The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: 250+ Titles in One Edition. Оскар Уайльд

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СКАЧАТЬ I will not tarry then to hear this man

       Rail with rude tongue against our sacred person.

       Come, gentlemen.

      LORD JUSTICE

       My liege,

       You cannot leave this court until the prisoner

       Be purged or guilty of this dread offence.

      DUCHESS

       Cannot, Lord Justice? By what right do you

       Set barriers in my path where I should go?

       Am I not Duchess here in Padua,

       And the state’s regent?

      LORD JUSTICE

       For that reason, Madam,

       Being the fountain-head of life and death

       Whence, like a mighty river, justice flows,

       Without thy presence justice is dried up

       And fails of purpose: thou must tarry here.

      DUCHESS

       What, wilt thou keep me here against my will?

      LORD JUSTICE

       We pray thy will be not against the law.

      DUCHESS

       What if I force my way out of the court?

      LORD JUSTICE

       Thou canst not force the Court to give thee way.

      DUCHESS

       I will not tarry. [Rises from her seat.]

      LORD JUSTICE

       Is the usher here?

       Let him stand forth. [Usher comes forward.]

       Thou knowest thy business, sir.

       [The Usher closes the doors of the court, which are L., and when the DUCHESS and her retinue approach, kneels down.]

      USHER

       In all humility I beseech your Grace

       Turn not my duty to discourtesy,

       Nor make my unwelcome office an offence.

      DUCHESS

       Is there no gentleman amongst you all

       To prick this prating fellow from our way?

      MAFFIO

       [drawing his sword]

       Ay! that will I.

      LORD JUSTICE

       Count Maffio, have a care,

       And you, sir. [To JEPPO.]

       The first man who draws his sword

       Upon the meanest officer of this Court,

       Dies before nightfall.

      DUCHESS

       Sirs, put up your swords:

       It is most meet that I should hear this man.

       [Goes back to throne.]

      MORANZONE

       Now hast thou got thy enemy in thy hand.

      LORD JUSTICE

       [taking the time-glass up]

       Guido Ferranti, while the crumbling sand

       Falls through this time-glass, thou hast leave to speak.

       This and no more.

      GUIDO

       It is enough, my lord.

      LORD JUSTICE

       Thou standest on the extreme verge of death;

       See that thou speakest nothing but the truth,

       Naught else will serve thee.

      GUIDO

       If I speak it not,

       Then give my body to the headsman there.

      LORD JUSTICE

       [turns the time-glass]

       Let there be silence while the prisoner speaks.

      TIPSTAFF

       Silence in the Court there.

      GUIDO

       My Lords Justices,

       And reverent judges of this worthy court,

       I hardly know where to begin my tale,

       So strangely dreadful is this history.

       First, let me tell you of what birth I am.

       I am the son of that good Duke Lorenzo

       Who was with damned treachery done to death

       By a most wicked villain, lately Duke

       Of this good town of Padua.

      LORD JUSTICE

       Have a care,

       It will avail thee nought to mock this prince

       Who now lies in his coffin.

      MAFFIO

       By Saint James,

       This is the Duke of Parma’s rightful heir.

      JEPPO

       I always thought him noble.

      GUIDO

       I confess

       That with the purport of a just revenge,

       A most just vengeance on a man of blood,

       I entered the Duke’s household, served his will,

       Sat at his board, drank of his wine, and was

       His intimate: so much I will confess,

       And this too, that I waited till he grew

       To give the fondest secrets of his life

       СКАЧАТЬ