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Chapter 23 Gow’s Watch
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Act V. scene 3

After the Battle. The PRINCESS by the Standard on the Ravelin.

Enter Gow, with the Crown of the Kingdom.

GOW. Here’s earnest of the Queen’s submission1.
This by her last herald2 — and in haste.

PRINCESS. ’Twas ours already. Where is the woman?

GOW. ‘Fled with her horse. They broke at dawn.
Noon has not struck, and you’re Queen questionless.

PRINCESS. By you — through you. How shall I honour you?

GOW. Me? But for what?

PRINCESS. For all — all — all — Since the realm sunk beneath us! Hear him! For what?’
Your body ‘twixt my bosom3 and her knife.
Your lips on the cup she proffered4 for my death;
Your one cloak over me, that night in the snows
We held the Pass at Bargi. Every hour
New strengths, to this most unbelievable last.
‘Honour him?’ I will honour — will honour you — . . .
’Tis at your choice.

GOW. Child, mine was long ago.

(Enter FERDINAND, as from horse.)
But here’s one worthy5 honour. Welcome, Fox!

FERDINAND. And to you, Watchdog. This day clenches6 all.
We’ve made it and seen it.

GOW. Is the city held?

FERDINAND. Loyally. Oh, they’re drunk with loyalty7 yonder.
A virtuous8 mood. Your bombards helped ’em to it . . .
But here’s my word for you. The Lady Frances —

PRINCESS. I left her sick in the city. No harm, I pray.

FERDINAND. Nothing that she called harm. In truth, so little
That (to Gow) I am bidden tell you, she’ll be here
Almost as soon as I.

GOW. She says it?

FERDINAND. Writes.
This. (Gives him letter.) Yester eve. ’Twas given me by the priest — He with her in her hour.

GOW. So? (Reads) So it is.
She will be here. (To Ferdinand) And all is safe in the city?

FERDINAND. As thy long sword and my lean wits can make it.
You’ve naught9 to stay for. Is it the road again?

GOW. Ay. This time, not alone . . . She will be here.

PRINCESS. I am here. You have not looked at me awhile.

GOW. The rest is with you, Ferdinand . . .
Then free.

PRINCESS. And at my service more than ever. I claim —(Our wars have taught me)— being your Queen, now, claim
You wholly mine.

GOW. Then free . . . She will be here! A little while —

PRINCESS (to FERDINAND). He looks beyond, not at me.

FERDINAND. Weariness.
We are not so young as once was. ‘Two days’ fight — A worthy servitor — to be allowed
Some freedom.

PRINCESS. I have offered him all he would.

FERDINAND. He takes what he has taken.
(The Spirit of the LADY FRANCES appears to Gow.)

GOW. Frances

PRINCESS. Distraught!

FERDINAND. An old head-blow, maybe. He has dealt in them.

GOW (to the Spirit). What can the Grave against us, O my Heart.
Comfort and light and reason in all things
Visible and invisible — my one God?
Thou that wast I these barren unyoked years
Of triflings now at end! Frances!

PRINCESS. She’s old.

FERDINAND. True. By most reckonings old.
They must keep other count.

PRINCESS. He kisses his hand to the air!

FERDINAND. His ring, rather, he kisses. Yes — for sure — the ring.

GOW. Dear and most dear. And now, those very arms. (Dies.)

PRINCESS. Oh, look! He faints. Haste, you! Unhelm him! Help!

FERDINAND. Needless. No help
Avails against that poison. He is sped.

PRINCESS. By his own hand? This hour? When I had offered —

FERDINAND. He had made other choice — an old, old choice.
Ne’er swerved10 from, and now patently sealed in death.

PRINCESS. He called on — the Lady Frances was it? Wherefore?

FERDINAND. Because she was his life. Forgive, my friend —(covers Gow’s face)
God’s uttermost beyond me in all faith.
Service and passion — if I unveil at last
The secret. (To the Princess) Thought-dreamed you, it was for you
He poured himself — for you resoldered the Crown?
Struck here, held there, amended11, broke, built up
His multiplied imaginings for you?
PRINCESS. I thought — I thought he —
FERDINAND. Looked beyond. Her wish
Was the sole Law he knew. She did not choose
Your House should perish. Therefore he bade it stand.
Enough for him when she had breathed a word
’Twas his to make it iron, stone, or fire.
Driving our flesh and blood before his ways
As the wind straws. Her one face unregarded
Waiting you with your mantle12 or your glove —
That is the God whom he is gone to worship.
(Trumpets without. Enter the Prince’s Heralds13.)
And here’s the work of Kingship begun again.
These from the Prince of Bargi — to whose sword
You owe such help as may, he thinks, be paid . . .
He’s equal in blood, in fortune more than peer.
Young, most well favoured, with a heart to love —
And two States in the balance. Do you meet him?

PRINCESS. God and my Misery14! I have seen Love at last.
What shall content me after?


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 submission lUVzr     
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出
参考例句:
  • The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
  • No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。
2 herald qdCzd     
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎
参考例句:
  • In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
  • Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。
3 bosom Lt9zW     
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的
参考例句:
  • She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
  • A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。
4 proffered 30a424e11e8c2d520c7372bd6415ad07     
v.提供,贡献,提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She proffered her cheek to kiss. 她伸过自己的面颊让人亲吻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes. 他站起身,伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。 来自辞典例句
5 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
参考例句:
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
6 clenches 215c164034684554c06baf3f9fe8a309     
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Michael clenches Westmoreland's hand, Give Anna her Poppa's love. Westmoreland紧握Michael的手,给Anna带去她父亲的问候。 来自互联网
7 loyalty gA9xu     
n.忠诚,忠心
参考例句:
  • She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
  • His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。
8 virtuous upCyI     
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的
参考例句:
  • She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性,人人都尊敬她。
  • My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。
9 naught wGLxx     
n.无,零 [=nought]
参考例句:
  • He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
  • I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。
10 swerved 9abd504bfde466e8c735698b5b8e73b4     
v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯,以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
  • The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅,司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 Amended b2abcd9d0c12afefe22fd275996593e0     
adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
  • He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。
12 mantle Y7tzs     
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红
参考例句:
  • The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
  • The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。
13 heralds 85a7677643514d2e94585dc21f41b7ab     
n.使者( herald的名词复数 );预报者;预兆;传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 );宣布(好或重要)
参考例句:
  • The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
14 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。


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