第 11 节
作者:
左思右想 更新:2021-02-24 23:51 字数:9321
are out Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men。 HUBERT。 Give
me the iron; I say; and bind him here。 ARTHUR。 Alas; what need you be
so boist'rous rough? I will not struggle; I will stand stone…still。 For heaven
sake; Hubert; let me not be bound! Nay; hear me; Hubert! Drive these men
away; And I will sit as quiet as a lamb; I will not stir; nor wince; nor speak
a word; Nor look upon the iron angrily; Thrust but these men away; and I'll
forgive you; Whatever torment you do put me to。 HUBERT。 Go; stand
within; let me alone with him。 EXECUTIONER。 I am best pleas'd to be
from such a deed。 Exeunt EXECUTIONERS ARTHUR。 Alas; I then have
chid away my friend! He hath a stern look but a gentle heart。 Let him
come back; that his compassion may Give life to yours。 HUBERT。 Come;
boy; prepare yourself。 ARTHUR。 Is there no remedy? HUBERT。 None; but
to lose your eyes。 ARTHUR。 O heaven; that there were but a mote in yours;
A grain; a dust; a gnat; a wandering hair; Any annoyance in that precious
sense! Then; feeling what small things are boisterous there; Your vile
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intent must needs seem horrible。 HUBERT。 Is this your promise? Go to;
hold your tongue。 ARTHUR。 Hubert; the utterance of a brace of tongues
Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes。 Let me not hold my tongue;
let me not; Hubert; Or; Hubert; if you will; cut out my tongue; So I may
keep mine eyes。 O; spare mine eyes; Though to no use but still to look on
you! Lo; by my troth; the instrument is cold And would not harm me。
HUBERT。 I can heat it; boy。 ARTHUR。 No; in good sooth; the fire is dead
with grief; Being create for comfort; to be us'd In undeserved extremes。
See else yourself: There is no malice in this burning coal; The breath of
heaven hath blown his spirit out; And strew'd repentant ashes on his head。
HUBERT。 But with my breath I can revive it; boy。 ARTHUR。 An if you do;
you will but make it blush And glow with shame of your proceedings;
Hubert。 Nay; it perchance will sparkle in your eyes; And; like a dog that is
compell'd to fight; Snatch at his master that doth tarre him on。 All things
that you should use to do me wrong Deny their office; only you do lack
That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends; Creatures of note for
mercy…lacking uses。 HUBERT。 Well; see to live; I will not touch thine eye
For all the treasure that thine uncle owes。 Yet I am sworn; and I did
purpose; boy; With this same very iron to burn them out。 ARTHUR。 O;
now you look like Hubert! All this while You were disguis'd。 HUBERT。
Peace; no more。 Adieu。 Your uncle must not know but you are dead: I'll fill
these dogged spies with false reports; And; pretty child; sleep doubtless
and secure That Hubert; for the wealth of all the world; Will not offend
thee。 ARTHUR。 O heaven! I thank you; Hubert。 HUBERT。 Silence; no
more。 Go closely in with me。 Much danger do I undergo for thee。 Exeunt
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SCENE 2。
England。 KING JOHN'S palace
Enter KING JOHN; PEMBROKE; SALISBURY; and other LORDS
KING JOHN。 Here once again we sit; once again crown'd; And
look'd upon; I hope; with cheerful eyes。 PEMBROKE。 This once again;
but that your Highness pleas'd; Was once superfluous: you were crown'd
before; And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off; The faiths of men ne'er
stained with revolt; Fresh expectation troubled not the land With any
long'd…for change or better state。 SALISBURY。 Therefore; to be possess'd
with double pomp; To guard a title that was rich before; To gild refined
gold; to paint the lily; To throw a perfume on the violet; To smooth the ice;
or add another hue Unto the rainbow; or with taper…light To seek the
beauteous eye of heaven to garnish; Is wasteful and ridiculous excess。
PEMBROKE。 But that your royal pleasure must be done; This act is as an
ancient tale new told And; in the last repeating; troublesome; Being urged
at a time unseasonable。 SALISBURY。 In this the antique and well…noted
face Of plain old form is much disfigured; And like a shifted wind unto a
sail It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about; Startles and frights
consideration; Makes sound opinion sick; and truth suspected; For putting
on so new a fashion'd robe。 PEMBROKE。 When workmen strive to do
better than well; They do confound their skill in covetousness; And
oftentimes excusing of a fault Doth make the fault the worse by th' excuse;
As patches set upon a little breach Discredit more in hiding of the fault
Than did the fault before it was so patch'd。 SALISBURY。 To this effect;
before you were new…crown'd; We breath'd our counsel; but it pleas'd your
Highness To overbear it; and we are all well pleas'd; Since all and every
part of what we would Doth make a stand at what your Highness will。
KING JOHN。 Some reasons of this double coronation I have possess'd
you with; and think them strong; And more; more strong; when lesser is
my fear; I shall indue you with。 Meantime but ask What you would have
reform'd that is not well; And well shall you perceive how willingly I will
both hear and grant you your requests。 PEMBROKE。 Then I; as one that
am the tongue of these; To sound the purposes of all their hearts; Both for
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myself and them… but; chief of all; Your safety; for the which myself and
them Bend their best studies; heartily request Th' enfranchisement of
Arthur; whose restraint Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent To
break into this dangerous argument: If what in rest you have in right you
hold; Why then your fears…which; as they say; attend The steps of wrong…
should move you to mew up Your tender kinsman; and to choke his days
With barbarous ignorance; and deny his youth The rich advantage of good
exercise? That the time's enemies may not have this To grace occasions;
let it be our suit That you have bid us ask his liberty; Which for our goods
we do no further ask Than whereupon our weal; on you depending; Counts
it your weal he have his liberty。 KING JOHN。 Let it be so。 I do commit his
youth To your direction。
Enter HUBERT
'Aside' Hubert; what news with you? PEMBROKE。 This is the man
should do the bloody deed: He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine; The
image of a wicked heinous fault Lives in his eye; that close aspect of his
Doth show the mood of a much troubled breast; And I do fearfully believe
'tis done What we so fear'd he had a charge to do。 SALISBURY。 The
colour of the King doth come and go Between his purpose and his
conscience; Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles set。 His passion is so
ripe it needs must break。 PEMBROKE。 And when it breaks; I fear will
issue thence The foul corruption of a sweet child's death。 KING JOHN。
We cannot hold mortality's strong hand。 Good lords; although my will to
give is living; The suit which you demand is gone and dead: He tells us
Arthur is deceas'd to…night。 SALISBURY。 Indeed; we fear'd his sickness
was past cure。 PEMBROKE。 Indeed; we heard how near his death he was;
Before the child himself felt he was sick。 This must be answer'd either
here or hence。 KING JOHN。 Why do you bend such solemn brows on me?
Think you I bear the shears of destiny? Have I commandment on the pulse
of life? SALISBURY。 It is apparent foul…play; and 'tis shame That
greatness should so grossly offer it。 So thrive it in your game! and so;
farewell。 PEMBROKE。 Stay yet; Lord Salisbury; I'll go with thee And find
th' inheritance of this poor child; His little kingdom of a forced grave。 That
blood which ow'd the breadth of all this isle Three foot of it doth hold…bad
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world the while! This must not be thus borne: this will break