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！
desert！ My hand hath been but idle； let it serve To ransom my two
nephews from their death； Then have I kept it to a worthy end。 AARON。
Nay； come； agree whose hand shall go along； For fear they die before their
pardon come。 MARCUS。 My hand shall go。 LUCIUS。 By heaven； it shall
not go！ TITUS。 Sirs； strive no more； such with'red herbs as these Are meet
for plucking up； and therefore mine。 LUCIUS。 Sweet father； if I shall be
thought thy son； Let me redeem my brothers both from death。 MARCUS。
And for our father's sake and mother's care； Now let me show a brother's
love to thee。 TITUS。 Agree between you； I will spare my hand。 LUCIUS。
Then I'll go fetch an axe。 MARCUS。 But I will use the axe。 Exeunt
LUCIUS and MARCUS TITUS。 Come hither； Aaron； I'll deceive them
both； Lend me thy hand； and I will give thee mine。 AARON。 ＇Aside＇ If
that be call'd deceit； I will be honest； And never whilst I live deceive men
so； But I'll deceive you in another sort； And that you'll say ere half an hour
pass。 ＇He cuts off TITUS' hand＇
Re…enter LUCIUS and MARCUS
TITUS。 Now stay your strife。 What shall be is dispatch'd。 Good
Aaron； give his Majesty my hand； Tell him it was a hand that warded him
From thousand dangers； bid him bury it。 More hath it merited… that let it
have。 As for my sons； say I account of them As jewels purchas'd at an easy
32
… Page 33…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
price； And yet dear too； because I bought mine own。 AARON。 I go；
Andronicus； and for thy hand Look by and by to have thy sons with thee。
＇Aside＇ Their heads I mean。 O； how this villainy Doth fat me with the very
thoughts of it！ Let fools do good； and fair men call for grace： Aaron will
have his soul black like his face。 Exit TITUS。 O； here I lift this one hand
up to heaven； And bow this feeble ruin to the earth； If any power pities
wretched tears； To that I call！ ＇To LAVINIA＇ What； would'st thou kneel
with me？ Do； then； dear heart； for heaven shall hear our prayers； Or with
our sighs we'll breathe the welkin dim And stain the sun with fog； as
sometime clouds When they do hug him in their melting bosoms。
MARCUS。 O brother； speak with possibility； And do not break into these
deep extremes。 TITUS。 Is not my sorrow deep； having no bottom？ Then be
my passions bottomless with them。 MARCUS。 But yet let reason govern
thy lament。 TITUS。 If there were reason for these miseries； Then into
limits could I bind my woes。 When heaven doth weep； doth not the earth
o'erflow？ If the winds rage； doth not the sea wax mad； Threat'ning the
welkin with his big…swol'n face？ And wilt thou have a reason for this coil？
I am the sea； hark how her sighs do blow。 She is the weeping welkin； I the
earth； Then must my sea be moved with her sighs； Then must my earth
with her continual tears Become a deluge； overflow'd and drown'd； For
why my bowels cannot hide her woes； But like a drunkard must I vomit
them。 Then give me leave； for losers will have leave To ease their
stomachs with their bitter tongues。
Enter a MESSENGER； with two heads and a hand MESSENGER。
Worthy Andronicus； ill art thou repaid For that good hand thou sent'st the
Emperor。 Here are the heads of thy two noble sons； And here's thy hand； in
scorn to thee sent back… Thy grief their sports； thy resolution mock'd； That
woe is me to think upon thy woes； More than remembrance of my father's
death。 Exit MARCUS。 Now let hot Aetna cool in Sicily； And be my heart
an ever…burning hell！ These miseries are more than may be borne。 To weep
with them that weep doth ease some deal； But sorrow flouted at is double
death。 LUCIUS。 Ah； that this sight should make so deep a wound； And yet
detested life not shrink thereat！ That ever death should let life bear his
name； Where life hath no more interest but to breathe！ ＇LAVINIA kisses
33
… Page 34…
TITUS ANDRONICUS
TITUS＇ MARCUS。 Alas； poor heart； that kiss is comfortless As frozen
water to a starved snake。 TITUS。 When will this fearful slumber have an
end？ MARCUS。 Now farewell； flatt'ry； die； Andronicus。 Thou dost not
slumber： see thy two sons' heads； Thy warlike hand； thy mangled daughter
here； Thy other banish'd son with this dear sight Struck pale and bloodless；
and thy brother； I； Even like a stony image； cold and numb。 Ah！ now no
more will I control thy griefs。 Rent off thy silver hair； thy other hand
Gnawing with thy teeth； and be this dismal sight The closing up of our
most wretched eyes。 Now is a time to storm； why art thou still？ TITUS。
Ha； ha； ha！ MARCUS。 Why dost thou laugh？ It fits not with this hour。
TITUS。 Why； I have not another tear to shed； Besides； this sorrow is an
enemy； And would usurp upon my wat'ry eyes And make them blind with
tributary tears。 Then which way shall I find Revenge's cave？ For these two
heads do seem to speak to me； And threat me I shall never come to bliss
Till all these mischiefs be return'd again Even in their throats that have
committed them。 Come； let me see what task I have to do。 You heavy
people； circle me about； That I may turn me to each one of you And swear
unto my soul to right your wrongs。 The vow is made。 Come； brother； take
a head； And in this hand the other will I bear。 And； Lavinia； thou shalt be
employ'd in this； Bear thou my hand； sweet wench； between thy teeth。 As
for thee； boy； go； get thee from my sight； Thou art an exile； and thou must
not stay。 Hie to the Goths and raise an army there； And if ye love me； as I
think you do； Let's kiss and part； for we have much to do。 Exeunt all but
Lucius LUCIUS。 Farewell； Andronicus； my noble father； The woefull'st
man that ever liv'd in Rome。 Farewell； proud Rome； till Lucius come
again； He leaves his pledges dearer than his life。 Farewell； Lavinia； my
noble sister； O； would thou wert as thou tofore hast been！ But now nor
Lucius nor Lavinia lives But in oblivion and hateful griefs。 If Lucius live；
he will requite your wrongs And make proud Saturnine and his emperess
Beg at the gates like Tarquin and his queen。 Now will I to the Goths； and
raise a pow'r To be reveng'd on Rome and Saturnine。 Exit
34
… Page 35…
TITUS ANDRONICUS