第 12 节
作者:
希望之舟 更新:2021-02-18 23:53 字数:9321
face an ocean of salt tears To tell my love unto his dumb deaf trunk; And
with my fingers feel his hand un…feeling; But all in vain are these mean
obsequies; And to survey his dead and earthy image; What were it but to
make my sorrow greater?
Bed put forth with the body。Enter WARWICK
WARWICK。 Come hither; gracious sovereign; view this body。 KING
HENRY。 That is to see how deep my grave is made; For with his soul fled
all my worldly solace; For; seeing him; I see my life in death。 WARWICK。
As surely as my soul intends to live With that dread King that took our
state upon Him To free us from his Father's wrathful curse; I do believe
that violent hands were laid Upon the life of this thrice…famed Duke。
SUFFOLK。 A dreadful oath; sworn with a solemn tongue! What instance
gives Lord Warwick for his vow? WARWICK。 See how the blood is
settled in his face。 Oft have I seen a timely…parted ghost; Of ashy
semblance; meagre; pale; and bloodless; Being all descended to the
labouring heart; Who; in the conflict that it holds with death; Attracts the
same for aidance 'gainst the enemy; Which with the heart there cools; and
ne'er returneth To blush and beautify the cheek again。 But see; his face is
black and full of blood; His eye…balls further out than when he liv'd;
Staring full ghastly like a strangled man; His hair uprear'd; his nostrils
stretch'd with struggling; His hands abroad display'd; as one that grasp'd
And tugg'd for life; and was by strength subdu'd。 Look; on the sheets his
hair; you see; is sticking; His well…proportion'd beard made rough and
rugged; Like to the summer's corn by tempest lodged。 It cannot be but he
was murd'red here: The least of all these signs were probable。 SUFFOLK。
Why; Warwick; who should do the Duke to death? Myself and Beaufort
had him in protection; And we; I hope; sir; are no murderers。 WARWICK。
But both of you were vow'd Duke Humphrey's foes; And you; forsooth;
had the good Duke to keep。 'Tis like you would not feast him like a friend;
And 'tis well seen he found an enemy。 QUEEN。 Then you; belike; suspect
these noblemen As guilty of Duke Humphrey's timeless death。 WARWICK。
Who finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh; And sees fast by a butcher
with an axe; But will suspect 'twas he that made the slaughter? Who finds
the partridge in the puttock's nest But may imagine how the bird was dead;
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Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak? Even so suspicious is this
tragedy。 QUEEN。 Are you the butcher; Suffolk? Where's your knife? Is
Beaufort term'd a kite? Where are his talons? SUFFOLK。 I wear no knife
to slaughter sleeping men; But here's a vengeful sword; rusted with ease;
That shall be scoured in his rancorous heart That slanders me with
murder's crimson badge。 Say if thou dar'st; proud Lord of Warwickshire;
That I am faulty in Duke Humphrey's death。 Exeunt CARDINAL;
SOMERSET; and others WARWICK。 What dares not Warwick; if false
Suffolk dare him? QUEEN。 He dares not calm his contumelious spirit;
Nor cease to be an arrogant controller; Though Suffolk dare him twenty
thousand times。 WARWICK。 Madam; be still… with reverence may I say;
For every word you speak in his behalf Is slander to your royal dignity。
SUFFOLK。 Blunt…witted lord; ignoble in demeanour; If ever lady wrong'd
her lord so much; Thy mother took into her blameful bed Some stern
untutor'd churl; and noble stock Was graft with crab…tree slip; whose fruit
thou art; And never of the Nevils' noble race。 WARWICK。 But that the
guilt of murder bucklers thee; And I should rob the deathsman of his fee;
Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames; And that my sovereign's
presence makes me mild; I would; false murd'rous coward; on thy knee
Make thee beg pardon for thy passed speech And say it was thy mother
that thou meant'st; That thou thyself was born in bastardy; And; after all
this fearful homage done; Give thee thy hire and send thy soul to hell;
Pernicious blood…sucker of sleeping men。 SUFFOLK。 Thou shalt be
waking while I shed thy blood; If from this presence thou dar'st go with
me。 WARWICK。 Away even now; or I will drag thee hence。 Unworthy
though thou art; I'll cope with thee; And do some service to Duke
Humphrey's ghost。 Exeunt SUFFOLK and WARWICK KING HENRY。
What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted? Thrice is he arm'd that
hath his quarrel just; And he but naked; though lock'd up in steel; Whose
conscience with injustice is corrupted。 'A noise within' QUEEN。 What
noise is this?
Re…enter SUFFOLK and WARWICK; with their weapons drawn
KING。 Why; how now; lords; your wrathful weapons drawn Here in
our presence! Dare you be so bold? Why; what tumultuous clamour have
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we here? SUFFOLK。 The trait'rous Warwick; with the men of Bury; Set all
upon me; mighty sovereign。
Re…enter SALISBURY
SALISBURY。 'To the Commons within' Sirs; stand apart; the King
shall know your mind。 Dread lord; the commons send you word by me
Unless Lord Suffolk straight be done to death; Or banished fair England's
territories; They will by violence tear him from your palace And torture
him with grievous ling'ring death。 They say by him the good Duke
Humphrey died; They say in him they fear your Highness' death; And
mere instinct of love and loyalty; Free from a stubborn opposite intent; As
being thought to contradict your liking; Makes them thus forward in his
banishment。 They say; in care of your most royal person; That if your
Highness should intend to sleep And charge that no man should disturb
your rest; In pain of your dislike or pain of death; Yet; notwithstanding
such a strait edict; Were there a serpent seen with forked tongue That slily
glided towards your Majesty; It were but necessary you were wak'd; Lest;
being suffer'd in that harmful slumber; The mortal worm might make the
sleep eternal。 And therefore do they cry; though you forbid; That they will
guard you; whe'er you will or no; From such fell serpents as false Suffolk
is; With whose envenomed and fatal sting Your loving uncle; twenty times
his worth; They say; is shamefully bereft of life。 COMMONS。 'Within' An
answer from the King; my Lord of Salisbury! SUFFOLK。 'Tis like the
commons; rude unpolish'd hinds; Could send such message to their
sovereign; But you; my lord; were glad to be employ'd; To show how
quaint an orator you are。 But all the honour Salisbury hath won Is that he
was the lord ambassador Sent from a sort of tinkers to the King。
COMMONS。 'Within' An answer from the King; or we will all break in!
KING HENRY。 Go; Salisbury; and tell them all from me I thank them for
their tender loving care; And had I not been cited so by them; Yet did I
purpose as they do entreat; For sure my thoughts do hourly prophesy
Mischance unto my state by Suffolk's means。 And therefore by His
Majesty I swear; Whose far unworthy deputy I am; He shall not breathe
infection in this air But three days longer; on the pain of death。 Exit
SALISBURY QUEEN。 O Henry; let me plead for gentle Suffolk! KING
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HENRY。 Ungentle Queen; to call him gentle Suffolk! No more; I say; if
thou dost plead for him; Thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath。 Had I
but said; I would have kept my word; But when I swear; it is irrevocable。
If after three days' space thou here be'st found On any ground that I am
ruler of; The world shall not be ransom for thy life。 Come; Warwick; come;
good Warwick; go with me; I have great matters to impart to thee。 Exeunt
all but QUEEN and SUFFOLK QUEEN。 Mischance and sorrow go along
with you! Heart's discontent and sour affliction Be playfellows to keep
you company! There's two of