SEG。
  AndIrememberHowtheoldmantheycall'dtheKing,whoworeThecrownofgoldabouthissilverhair,Andamysteriousgirdleroundhiswaist,Justwhenmyragewasroaringatitsheight,Andafterwhichitallwasdarkagain,Bidmebewarelestallshouldbeadream。
  CLO。
  Ay——thereanotherspecialtyofdreams,Thatoncethedreamer'ginstodreamhedreams,Hisfootisontheveryvergeofwaking。
  SEG。
  WouldithadbeenuponthevergeofdeathThatknowsnowaking——
  Liftingmeuptoglory,tofallback,Stunn'd,crippled——wretchederthanev'nbefore。
  CLO。
  Yetnotsoglorious,Segismund,ifyouYourvisionaryhonourworesoillAstoworkmurderandrevengeonthoseWhomeantyouwell。
  SEG。
  Whomeantme!——me!theirPrinceChain'dlikeafelon——
  CLO。
  Stay,stay——Notsofast,Youdream'dthePrince,remember。
  SEG。
  ThenindreamRevengeditonly。
  CLO。
  True。ButastheysayDreamsareroughcopiesofthewakingsoulYetuncorrectedofthehigherWill,SothatmensometimesintheirdreamsconfessAnunsuspected,orforgotten,self;
  Onemustbewaretocheck——ay,ifonemay,Stifleereborn,suchpassioninourselvesAsmakes,wesee,suchhavocwithoursleep,Andillreactsuponthewakingday。
  And,bythebye,foronetest,Segismund,Betweensuchswearablerealities——
  SinceDreaming,Madness,Passion,areakinInmissingeachthatsalutaryreinOfreason,andtheguidingwillofman:
  Onetest,Ithink,ofwakingsanityShallbethatconsciouspowerofself—control,Tocurballpassion,butmuchmostofallThatevilandvindictive,thatillsquaresWithhuman,andwithholycanonless,Whichbidsuspardonev'nourenemies,Andmuchmorethosewho,outofnoillwill,MistakenlyhavetakenuptherodWhichheaven,theythink,hasputintotheirhands。
  SEG。
  IthinkIsoonshallhavetotryagain——
  Sleephasnotyetdonewithme。
  CLO。
  Suchasleep。
  Takemyadvice——'tisearlyyet——thesunScarceupabovethemountain;gowithin,Andifthenightdeceivedyou,tryanewWithmorning;morningdreamstheysaycometrue。
  SEG。
  Oh,ratherprayformeasleepsofastAsshallobliteratedreamandwakingtoo。
  (Exitintothetower。)
  CLO。
  Sosleep;sleepfast:andsleepawaythosetwoNight—potions,andthewakingdreambetweenWhichdreamthoumustbelieve;and,iftoseeAgain,poorSegismund!thatdreammustbe。——
  Andyet,andyet,intheseourghostlylives,Halfnight,halfday,halfsleeping,halfawake,Howifourwakinglife,likethatofsleep,BealladreaminthateternallifeTowhichwewakenottillwesleepindeath?
  Howif,Isay,thesenseswenowtrustFordateofsensiblecomparison,——
  Ay,ev'ntheReason'sselfthatdateswiththem,ShouldbeinessenceorintensityHereaftersotranscended,andawakeToaperceptivesubtletysokeenAstoconfessthemselvesbefool'dbefore,Inallthatnowtheywillavouchformost?
  Oneman——likethis——butonlysomuchlongerAslifeislongerthanasummer'sday,Believedhimselfakinguponhisthrone,Andplay'dathazardwithhisfellows'lives,Whocheaplydream'dawaytheirlivestohim。
  Thesailordream'doftossingontheflood:
  Thesoldierofhislaurelsgrowninblood:
  TheloverofthebeautythatheknewMustyetdissolvetodustyresidue:
  ThemerchantandthemiserofhisbagsOffinger'dgold;thebeggarofhisrags:
  AndallthisstageofearthonwhichweseemSuchbusyactors,andthepartsweplay'd,Substantialastheshadowofashade,AndDreamingbutadreamwithinadream!
  FIFE。
  Wasitnotsaid,sir,Bysomephilosopherasyetunborn,Thatanychimney—sweepwhofortwelvehoursDreamshimselfkingishappyasthekingWhodreamshimselftwelvehoursachimney—sweep?
  CLO。
  AthemeindeedforwiserheadsthanyoursTomoralizeupon——Howcameyouhere?——
  FIFE。
  Notofmyownwill,Iassureyou,sir。
  Nomatterformyself:butIwouldknowAboutmymistress——Imean,master——
  CLO。
  Oh,NowIremember——Well,yourmaster—mistressIswell,anddeftlyonitserrandspeeds,Asyoushall——ifyoucanbutholdyourtongue。
  Canyou?
  FIFE。
  I'dratherbeathomeagain。
  CLO。
  WhereyoushallbethequickerifwhilehereYoucankeepsilence。
  FIFE。
  Imaywhistle,then?
  WhichbythevirtueofmynameIdo,AndalsoasareasonabletestOfwakingsanity——
  CLO。
  Well,whistlethen;
  Andforanotherreasonyouforgot,Thatwhileyouwhistle,youcanchatternot。
  Onlyremember——ifyouquitthispass——
  FIFE。
  (Hisrhymesareout,orhehadcall'ditspot)——
  CLO。
  Abulletbringsyouto。
  ImustforthwithtocourttotelltheKingTheissueofthislamentableday,Thatburiesallhishopeinnight。
  (ToFIFE。)
  Farewell。Remember。
  FIFE。
  Butamoment——butaword!
  WhenshallIseemymis——mas——
  CLO。
  Becontent:
  Allingoodtime;andthen,andnotbefore,Nevertomissyourmasteranymore。
  (Exit。)
  FIFE。
  Suchtalkofdreaming——dreaming——IbeginTodoubtifIbedreamingIamFife,Whowithaladwhocall'dherselfaboyBecause——Idoubtthere'ssomeconfusionhere——
  Heworenopetticoat,cameonatimeRidingfromMuscovyonhalfahorse,Whomusthavedreamtshewasahorseentire,TocantmeoffuponmyhinderfaceUnderthistower,wall—eyedandmusket—tongued,Withsentinelsa—pacingupanddown,CryingAll'swellwhenallisfarfromwell,Allthedaylong,andallthenight,untilIdream——ifwhatisdreamingbenotwaking——
  Ofbellsa—tollingandprocessionsrollingWithcandles,crosses,banners,San—benitos,OfwhichIweartheflamy—finingest,Throughstreetsandplacesthrong'dwithfieryfacesTosomebackplatform——
  Oh,IshalltakeafireintomyhandWiththinkingofmyowndearMuscovy——
  OnlyjustoverthatSierrathere,Bywhichwetumbledheadlonginto——No—land。
  Now,ifwithoutabulletafterme,IcouldbutgetapeepofmyoldhomePerhapsofmyownmuletotakemethere——
  All'sstill——perhapsthegentlemenwithinAredreamingitisnightbehindtheirmasks——
  Godsend'emagoodnightmare!——Nowthen——Hark!