The Dynasts. Томас Харди

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СКАЧАТЬ clash arise as has arisen,

       To exercise supreme authority.

       The honour of our arms, our race, demands

       That none of your Imperial Highness' line

       Be pounded prisoner by this vulgar foe,

       Who is not France, but an adventurer,

       Imposing on that country for his gain.

      ARCHDUKE

       But it seems clear to me that loitering here

       Is full as like to compass our surrender

       As moving hence. And ill it therefore suits

       The mood of one of my high temperature

       To pause inactive while await me means

       Of desperate cure for these so desperate ills!

       [The ARCHDUKE FERDINAND goes out. A troubled, silence follows,

       during which the gusts call into the chimney, and raindrops spit

       on the fire.]

      SCHWARZENBERG

       The Archduke bears him shrewdly in this course.

       We may as well look matters in the face,

       And that we are cooped and cornered is most clear;

       Clear it is, too, that but a miracle

       Can work to loose us! I have stoutly held

       That this man's three years' ostentatious scheme

       To fling his army on the tempting shores

       Of our Allies the English was a—well—

       Scarce other than a trick of thimble-rig

       To still us into false security.

      JELLACHICH

       Well, I know nothing. None needs list to me,

       But, on the whole, to southward seems the course

       For lunging, all in force, immediately.

       [Another pause.]

      SPIRIT SINISTER

       The Will throws Mack again into agitation:

       Ho-ho—what he'll do now!

      SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

       Nay, hard one, nay;

       The clouds weep for him!

      SPIRIT SINISTER

       If he must;

       And it's good antic at a vacant time!

       [MACK goes restlessly to the door, and is heard pacing about

       the vestibule, and questioning the aides and other officers

       gathered there.]

      A GENERAL

       He wavers like this smoke-wreath that inclines

       Or north, or south, as the storm-currents rule!

      MACK [returning]

       Bring that deserter hither once again.

       [A French soldier is brought in, blindfolded and guarded. The

       bandage is removed.]

       Well, tell us what he says.

      AN OFFICER [after speaking to the prisoner in French]

       He still repeats

       That the whole body of the British strength

       Is even now descending on Boulogne,

       And that self-preservation must, if need,

       Clear us from Bonaparte ere many days,

       Who momently is moving.

      MACK

       Still retain him.

       [He walks to the fire, and stands looking into it. The soldier

       is taken out.]

      JELLACHICH [bending over the map in argument with RIESC]

       I much prefer our self-won information;

       And if we have Marshal Soult at Landsberg here,

       [Which seems to be truth, despite this man,]

       And Dupont hard upon us at Albeck,

       With Ney not far from Gunzburg; somewhere here,

       Or further down the river, lurking Lannes,

       Our game's to draw off southward—if we can!

      MACK [turning]

       I have it. This we'll do. You Jellachich,

       Unite with Spangen's troops at Memmingen,

       To fend off mischief there. And you, Riesc,

       Will make your utmost haste to occupy

       The bridge and upper ground at Elchingen,

       And all along the left bank of the stream,

       Till you observe whereon to concentrate

       And sever their connections. I couch here,

       And hold the city till the Russians come.

      A GENERAL [in a low voice]

       Disjunction seems of all expedients worst:

       If any stay, then stay should every man,

       Gather, inlace, and close up hip to hip,

       And perk and bristle hedgehog-like with spines!

      MACK

       The conference is ended, friends, I say,

       And orders will be issued here forthwith.

       [Guns heard.]

      AN OFFICER

       Surely that's from the Michaelsberg above us?

      MACK

       Never care. Here we stay. In five more days

       The Russians hail, and we СКАЧАТЬ