life is a dream-第8章
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Why must I ask this twice？
A LORD。
The Page； my Lord？
I wonder at his boldness
SEG。
But I tell you
He came with Angel written in his face
As now it is； when all was black as hell
About； and none of you who nowhe came；
And Angel…like flung me a shining sword
To cut my way through darkness； and again
Angel…like wrests it from me in behalf
Of onewhom I will spare for sparing him：
But he must come and plead with that same voice
That pray'd for mein vain。
CHAMB。
He is gone for；
And shall attend your pleasure； sir。 Meanwhile；
Will not your Highness； as in courtesy；
Return your royal cousin's greeting？
SEG。
Whose？
CHAMB。
Astolfo； Duke of Muscovy； my Lord；
Saluted； and with gallant compliment
Welcomed you to your royal title。
SEG。 （to Astolfo）。
Oh
You knew of this then？
AST。
Knew of what； my Lord？
SEG。
That I was Prince of Poland all the while；
And you my subject？
AST。
Pardon me； my Lord；
But some few hours ago myself I learn'd
Your dignity； but； knowing it； no more
Than when I knew it not； your subject。
SEG。
What then？
AST。
Your Highness' chamberlain ev'n now has told you；
Astolfo； Duke of Muscovy；
Your father's sister's son； your cousin； sir：
And who as such； and in his own right Prince；
Expects from you the courtesy he shows。
CHAMB。
His Highness is as yet unused to Court；
And to the ceremonious interchange
Of compliment； especially to those
Who draw their blood from the same royal fountain。
SEG。
Where is the lad？ I weary of all this
Prince； cousins； chamberlains； and compliments
Where are my soldiers？ Blow the trumpet； and
With one sharp blast scatter these butterflies
And bring the men of iron to my side；
With whom a king feels like a king indeed！
（Voices within。 Within there！ room for the Princess Estrella！）
（Enter Estrella with Ladies。）
ESTRELLA。
Welcome； my Lord； right welcome to the throne
That much too long has waited for your coming：
And； in the general voice of Poland； hear
A kinswoman and cousin's no less sincere。
SEG。
Ay； this is welcome…worth indeed；
And cousin cousin…worth！ Oh； I have thus
Over the threshold of the mountain seen；
Leading a bevy of fair stars； the moon
Enter the court of heavenMy kinswoman！
My cousin！ But my subject？
EST。
If you please
To count your cousin for your subject； sir；
You shall not find her a disloyal。
SEG。
Oh；
But there are twin stars in that heavenly face；
That now I know for having over…ruled
Those evil ones that darken'd all my past
And brought me forth from that captivity
To be the slave of her who set me free。
EST。
Indeed； my Lord； these eyes have no such power
Over the past or present： but perhaps
They brighten at your welcome to supply
The little that a lady's speech commends；
And in the hope that； let whichever be
The other's subject； we may both be friends。
SEG。
Your hand to thatBut why does this warm hand
Shoot a cold shudder through me？
EST。
In revenge
For likening me to that cold moon； perhaps。
SEG。
Oh； but the lip whose music tells me so
Breathes of a warmer planet； and that lip
Shall remedy the treason of the hand！
（He catches to embrace her。）
EST。
Release me； sir！
CHAMB。
And pardon me； my Lord。
This lady is a Princess absolute；
As Prince he is who just saluted you；
And claims her by affiance。
SEG。
Hence； old fool；
For ever thrusting that white stick of yours
Between me and my pleasure！
AST。
This cause is mine。
Forbear； sir
SEG。
What； sir mouth…piece； you again？
AST。
My Lord； I waive your insult to myself
In recognition of the dignity
You yet are new to； and that greater still
You look in time to wear。 But for this lady
Whom； if my cousin now； I hope to claim
Henceforth by yet a nearer； dearer name
SEG。
And what care I？ She is my cousin too：
And if you be a Princewell； am not I
Lord of the very soil you stand upon？
By that； and by that right beside of blood
That like a fiery fountain hitherto
Pent in the rock leaps toward her at her touch；
Mine； before all the cousins in Muscovy！
You call me Prince of Poland； and yourselves
My subjectstraitors therefore to this hour；
Who let me perish all my youth away
Chain'd there among the mountains； till； forsooth；
Terrified at your treachery foregone；
You spirit me up here； I know not how；
Popinjay…like invest me like yourselves；
Choke me with scent and music that I loathe；
And； worse than all the music and the scent；
With false； long…winded； fulsome compliment；
That 'Oh； you are my subjects！' and in word
Reiterating still obedience；
Thwart me in deed at every step I take：
When just about to wreak a just revenge
Upon that old arch…traitor of you all；
Filch from my vengeance him I hate； and him
I lovedthe first and only facetill this
I cared to look on in your ugly court
And now when palpably I grasp at last
What hitherto but shadow'd in my dreams
Affiances and interferences；
The first who dares to meddle with me more
Princes and chamberlains and counsellors；
Touch her who dares！
AST。
That dare I
SEG。 （seizing him by the throat）。
You dare！
CHAMB。
My Lord！
A LORD。
His strength's a lion's
（Voices within。 The King！ The King！）
（Enter King。）
A LORD。
And on a sudden how he stands at gaze
As might a wolf just fasten'd on his prey；
Glaring at a suddenly encounter'd lion。
KING。
And I that hither flew with open arms
To fold them round my son； must now return
To press them to an empty heart again！
（He sits on the throne。）
SEG。
That is the King？My father？
（After a long pause。）
I have heard
That sometimes some blind instinct has been known
To draw to mutual recognition those
Of the same blood； beyond all memory
Divided； or ev'n never met before。
I know not how this isperhaps in brutes
That live by kindlier instinctsbut I know
That looking now upon that head whose crown
Pronounces him a sovereign king； I feel
No setting of the current in my blood
Tow'rd him as sire。 How is't with you； old man；
Tow'rd him they call your son？
KING。
Alas！ Alas！
SEG。
Your sorrow； then？
KING。
Beholding what I do。
SEG。
Ay； but how know this sorrow that has grown
And moulded to this present shape of man；
As of your own creation？
KING。
Ev'n from birth。
SEG。
But from that hour to this； near； as I think；
Some twenty such renewals of the year
As trace themselves upon the barren rocks；
I never saw you； nor you meunless；
Unless； indeed； through one of those dark masks
Through which a son might fail to recognize
The best of fathers。
KING。
Be that as you will：
But； now we see each other face to face；
Know me as you I know； which did I not；
By whatsoever signs； assuredly
You were not here to prove it at my risk。
SEG。
You are my father。
And is it true then； as Clotaldo swears；
'Twas you that from the dawning birth of one
Yourself brought into being；you； I say；
Who stole his very birthright； not alone
That secondary and peculiar right
Of sovereignty； but even that prime
Inheritance that all men share alike；
And chain'd himchain'd him！like a wild beast's whelp。
Among as savage mountains； to this hour？
Answer if this be thus。
KING。
Oh； Segismund；
In all that I have done that seems to you；
And； without further hearing； fairly seems；
Unnatural and cruel'twas not I；
But One who writes His order in the sky
I dared not misinterpret nor neglect；
Who knows with what reluctance
SEG。
Oh； those stars；
Those stars； that too far up from human blame
To clear themselves； or careless of the charge；
Still bear upon their shining shoulders all
The guilt men shift upon them！
KING。
Nay； but think：
N
