life is a dream-第3章
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To mighty little purpose。
ROS。
Mine you have；
And may it win us some more kindliness
Than we have met with yet。
CLO （examining the sword）。
More mystery！
How came you by this weapon？
ROS。
From my father。
CLO。
And do you know whence he？
ROS。
Oh； very well：
From one of this same Polish realm of yours；
Who promised a return； should come the chance；
Of courtesies that he received himself
In Muscovy； and left this pledge of it
Not likely yet； it seems； to be redeem'd。
CLO （aside）。
Oh； wondrous chanceor wondrous Providence！
The sword that I myself in Muscovy；
When these white hairs were black； for keepsake left
Of obligation for a like return
To him who saved me wounded as I lay
Fighting against his country； took me home；
Tended me like a brother till recover'd；
Perchance to fight against him once again
And now my sword put back into my hand
By hisif not his sonstill； as so seeming；
By me； as first devoir of gratitude；
To seem believing； till the wearer's self
See fit to drop the ill…dissembling mask。
（Aloud。）
Well； a strange turn of fortune has arrested
The sharp and sudden penalty that else
Had visited your rashness or mischance：
In part； your tender youth toopardon me；
And touch not where your sword is not to answer
Commends you to my care； not your life only；
Else by this misadventure forfeited；
But ev'n your errand； which； by happy chance；
Chimes with the very business I am on；
And calls me to the very point you aim at。
ROS。
The capital？
CLO。
Ay； the capital； and ev'n
That capital of capitals； the Court：
Where you may plead； and； I may promise； win
Pardon for this； you say unwilling； trespass；
And prosecute what else you have at heart；
With me to help you forward all I can；
Provided all in loyalty to those
To whom by natural allegiance
I first am bound to。
ROS。
As you make； I take
Your offer： with like promise on my side
Of loyalty to you and those you serve；
Under like reservation for regards
Nearer and dearer still。
CLO。
Enough； enough；
Your hand； a bargain on both sides。 Meanwhile；
Here shall you rest to…night。 The break of day
Shall see us both together on the way。
ROS。
Thus then what I for misadventure blamed；
Directly draws me where my wishes aim'd。
（Exeunt。）
SCENE II。
The Palace at Warsaw
Enter on one side Astolfo； Duke of Muscovy； with his train： and； on
the other； the Princess Estrella； with hers。
ASTOLFO。
My royal cousin； if so near in blood；
Till this auspicious meeting scarcely known；
Till all that beauty promised in the bud
Is now to its consummate blossom blown；
Well met at last； and may
ESTRELLA。
Enough； my Lord；
Of compliment devised for you by some
Court tailor； and； believe me； still too short
To cover the designful heart below。
AST。
Nay； but indeed； fair cousin
EST。
Ay； let Deed
Measure your words； indeed your flowers of speech
Ill with your iron equipage atone；
Irony indeed； and wordy compliment。
AST。
Indeed； indeed； you wrong me； royal cousin；
And fair as royal； misinterpreting
What； even for the end you think I aim at；
If false to you； were fatal to myself。
EST。
Why； what else means the glittering steel； my Lord；
That bristles in the rear of these fine words？
What can it mean； but； failing to cajole；
To fight or force me from my just pretension？
AST。
Nay； might I not ask ev'n the same of you；
The nodding helmets of whose men…at…arms
Out…crest the plumage of your lady court？
EST。
But to defend what yours would force from me。
AST。
Might not I； lady； say the same of mine？
But not to come to battle； ev'n of words；
With a fair lady； and my kinswoman；
And as averse to stand before your face；
Defenceless； and condemn'd in your disgrace；
Till the good king be here to clear it all
Will you vouchsafe to hear me？
EST。
As you will。
AST。
You know that； when about to leave this world；
Our royal grandsire； King Alfonso； left
Three children； one a son； Basilio；
Who wearslong may he wear！ the crown of Poland；
And daughters twain： of whom the elder was
Your mother； Clorilena； now some while
Exalted to a more than mortal throne；
And Recisunda； mine； the younger sister；
Who； married to the Prince of Muscovy；
Gave me the light which may she live to see
Herself for many； many years to come。
Meanwhile； good King Basilio； as you know；
Deep in abstruser studies than this world；
And busier with the stars than lady's eyes；
Has never by a second marriage yet
Replaced； as Poland ask'd of him； the heir
An early marriage brought and took away；
His young queen dying with the son she bore him；
And in such alienation grown so old
As leaves no other hope of heir to Poland
Than his two sisters' children； you； fair cousin；
And me； for whom the Commons of the realm
Divide themselves into two several factions；
Whether for you； the elder sister's child；
Or me； born of the younger； but； they say；
My natural prerogative of man
Outweighing your priority of birth。
Which discord growing loud and dangerous；
Our uncle； King Basilio； doubly sage
In prophesying and providing for
The future； as to deal with it when come；
Bids us here meet to…day in solemn council
Our several pretensions to compose。
And； but the martial out…burst that proclaims
His coming； makes all further parley vain；
