the three taverns(三家酒店)-第14节
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was there； and alone； still gazing。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
An Evangelist's Wife
〃Why am I not myself these many days； You ask？ And have you
nothing more to ask？ I do you wrong？ I do not hear your praise To God for
giving you me to share your task？
〃Jealous of Her？ Because her cheeks are pink； And she has eyes？ No；
not if she had seven。 If you should only steal an hour to think； Sometime；
there might be less to be forgiven。
〃No； you are never cruel。 If once or twice I found you so； I could
applaud and sing。 Jealous of What？ You are not very wise。 Does not the
good Book tell you anything？
〃In David's time poor Michal had to go。 Jealous of God？ Well； if you
like it so。〃
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he Old King's New Jester
You that in vain would front the coming order With eyes that meet
forlornly what they must； And only with a furtive recognition See dust
where there is dust； Be sure you like it always in your faces； Obscuring
your best graces； Blinding your speech and sight； Before you seek again
your dusty places Where the old wrong seems right。
Longer ago than cave…men had their changes Our fathers may have
slain a son or two； Discouraging a further dialectic Regarding what was
new； And after their unstudied admonition Occasional contrition For their
old…fashioned ways May have reduced their doubts； and in addition
Softened their final days。
Farther away than feet shall ever travel Are the vague towers of our
unbuilded State； But there are mightier things than we to lead us； That will
not let us wait。 And we go on with none to tell us whether Or not we've
each a tether Determining how fast or far we go； And it is well； since we
must go together； That we are not to know。
If the old wrong and all its injured glamour Haunts you by day and
gives your night no peace； You may as well； agreeably and serenely； Give
the new wrong its lease； For should you nourish a too fervid yearning For
what is not returning； The vicious and unfused ingredient May give you
qualms and one or two concerning The last of your content。
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Lazarus
〃No； Mary； there was nothing not a word。 Nothing； and always
nothing。 Go again Yourself； and he may listen or at least Look up at you；
and let you see his eyes。 I might as well have been the sound of rain； A
wind among the cedars； or a bird； Or nothing。 Mary； make him look at you；
And even if he should say that we are nothing； To know that you have
heard him will be something。 And yet he loved us； and it was for love The
Master gave him back。 Why did He wait So long before He came？ Why
did He weep？ I thought He would be glad and Lazarus To see us all
again as He had left us All as it was； all as it was before。〃
Mary； who felt her sister's frightened arms Like those of someone
drowning who had seized her； Fearing at last they were to fail and sink
Together in this fog…stricken sea of strangeness； Fought sadly； with
bereaved indignant eyes； To find again the fading shores of home That she
had seen but now could see no longer。 Now she could only gaze into the
twilight； And in the dimness know that he was there； Like someone that
was not。 He who had been Their brother； and was dead； now seemed alive
Only in death again or worse than death； For tombs at least； always until
today； Though sad were certain。 There was nothing certain For man or
God in such a day as this； For there they were alone； and there was he
Alone； and somewhere out of Bethany； The Master who had come to
them so late； Only for love of them and then so slowly； And was for their
sake hunted now by men Who feared Him as they feared no other prey
For the world's sake was hidden。 〃Better the tomb For Lazarus than life； if
this be life；〃 She thought； and then to Martha； 〃No； my dear；〃 She said
aloud； 〃not as it was before。 Nothing is ever as it was before； Where Time
has been。 Here there is more than Time； And we that are so lonely and so
far From home； since he is with us here again； Are farther now from him
and from ourselves Than we are from the stars。 He will not speak Until the
spirit that is in him speaks； And we must wait for all we are to know； Or
even to learn that we are not to know。 Martha； we are too near to this for
knowledge； And that is why it is that we must wait。 Our friends are
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coming if we call for them； And there are covers we'll put over him To
make him warmer。 We are too young； perhaps； To say that we know better
what is best Than he。 We do not know how old he is。 If you remember
what the Master said； Try to believe that we need have no fear。 Let me； the
selfish and the careless one； Be housewife and a mother for tonight； For I
am not so fearful as you are； And I was not so eager。〃
Martha sank Down at her sister's feet and there sat watching A flower
that had a small familiar name That was as old as memory； but was not
The name of what she saw now in its brief And infinite mystery that so
frightened her That life became a terror。 Tears again Flooded her eyes and
overflowed。 〃No； Mary；〃 She murmured slowly； hating her own words
Before she heard them； 〃you are not so eager To see our brother as we see
him now； Neither is He who gave him back to us。 I was to be the simple
one； as always； And this was all for me。〃 She stared again Over among the
trees where Lazarus； Who seemed to be a man who was not there； Might
have been one more shadow among shadows； If she had not remembered。
Then she felt The cool calm hands of Mary on her face； And shivered；
wondering if such hands were real。
〃The Master loved you as He loved us all； Martha； and you are saying
only things That children say when they have had no sleep。 Try somehow
now to rest a little while； You know that I am here； and that our friends
Are coming if I call。〃
Martha at last Arose； and went with Mary to the door； Where they
stood looking off at the same place； And at the same shape that was
always there As if it would not ever move or speak； And always would be
there。 〃Mary； go now； Before the dark that will be coming hides him。 I am
afraid of him out there alone； Unless I see him； and I have forgotten What
sleep is。 Go now make him look at you And I shall hear him if he stirs
or whispers。 Go！ or I'll scream and bring all Bethany To come and make
him speak。 Make him say once That he is glad； and God may say the rest。
Though He say I shall sleep； and sleep for ever； I shall not care for that 。 。 。
Go！〃
Mary； moving Almost as if an angry child had pushed her； Went
forward a few steps； and having waited As long as Martha's eyes would
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look at hers； Went forward a few more； and a few more； And so； until she
came to Lazarus； Who crouched with his face hidden in his hands； Like
one that had no face。 Before she spoke； Feeling her sister's eyes that were
behind her As if the door where Martha stood were now As far from her as
Egypt； Mary turned Once more to see that she was there。 Then； softly；
Fearing him not so much as wondering What his first word might be； said；
〃Lazarus； Forgive us if we seemed afraid of you；〃 And having spoken；
pitied her poor speech That had so little seeming gladness in it； So little
comfort； and so little love。
There was no sign from him that he had heard； Or that he knew that
she was there； or cared Whether she spoke to him again or died There at
his feet。 〃We love you； Lazarus； And we are not afraid。 The Master said
We need not be afraid。 Will you not say To me that you are glad？ L
