The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: 250+ Titles in One Edition. ОÑкар Уайльд
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Название: The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: 250+ Titles in One Edition
Автор: ОÑкар Уайльд
Издательство: Bookwire
Жанр: Языкознание
isbn: 4064066051815
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Herodias You hear what he says about you. He says that you will be eaten of worms.
Herod It is not of me that he speaks. He speaks never against me. It is of the King of Cappadocia that he speaks,, of the King of Cappadocia who is mine enemy. It is he who shall be eaten of worms. It is not I. Never has he spoken word against me, this prophet, save that I sinned in taking to wife the wife of my brother. It may be he is right. For, of a truth, you are sterile.
Herodias I am sterile, I? You say that, you who are ever looking at my daughter, you who would have her dance for your pleasure? It is absurd to say that. I have borne a child. You have gotten no child, no, not even from one of your slaves. It is you who are sterile, not I.
Herod Peace, woman! I say that you are sterile. You have borne me no child, and the prophet says that our marriage is not a true marriage. He says that it is an incestuous marriage, a marriage that will bring evils. . . . I fear he is right. I am sure that he is right. But it is not the moment to speak of such things. I would be happy at this moment. Of a truth, I am happy. I am very happy. There is nothing I lack.
Herodias I am glad you are of so fair a humour to-night. It is not your custom. But it is late. Let us go within. Do not forget that we hunt at sunrise. All honours must be shown to Cesar’s ambassadors, must they not?
Second Soldier What a sombre look the Tetrarch wears.
First Soldier Yes, he wears a sombre look.
Herod Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray you dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes. I am passing sad to-night. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen; and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings, a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what it means. . . . I am sad to-night. Therefore dance for me. Dance for me, Salomé, I beseech you. If you dance for me you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it you. Yes, dance for me, Salomé, and I will give you all that you ask of me,, even unto the half of my kingdom.
Salomé [rising] Will you indeed give me whatsoever I shall ask, Tetrarch?
Herodias Do not dance, my daughter.
Herod Everything, even to the half of my kingdom.
Salomé You swear it, Tetrarch?
Herod I swear it, Salomé.
Herodias Do not dance, my daughter.
Salomé By what will you swear, Tetrarch?
Herod By my life, by my crown, by my gods. Whatsoever you desire I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom, if you will but dance for me. O Salomé, Salomé”, dance for me!
Salomé You have sworn, Tetrarch.
Herod I have sworn, Salomé.
Salomé All that I ask, even to the half of your kingdom?
Herodias My daughter, do not dance.
Herod Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, Salomé, if it please thee to ask for the half of my kingdom. Will she not be fair as a queen? Ah! it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear . . . wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy it was a bird, a huge black bird hovering over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beating of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have burned my forehead. [He tears the wreath from his head and throws it on the table.] Ah! I can breathe now. How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That does not matter. You must not find symbols in everything you see. It makes life impossible. It were better to say that stains of blood are as lovely as rose petals. It were better far to say that. . . . But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy. I am very happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter is going to dance for me. Will you not dance for me, Salom6? You have promised to dance for me.
Herodias I will not have her dance.
Salomé I will dance for you, Tetrarch.
Herod You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. You do well to dance for me, Salomé. And when you have danced for me, forget not to ask of me whatsoever you wish. Whatsoever you wish I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom. I have sworn it, have I not?
Salomé You have sworn it, Tetrarch.
Herod And I have never broken my word. I am not of those who break their oaths. I know not how to lie. I am the slave of my word, and my word is the word of a king. The King of Cappadocia always lies, but he is no true king. He is a coward. Also he owes me money that he will not repay. He has even insulted my ambassadors. He has spoken words that were wounding. But Caesar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I am sure that Caesar will crucify him. And if not, yet will he die, and be eaten of worms. The prophet has prophesied it. Well! wherefore dost thou tarry, Salom6?
Salomé I am waiting for my slaves to bring me perfumes and the seven veils and to take off my sandals.
[Slaves bring perfumes and the seven veils and take off the sandals of Salomé.]
Herod Ah, you are going to dance with naked feet! Tis well! Tis well. Your little feet will be like white doves. They will be like little white flowers dancing on a tree. . . . No, no, she is going to dance on blood! There is blood spilt on the ground. She must not dance on blood. It were an evil omen.
Herodias What is it to you if she dance on blood? You have waded deep enough therein. . . .
Herod What is it to me? Ah! look at the moon! She has become red. She has become red as blood. Ah! the prophet prophesied truly. He prophesied that the moon would become red as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of you heard him. And now the moon has become red as blood. Do you not see it?
Herodias Oh yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like ripe figs, are they not? And the sun is becoming black like sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the earth are afraid. That at least one can see. The prophet, for once in his life, was right. The kings of the earth are afraid. . . . Let us go within. You are sick. They will say at Rome that you are mad. Let us go within, I tell you.
The Voice of Jokanaan Who is this who cometh from Edom, who is this who cometh from Bozra, whose raiment is dyed with purple, who shineth in the beauty of his garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? Wherefore is thy raiment stained with scarlet?
Herodias Let us go within. The voice of that man maddens me. I will not have my daughter dance while he is continually crying out. I will not have her dance while you look at her in that fashion. In a word, I will not have her dance.
Herod Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it will avail thee nothing. I will not go within till she hath danced. Dance, Salomé, dance for me.
Herodias Do not dance, СКАЧАТЬ