|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 16
[_The_ KING'S MESSENGER _comes in_.
_Messenger_.
To Vashti, to the Queen of the world, to her
In whom the striving beauty of the world
Hath made perfection, from the King I come.
And the King bids me say, Rise from thy feast;
For thou must be to-night thyself a feast:
The vision of thy loveliness must now
Feed with astonishment my vassals' hearts.
Therefore thou art to come.
_Vashti_.
And tell the King
I will not come.
_Messenger_.
What was there in my words
Thou dost not understand?--I say, the King
Would show thy beauty to his under-kings,
That with this also they may be amazed
And utterly fear his fortune.
_Vashti_.
So. Go back,
Tell the King I have hearkened to his message,
And tell him I will not come.
_Messenger_.
What sickness shall I say has lighted on thee,
So that thou canst not come?
_Vashti_.
Thou weariest me.
Say this to the King, Vashti will not come.
Are they not plain, my words? Canst thou not learn
them?
_Messenger_.
Give me some softer speech. Must I not fear
I shall earn whipping if I take these words?
_Vashti_.
I pray thee, go. Thou art a trouble here;
Seest thou not how all these feasting women
Pause, and the pleasure is distrest in them?
Thou hast thy message: say, She will not come.--
Back to the King, now!
_Messenger_.
I am whipt for this.
[_He goes_.
_Vashti_.
It seems, my sisters, we have changed our moods.
But now, my mind was heavy, you were blithe;
And in a moment, you, behold, are fixt
Gazing like desperate things, while I rejoice.
_1st Woman_.
Rejoice! thou dost rejoice? then madness does.
_Vashti_.
I know not that: but certainly I know
A mind, that has been feeling for long time
The greatness of some hovering event
Poised over life, will rejoice marvellously
When the event falls, suddenly seizing life:
Like faintness when a thunderstorm comes down,
That turns to exulting when the lightning flares,
Shattering houses, making men afraid.
And this is my event: I am its choice.
Yea, not as a storm, but as an eagle now
It stoops on me; and, though I am its prey,
I am lifted by majestic wings, my soul
Is clothed in swiftness of a mighty soaring.
_3rd Woman_.
What glory can her wondrous eyes behold?
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|