登陆注册
5419700000241

第241章

Now of Ralph Goldsmith I've a good opinion, And of the bilboes I've an ill opinion;And both of these opinions I'll maintain As long as there's a shot left in the locker.

Enter EDWARD BUTTER, with an ear-trumpet.

BUTTER.

Good morning, Captain Kempthorn.

KEMPTHORN.

Sir, to you.

You've the advantage of me.I don't know you.

What may I call your name?

BUTTER.

That's not your name?

KEMPTHORN.

Yes, that's my name.What's yours?

BUTTER.

My name is Butter.

I am the treasurer of the Commonwealth.

KEMPTHORN.

Will you be seated?

BUTTER.

What say? Who's conceited?

KEMPTHORN.

Will you sit down?

BUTTER.

Oh, thank you.

KEMPTHORN.

Spread yourself Upon this chair, sweet Butter.

BUTTER (sitting down).

A fine morning.

KEMPTHORN.

Nothing's the matter with it that I know of.

I have seen better, and I have seen worse.

The wind's nor'west.That's fair for them that sail.

BUTTER.

You need not speak so loud; I understand you.

You sail to-day.

KEMPTHORN.

No, I don't sail to-day.

So, be it fair or foul, it matters not.

Say, will you smoke? There's choice tobacco here.

BUTTER.

No, thank you.It's against the law to smoke.

KEMPTHORN.

Then, will you drink? There's good ale at this inn.

BUTTER.

No, thank you.It's against the law to drink.

KEMPTHORN.

Well, almost everything's against the law In this good town.Give a wide berth to one thing, You're sure to fetch up soon on something else.

BUTTER.

And so you sail to-day for dear Old England.

I am not one of those who think a sup Of this New England air is better worth Than a whole draught of our Old England's ale.

KEMPTHORN.

Nor I.Give me the ale and keep the air.

But, as I said, I do not sail to-day.

BUTTER.

Ah yes; you sail today.

KEMPTHORN.

I'm under bonds To take some Quakers back to the Barbadoes;And one of them is banished, and another Is sentenced to be hanged.

BUTTER.

No, all are pardoned, All are set free by order of the Court;But some of them would fain return to England.

You must not take them.Upon that condition Your bond is cancelled.

KEMPTHORN.

Ah, the wind has shifted!

I pray you, do you speak officially?

BUTTER.

I always speak officially.To prove it, Here is the bond.

Rising and giving a paper.

KEMPTHORN.

And here's my hand upon it, And look you, when I say I'll do a thing The thing is done.Am I now free to go?

BUTTER.

What say?

KEMPTHORN.

I say, confound the tedious man With his strange speaking-trumpet! Can I go?

BUTTER.

You're free to go, by order of the Court.

Your servant, sir.

[Exit.

KEMPTHORN (shouting from the window).

Swallow, ahoy! Hallo!

If ever a man was happy to leave Boston, That man is Simon Kempthorn of the Swallow!

Re-enter BUTTER.

BUTTER.

Pray, did you call?

KEMPTHORN.

Call! Yes, I hailed the Swallow.

BUTTER.

That's not my name.My name is Edward Butter.

You need not speak so loud.

KEMPTHORN (shaking hands).

Good-by! Good-by!

BUTTER.

Your servant, sir.

KEMPTHORN.

And yours a thousand times!

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-- GOVERNOR ENDICOTT'S private room.An open window.

ENDICOTT seated in an arm-chair.BELLINGHAM standing near.

ENDICOTT.

O lost, O loved! wilt thou return no more?

O loved and lost, and loved the more when lost!

How many men are dragged into their graves By their rebellious children! I now feel The agony of a father's breaking heart In David's cry, "O Absalom, my son!"BELLINGHAM.

Can you not turn your thoughts a little while To public matters? There are papers here That need attention.

ENDICOTT.

Trouble me no more!

My business now is with another world, Ah, Richard Bellingham! I greatly fear That in my righteous zeal I have been led To doing many things which, left undone, My mind would now be easier.Did I dream it, Or has some person told me, that John Norton Is dead?

BELLINGHAM.

You have not dreamed it.He is dead, And gone to his reward.It was no dream.

ENDICOTT.

Then it was very sudden; for I saw him Standing where you now stand, not long ago.

BELLINGHAM.

By his own fireside, in the afternoon, A faintness and a giddiness came o'er him;And, leaning on the chimney-piece, he cried, "The hand of God is on me!" and fell dead.

