the three taverns(三家酒店)-第5节
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seem to hear you ask； are men to dance； When all men are musicians。 Tell
me that； I hear you saying； and I'll tell you the name Of Samson's mother。
But why shroud yourself Before the coffin comes？ For all you know； The
tree that is to fall for your last house Is now a sapling。 You may have to
wait So long as to be sorry； though I doubt it； For you are not at home in
your new Eden Where chilly whispers of a likely frost Accumulate already
in the air。 I think a touch of ermine； Hamilton； Would be for you in your
autumnal mood A pleasant sort of warmth along the shoulders。
HAMILTON
If so it is you think； you may as well Give over thinking。 We are done
with ermine。 What I fear most is not the multitude； But those who are to
loop it with a string That has one end in France and one end here。 I'm not
so fortified with observation That I could swear that more than half a score
Among us who see lightning see that ruin Is not the work of thunder。 Since
the world Was ordered； there was never a long pause For caution between
doing and undoing。
BURR
Go on； sir； my attention is a trap Set for the catching of all
compliments To Monticello； and all else abroad That has a name or an
identity。
HAMILTON
I leave to you the names there are too many； Yet one there is to sift
and hold apart； As now I see。 There comes at last a glimmer That is not
always clouded； or too late。 But I was near and young； and had the reins
To play with while he manned a team so raw That only God knows where
the end had been Of all that riding without Washington。 There was a
nation in the man who passed us； If there was not a world。 I may have
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driven Since then some restive horses； and alone； And through a splashing
of abundant mud； But he who made the dust that sets you on To coughing；
made the road。 Now it seems dry； And in a measure safe。
BURR
Here's a new tune From Hamilton。 Has your caution all at once； And
over night； grown till it wrecks the cradle？ I have forgotten what my father
said When I was born； but there's a rustling of it Among my memories；
and it makes a noise About as loud as all that I have held And fondled
heretofore of your same caution。 But that's affairs； not feelings。 If our
friends Guessed half we say of them； our enemies Would itch in our
friends' jackets。 Howsoever； The world is of a sudden on its head； And all
are spilled unless you cling alone With Washington。 Ask Adams about
that。
HAMILTON
We'll not ask Adams about anything。 We fish for lizards when we
choose to ask For what we know already is not coming； And we must eat
the answer。 Where's the use Of asking when this man says everything；
With all his tongues of silence？
BURR
I dare say。 I dare say； but I won't。 One of those tongues I'll borrow for
the nonce。 He'll never miss it。 We mean his Western Majesty； King
George。
HAMILTON
I mean the man who rode by on his horse。 I'll beg of you the meed of
your indulgence If I should say this planet may have done A deal of weary
whirling when at last； If ever； Time shall aggregate again A majesty like
his that has no name。
BURR
Then you concede his Majesty？ That's good； And what of yours？ Here
are two majesties。 Favor the Left a little； Hamilton； Or you'll be
floundering in the ditch that waits For riders who forget where they are
riding。 If we and France； as you anticipate； Must eat each other； what
Caesar； if not yourself； Do you see for the master of the feast？ There may
be a place waiting on your head For laurel thick as Nero's。 You don't know。
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I have not crossed your glory； though I might If I saw thrones at auction。
HAMILTON
Yes； you might。 If war is on the way； I shall be here； And I've no
vision of your distant heels。
BURR
I see that I shall take an inference To bed with me to…night to keep me
warm。 I thank you； Hamilton； and I approve Your fealty to the aggregated
greatness Of him you lean on while he leans on you。
HAMILTON
This easy phrasing is a game of yours That you may win to lose。 I beg
your pardon； But you that have the sight will not employ The will to see
with it。 If you did so； There might be fewer ditches dug for others In your
perspective； and there might be fewer Contemporary motes of prejudice
Between you and the man who made the dust。 Call him a genius or a
gentleman； A prophet or a builder； or what not； But hold your disposition
off the balance； And weigh him in the light。 Once （I believe I tell you
nothing new to your surmise； Or to the tongues of towns and villages） I
nourished with an adolescent fancy Surely forgivable to you； my friend
An innocent and amiable conviction That I was； by the grace of honest
fortune； A savior at his elbow through the war； Where I might have
observed； more than I did； Patience and wholesome passion。 I was there；
And for such honor I gave nothing worse Than some advice at which he
may have smiled。 I must have given a modicum besides； Or the rough
interval between those days And these would never have made for me my
friends； Or enemies。 I should be something somewhere I say not what
but I should not be here If he had not been there。 Possibly； too； You might
not or that Quaker with his cane。
BURR
Possibly； too； I should。 When the Almighty Rides a white horse； I
fancy we shall know it。
HAMILTON
It was a man； Burr； that was in my mind； No god； or ghost； or demon …
… only a man： A man whose occupation is the need Of those who would
not feel it if it bit them； And one who shapes an age while he endures The
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pin pricks of inferiorities； A cautious man； because he is but one； A lonely
man； because he is a thousand。 No marvel you are slow to find in him The
genius that is one spark or is nothing： His genius is a flame that he must
hold So far above the common heads of men That they may view him only
through the mist Of their defect； and wonder what he is。 It seems to me the
mystery that is in him That makes him only more to me a man Than any
other I have ever known。
BURR
I grant you that his worship is a man。 I'm not so much at home with
mysteries； May be； as you so leave him with his fire： God knows that I
shall never put it out。 He has not made a cripple of himself In his pursuit
of me； though I have heard His condescension honors me with parts。 Parts
make a whole； if we've enough of them； And once I figured a sufficiency
To be at least an atom in the annals Of your republic。 But I must have
erred。
HAMILTON
You smile as if your spirit lived at ease With error。 I should not have
named it so； Failing assent from you； nor； if I did； Should I be so
complacent in my skill To comb the tangled language of the people As to
be sure of anything in these days。 Put that much in account with modesty。
BURR
What in the name of Ahab； Hamilton； Have you； in the last region of
your dreaming； To do with 〃people〃？ You may be the devil In your dead…
reckoning of what reefs and shoals Are waiting on the progress of our ship
Unless you steer it； but you'll find it irksome Alone there in the stern； and
some warm day There'll be an inland music in the rigging； And afterwards
on deck。 I'm not affined Or favored overmuch at Monticello； But there's a
mighty swarming of new bees About the premises； and all have wings。 If
you hear something buzzing before long； Be thoughtful how you strike；
remembering also There was a fellow Naboth had a vineyard； And Ahab
cut his hair off and went softly。
HAMILTON
I don't remember that he cut his hair off。
BURR
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Somehow I rather fancy that he did。 If so； it's in the Boo
