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!