the complete poetical works-第183节
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Hard by the palace of the King called Ahab。
And Ahab； King of Israel； spake to Naboth；
And said to him； Give unto me thy vineyard；
That I may have it for a garden of herbs；
And I will give a better vineyard for it；
Or； if it seemeth good to thee； its worth
In money。 And then Naboth said to Ahab；
The Lord forbid it me that I should give
The inheritance of my fathers unto thee。
And Ahab came into his house displeased
And heavy at the words which Naboth spake；
And laid him down upon his bed； and turned
His face away； and he would eat no bread。
And Jezebel； the wife of Ahab； came
And said to him； Why is thy spirit sad？
And he said unto her； Because I spake
To Naboth； to the Jezreelite； and said；
Give me thy vineyard； and he answered； saying；
I will not give my vineyard unto thee。
And Jezebel； the wife of Ahab； said；
Dost thou not rule the realm of Israel？
Arise； eat bread； and let thy heart be merry；
I will give Naboth's vineyard unto thee。
So she wrote letters in King Ahab's name；
And sealed them with his seal； and sent the letters
Unto the elders that were in his city
Dwelling with Naboth； and unto the nobles；
And in the letters wrote； Proclaim a fast；
And set this Naboth high among the people；
And set two men； the sons of Belial；
Before him； to bear witness and to say；
Thou didst blaspheme against God and the King；
And carry him out and stone him； that he die！
And the elders and the nobles in the city
Did even as Jezebel； the wife of Ahab；
Had sent to them and written in the letters。
And then it came to pass； when Ahab heard
Naboth was dead； that Ahab rose to go
Down unto Naboth's vineyard； and to take
Possession of it。 And the word of God
Came to Elijah； saying to him； Arise；
Go down to meet the King of Israel
In Naboth's vineyard； whither he hath gone
To take possession。 Thou shalt speak to him；
Saying； Thus saith the Lord！ What！ hast thou killed
And also taken possession？ In the place
Wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth
Shall the dogs lick thy blood；ay； even thine！
Both of the Deacons start from their seats。
And Ahab then； the King of Israel；
Said； Hast thou found me； O mine enemy？
Elijah the Prophet answered； I have found thee！
So will it be with those who have stirred up
The Sons of Belial here to bear false witness
And swear away the lives of innocent people；
Their enemy will find them out at last；
The Prophet's voice will thunder； I have found thee！
＇Exeunt。
SCENE IV。 Meadows on Ipswich River； COREY and his men mowing；
COREY in advance。
COREY。
Well done； my men。 You see； I lead the field！
I'm an old man； but I can swing a scythe
Better than most of yon； though you be younger。
Hangs his scythe upon a tree。
GLOYD （aside to the others）。
How strong he is！ It's supernatural。
No man so old as he is has such strength。
The Devil helps him！
COREY （wiping his forehead）。
Now we'll rest awhile；
And take our nooning。 What's the matter with you？
You are not angry with me；are you； Gloyd？
Come； come； we will not quarrel。 Let's be friends。
It's an old story； that the Raven said；
〃Read the Third of Colossians and fifteenth。〃
GLOYD。
You're handier at the scythe； but I can beat you
At wrestling。
COREY。
Well； perhaps so。 I don't know。
I never wrestled with you。 Why； you're vexed！
Come； come； don't bear a grudge。
GLOYD。
You are afraid。
COREY。
What should I bc afraid of？ All bear witness
The challenge comes from him。 Now； then； my man。
They wrestle； and GLOYD is thrown。
ONE OF THE MEN。
That's a fair fall。
ANOTHER。
'T was nothing but a foil！
OTHERS。
You've hurt him！
COREY （helping GLOYD rise）。
No； this meadow…land is soft。
You're not hurt；are you； Gloyd？
GLOYD （rising）。
No； not much hurt。
COREY。
Well； then； shake hands； and there's an end of it。
How do you like that Cornish hug； my lad？
And now we'll see what's in our basket here。
GLOYD （aside）。
The Devil and all his imps are in that man！
The clutch of his ten fingers burns like fire！
