life is a dream-第2章
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In some convulsion like to…day's； and perch'd
Quaintly among them in mock…masonry？
FIFE。
Most likely that； I doubt。
ROS。
No； nofor look！
A square of darkness opening in it
FIFE。
Oh； I don't half like such openings！
ROS。
Like the loom
Of night from which she spins her outer gloom
FIFE。
Lord； Madam； pray forbear this tragic vein
In such a time and place
ROS。
And now again
Within that square of darkness； look！ a light
That feels its way with hesitating pulse；
As we do； through the darkness that it drives
To blacken into deeper night beyond。
FIFE。
In which could we follow that light's example；
As might some English Bardolph with his nose；
We might defy the sunsetHark； a chain！
ROS。
And now a lamp； a lamp！ And now the hand
That carries it。
FIFE。
Oh； Lord！ that dreadful chain！
ROS。
And now the bearer of the lamp； indeed
As strange as any in Arabian tale；
So giant…like； and terrible； and grand；
Spite of the skin he's wrapt in。
FIFE。
Why； 'tis his own：
Oh； 'tis some wild man of the woods； I've heard
They build and carry torches
ROS。
Never Ape
Bore such a brow before the heavens as that
Chain'd as you say too！
FIFE。
Oh； that dreadful chain！
ROS。
And now he sets the lamp down by his side；
And with one hand clench'd in his tangled hair
And with a sigh as if his heart would break
（During this Segismund has entered from the fortress； with a torch。）
SEGISMUND。
Once more the storm has roar'd itself away；
Splitting the crags of God as it retires；
But sparing still what it should only blast；
This guilty piece of human handiwork；
And all that are within it。 Oh； how oft；
How oft； within or here abroad； have I
Waited； and in the whisper of my heart
Pray'd for the slanting hand of heaven to strike
The blow myself I dared not； out of fear
Of that Hereafter； worse； they say； than here；
Plunged headlong in； but； till dismissal waited；
To wipe at last all sorrow from men's eyes；
And make this heavy dispensation clear。
Thus have I borne till now； and still endure；
Crouching in sullen impotence day by day；
Till some such out…burst of the elements
Like this rouses the sleeping fire within；
And standing thus upon the threshold of
Another night about to close the door
Upon one wretched day to open it
On one yet wretcheder because one more；
Once more； you savage heavens； I ask of you
I； looking up to those relentless eyes
That； now the greater lamp is gone below；
Begin to muster in the listening skies；
In all the shining circuits you have gone
About this theatre of human woe；
What greater sorrow have you gazed upon
Than down this narrow chink you witness still；
And which； did you yourselves not fore…devise；
You registered for others to fulfil！
FIFE。
This is some Laureate at a birthday ode；
No wonder we went rhyming。
ROS。
Hush！ And now
See； starting to his feet； he strides about
Far as his tether'd steps
SEG。
And if the chain
You help'd to rivet round me did contract
Since guiltless infancy from guilt in act；
Of what in aspiration or in thought
Guilty； but in resentment of the wrong
That wreaks revenge on wrong I never wrought
By excommunication from the free
Inheritance that all created life；
Beside myself； is born tofrom the wings
That range your own immeasurable blue；
Down to the poor； mute； scale…imprison'd things；
That yet are free to wander； glide； and pass
About that under…sapphire； whereinto
Yourselves transfusing you yourselves englass！
ROS。
What mystery is this？
FIFE。
Why； the man's mad：
That's all the mystery。 That's why he's chain'd
And why
SEG。
Nor Nature's guiltless life alone
But that which lives on blood and rapine； nay；
Charter'd with larger liberty to slay
Their guiltless kind； the tyrants of the air
Soar zenith…upward with their screaming prey；
Making pure heaven drop blood upon the stage
Of under earth； where lion； wolf； and bear；
And they that on their treacherous velvet wear
Figure and constellation like your own；
With their still living slaughter bound away
Over the barriers of the mountain cage；
Against which one； blood…guiltless； and endued
With aspiration and with aptitude
Transcending other creatures； day by day
Beats himself mad with unavailing rage！
FIFE。
Why； that must be the meaning of my mule's
Rebellion
ROS。
Hush！
SEG。
But then if murder be
The law by which not only conscience…blind
Creatures； but man too prospers with his kind；
Who leaving all his guilty fellows free；
Under your fatal auspice and divine
Compulsion； leagued in some mysterious ban
Against one innocent and helpless man；
Abuse their liberty to murder mine：
And sworn to silence； like their masters mute
In heaven； and like them twirling through the mask
Of darkness； answering to all I ask；
Point up to them whose work they execute！
ROS。
Ev'n as I thought； some poor unhappy wretch；
By man wrong'd； wretched； unrevenged； as I！
Nay； so much worse than I； as by those chains
Clipt of the means of self…revenge on those
Who lay on him what they deserve。 And I；
Who taunted Heaven a little while ago
With pouring all its wrath upon my head
