polyuecte-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Enter Pauline and Stratonice
POLY。
I needs must go； Pauline！ My love； good…bye！
I go but to returnfor thine am I！
PAUL。
Oh； why this haste to leave a loving wife？
Doth honour call？or fear'st thou for thy life？
POLY。
For more； a thousandfold！
PAUL。
Great Gods above！
POLY。
Thou hast my heart！ Let this content thy love！
PAUL。
You love and yet you leave me。 What am I？
Not mine to solve the dreary mystery！
POLY。
I love thee more than selfthan lifethan fame
But
PAUL。
There is something that thou dar'st not name。
Oh； on my knees I supplicate； I pray；
Remove my darkness！turn my night to day！
POLY。
Oh； dreams are naught！
PAUL。
Yet； when they tell of thee；
I needs must listen； for I love！ Ah； me！
POLY。
Take courage； dear one； 'tis but for an hour；
Thy love must draw me back； for love hath power
O'er all in earth and heaven。 My soul's delight；
I can no more！ My only safetyflight！
（Exeunt Polyeucte and Nearchus。）
PAUL。
Yes； go； despise my prayermy agony；
Go； ruthlessmeet thy fateforewarned by me；
Chase thy pursuer； herald thine own doom；
Go； kiss the murderer's hand； and hail the tomb！
Ah； Stratonice！ for our boasted power
As sovereigns o'er man's heart！ Poor regents of an hour！
Faint； helpless； moonbeamlight was all I gave；
The sun breaks forthhis queen becomes his slave！
Wooed？ Yes； as other queens I held my court
Wonbut to lose my crown； and be the sport
Of proud； absorbing and imperious man！
STRAT。
Ah； man does what he willswe； what we can；
He loves thee； lady！
PAUL。
Love should mate with trusts；
He leaves me！
STRAT。
Lady； 'tis because he must！
He loves thee with a love will never die；
Then； if he leave thee； reason not the why：
Give him thy trust！ Oh； thou shalt have reward；
For thee he hides the secret！ Let him guard
Thy life belovedin fullest liberty。
The wife who wholly trusts alone is free！
One heart for thee and himone purpose sure；
Yet this heart beats to dareand to endure。
The wife's true heart must o'er the peril sigh
Which meets his heart moved but to purpose high；
Thy pain his pain； but not his terror thine：
He is Armenian； thou of Roman line。
We； of Armenia； mock thy dreams to scorn；
For they are born of night； as truth of morn；
While Romans hold that dreams are heaven…sent；
And spring from Jove for man's admonishment。
PAUL。
Though this thy faithif thou my dream shouldst hear
My grief must needs be thine； thy fear my fear；
And； that the horror thou may'st fully prove；
Know that Ihis dear wifedid once another love！
Nay； start not； shrink not； 'tis no tale of shame；
For though in other years the heavenly flame
Descended； kindled； scorchedit left me pure
With courage to resignwith strength to endure。
He touched my heart； but never stained the soul
That gained this hardest conquestself…control。
At Romewhere I was borna soldier's eye
Marked this poor face； from which must Polyeucte fly；
Severus was his name：Ah！ memory
May spare love linked with death a tear； a sigh！
STRAT。
Say； is it he who； at the risk of life；
Saved Decius from his foes and endless strife？
Who； dying； dealt to Persia stroke of death；
And shouted 'Victory！' with his latest breath？
His whitening bones； amid the nameless brave；
Lie still unfound； unknown； without a grave；
Unburied lies his dust amid the slain；
While Decius rears an empty urn in vain！
PAUL。
Alas！ 'tis he； all Rome attests his worth；
Hide not his memory； kindly Mother Earth！
'Tis but his memory that I adore
The past is pastand I can say no more。
All gifts save one had heyes； Fortune held her hand；
And I； as Fortune's slave； obeyed my sire's command。
STRAT。
Ah！ I must wish that love the day had won！
PAUL。
Which duty lostthen had I been undone；
Though duty gave； yet duty healed； my pain；
Yet say not that my love was weak or vain！
