Читать книгу Rewards and Fairies - Rudyard Kipling - Страница 4

‘Gold is for the mistress – silver for the maid!

Copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.’

‘Good!’ said the Baron, sitting in his hall,

‘But Iron – Cold Iron – is master of them all!’

So he made rebellion ’gainst the King his liege,

Camped before his citadel and summoned it to siege —

‘Nay!’ said the cannoneer on the castle wall,

‘But Iron – Cold Iron – shall be master of you all!’

Woe for the Baron and his knights so strong,

When the cruel cannon-balls laid ’em all along!

He was taken prisoner, he was cast in thrall,

And Iron – Cold Iron – was master of it all!

Yet his King spake kindly (Oh, how kind a Lord!)

‘What if I release thee now and give thee back thy sword?’

‘Nay!’ said the Baron, ‘mock not at my fall,

For Iron – Cold Iron – is master of men all.’

‘Tears are for the craven, prayers are for the clown —

Halters for the silly neck that cannot keep a crown.’

‘As my loss is grievous, so my hope is small,

For Iron – Cold Iron – must be master of men all!’

Yet his King made answer (few such Kings there be!)

‘Here is Bread and here is Wine – sit and sup with me.

Eat and drink in Mary’s name, the whiles I do recall

How Iron – Cold Iron – can be master of men all!’

He took the Wine and blessed It; He blessed and brake the Bread.

With His own Hands He served Them, and presently He said:

‘Look! These Hands they pierced with nails outside my city wall

Show Iron – Cold Iron – to be master of men all!

‘Wounds are for the desperate, blows are for the strong,

Balm and oil for weary hearts all cut and bruised with wrong.

I forgive thy treason – I redeem thy fall —

For Iron – Cold Iron – must be master of men all!’

‘Crowns are for the valiant – sceptres for the bold!

Thrones and powers for mighty men who dare to take and hold.’

‘Nay!’ said the Baron, kneeling in his hall,

‘But Iron – Cold Iron – is master of man all!

Iron, out of Calvary, is master of man all!’