the complete poetical works-第158节
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！
Oft has my mother told me so；
I will not play with thee！
He strikes JESUS in the right side。
JESUS。
Ah； Judas！ thou hast smote my side；
And when I shall be crucified；
There shall I pierced be！
Here JOSEPH shall come in and say：
JOSEPH。
Ye wicked boys！ why do ye play；
And break the holy Sabbath day？
What； think ye； will your mothers say
To see you in such plight！
In such a sweat and such a heat；
With all that mud upon your feet！
There's not a beggar in the street
Makes such a sorry sight！
VIII。 THE VILLAGE SCHOOL
The RABBI BEN ISRAEL； sitting on a high stool； with a long beard；
and a rod in his hand。
RABBI。
I am the Rabbi Ben Israel；
Throughout this village known full well；
And； as my scholars all will tell；
Learned in things divine；
The Cabala and Talmud hoar
Than all the prophets prize I more；
For water is all Bible lore；
But Mishna is strong wine。
My fame extends from West to East；
And always； at the Purim feast；
I am as drunk as any beast
That wallows in his sty；
The wine it so elateth me；
That I no difference can see
Between 〃Accursed Haman be！〃
And 〃Blessed be Mordecai！〃
Come hither； Judas Iscariot；
Say； if thy lesson thou hast got
From the Rabbinical Book or not。
Why howl the dogs at night？
JUDAS。
In the Rabbinical Book； it saith
The dogs howl； when with icy breath
Great Sammael； the Angel of Death；
Takes through the town his flight！
RABBI。
Well； boy！ now say； if thou art wise；
When the Angel of Death； who is full of eyes；
Comes where a sick man dying lies；
What doth he to the wight？
JUDAS。
He stands beside him； dark and tall；
Holding a sword； from which doth fall
Into his mouth a drop of gall；
And so he turneth white。
RABBI。
And now； my Judas； say to me
What the great Voices Four may be；
That quite across the world do flee；
And are not heard by men？
JUDAS。
The Voice of the Sun in heaven's dome；
The Voice of the Murmuring of Rome；
The Voice of a Soul that goeth home；
And the Angel of the Rain！
RABBI。
Right are thine answers every one！
Now； little Jesus； the carpenter's son；
Let us see how thy task is done；
Canst thou thy letters say？
JESUS。
Aleph。
RABBI。
What next？ Do not stop yet！
Go on with all the alphabet。
Come； Aleph； Beth； dost thou forget？
Cock's soul！ thou'dst rather play！
JESUS。
What Aleph means I fain would know
Before I any farther go！
RABBI。
Oh； by Saint Peter！ wouldst thou so？
Come hither； boy； to me。
As surely as the letter Jod
Once cried aloud； and spake to God；
So surely shalt thou feel this rod；
And punished shalt thou be！
Here RABBI BEN ISRAEL shall lift up his rod to strike Jesus； and
his right arm shall be paralyzed。
IX。 CROWNED WITH FLOWERS
JESUS sitting among his playmates； crowned with flowers as their
King。
BOYS。
We spread our garments on the ground！
With fragrant flowers thy head is crowned
While like a guard we stand around；
And hail thee as our King！
Thou art the new King of the Jews！
Nor let the passers…by refuse
To bring that homage which men use
To majesty to bring。
Here a traveller shall go by； and the boys shall lay hold of his
garments and say：
BOYS。
Come hither I and all reverence pay
Unto our monarch； crowned to…day！
Then go rejoicing on your way；
In all prosperity！
TRAVELLER。
Hail to the King of Bethlehem；
Who weareth in his diadem
The yellow crocus for the gem
Of his authority！
He passes by； and others come in； bearing on a litter a sick
child。
BOYS。
Set down the litter and draw near！
The King of Bethlehem is here！
What ails the child； who seems to fear
That we shall do him harm？
THE BEARERS。
He climbed up to the robin's nest；
And out there darted； from his rest；
A serpent with a crimson crest；
And stung him in the arm。
JESUS。
Bring him to me； and let me feel
The wounded place； my touch can heal
The sting of serpents； and can steal
The poison from the bite！
He touches the wound； and the boy begins to cry。
Cease to lament！ I can foresee
That thou hereafter known shalt be；
Among the men who follow me；
As Simon the Canaanite！
EPILOGUE
In the after part of the day
