Manfred (With Byron's Biography). Lord Byron

Manfred (With Byron's Biography) - Lord  Byron


Скачать книгу
belief60 Have given me power to smooth the path from sin To higher hope and better thoughts; the first I leave to Heaven,—"Vengeance is mine alone!" So saith the Lord, and with all humbleness His servant echoes back the awful word.

      Man. Old man! there is no power in holy men, Nor charm in prayer, nor purifying form Of penitence, nor outward look, nor fast, Nor agony—nor, greater than all these, The innate tortures of that deep Despair,70 Which is Remorse without the fear of Hell, But all in all sufficient to itself Would make a hell of Heaven—can exorcise From out the unbounded spirit the quick sense Of its own sins—wrongs—sufferance—and revenge Upon itself; there is no future pang Can deal that justice on the self—condemned He deals on his own soul.

      Abbot. All this is well; For this will pass away, and be succeeded By an auspicious hope, which shall look up80 With calm assurafice to that blessed place, Which all who seek may win, whatever be Their earthly errors, so they be atoned: And the commencement of atonement is The sense of its necessity. Say on— And all our church can teach thee shall be taught; And all we can absolve thee shall be pardoned.

      Abbot. And what of this?

      Man. I answer with the Roman— "It is too late!"

      Abbot. It never can be so, To reconcile thyself with thy own soul, And thy own soul with Heaven. Hast thou no hope?100 'Tis strange—even those who do despair above, Yet shape themselves some fantasy on earth, To which frail twig they cling, like drowning men.

      Abbot. And wherefore so?

      Man.I could not tame my nature down; for he Must serve who fain would sway; and soothe, and sue, And watch all time, and pry into all place, And be a living Lie, who would become A mighty thing amongst the mean—and such120 The mass are; I disdained to mingle with A herd, though to be leader—and of wolves, The lion is alone, and so am I.

      Abbot. And why not live and act with other men?

      Abbot. Alas! I 'gin to fear that thou art past all aid From me and from my calling; yet so young, I still would——

      Abbot. Yet, hear me still—

      Man. Old man! I do respect Thine order, and revere thine years; I deem Thy purpose pious, but it is in vain: Think me not churlish; I would spare thyself, Far more than me, in shunning at this time All further colloquy—and so—farewell. Exit Manfred.

      Abbot. This should have been a noble creature: he160 Hath all the energy which would have made A goodly frame of glorious elements, Had they been wisely mingled; as it is, It is an awful chaos—Light and Darkness— And mind and dust—and passions and pure thoughts Mixed, and contending without end or order,— All dormant or destructive. He will perish— And yet he must not—I will try once more, For such are worth redemption; and my duty Is to dare all things for a righteous end.170 I'll follow him—but cautiously, though surely. Exit Abbot.

      Manfred and Herman.

      Her. My lord, you bade me wait on you at sunset: He sinks behind the mountain.

      Herman, Manuel, and other dependants of Manfred.

      Her. 'Tis strange enough! night after night, for years, He hath pursued long vigils in this tower, Without a witness. I have been within it,— So have we all been oft-times; but from it, Or its contents, it were impossible To draw conclusions absolute, of aught His studies tend to. To be sure, there is One chamber where none enter: I would give The fee of what I have to come these three years, To pore upon its mysteries.

      Manuel. 'Twere dangerous;10 Content thyself with what thou know'st already.

      Her. Ah! Manuel! thou art elderly and wise, And couldst say much; thou hast dwelt within the castle— How many years is't?

      Manuel. Ere Count Manfred's birth, I served his father, whom he nought resembles.

      Her. There be more sons in like predicament! But wherein do they differ?


Скачать книгу