Alas！ like him who caught the cast…off husk
Of what another bragg'd of feeding on；
Here's one that from the refuse of my sorrows
Could gather all the banquet he desires！
Poor soul； poor soul！
FIFE。
Speak lowerhe will hear you。
ROS。
And if he should； what then？ Why； if he would；
He could not harm meNay； and if he could；
Methinks I'd venture something of a life
I care so little for
SEG。
Who's that？ Clotaldo？ Who are you； I say；
That； venturing in these forbidden rocks；
Have lighted on my miserable life；
And your own death？
ROS。
You would not hurt me； surely？
SEG。
Not I； but those that； iron as the chain
In which they slay me with a lingering death；
Will slay you with a suddenWho are you？
ROS。
A stranger from across the mountain there；
Who； having lost his way in this strange land
And coming night； drew hither to what seem'd
A human dwelling hidden in these rocks；
And where the voice of human sorrow soon
Told him it was so。
SEG。
Ay？ But nearernearer
That by this smoky supplement of day
But for a moment I may see who speaks
So pitifully sweet。
FIFE。
Take care！ take care！
ROS。
Alas； poor man； that I； myself so helpless；
Could better help you than by barren pity；
And my poor presence
SEG。
Oh； might that be all！
But thata few poor momentsand； alas！
The very bliss of having； and the dread
Of losing； under such a penalty
As every moment's having runs more near；
Stifles the very utterance and resource
They cry for quickest； till from sheer despair
Of holding thee； methinks myself would tear
To pieces
FIFE。
There； his word's enough for it。
SEG。
Oh； think； if you who move about at will；
And live in sweet communion with your kind；
After an hour lost in these lonely rocks
Hunger and thirst after some human voice
To drink； and human face to feed upon；
What must one do where all is mute； or harsh；
And ev'n the naked face of cruelty
Were better than the mask it works beneath？
Across the mountain then！ Across the mountain！
What if the next world which they tell one of
Be only next across the mountain then；
Though I must never see it till I die；
And you one of its angels？
ROS。
Alas； alas！
No angel！ And the face you think so fair；
'Tis but the dismal frame…work of these rocks
That makes it seem so； and the world I come from
Alas； alas； too many faces there
Are but fair vizors to black hearts below；
Or only serve to bring the wearer woe！
But to yourselfIf haply the redress
That I am here upon may help to yours。
I heard you tax the heavens with ordering；
And men for executing； what； alas！
I now behold。 But why； and who they are
Who do； and you who suffer
SEG。 （pointing upwards）。
Ask of them；
Whom； as to…night； I have so often ask'd；
And ask'd in vain。
ROS。
But surely； surely
SEG。
Hark！
The trumpet of the watch to shut us in。
Oh； should they find you！Quick！ Behind the rocks！
To…morrowif to…morrow
ROS。 （flinging her sword toward him）。
Take my sword！
（Rosaura and Fife hide in the rocks； Enter Clotaldo）
CLOTALDO。
These stormy days you like to see the last of
Are but ill opiates； Segismund； I think；
For night to follow： and to…night you seem
More than your wont disorder'd。 What！ A sword？
Within there！
（Enter Soldiers with black vizors and torches）
FIFE。
Here's a pleasant masquerade！
CLO。
Whosever watch this was
Will have to pay head…reckoning。 Meanwhile；
This weapon had a wearer。 Bring him here；
Alive or dead。
SEG。
Clotaldo！ good Clotaldo！
CLO。 （to Soldiers who enclose Segismund； others searching the rocks）。
You know your duty。
SOLDIERS （bringing in Rosaura and Fife）。
Here are two of them；
Whoever more to follow
CLO。
Who are you；
That in defiance of known proclamation
Are found； at night…fall too； about this place？
FIFE。
Oh； my Lord； sheI mean he
ROS。
Silence； Fife；
And let me speak for both。Two foreign men；
To whom your country and its proclamations
Are equally unknown； and had we known；
Ourselves not masters of our lawless beasts
That； terrified by the storm among your rocks；
Flung us upon them to our cost。
FIFE。
My mule
CLO。
Foreigners？ Of what country？
ROS。
Muscovy。
CLO。
And whither bound？
ROS。
Hitherif this be Poland；
But with no ill design on her； and therefore
Taking it ill that we should thus be stopt
Upon her threshold so uncivilly。
CLO。
Whither in Poland？
ROS。
To the capital。
CLO。
And on what errand？
ROS。
Set me on the road；
And you shall be the nearer to my answer。
CLO。 （aside）。
So resolute and ready to reply；
And yet so youngand
（Aloud。）
Well；
Your business was not surely with the man
We found you with？
ROS。
He was the first we saw；
And strangers and benighted； as we were；
As you too would have done in a like case；
Accosted him at once。
CLO。
Ay； but this sword？
ROS。
I flung it toward him。
CLO。
Well； and why？
ROS。
And why？ But to revenge himself on those who thus
Injuriously misuse him。
CLO。
Sososo！
'Tis well such resolution wants a beard
And； I suppose； is never to attain one。
Well； I must take you both； you and your sword；
Prisoners。
FIFE。 （offering a cudgel）。
Pray take mine； and welcome； sir；
I'm sure I gave it to that mule of mine
To mighty little purpose。
ROS。
Mine you have；
And may it win us so