Unless my bosom； by which only wise
I prophesy； now wrongly prophesies；
By such a happy compact as I dare
But glance at till the Royal Sage declare。
（Trumpets； etc。 Enter King Basilio with his Council。）
ALL。
The King！ God save the King！
ESTRELLA （Kneeling。）
Oh； Royal Sir！
ASTOLFO （Kneeling。）
God save your Majesty
KING。
Rise both of you；
Rise to my arms； Astolfo and Estrella；
As my two sisters' children always mine；
Now more than ever； since myself and Poland
Solely to you for our succession look'd。
And now give ear； you and your several factions；
And you； the Peers and Princes of this realm；
While I reveal the purport of this meeting
In words whose necessary length I trust
No unsuccessful issue shall excuse。
You and the world who have surnamed me 〃Sage〃
Know that I owe that title； if my due；
To my long meditation on the book
Which ever lying open overhead
The book of heaven； I meanso few have read；
Whose golden letters on whose sapphire leaf；
Distinguishing the page of day and night；
And all the revolution of the year；
So with the turning volume where they lie
Still changing their prophetic syllables；
They register the destinies of men：
Until with eyes that； dim with years indeed；
Are quicker to pursue the stars than rule them；
I get the start of Time； and from his hand
The wand of tardy revelation draw。
Oh； had the self…same heaven upon his page
Inscribed my death ere I should read my life
And； by fore…casting of my own mischance；
Play not the victim but the suicide
In my own tragedy！But you shall hear。
You know how once； as kings must for their people；
And only once； as wise men for themselves；
I woo'd and wedded： know too that my Queen
In childing died； but not； as you believe；
With her； the son she died in giving life to。
For； as the hour of birth was on the stroke；
Her brain conceiving with her womb； she dream'd
A serpent tore her entrail。 And too surely
（For evil omen seldom speaks in vain）
The man…child breaking from that living tomb
That makes our birth the antitype of death；
Man…grateful； for the life she gave him paid
By killing her： and with such circumstance
As suited such unnatural tragedy；
He coming into light； if light it were
That darken'd at his very horoscope；
When heaven's two championssun and moon I mean
Suffused in blood upon each other fell
In such a raging duel of eclipse
As hath not terrified the universe
Since that which wept in blood the death of Christ：
When the dead walk'd； the waters turn'd to blood；
Earth and her cities totter'd； and the world
Seem'd shaken to its last paralysis。
In such a paroxysm of dissolution
That son of mine was born； by that first act
Heading the monstrous catalogue of crime；
I found fore…written in his horoscope；
As great a monster in man's history
As was in nature his nativity；
So savage； bloody； terrible； and impious；
Who； should he live； would tear his country's entrails；
As by his birth his mother's； with which crime
Beginning； he should clench the dreadful tale
By trampling on his father's silver head。
All which fore…reading； and his act of birth
Fate's warrant that I read his life aright；
To save his country from his mother's fate；
I gave abroad that he had died with her
His being slew； with midnight secrecy
I had him carried to a lonely tower
Hewn from the mountain…barriers of the realm；
And under strict anathema of death
Guarded from men's inquisitive approach；
Save from the trusty few one needs must trust；
Who while his fasten'd body they provide
With salutary garb and nourishment；
Instruct his soul in what no soul may miss
Of holy faith； and in such other lore
As may solace his life…imprisonment；
And tame perhaps the Savage prophesied
Toward such a trial as I aim at now；
And now demand your special hearing to。
What in this fearful business I have done；
Judge whether lightly or maliciously；
I； with my own and only flesh and blood；
And proper lineal inheritor！
I swear； had his foretold atrocities
Touch'd me alone。 I had not saved myself
At such a cost to him； but as a king；
A Christian king；I say； advisedly；
Who would devote his people to a tyrant
Worse than Caligula fore…chronicled？
But even this not without grave mis…giving；
Lest by some chance mis…reading of the stars；
Or mis…direction of what rightly read；
I wrong my son of his prerogative；
And Poland of her rightful sovereign。
For； sure and certain prophets as the stars；
Although they err not； he who reads them may；
Or rightly readingseeing there is One
Who governs them； as； under Him； they us；
We are not sure if the rough diagram
They draw in heaven and we interpret here；
Be sure of operation； if the Will
Supreme； that sometimes for some special end
The course of providential nature breaks
By miracle； may not of these same stars
Cancel his own first draft； or overrule
What else fore…written all else overrules。
As； for example； should the Will Almighty
Permit the Free…will of particular man
To break the meshes of else strangling fate
Which Free…will； fearful of foretold abuse；
I have myself from my own son fore…closed
From ever possible self…extrication；
A terrible responsibility；
Not to the conscience to be reconciled
Unless opposing almost certain evil
Against so slight contingency of good。
Wellthus p
