the complete poetical works-第174节
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Appeal unto the laws of mine own nation！
ENDICOTT。
There's no appeal to England from this Court！
What！ do you think our statutes are but paper？
Are but dead leaves that rustle in the wind？
Or litter to be trampled under foot？
What say ye； Judges of the Court；what say ye？
Shall this man suffer death？ Speak your opinions。
ONE OF THE JUDGES。
I am a mortal man； and die I must；
And that erelong； and I must then appear
Before the awful judgment…seat of Christ；
To give account of deeds done in the body。
My greatest glory on that day will be；
That I have given my vote against this man。
CHRISTISON。
If； Thomas Danforth； thou hast nothing more
To glory in upon that dreadful day
Than blood of innocent people； then thy glory
Will be turned into shame！ The Lord hath said it！
ANOTHER JUDGE。
I cannot give consent； while other men
Who have been banished upon pain of death
Are now in their own houses here among us。
ENDICOTT。
Ye that will not consent； make record of it。
I thank my God that I am not afraid
To give my judgment。 Wenlock Christison；
You must be taken back from hence to prison；
Thence to the place of public execution；
There to he hanged till you be deaddead；dead。
CHRISTISON。
If ye have power to take my life from me；
Which I do question；God hath power to raise
The principle of life in other men；
And send them here among you。 There shall be
No peace unto the wicked； saith my God。
Listen； ye Magistrates； for the Lord hath said it！
The day ye put his servitors to death；
That day the Day of your own Visitation；
The Day of Wrath shall pass above your heads；
And ye shall he accursed forevermore！
To EDITH； embracing her。
Cheer up； dear heart！ they have not power to harm us。
＇Exeunt CHRISTISON and EDITH guarded。 The Scene closes。
SCENE II。 A street。 Enter JOHN ENDICOTT and UPSALL。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Scourged in three towns！ and yet the busy people
Go up and down the streets on their affairs
Of business or of pleasure； as if nothing
Had happened to disturb them or their thoughts！
When bloody tragedies like this are acted；
The pulses of a nation should stand still
The town should be in mourning； and the people
Speak only in low whispers to each other。
UPSALL。
I know this people； and that underneath
A cold outside there burns a secret fire
That will find vent and will not be put out；
Till every remnant of these barbarous laws
Shall be to ashes burned； and blown away。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Scourged in three towns！ It is incredible
Such things can be！ I feel the blood within me
Fast mounting in rebellion； since in vain
Have I implored compassion of my father！
UPSALL。
You know your father only as a father；
I know him better as a Magistrate。
He is a man both loving and severe；
A tender heart； a will inflexible。
None ever loved him more than I have loved him。
He is an upright man and a just man
In all things save the treatment of the Quakers。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Yet I have found him cruel and unjust
Even as a father。 He has driven me forth
Into the street； has shut his door upon me；
With words of bitterness。 I am as homeless
As these poor Quakers are。
UPSALL。
Then come with me。
You shall be welcome for your father's sake；
And the old friendship that has been between us。
He will relent erelong。 A father's anger
Is like a sword without a handle； piercing
Both ways alike； and wounding him that wields it
No less than him that it is pointed at。
＇Exeunt。
SCENE III。 The prison。 Night。 EDITH reading the Bible by a
lamp。
EDITH。
〃Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you；
And shall revile you； and shall say against you
All manner of evil falsely for my sake！
Rejoice； and be exceeding glad； for great
Is your reward in heaven。 For so the prophets；
Which were before you； have been persecuted。〃
Enter JOHN ENDICOTT。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Edith！
EDITH。
Who is it that speaketh？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Saul of Tarsus：
As thou didst call me once。
EDITH （coming forward）。
Yea； I remember。
Thou art the Governor's son。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I am ashamed
Thou shouldst remember me。
EDITH。
Why comest thou
Into this dark guest…chamber in the night？
What seekest thou？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Forgiveness！
EDITH。
I forgive
All who have injured me。 What hast thou done？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I have betrayed thee； thinking that in this
I did God service。 Now； in deep contrition；
I come to rescue thee。
EDITH。
From what？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
From prison。
EDITH。
I am safe here within these gloomy walls。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
From scourging in the streets； and in three towns！
EDITH。
Remembering who was scourged for me； I shrink not
Nor shudder at the forty stripes save one。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Perhaps from death itself！
EDITH。
I fear not death；
Knowing who died for me。
JOHN ENDICOTT （aside）。
Surely some divine
Ambassador is speaking through those lips
And looking through those eyes！ I cannot answer！
EDITH。
If all these prison doors stood opened wide
I would not cross the threshold；not one step。
There are invisible bars I cannot break；
There are invisible doors that shut me in；
And keep me ever steadfast to my purpose。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Thou hast the patience and the faith of Saints！
EDITH。
Thy Priest hath been with me this day to save me；
Not only from the death that comes to all；
But from the second death！
JOHN ENDICOTT。
The Pharisee！
My heart revolts against him and his creed！
Alas！ the coat that was without a seam
Is rent asunder by contending sects；
Each bears away a portion of the garment；
Blindly believing that he has the whole！
EDITH。
When Death； the Healer； shall have touched our eyes
With moist clay of the grave； then shall we see
The truth as we have never yet beheld it。
But he that overcometh shall not be
Hurt of the second death。 Has he forgotten
The many mansions in our father's house？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
There is no pity in his iron heart！
The hands that now bear stamped upon their palms
The burning sign of Heresy； hereafter
Shall be uplifted against such accusers；
And then the imprinted letter and its meaning
Will not be Heresy； but Holiness！
EDITH。
Remember； thou condemnest thine own father！
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I have no father！ He has cast me off。
I am as homeless as the wind that moans
And wanders through the streets。 Oh； come with me！
Do not delay。 Thy God shall be my God；
And where thou goest I will go。
EDITH。
I cannot。
Yet will I not deny it； nor conceal it；
From the first moment I beheld thy face
I felt a tenderness in my soul towards thee。
My mind has since been inward to the Lord；
Waiting his word。 It has not yet been spoken。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I cannot wait。 Trust me。 Oh； come with me！
EDITH。
In the next room； my father； an old man；
Sitteth imprisoned and condemned to death；
Willing to prove his faith by martyrdom；
And thinkest thou his daughter would do less？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Oh； life is sweet； and death is terrible！
EDITH。
I have too long walked hand in hand with death
To shudder at that pale familiar face。
But leave me now。 I wish to be alone。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Not yet。 Oh； let me stay。
EDITH。
Urge me no more。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Alas！ good…night。 I will not say good…by！
EDITH。
Put this temptation underneath thy feet。
To him that overcometh shall be given
The white stone with the new name written on it；
That no man knows save him that doth receive it；
And I will give thee a new name； and call thee
Paul of Damascus； and not Saul of Tarsus。
＇Exit ENDICOTT。 EDITH sits down again to read the Bible。
ACT IV。
SCENE I。 King Street； in front of the town…house。 KEMPTHORN
in the pillory。 MERRY and a crowd of lookers…on。
KEMPTHORN （sings）。
The world is full of care；
Much like unto a bubble；
Women and care； and care and women；
And women and care and trouble。
Good Master Merry； may I say confound？
MERRY。
Ay； that you may。
KEMPTHORN。
Well； then； with your permission；
Confound the Pillory！
MERRY。
That's the very thing
The joiner said who made the Shrewsbury stocks。
He said； Confound the stocks； because they put him
Into his own。 He was the first man in them。
KEMPTHORN。
For swearing； was it？
MERRY。
