the three taverns(三家酒店)-第6节
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Somehow I rather fancy that he did。 If so； it's in the Book； and if not so；
He did the rest； and did it handsomely。
HAMILTON
Commend yourself to Ahab and his ways If they inveigle you to
emulation； But where； if I may ask it； are you tending With your invidious
wielding of the Scriptures？ You call to mind an eminent archangel Who
fell to make him famous。 Would you fall So far as he； to be so far
remembered？
BURR
Before I fall or rise； or am an angel； I shall acquaint myself a little
further With our new land's new language； which is not Peace to your
dreams an idiom to your liking。 I'm wondering if a man may always
know How old a man may be at thirty…seven； I wonder likewise if a
prettier time Could be decreed for a good man to vanish Than about now
for you； before you fade； And even your friends are seeing that you have
had Your cup too full for longer mortal triumph。 Well； you have had
enough； and had it young； And the old wine is nearer to the lees Than you
are to the work that you are doing。
HAMILTON
When does this philological excursion Into new lands and languages
begin？
BURR
Anon that is； already。 Only Fortune Gave me this afternoon the
benefaction Of your blue back； which I for love pursued； And in pursuing
may have saved your life Also the world a pounding piece of news：
Hamilton bites the dust of Washington； Or rather of his horse。 For you
alone； Or for your fame； I'd wish it might have been so。
HAMILTON
Not every man among us has a friend So jealous for the other's fame。
How long Are you to diagnose the doubtful case Of Demos and what for？
Have you a sword For some new Damocles？ If it's for me； I have lost all
official appetite； And shall have faded； after January； Into the law。 I'm
going to New York。
BURR
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No matter where you are； one of these days I shall come back to you
and tell you something。 This Demos； I have heard； has in his wrist A pulse
that no two doctors have as yet Counted and found the same； and in his
mouth A tongue that has the like alacrity For saying or not for saying what
most it is That pullulates in his ignoble mind。 One of these days I shall
appear again； To tell you more of him and his opinions； I shall not be so
long out of your sight； Or take myself so far； that I may not； Like
Alcibiades； come back again。 He went away to Phrygia； and fared ill。
HAMILTON
There's an example in Themistocles： He went away to Persia； and
fared well。
BURR
So？ Must I go so far？ And if so； why so？ I had not planned it so。 Is this
the road I take？ If so； farewell。
HAMILTON
Quite so。 Farewell。
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John Brown
Though for your sake I would not have you now So near to me tonight
as now you are； God knows how much a stranger to my heart Was any
cold word that I may have written； And you； poor woman that I made my
wife； You have had more of loneliness； I fear； Than I though I have been
the most alone； Even when the most attended。 So it was God set the mark
of his inscrutable Necessity on one that was to grope； And serve； and
suffer； and withal be glad For what was his； and is； and is to be； When his
old bones； that are a burden now； Are saying what the man who carried
them Had not the power to say。 Bones in a grave； Cover them as they will
with choking earth； May shout the truth to men who put them there； More
than all orators。 And so； my dear； Since you have cheated wisdom for the
sake Of sorrow； let your sorrow be for you； This last of nights before the
last of days； The lying ghost of what there is of me That is the most alive。
There is no death For me in what they do。 Their death it is They should
heed most when the sun comes again To make them solemn。 There are
some I know Whose eyes will hardly see their occupation； For tears in
them and all for one old man； For some of them will pity this old man；
Who took upon himself the work of God Because he pitied millions。 That
will be For them； I fancy； their compassionate Best way of saying what is
best in them To say； for they can say no more than that； And they can do
no more than what the dawn Of one more day shall give them light enough
To do。 But there are many days to be； And there are many men to give
their blood； As I gave mine for them。 May they come soon！
May they come soon； I say。 And when they come； May all that I have
said unheard be heard； Proving at last； or maybe not no matter What
sort of madness was the part of me That made me strike； whether I found
the mark Or missed it。 Meanwhile； I've a strange content； A patience； and a
vast indifference To what men say of me and what men fear To say。 There
was a work to be begun； And when the Voice； that I have heard so long；
Announced as in a thousand silences An end of preparation； I began The
coming work of death which is to be； That life may be。 There is no other
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way Than the old way of war for a new land That will not know itself and
is tonight A stranger to itself； and to the world A more prodigious upstart
among states Than I was among men； and so shall be Till they are told and
told； and told again； For men are children； waiting to be told； And most of
them are children all their lives。 The good God in his wisdom had them so；
That now and then a madman or a seer May shake them out of their
complacency And shame them into deeds。 The major file See only what
their fathers may have seen； Or may have said they saw when they saw
nothing。 I do not say it matters what they saw。 Now and again to some
lone soul or other God speaks； and there is hanging to be done； As once
there was a burning of our bodies Alive； albeit our souls were sorry fuel。
But now the fires are few； and we are poised Accordingly； for the state's
benefit； A few still minutes between heaven and earth。 The purpose is；
when they have seen enough Of what it is that they are not to see； To pluck
me as an unripe fruit of treason； And then to fling me back to the same
earth Of which they are； as I suppose； the flower Not given to know the
riper fruit that waits For a more comprehensive harvesting。
Yes； may they come； and soon。 Again I say； May they come soon！
before too many of them Shall be the bloody cost of our defection。 When
hell waits on the dawn of a new state； Better it were that hell should not
wait long； Or so it is I see it who should see As far or farther into time
tonight Than they who talk and tremble for me now； Or wish me to those
everlasting fires That are for me no fear。 Too many fires Have sought me
out and seared me to the bone Thereby； for all I know； to temper me For
what was mine to do。 If I did ill What I did well； let men say I was mad；
Or let my name for ever be a question That will not sleep in history。 What
men say I was will cool no cannon； dull no sword； Invalidate no truth。
Meanwhile； I was； And the long train is lighted that shall burn； Though
floods of wrath may drench it； and hot feet May stamp it for a slight time
into smoke That shall blaze up again with growing speed； Until at last a
fiery crash will come To cleanse and shake a wounded hemisphere； And
heal it of a long malignity That angry time discredits and disowns。 Tonight
there are men saying many things； And some who see life in the last of me
Will answer first the coming call to death； For death is what is coming；
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and then life。 I do not say again for the dull sake Of speech what you have
heard me say before； But rather for the sake of all I am； And all God made
of me。 A man to die As I do must have done some other work Than man's
alone。 I was not after glory； But there wa
