the works of edgar allan poe-5-第44章
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_ Pol_。 Now by my halidom
I do believe thee！ coward； I do believe thee！
_Cas。 _Ha！ coward！ this may not be！
（_clutches his sword and staggers towards POLITIAN； but his purpose
is changed before reaching him； and he falls upon his knee at the feet of
the Earl_）
Alas！ my lord；
It is it is most true。 In such a cause
I am the veriest coward。 O pity me！
_ Pol_。 （_greatly softened。_） Alas！… I do… indeed I pity thee。
_Cas。 _And Lalage…
_ Pol_。 Scoundrel！… arise and die！
_Cas。 _It needeth not be thus thus O let me die
Thus on my bended knee。 It were most fitting
That in this deep humiliation I perish。
For in the fight I will not raise a hand
Against thee； Earl of Leicester。 Strike thou home
（_baring his bosom。_）
Here is no let or hindrance to thy weapon…
Strike home。 I _will not_ fight thee。
_ Pol_。 Now； s' Death and Hell！
Am I not… am I not sorely… grievously tempted
To take thee at thy word？ But mark me； sir；
Think not to fly me thus。 Do thou prepare
For public insult in the streets before
The eyes of the citizens。 I'll follow thee
Like an avenging spirit I'll follow thee
Even unto death。 Before those whom thou lovest…
Before all Rome I'll taunt thee； villain； I'll taunt thee；
Dost hear？ with _cowardice_ thou _wilt not_ fight me？
Thou liest！ thou _shalt！_ （_exit_。）
_Cas。 _Now this indeed is just！
Most righteous； and most just； avenging Heaven！
~~~ End of Text ~~~
｛In the book there is a gap in numbering the notes between 12 and 29。
ED｝
NOTE
29。 Such portions of 〃Politian〃 as are known to the public first saw the
light of publicity in the 〃Southern Literary Messenger〃 for December；
1835； and January； 1836； being styled 〃Scenes from Politian： an
unpublished drama。〃 These scenes were included； unaltered； in the 1845
collection of Poems； by Poe。 The larger portion of the original draft
subsequently became the property of the present editor； but it is not
considered just to the poet's memory to publish it。 The work is a hasty
and unrevised production of its author's earlier days of literary labor；
and； beyond the scenes already known； scarcely calculated to enhance his
reputation。 As a specimen； however； of the parts unpublished； the
following fragment from the first scene of Act II。 may be offered。 The
Duke； it should be premised； is uncle to Alessandra； and father of
Castiglione her betrothed。
_Duke。 _Why do you laugh？
_Castiglione。 _Indeed
I hardly know myself。 Stay！ Was it not
On yesterday we were speaking of the Earl？
Of the Earl Politian？ Yes！ it was yesterday。
Alessandra； you and 1； you must remember！
We were walking in the garden。
_Duke； _Perfectly。
I do remember it…what of it…what then？
_Cas。 0 _nothing…nothing at all。
_Duke。 _Nothing at all ！
It is most singular that you should laugh
'At nothing at all！
_Cas。_ Most singular…singular！
_Duke。 Look you； _Castiglione； be so kind
As tell me； sir； at once what 'tis you mean。
What are you talking of？
_Cas。 _Was it not so？
We differed in opinion touching him。
_Duke。 _Him！Whom？
_Cas。 _Why； sir； the Earl Politian。
_Duke。 _The Earl of Leicester！ Yes！is it he you mean？
We differed； indeed。 If I now recollect
The words you used were that the Earl you knew
Was neither learned nor mirthful。
_Cas。 _Ha！ ha！now did I？
_Duke。 _That did you； sir； and well I knew at the time
You were wrong； it being not the character
Of the Earl…whom all the world allows to be
A most hilarious man。 Be not； my son；
Too positive again。
_Cas。 'Tis _singular ！
Most singular！ I could not think it possible
So little time could so much alter one！
To say the truth about an hour ago；
As I was walking with the Count San Ozzo；
All arm in arm； we met this very man
The Earl…he； with his friend Baldazzar；
Having just arrived in Rome。 Hal ha！ he is altered！
Such an account he gave me of his journey！
'Twould have made you die with laughter…such tales he told