Will be represented another play；
Of the Passion of our Blessed Lord；
Beginning directly after Nones！
At the close of which we shall accord；
By way of benison and reward；
The sight of a holy Martyr's bones！
IV
THE ROAD TO HIRSCHAU
PRINCE HENRY and ELSIE； with their attendants on horseback。
ELSIE。
Onward and onward the highway runs to the distant city；
impatiently bearing
Tidings of human joy and disaster； of love and of hate；
of doing and daring！
PRINCE HENRY。
This life of ours is a wild aeolian harp of many
a joyous strain；
But under them all there runs a loud perpetual wail；
as of souls in pain。
ELSIE。
Faith alone can interpret life； and the heart
that aches and bleeds with the stigma
Of pain； alone bears the likeness of Christ；
and can comprehend its dark enigma。
PRINCE HENRY。
Man is selfish； and seeketh pleasure with little care
of what may betide；
Else why am I travelling here beside thee；
a demon that rides by an angel's side？
ELSIE。
All the hedges are white with dust； and the great dog
under the creaking wain
Hangs his head in the lazy heat； while onward
the horses toil and strain。
PRINCE HENRY。
Now they stop at the wayside inn； and the wagoner laughs
with the landlord's daughter；
While out of the dripping trough the horses
distend their leathern sides with water。
ELSIE。
All through life there are wayside inns；
where man may refresh his soul with love；
Even the lowest may quench his thirst
at rivulets fed by springs from above。
PRINCE HENRY。
Yonder； where rises the cross of stone；
our journey along the highway ends；
And over the fields； by a bridle path；
down into the broad green valley descends。
ELSIE。
I am not sorry to leave behind the beaten road
with its dust and heat
The air will be sweeter far； and the turf will be softer
under our horses' feet。
They turn down a green lane。
ELSIE。
Sweet is the air with the budding haws；
and the valley stretching for miles below
Is white with blossoming cherry…trees；
as if just covered with lightest snow。
PRINCE HENRY。
Over our heads a white cascade is gleaming
against the distant hill；
We cannot hear it； nor see it move； but it hangs
like a banner when winds are still。
ELSIE。
Damp and cool is this deep ravine； and cool
the sound of the brook by our side！
What is this castle that rises above us；
and lords it over a land so wide？
PRINCE HENRY。
It is the home of the Counts of Calva；
well have I known these scenes of old；
Well I remember each tower and turret； remember the brooklet；
the wood； and the wold。
ELSIE。
Hark！ from the little village below us the bells
of the church are ringing for rain！
Priests and peasants in long procession come forth
and kneel on the arid plain。
PRINCE HENRY。
They have not long to wait； for I see in the south
uprising a little cloud；
That before the sun shall be set will cover
the sky above us as with a shroud。
They pass on。
THE CONVENT OF HIRSCHAU IN THE BLACK FOREST。
The Convent cellar。 FRIAR CLAUS comes in with a light and a
basket of empty flagons。
FRIAR CLAUS。
I always enter this sacred place
With a thoughtful； solemn； and reverent pace；
Pausing long enough on each stair
To breathe an ejaculatory prayer；
And a benediction on the vines
That produce these various sorts of wines！
For my part； I am well content
That we have got through with the tedious Lent！
Fasting is all very well for those
Who have to contend with invisible foes；
But I am quite sure it does not agree
With a quiet； peaceable man like me；
Who am not of that nervous and meagre kind；
That are always distressed in body and mind！
And at times it really does me good
To come down among this brotherhood；
Dwelling forever underground；
Silent； contemplative； round and sound；
Each one old； and brown with mould；
But filled to the lips with the ardor of youth；
With the latent power and love of truth；
And with virtues fervent and manifold。
I have heard it said； that at Easter…tide；
When buds are swelling on every side；
And the sap begins to move in the vine；
Then in all cellars； far and wide；
The oldest as well as the newest wine
Begins to stir itself； and ferment；
With a kind of revolt and di