Our tears fell fast； yet ne'er bore our distress
The fatal fruit of strife and bitterness。
Then； then； I left my hero； hope and Rome；
And； far from him； I found another home；
While he； in his despair； sought sure relief
In death； the only end to life's long grief！
You know the rest：you know that Polyeucte's eye
Was caught；his fancy pleased； his wife am I。
Once more by counsel of my father led；
To Armenia's greatest noble am I wed；
Ambition； prudence； policy his guide
Yet only duty made Pauline his bride；
Love might have bound me to Severus' heart；
Had duty not enforced a sterner part。
Yes； let these fears attest； all trembling for his life；
That I am his for ayehis faithful； loving wife。
STRAT。
Thy new love true and tender as the old：
But this thy dream？ No more thy tale withhold！
PAUL。
Last night I saw Severus： but his eye
With anger blazed； his port was proud and high；
No suppliant heno feeble； formless shade；
With dim； averted eye； no sword had made
My hero lifeless ghost。 Nor wound； nor scar
Marked death his only conqueror in war。
Nor spoil of death； nor memory's child was he；
His mien triumphant； full of majesty！
So might victorious Caesar near his home
To claim the key to every heart in Rome！
He spoke： in nameless awe I heard his voice；
'Give love； that is my due； to himthy choice；
But know； oh faithless one； ere day expires；
All vain these tears for him thy heart desires！'
Anon a Christian band （an impious horde）；
With shameful cross in hand； attest his word；
They vouch Severus' truthand； to complete
My doom； hurl Polyeucte beneath his feet！
I cried； 'O father； timely succour bear！'
He heard； he came； my grief was now despair！
He drew his daggerplunged it in the breast
Of him； my husband； late his honoured guest！
Relief came but from agony supreme
I shriekedI writhedI wokeit was a dream！
And yet my dream is true！
STRAT。
'Tis true your dream is sad；
But now you are awake； 'tis but a dream you had！
For horror's prey in darkness of the night
Is but our reason's sport in morning light。
How can you dread a shade？ How a fond father fear；
Who as a son regards the man you hold so dear？
To phantom of the night no credence yield；
For him and you he chose thy strength and shield。
PAUL。
You say /his/ words： at all my fears he smiles；
But I must dread these Christians and their wiles！
I dread their vengeance； wreaked upon my lord；
For Christian blood my father has outpoured！
STRAT。
Their sect is impious； mad； absurd and vain；
Their rites repulsive； as their cult profane。
Deride their altar； their weak frenzy ban；
Yet do they war with gods and not with man！
Relentless wills our law that they must die：
Their joyendurance； deaththeir ecstasy；
Judgedby decree； the foes of human race；
Meekly their heads they bowto court disgrace！
PAUL。
My father comesoh； peace！
（Enter Felix and Albin）
FELIX。
Nay； peace is flown！
Thy dream begets dull fears； till now unknown；
In part this dream is true； and for the rest
PAUL。
By what new fear； say； is thy heart opprest？
FELIX。
Severus lives！
PAUL。
Ah！ this no cause for fear！
FELIX。
At Decius' court； he； held in honour dear；
Risked life to save his Emperor from his foes；
'Tis to his saviour Decius honour shows！
PAUL。
Thus fickle Fortune bows her head to fate；
And pays the honour due； though all too late！
FELIX。
He comes！ Is near
PAUL。
The gods
FELIX。
Do all things well。
PAUL。
My dream fulfilled！ But how？ O father； tell！
FELIX。
Let Albin speak； who saw him face to face
With tribe of courtiers； all to him give place；
Unscathed in battle； all extol his fame；
Unstained； undimmed； his glory； life and name！
ALBIN。
You know the issue of that glorious fight：
The crowning glory hiswho； in despite
Of danger sore to life and liberty；
Became a slave to set his Emperor free：
Rome gave
