the three taverns(三家酒店)-第7节
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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 was glory with me； like a friend；
Throughout those crippling years when friends were few； And fearful to be
known by their own names When mine was vilified for their approval。 Yet
friends they are； and they did what was given Their will to do； they could
have done no more。 I was the one man mad enough； it seems； To do my
work； and now my work is over。 And you； my dear； are not to mourn for
me； Or for your sons； more than a soul should mourn In Paradise； done
with evil and with earth。 There is not much of earth in what remains For
you； and what there may be left of it For your endurance you shall have at
last In peace； without the twinge of any fear For my condition； for I shall
be done With plans and actions that have heretofore Made your days long
and your nights ominous With darkness and the many distances That were
between us。 When the silence comes； I shall in faith be nearer to you then
Than I am now in fact。 What you see now Is only the outside of an old
man； Older than years have made him。 Let him die； And let him be a thing
for little grief。 There was a time for service； and he served； And there is no
more time for anything But a short gratefulness to those who gave Their
scared allegiance to an enterprise That has the name of treason which
will serve As well as any other for the present。 There are some deeds of
men that have no names； And mine may like as not be one of them。 I am
not looking far for names tonight。 The King of Glory was without a name
Until men gave him one； yet there He was； Before we found Him and
affronted Him With numerous ingenuities of evil； Of which one； with His
aid； is to be swept And washed out of the world with fire and blood。
Once I believed it might have come to pass With a small cost of blood；
but I was dreaming Dreaming that I believed。 The Voice I heard When I
left you behind me in the north； To wait there and to wonder and grow
old Of loneliness； told only what was best； And with a saving vagueness；
I should know Till I knew more。 And had I known even then After grim
years of search and suffering； So many of them to end as they began
After my sickening doubts and estimations Of plans abandoned and of
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new plans vain After a weary delving everywhere For men with every
virtue but the Vision Could I have known； I say； before I left you That
summer morning； all there was to know Even unto the last consuming
word That would have blasted every mortal answer As lightning would
annihilate a leaf； I might have trembled on that summer morning； I might
have wavered； and I might have failed。
And there are many among men today To say of me that I had best
have wavered。 So has it been； so shall it always be； For those of us who
give ourselves to die Before we are so parcelled and approved As to be
slaughtered by authority。 We do not make so much of what they say As
they of what our folly says of us； They give us hardly time enough for that；
And thereby we gain much by losing little。 Few are alive to…day with less
to lose Than I who tell you this； or more to gain； And whether I speak as
one to be destroyed For no good end outside his own destruction； Time
shall have more to say than men shall hear Between now and the coming
of that harvest Which is to come。 Before it comes； I go By the short road
that mystery makes long For man's endurance of accomplishment。 I shall
have more to say when I am dead。
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The False Gods
〃We are false and evanescent； and aware of our deceit； From the straw
that is our vitals to the clay that is our feet。 You may serve us if you must；
and you shall have your wage of ashes； Though arrears due thereafter
may be hard for you to meet。
〃You may swear that we are solid； you may say that we are strong； But
we know that we are neither and we say that you are wrong； You may find
an easy worship in acclaiming our indulgence； But your large admiration
of us now is not for long。
〃If your doom is to adore us with a doubt that's never still； And you
pray to see our faces pray in earnest； and you will。 You may gaze at us
and live； and live assured of our confusion： For the False Gods are mortal；
and are made for you to kill。
〃And you may as well observe； while apprehensively at ease With an
Art that's inorganic and is anything you please； That anon your newest ruin
may lie crumbling unregarded； Like an old shrine forgotten in a forest of
new trees。
〃Howsoever like no other be the mode you may employ； There's an
order in the ages for the ages to enjoy； Though the temples you are
shaping and the passions you are singing Are a long way from Athens and
a longer way from Troy。
〃When we promise more than ever of what never shall arrive； And you
seem a little more than ordinarily alive； Make a note that you are sure you
understand our obligations For there's grief always auditing where two
and two are five。
〃There was this for us to say and there was this for you to know；
Though it humbles and it hurts us when we have to tell you so。 If you
doubt the only truth in all our perjured composition； May the True Gods
attend you and forget us when we go。〃
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Archibald's Example
Old Archibald； in his eternal chair； Where trespassers； whatever their
degree； Were soon frowned out again； was looking off Across the clover
when he said to me：
〃My green hill yonder； where the sun goes down Without a scratch；
was once inhabited By trees that injured him an evil trash That made a
cage； and held him while he bled。
〃Gone fifty years； I see them as they were Before they fell。 They were
a crooked lot To spoil my sunset； and I saw no time In fifty years for
crooked things to rot。
〃Trees； yes； but not a service or a joy To God or man； for they were
thieves of light。 So down they came。 Nature and I looked on； And we were
glad when they were out of sight。
〃Trees are like men； sometimes； and that being so； So much for that。〃
He twinkled in his chair； And looked across the clover to the place That he
remembered when the trees were there。
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London Bridge
〃Do I hear them？ Yes； I hear the children singing and what of it？
Have you come with eyes afire to find me now and ask me that？ If I were
not their father and if you were not their mother； We might believe they
made a noise。 。 。 。 What are you driving at！〃
〃Well； be glad that you can hear them； and be glad they are so near us；
For I have heard the stars of heaven； and they were nearer still。 All
within an hour it is that I have heard them calling； And though I pray for
them to cease； I know they never will； For their music on my heart； though
you may freeze it； will fall always； Like summer snow that never melts
upon a mountain…top。 Do you hear them？ Do you hear them overhead
the children singing？ Do you hear the children singing？ 。 。 。 God； will
you make them stop！〃
〃And what now in his holy name have you to do with mountains？
We're back to town again； my dear； and we've a dance tonight。 Frozen
hearts and falling music？ Snow and stars； and what the devil！ Say it
over to me slowly； and be sure you have it right。〃
〃God knows if I be right or wrong in saying what I tell you； Or if I
know the meaning any more of what I say。 All I know is； it will kill me if I
try to keep it hidden Well； I met him。 。 。 。 Yes； I met him； and I talked
with him today。〃
〃You met him？ Did you meet the ghost of someone you had poisoned；
Long ago； before I knew you for the woman that you are？ Take a chair；
and don't begin your stories always in the middle。 Was he man； or was he
demon？
