polyuecte-第4章
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Might prove thee also manby passion slain。
She feared Despair； who gains the victory
O'er other men； might e'en thy master be！
SEV。
Peace！ Peace！ She comes！
FABIAN。
To thine own self be true！
SEV。
Nay！ True to her！ Shall I her life undo？
She loves the Armenian！
Enter Pauline
PAUL。
Yes； that debt I pay；
Hardwrung； acquitted；his my love alway！
Who has my hand； he holdsshall holdmy heart！
Truth is my guide；let sophistry depart！
Had Fate been kind； then had Pauline been thine；
Heart； faith and duty； linked with bliss divine。
In vain had fickle Fortune barred the way；
Want had been wealth with thee； my guide； my stay；
And poverty had fallen from the wings
Of soaring love； who mocks the wealth of kings！
Not mine to choose； for hemy father's choice
Must needs be mine； yes； when I heard his voice；
Duty must echo be： if thou couldst cast
Before my feet an emperor's crown；a past
By worth and glory litbeloved； adored
Yet at my father's word； 'Not this thy lord；
Take one despisednay； loathedto share thy bed；'
Him； and not thee； beloved； would I wed。
Duty； obedience； must have been the part
Of me； who own their sway； e'en with a broken heart！
SEV。
O happy thou！ O easy remedy！
One poor faint sigh cures love's infirmity！
Thy heart thy tool； o'er every passion queen；
Beyond all change and chance thou sit'st serene！
In easy flow can pass thy love new…born
From cold indifference to colder scorn；
Such resolution is the equal mate
Of god or monster； love； aversion； hate。
This fine…spun adamant Ithuriel's spear
Could never pierce： for other stuff is here！
（Points to himself。）
No faint 'Alas！' no swift…repented sigh
Can heal the cureless wound from which I die。
Sure； reason finds that love his easy prey
With Lethe aye at hand to point the way；
With ordered fires like thine； I too could smother
A heart in leash； find solace in another。
Too fair； too dearfrom whom the Fates me sever！
Thou hast no heart to givethou lov'dst me never！
PAUL。
Too plain； Severus； I my torture show；
Tho' flame leap up no more； the embers glow；
Far other speech and voice； and mien were mine；
Could I forget that once thou call'dst me thine！
Tho' reason rules； yes； gains the mastery
No queen benignant； but a tyrant she！
Oh； if I conquerif the strife I gain；
Yet memory for aye is linked with pain！
I feel the charm that binds me still to thee；
If duty great； yet great thy worth to me：
I see thee still the same； who waked the fire
Which waked in me ineffable desire。
Begirt by crown of everlasting fame
Thou art more gloriousyet art still the same。
I know thy valour's worth；well hast thou justified
That bounding hope of mine； though fruitage was denied；
Yet this same fate which did our union ban
Hath made me； fatedwed another man。
Let Duty still be queen！ Yea； let her break
The heart she pierces； yet can never shake。
The virtue； once thy pride in days gone by
Doth that same worth now merit blasphemy？
Bewail her bitter fruitbut praised be
The rights that triumph over thee and me！
SEV。
Forgive； Pauline； forgive； ah！ grief hath made me blind
To all but grief's excess； and fortune most unkind。
Forgive that I mistooknay； treated as a crime
Thy constancy of soul； unequalled and sublime；
In pity for my life forlorn； my peace denied；
Ah！ show thyself less fair；one least perfection hide！
Let some alloy be seen； some saving weakness left；
Take pity on a heart of thee and Heaven bereft！
One faintest flaw reveal； to give my soul relief！
Else； how to bear the love that only mates with grief？
PAUL。
Alas！ the rents in armour donned and proved
Too well my fight proclaim； yes； I have loved；
The traitor sigh； the tear unbid； attest
The combat fiercethe warrior sore distrest。
Say； who can stanch these wounds； that armour mend？