Of his caprices and his merry freaks
Along the road…such oddity…such humor
Such wit…such whim…such flashes of wild merriment
Set off too in such full relief by the grave
Demeanor of his friend…who； to speak the truth；
Was gravity itself
_Duke。 _Did I not tell you？
_Cas。 You _did…and yet 'tis strange！ but true as strange；
How much I was mistaken ！ I always thought
The Earl a gloomy man。
_Duke。_ So； so；_ you _see！ Be not too positive。 Whom have we here？
It can not be the Earl？
_Cas。_ The Earl！ Oh； no！ 'Tis not the Earl…but yet it is…and leaning
Upon his friend Baldazzar。 AM welcome； sir！
（_Enter Politian and Baldazzar。_）
My lord； a second welcome let me give you
To Rome…his Grace the Duke of Broglio。
Father！ this is the Earl Politian； Earl
Of Leicester in Great Britain。 _＇Politian bows haughtily_。＇
That； his friend
Baldazzar； Duke of Surrey。 The Earl has letters；
So please you； for Your Grace。
_Duke。 _Hal ha！ Most welcome
To Rome and to our palace； Earl Politian！
And you； most noble Duke！ I am glad to see you！
I knew your father well； my Lord Politian。
Castiglione！ call your cousin hither；
And let me make the noble Earl acquainted
With your betrothed。 You come； sir； at a time
Most seasonable。 The wedding
_Politian。 _Touching those letters； sir；
Your son made mention ofyour son； is he not？
Touching those letters； sir； I wot not of them。
If such there be； my friend Baldazzar here
Baldazzar！ ah！my friend Baldazzar here
Will hand them to Your Grace。 I would retire。
_Duke。 _Retire！So soon？
Came What ho ！ Benito！ Rupert！
His lordship's chambers…show his lordship to them！
His lordship is unwell。 _（Enter Benito。）_
_Ben。 _This way； my lord！ _（Exit； followed by Politian_。）
_Duke。 _Retire！ Unwell！
_Bal_。 So please you； sir。 I fear me
'Tis as you sayhis lordship is unwell。
The damp air of the evening…the fatigue
Of a long journeytheindeed I had better
Follow his lordship。 He must be unwell。
I will return anon。
_Duke。 _Return anon！
Now this is very strange！ Castiglione！
This way； my son； I wish to speak with thee。
You surely were mistaken in what you said
Of the Earl； mirthful； indeed！which of us said
Politian was a melancholy man？ _（Exeunt。）_
~~~ End of Notes ~~~
End of Poems of Manhood
POEMS OF YOUTH
INTRODUCTION TO POEMS1831
_LETTER TO MR。 B。_
〃WEST POINT； 1831。
〃DEAR B 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 Believing only a portion of my former volume to
be worthy a second edition…that small portion I thought it as well to
include in the present book as to republish by itself。 I have therefore
herein combined 'Al Aaraaf' and 'Tamerlane' with other poems hitherto
unprinted。 Nor have I hesitated to insert from the 'Minor Poems；' now
omitted； whole lines； and even passages； to the end that being placed in a
fairer light； and the trash shaken from them in which they were imbedded；
they may have some chance of being seen by posterity。
〃It has been said that a good critique on a poem may be written by one who
is no poet himself。 This； according to your idea and _mine _of poetry； I
feel to be false…the less poetical the critic； the less just the critique；
and the converse。 On this account； and because there are but few B…'s in
the world； I would be as much ashamed of the world's good opinion as proud
of your own。 Another than yourself might here observe； 'Shakespeare is in
possession of the world's good opinion； and yet Shakespeare is the
greatest of poets。 It appears then that the world judge correctly； why
should you be ashamed of their favorable judgment？' The difficulty lies in
the interpretation of the word 'judgment' or 'opinion。' The opinion is the
world's； truly； but it may be called theirs as a man would call a book
his； having bought it； he did not write the book； but it is his； they did
not originate the opinion； but it is theirs。 A fool； for example； thinks
Shakespeare a great poet…yet the fool has never read Shakespeare。 But