ENDICOTT.

And did not some one say, or have I dreamed it, That Humphrey Atherton is dead?

BELLINGHAM.

Alas!

He too is gone, and by a death as sudden.

Returning home one evening, at the place Where usually the Quakers have been scourged, His horse took fright, and threw him to the ground, So that his brains were dashed about the street.

ENDICOTT.

I am not superstitions, Bellingham, And yet I tremble lest it may have been A judgment on him.

BELLINGHAM.

So the people think.

They say his horse saw standing in the way The ghost of William Leddra, and was frightened.

And furthermore, brave Richard Davenport, The captain of the Castle, in the storm Has been struck dead by lightning.

ENDICOTT.

Speak no more.

For as I listen to your voice it seems As if the Seven Thunders uttered their voices, And the dead bodies lay about the streets Of the disconsolate city! Bellingham, I did not put those wretched men to death.

I did but guard the passage with the sword Pointed towards them, and they rushed upon it!

Yet now I would that I had taken no part In all that bloody work.

BELLINGHAM.

The guilt of it Be on their heads, not ours.

ENDICOTT.

Are all set free?

BELLINGHAM.

All are at large.

ENDICOTT.

And none have been sent back To England to malign us with the King?

BELLINGHAM.

The ship that brought them sails this very hour, But carries no one back.

A distant cannon.

ENDICOTT.

What is that gun?

BELLINGHAM.

Her parting signal.Through the window there, Look, you can see her sails, above the roofs, Dropping below the Castle, outward bound.

ENDICOTT.

O white, white, white! Would that my soul had wings As spotless as those shining sails to fly with!

Now lay this cushion straight.I thank you.Hark!

I thought I heard the hall door open and shut!

I thought I beard the footsteps of my boy!

BELLINGHAM.

It was the wind.There's no one in the passage.

ENDICOTT.

O Absalom, my son! I feel the world Sinking beneath me, sinking, sinking, sinking!

Death knocks! I go to meet him! Welcome, Death!

同类推荐
  • 西方直指

    西方直指

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 锦带书

    锦带书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 自然集

    自然集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 易学滥觞

    易学滥觞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天请问经疏

    天请问经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 校草大人微微甜

    校草大人微微甜

    这是一个闷骚腹黑聪明冷静的女孩,默默干倒一众围着她同桌乱转的情敌们,最终俘获男神芳心,却拍了拍屁股潇洒走人……最后被扛到床上糟蹋了的故事。纯洁小剧场——最开始,男神同桌悠闲的转着笔,看着她一贯温柔的眼底,覆上一层淡淡阴翳,“月亮同学,听说你有男朋友还撩我?”一旁,低着头笔走如飞抄作业的月亮同学,头都没抬一下,唇角轻扬似挑衅,“那又怎么样,还不是上套了?”“哦?”一只骨节分明的手伴随着低沉的声音,欲抽走她面前的作业。“……别别别,还没抄完呢。”月亮同学终于有了反应,抬起头来正色,“那是我哥。”“听说最近流行德国骨科。”“放心,我不赶时髦,讲究老祖宗的传统,做事有始有终。”“怎么有始有终?”某个亮堂堂的小月亮,展开霸道总裁式邪魅一笑,“始于同桌,终于同床。”后排两个看戏的同窗甲乙,怒其不争的摇着头,“哀班门不幸啊,月亮同学为了能抄作业,居然签卖身契……月亮你快点抄!后面还等着呢!”污污小剧场——不久后,某个被撩黑化的帅裂苍穹校草大人,勾唇凉薄一笑,“小可爱,放学操场等你哦。”“为、为什么在操场?”“操场有草,就差一个你。”“……草你?”一朝同桌缘,终身枕边人。男主:陆景云女主:月亮1v1双处,鸡飞蛋打,精彩纷呈的校园生活,剧情基本靠互怼,字数基本靠巧合强推狗莲完结文:《顾二白的田园生活》——玉米地里,叔侄没羞没臊种田文。《重生之最渣女配》——皇上御侍不得不说的二三事。
  • 新北京人

    新北京人

    当代北漂必备心灵读物——外地人与四九城的爱恨纠结,创业与生存的艰辛,人性的泯灭与闪光,文化与地域的冲突或融合。笔者用影视剧式的分镜头,向读者展现出一幅栩栩如生的京城沉浮众生相。
  • 喜马拉雅狂想