Thou who hast pierced； thou； thou alone defend！
Ah； if thou honourest my victory
Depart； that thou may'st still defender be！
So dry the tears that； to my shame； still flow
So quench the fire would work my overthrow！
Yes； go； my only friend； with me combine
To end my torture； for thy pain is mine！
SEV。
This last poor drop of comfort may not be？
PAUL。
The cup is poisoned both for me and thee！
SEV。
The flower is goneI cherish but the root！
PAUL。
Untimely blossom bears a fated fruit！
SEV。
My grief be mine！ Let memory remain！
PAUL。
That grief might hope beget； so leave a stain！
SEV。
Not mine to stain what Heaven hath made so pure！
For me one offering left： 'tis this： Endure！
Thy glory shall be mine； my load I bear；
So； spotless； thou thy peerless crown shalt wear！
Farewell； my love； farewell； I go to prove my faith；
To bless； to save thy life； so will I mate with death！
If prostrate from the blow； there yet remains of life
Enough to summon death； and end the piteous strife！
PAUL。
My grief； too deep for voice； shall silent be；
There； in my chamber； will I pray for thee！
When thou art gone； great Heaven shall hear my cry；
Grief's fruit for thee be hopedeathimmortality！
SEV。
Now with my loss alone let Fate contented be。
May Heaven shower bliss and peace on Polyeucte and thee！
PAUL。
Stern Fate obeyed； end； Death； his agony；
And Jove receive my heroto the sky！
SEV。
/Thou wast/ my heaven！
PAUL。
My father I obeyed
SEV。
O victim pure； obedient； undismayed！
Paulinetoo fairtoo dearI can no more！
PAUL。
So must I saydepartwhere I adore！
（Exit Severus。）
STRAT。
Yes； it is hardmost sadbehold my tears！
But now； at least； there is no cause for fears：
Thy dream is but a dreamis naught； is vain；
Severus pardons。 Gone that cause for pain！
PAUL。
Oh； if from pity start thy easy tear；
Add not that other woeforgotten fear！
Ah！ let me breathe； some respite give from trouble；
Those fears； half…dead； thou dost revive； redouble！
STRAT。
What dost thou dread？
PAUL。
Heavenhellearthempty air！
All； all is food for dread to my despair；
As thou unveil'st； begirt in lurid light；
The pallid ghost that slew me in the night！
STRAT。
Severus he by name； yet noble in his heart！
PAUL。
Ah； Polyeucte bathed in blood！ Depart！ depart！
STRAT。
For Polyeucte's welfare did Severus pray！
PAUL。
Yes； yes； his heart is great； be that my stay！
Yet； tho' his truth； his faith； well…proved be；
Most baleful is his presence here to me；
Yea； tho' he would all ill for me undo
Yet he hath power； he loveshe came to woo。
（Enter Polyeucte and Nearchus。）
POLY。
The source of tears is dry； oh； weep no more；
Thy grief lay down； thy fearful heart restore！
Let night's dark dream with superstition die；
The dream is past； for here in life am I！
PAUL。
The day is young； and oh； the day is long；
And half the dream is true； and Fate is strong；
Severus have I seen； who thought him dead！
POLY。
I know it！ Let no tear for this be shed！
Secure with thee am I！ Tho' great the knight；
Thy father will command to do me right；
The general is a man of honour；he
Would ne'er that honour dim by treachery！
He comes in amity； our friend； our guest；
To greet his worth and valour now my quest。
PAUL。
Radiant he came； who left me hopeless； sad；
But he will come no more；this grace I had。
POLY。
What？ Thinkest thou that I can jealous be？
PAUL。
An outrage this on him； on thee； on me！
He came in peace； who all my peace hath marred。
Who would run safely； every step must guard；
The wife who danger courts but courts her fall
My husband； aid me！I would tell thee all！
His worth； his charm； do my weak hearth enflame
A traitor here！ And he is aye the same！
If I should gaze； and long'gainst virtue； honour； sense；
The citadel I yield； and mine my own defence！
I know my virtues sure； and fair my fame；
But struggle is defeat；and combat shame！