COREY （reverentially taking off his hat）。
God bless the food He hath provided for us；
And make us thankful for it； for Christ's sake！
He lifts up a keg of cider； and drinks from it。
GLOYD。
Do you see that？ Don't tell me it's not Witchcraft
Two of us could not lift that cask as he does！
COREY puts down the keg； and opens a basket。 A voice is heard
calling。
VOICE。
Ho！ Corey； Corey！
COREY。
What is that？ I surely
Heard some one calling me by name！
VOICE。
Giles Corey！
Enter a boy； running； and out of breath。
BOY。
Is Master Corey here？
COREY。
Yes； here I am。
BOY。
O Master Corey！
COREY。
Well？
BOY。
Your wifeyour wife
COREY。
What's happened to my wife？
BOY。
She's sent to prison！
COREY。
The dream！ the dream！ O God； be merciful！
BOY。
She sent me here to tell you。
COREY （putting on his jacket）。
Where's my horse？
Don't stand there staring； fellows。
Where's my horse？
＇Exit COREY。
GLOYD。
Under the trees there。 Run； old man； run； run！
You've got some one to wrestle with you now
Who'll trip your heels up； with your Cornish hug。
If there's a Devil； he has got you now。
Ah； there he goes！ His horse is snorting fire！
ONE OF THE MEN。
John Gloyd； don't talk so！ It's a shame to talk so！
He's a good master； though you quarrel with him。
GLOYD。
If hard work and low wages make good masters；
Then he is one。 But I think otherwise。
Come； let us have our dinner and be merry；
And talk about the old man and the Witches。
I know some stories that will make you laugh。
They sit down on the grass； and eat。
Now there are Goody Cloyse and Goody Good；
Who have not got a decent tooth between them；
And yet these childrenthe Afflicted Children
Say that they bite them； and show marks of teeth
Upon their arms！
ONE OF THE MEN。
That makes the wonder greater。
That's Witchcraft。 Why； if they had teeth like yours；
'T would be no wonder if the girls were bitten！
GLOYD。
And then those ghosts that come out of their graves
And cry； 〃You murdered us！ you murdered us！〃
ONE OF THE MEN。
And all those Apparitions that stick pins
Into the flesh of the Afflicted Children！
GLOYD。
Oh those Afflicted Children！ They know well
Where the pins come from。 I can tell you that。
And there's old Corey； he has got a horseshoe
Nailed on his doorstep to keep off the Witches；
And all the same his wife has gone to prison。
ONE OF THE MEN。
Oh； she's no Witch。 I'll swear that Goodwife Corey
Never did harm to any living creature。
She's a good woman； if there ever was one。
GLOYD。
Well； we shall see。 As for that Bridget Bishop；
She has been tried before； some years ago
A negro testified he saw her shape
Sitting upon the rafters in a barn；
And holding in its hand an egg； and while
He went to fetch his pitchfork； she had vanished。
And now be quiet； will you？ I am tired；
And want to sleep here on the grass a little。
They stretch themselves on the grass。
ONE OF THE MEN。
There may be Witches riding through the air
Over our heads on broomsticks at this moment；
Bound for some Satan's Sabbath in the woods
To be baptized。
GLOYD。
I wish they'd take you with them；
And hold you under water； head and ears；
Till you were drowned； and that would stop your talking；
If nothing else will。 Let me sleep； I say。
ACT IV
SCENE I。 The Green in front of the village Meeting…house。 An
excited crowd gathering。 Enter JOHN GLOYD。
A FARMER。
Who will be tried to…day？
A SECOND。
I do not know。
Here is John Gloyd。 Ask him； he knows。
FARMER。
John Gloyd；
Whose turn is it to…day？
GLOYD。
It's Goodwife Corey's。
FARMER。
Giles Corey's wife？
GLOYD。
The same。 She is not mine。
It will go hard with her with all her praying。
The hypocrite！ She's always on her knees；
But she prays to the Devil when she prays。
Let us go in。
A trumpet blows。
FARMER。
Here come the Magistrates。
SECOND FARMER。
Who's the tall man in front？
GLOYD。
Oh； that is Hathorne；
A Justice of the Court； and a Quarter…master
In the Three County Troop。 He'll sift the matter。
That's Corwin with him； and the man in black
Is Cotton Mather； Minister of Boston。
Enter HATHORNE and other Magistrates on horseback； followe
