will keep that good name
still。 ORLEANS。 I know him to be valiant。 CONSTABLE。 I was told that
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by one that knows him better than you。 ORLEANS。 What's he？
CONSTABLE。 Marry； he told me so himself； and he said he car'd not who
knew it。 ORLEANS。 He needs not； it is no hidden virtue in him。
CONSTABLE。 By my faith； sir； but it is； never anybody saw it but his
lackey。 'Tis a hooded valour； and when it appears it will bate。 ORLEANS。
Ill…wind never said well。 CONSTABLE。 I will cap that proverb with
'There is flattery in friendship。' ORLEANS。 And I will take up that with
'Give the devil his due。' CONSTABLE。 Well plac'd！ There stands your
friend for the devil； have at the very eye of that proverb with 'A pox of the
devil！' ORLEANS。 You are the better at proverbs by how much 'A fool's
bolt is soon shot。' CONSTABLE。 You have shot over。 ORLEANS。 'Tis not
the first time you were overshot。
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER。 My Lord High Constable； the English lie within
fifteen hundred paces of your tents。 CONSTABLE。 Who hath measur'd the
ground？ MESSENGER。 The Lord Grandpre。 CONSTABLE。 A valiant and
most expert gentleman。 Would it were day！ Alas； poor Harry of England！
he longs not for the dawning as we do。 ORLEANS。 What a wretched and
peevish fellow is this King of England； to mope with his fat…brain'd
followers so far out of his knowledge！ CONSTABLE。 If the English had
any apprehension； they would run away。 ORLEANS。 That they lack； for if
their heads had any intellectual armour； they could never wear such heavy
head…pieces。 RAMBURES。 That island of England breeds very valiant
creatures； their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage。 ORLEANS。 Foolish
curs； that run winking into the mouth of a Russian bear； and have their
heads crush'd like rotten apples！ You may as well say that's a valiant flea
that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion。 CONSTABLE。 Just； just！
and the men do sympathise with the mastiffs in robustious and rough
coming on； leaving their wits with their wives； and then give them great
meals of beef and iron and steel； they will eat like wolves and fight like
devils。 ORLEANS。 Ay； but these English are shrewdly out of beef。
CONSTABLE。 Then shall we find to…morrow they have only stomachs to
eat； and none to fight。 Now is it time to arm。 Come； shall we about it？
ORLEANS。 It is now two o'clock； but let me see… by ten We shall have
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each a hundred Englishmen。 Exeunt
