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！
And changed the auburn hair to white。
It is Count Hugo of the Rhine；
The deadliest foe of all our race；
And hateful unto me and mine！
THE BLIND MONK。
Who is it that doth stand so near
His whispered words I almost hear？
PRINCE HENRY。
I am Prince Henry of Hoheneck；
And you； Count Hugo of the Rhine！
I know you； and I see the scar；
The brand upon your forehead； shine
And redden like a baleful star！
THE BLIND MONK。
Count Hugo once； but now the wreck
Of what I was。 O Hoheneck！
The passionate will； the pride； the wrath
That bore me headlong on my path；
Stumbled and staggered into fear；
And failed me in my mad career；
As a tired steed some evil…doer；
Alone upon a desolate moor；
Bewildered； lost； deserted； blind；
And hearing loud and close behind
The o'ertaking steps of his pursuer。
Then suddenly from the dark there came
A voice that called me by my name；
And said to me； 〃Kneel down and pray！〃
And so my terror passed away；
Passed utterly away forever。
Contrition； penitence； remorse；
Came on me； with o'erwhelming force；
A hope； a longing； an endeavor；
By days of penance and nights of prayer；
To frustrate and defeat despair！
Calm； deep； and still is now my heart；
With tranquil waters overflowed；
A lake whose unseen fountains start；
Where once the hot volcano glowed。
And you； O Prince of Hoheneck！
Have known me in that earlier time；
A man of violence and crime；
Whose passions brooked no curb nor check。
Behold me now； in gentler mood；
One of this holy brotherhood。
Give me your hand； here let me kneel；
Make your reproaches sharp as steel；
Spurn me； and smite me on each cheek；
No violence can harm the meek；
There is no wound Christ cannot heal！
Yes； lift your princely hand； and take
Revenge； if 't is revenge you seek；
Then pardon me； for Jesus' sake！
PRINCE HENRY。
Arise； Count Hugo！ let there be
No further strife nor enmity
Between us twain； we both have erred
Too rash in act； too wroth in word；
From the beginning have we stood
In fierce； defiant attitude；
Each thoughtless of the other's right；
And each reliant on his might。
But now our souls are more subdued；
The hand of God； and not in vain；
Has touched us with the fire of pain。
Let us kneel down and side by side
Pray till our souls are purified；
And pardon will not be denied！
They kneel。
THE REFECTORY
Gaudiolum of Monks at midnight。 LUCIFER disguised as a Friar。
FRIAR PAUL sings。
Ave！ color vini clari；
Dulcis potus； non amari；
Tua nos inebriari
Digneris potentia！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Not so much noise； my worthy freres；
You'll disturb the Abbot at his prayers。
FRIAR PAUL sings。
O！ quam placens in colore！
O！ quam fragrans in odore！
O！ quam sapidum in ore！
Dulce linguae vinculum！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
I should think your tongue had broken its chain！
FRIAR PAUL sings。
Felix venter quem intrabis！
Felix guttur quod rigabis！
Felix os quod tu lavabis！
Et beata labia！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Peace！ I say； peace！
Will you never cease！
You will rouse up the Abbot； I tell you again！
FRIAR JOHN。
No danger！ to…night he will let us alone；
As I happen to know he has guests of his own。
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Who are they？
FRIAR JOHN。
A German Prince and his train；
Who arrived here just before the rain。
There is with him a damsel fair to see；
As slender and graceful as a reed！
When she alighted from her steed；
It seemed like a blossom blown from a tree。
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
None of your pale…faced girls for me！
None of your damsels of high degree！
FRIAR JOHN。
Come； old fellow； drink down to your peg！
But do not drink any further； I beg！
FRIAR PAUL sings。
In the days of gold；
The days of old；
Crosier of wood
And bishop of gold！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
What an infernal racket and riot！
Can you not drink your wine in quiet？
Why fill the convent with such scandals；
As if we were so many drunken Vandals？
FRIAR PAUL continues。
Now we have changed
That law so good
To crosier of gold
And bishop of wood！
FRIAR CUTHBERT。
Well； then； since you are in the mood
To give your noisy humors vent；
Sing and howl to your heart's content！
CHORUS OF MONKS。
Funde vinum； funde！
Tanquam sint fluminis undae；
Nec quaeras unde；
Sed fundas semper abunde！
FRIAR JOHN。
What is the name of yonder friar；
With an eye that glows like a coal of fire；
And such a black mass of tangled hair？
FRIAR PAUL。
He who is sitting there；
With a rollicking；
Devil may care；
Free and easy look and air；
As if he were used to such feasting and frolicking？
FRIAR JOHN。
The same。
FRIAR PAUL。
He's a stranger。 You had better ask his name；
And where he is going and whence he came。
FRIAR JOHN。
Hallo！ Sir Friar！
FRIAR PAUL。
You must raise your voice a little higher；
He does not seem to hear what you say。
Now； try again！ He is looking this way。
FRIAR JOHN。
Hallo！ Sir Friar；
We wish to inquire
Whence you came； and where you are going；
And anything else that is worth the knowing。
So be so good as to open your head。
LUCIFER。
I am a Frenchman born and bred；
Going on a pilgrimage to Rome。
My home
Is the convent of St。 Gildas de Rhuys；
Of which； very like； you never have heard。
MONKS。
Never a word。
LUCIFER。
You must know； then； it is in the diocese
Called the Diocese of Vannes；
In the province of Brittany。
From the gray rocks of Morbihan
It overlooks the angry sea；
The very sea…shore where；
In his great despair；
Abbot Abelard walked to and fro；
Filling the night with woe；
And wailing aloud to the merciless seas
The name of his sweet Heloise；
Whilst overhead
The convent windows gleamed as red
As the fiery eyes of the monks within；
Who with jovial din
Gave themselves up to all kinds of sin！
Ha！ that is a convent！ that is an abbey！
Over the doors；
None of your death…heads carved in wood；
None of your Saints looking pious and good；
None of your Patriarchs old and shabby！
But the heads and tusks of boars；
And the cells
Hung all round with the fells
Of the fallow…deer。
And then what cheer！
What jolly； fat friars；
Sitting round the great； roaring fires；
Roaring louder than they；
With their strong wines；
And their concubines；
And never a bell；
With its swagger and swell；
Calling you up with a start of affright
In the dead of night；
To send you grumbling down dark stairs；
To mumble your prayers；
But the cheery crow
Of cocks in the yard below；
After daybreak； an hour or so；
And the barking of deep…mouthed hounds；
These are the sounds
That； instead of bells； salute the ear。
And then all day
Up and away
Through the forest； hunting the de