Читать книгу Coriolanus - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 4

  VOLUMNIA. I pray you, daughter, sing, or express yourself in a

more

    comfortable sort. If my son were my husband, I should

freelier

    rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the

    embracements of his bed where he would show most love. When

yet

    he was but tender-bodied, and the only son of my womb; when

youth

    with comeliness pluck'd all gaze his way; when, for a day of

    kings' entreaties, a mother should not sell him an hour from

her

    beholding; I, considering how honour would become such a

person-

    that it was no better than picture-like to hang by th' wall,

if

    renown made it not stir- was pleas'd to let him seek danger

where

    he was to find fame. To a cruel war I sent him, from whence

he

    return'd his brows bound with oak. I tell thee, daughter, I

    sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child

than

    now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.

  VIRGILIA. But had he died in the business, madam, how then?

  VOLUMNIA. Then his good report should have been my son; I

therein

    would have found issue. Hear me profess sincerely: had I a

dozen

    sons, each in my love alike, and none less dear than thine

and my

    good Marcius, I had rather had eleven die nobly for their

country

    than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.

  GENTLEWOMAN. Madam, the Lady Valeria is come to visit you.

  VIRGILIA. Beseech you give me leave to retire myself.

  VOLUMNIA. Indeed you shall not.

    Methinks I hear hither your husband's drum;

    See him pluck Aufidius down by th' hair;

    As children from a bear, the Volsces shunning him.

    Methinks I see him stamp thus, and call thus:

    'Come on, you cowards! You were got in fear,

    Though you were born in Rome.' His bloody brow

    With his mail'd hand then wiping, forth he goes,

    Like to a harvest-man that's task'd to mow

    Or all or lose his hire.

  VIRGILIA. His bloody brow? O Jupiter, no blood!

  VOLUMNIA. Away, you fool! It more becomes a man

    Than gilt his trophy. The breasts of Hecuba,

    When she did suckle Hector, look'd not lovelier

    Than Hector's forehead when it spit forth blood

    At Grecian sword, contemning. Tell Valeria

    We are fit to bid her welcome. Exit GENTLEWOMAN

  VIRGILIA. Heavens bless my lord from fell Aufidius!

  VOLUMNIA. He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee

    And tread upon his neck.

  VALERIA. My ladies both, good day to you.

  VOLUMNIA. Sweet madam!

  VIRGILIA. I am glad to see your ladyship.

  VALERIA. How do you both? You are manifest housekeepers. What

are

    you sewing here? A fine spot, in good faith. How does your

little

    son?

  VIRGILIA. I thank your ladyship; well, good madam.

  VOLUMNIA. He had rather see the swords and hear a drum than

look

    upon his schoolmaster.

  VALERIA. O' my word, the father's son! I'll swear 'tis a very

    pretty boy. O' my troth, I look'd upon him a Wednesday half

an

    hour together; has such a confirm'd countenance! I saw him

run

    after a gilded butterfly; and when he caught it he let it go

    again, and after it again, and over and over he comes, and up

    again, catch'd it again; or whether his fall enrag'd him, or

how

    'twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it. O, I warrant, how

he

    mammock'd it!

  VOLUMNIA. One on's father's moods.

  VALERIA. Indeed, la, 'tis a noble child.

  VIRGILIA. A crack, madam.

  VALERIA. Come, lay aside your stitchery; I must have you play

the

    idle huswife with me this afternoon.

  VIRGILIA. No, good madam; I will not out of doors.

  VALERIA. Not out of doors!

  VOLUMNIA. She shall, she shall.

  VIRGILIA. Indeed, no, by your patience; I'll not over the

threshold

    till my lord return from the wars.

  VALERIA. Fie, you confine yourself most unreasonably; come, you

    must go visit the good lady that lies in.

  VIRGILIA. I will wish her speedy strength, and visit her with

my

    prayers; but I cannot go thither.

  VOLUMNIA. Why, I pray you?

  VIRGILIA. 'Tis not to save labour, nor that I want love.

  VALERIA. You would be another Penelope; yet they say all the

yarn

    she spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of

moths.

    Come, I would your cambric were sensible as your finger, that

you

    might leave pricking it for pity. Come, you shall go with us.

  VIRGILIA. No, good madam, pardon me; indeed I will not forth.

  VALERIA. In truth, la, go with me; and I'll tell you excellent

news

    of your husband.

  VIRGILIA. O, good madam, there can be none yet.

  VALERIA. Verily, I do not jest with you; there came news from

him

    last night.

  VIRGILIA. Indeed, madam?

  VALERIA. In earnest, it's true; I heard a senator speak it.

Thus it

    is: the Volsces have an army forth; against whom Cominius the

    general is gone, with one part of our Roman power. Your lord

and

    Titus Lartius are set down before their city Corioli; they

    nothing doubt prevailing and to make it brief wars. This is

true,

    on mine honour; and so, I pray, go with us.

  VIRGILIA. Give me excuse, good madam; I will obey you in

everything

    hereafter.

  VOLUMNIA. Let her alone, lady; as she is now, she will but

disease

    our better mirth.

  VALERIA. In troth, I think she would. Fare you well, then.

Come,

    good sweet lady. Prithee, Virgilia, turn thy solemness out o'

    door and go along with us.

  VIRGILIA. No, at a word, madam; indeed I must not. I wish you

much

    mirth.

  VALERIA. Well then, farewell. Exeunt