    喜马拉雅狂想

    本书围绕第四纪末次冰期结束以来,从晚更新世进入全新世,亦即冰后期,具有2500余年为周期的全球性递变,已为世界有关科学界公认。基于这一背景,就寒带、温带、热带地区将发生的灾变和应对措施展开科学幻想——主人公穿越时空帷幕,寻求通过打通喜马拉雅山墙来解决这一灾变环境,情节生动曲折,内容丰厚扎实,故事性强且极富警示意义。
  • 明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学院,风云骤起。实力派?偶像派?戏中情?情外戏?酷少爷遇到苹果女,浪漫偶像剧悄然上演——你会是我的巨星男友?他是身世显赫的未来巨星,她是学识渊博的教授女儿,不过在超级美男方临星的眼中,她和一只没思想的苹果差不多。还有他,致力于表演的阳光老师,想帮助自己可爱的表妹完成她的梦想。风花雪月,刀枪剑棒,柔情蜜意,悲欢离合,青春渐长,究竟是在演戏,还是在假戏真做?这里是明星学院,制造未来之星的超级学府,美女如云,帅哥如草,所以无论你是偶像派还是实力派,无论是假戏还是真情,在这里,都必须全力投入演出,否则——不要想毕业!(快乐小白文,酸甜青春味,偶尔小虐,慎入哟~~~~)
  • 青蛇通灵师

    青蛇通灵师

    听父亲说过,我快出生的时候,家里来个很多白蛇,眼睛一直盯着母亲生产的房间,父亲赶都赶不走,直到我发出第一声啼哭,那些白蛇才离开,那些蛇离开后,来了一个白衣女人,她送给父亲一个银锁,说可以保我到二十岁,随后就离开了。我如今在外地上大学,前几天每天晚上都会梦到一个白衣女人,但是快看到她的脸的时候,我就会醒来,今天寝室里搬来了两名高年级学姐……
  • 伤心的神仙

    伤心的神仙

    天生万物、万物皆为灵气所化。远古时期女娲捏土造人。注入灵气从而拥有灵根、灵根存在与人体双眉之间。若运用得当则成为天眼。经过数万年之久、人类繁衍至今。灵气早已经消失殆尽。若不是机缘巧合得到上古大神二郎神杨戬的至高无上法宝天眼。此刻的杨晓军也许仅仅只是一个普通人。
  • 杰出青少年要培养的75种心理素质

    杰出青少年要培养的75种心理素质

    《杰出青少年要培养的75种心理素质》对青少年在成长和学习中常见的困惑和烦恼进行了阐释和破译,帮助读者更好地认识自己的内心世界,发掘自身的心灵潜力,进行自我调节与改变,逐渐培养成熟、过硬的心理素质。
  • 白色密室

    白色密室

    盈盈满月照耀着皑皑的雪地上他艰难地举步摇摇晃晃地终于到了屋内哦不?!瘫倒在沙发上的人背上赫然插了一把刀……从气象图的不连续线来看,中午过后便会下雪,但没想到下得这么大。刚开始时,只见雪花飘浮,入夜后逐渐变粗,有如鹅毛般的牡丹雪,看起来会下一整夜了。可是没想到,在九点前,又戛然停止了。照例,这次的气象预告又与事实相差甚远——但也不应讥讽那些气象专家为“白吃纳税人血汗钱的蛀虫”。
  • 康熙大帝:夺宫初政

    康熙大帝:夺宫初政

    《夺宫》是《康熙大帝》的第一卷。描写康熙八岁即位后,在极其险恶的政治环境里,与辅政大臣鳌拜集团的篡位阴谋作斗争的故事。 康熙年幼时异常聪颖,曾拜落第举人伍次友为师,学习封建统治本领。在太皇太后孝庄和侍女苏麻喇姑的支持、帮助下,康熙团结了一批在圈地中破了产的中、下层地主和知识分子,形成了一支拥帝派的拱卫力量。经过多次较量,他终于在十五岁时,智擒了鳌拜,巩固了帝王权力,为清王朝的振兴打了良好的政治基础。
  • 法师亚当

    法师亚当

    平行时空中的生命是如此愚昧,贪图获取无尽的知识与能量,然而知识充满谎言,能量是时空毁灭的根源,法师们已经掌握穿梭时空的奥妙,我们战无不胜,将亿万世界化为尘埃,你们这些区区蝼蚁,终将灰飞烟灭。——法师亚当。简单的说,这是一个人工智能穿越成为法师的故事。——————新书《超凡重启》需要您的支持。