The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (18 page)

I have sworn to do it;

And with hot irons must I burn them out.

I have sworn to do it;

and I must burn them out with hot irons.

ARTHUR.

Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!

The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,

Approaching near these eyes would drink my tears,

And quench his fiery indignation

Even in the matter of mine innocence;

Nay, after that, consume away in rust

But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?

An if an angel should have come to me

And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,

I would not have believ'd him-no tongue but Hubert's.

Ah, only people in this iron age could do it!

The iron on its own, although heated redhot,

coming near these eyes would drink my tears,

and extinguish its fiery anger

with the stuff of my innocence;

and after that it would rust away

as punishment for having fire to harm my eyes.

Are you more stubborn and hard than forged iron?

If an angel had come to me

and told me that Hubert would put out my eyes,

I wouldn't have believed him–I only believe it when I hear it from Hubert.

HUBERT.

[Stamps]Come forth.

Re-enter EXECUTIONERS, With cord, irons, etc.

Do as I bid you do.

Come out.

Do as I tell you.

ARTHUR.

O, save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes are out

Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

Oh save me, Hubert, save me! I am blinded

just by the fierce looks of these bloodthirsty men.

HUBERT.

Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.

Give me the iron and tie him up here.

ARTHUR.

Alas, what need you be so boist'rous rough?

I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.

For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!

Nay, hear me, Hubert! Drive these men away,

And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;

I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,

Nor look upon the iron angrily;

Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,

Whatever torment you do put me to.

Alas, why'd you need to be so terribly rough?

I won't struggle, I'm standing as still as a stone.

For heavens sake, Hubert, don't let them tie me!

No, listen to me, Hubert! Send these men away,

and I will sit as quiet as a lamb;

I will not move, or wince, or say a word,

or look angrily at the iron;

only send these men away and I will forgive you,

whatever torture you put on me.

HUBERT.

Go, stand within; let me alone with him.

Go and stand in the next room; leave me alone with him.

EXECUTIONER.

I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed.

I'm well pleased to be excused doing this.

Exeunt EXECUTIONERS

ARTHUR.

Alas, I then have chid away my friend!

He hath a stern look but a gentle heart.

Let him come back, that his compassion may

Give life to yours.

Alas, it seems I have sent away my friend!

He looked stern but had gentle heart.

Bring him back, so his compassion can

inspire yours.

HUBERT.

Come, boy, prepare yourself.

Come, boy, get ready.

ARTHUR.

Is there no remedy?

Is there nothing to be done?

HUBERT.

None, but to lose your eyes.

Nothing, you must lose your eyes.

ARTHUR.

O heaven, that there were but a mote in yours,

A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,

Any annoyance in that precious sense!

Then, feeling what small things are boisterous there,

Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.

I wish to heaven that there was just a speck in yours,

a grain, dust, a gnat, a stray hair,

any irritation to your eyesight!

Then, feeling how revolting small things there are,

you would see how horrible your evil plan is.

HUBERT.

Is this your promise? Go to, hold your tongue.

Is that all you have to say? Enough, hold your tongue.

ARTHUR.

Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues

Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes.

Let me not hold my tongue, let me not, Hubert;

Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue,

So I may keep mine eyes. O, spare mine eyes,

Though to no use but still to look on you!

Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold

And would not harm me.

Hubert, the speech of a pair of tongues

is not enough to plead for a pair of eyes.

Don't make me hold my tongue, don't make me, Hubert;

or, Hubert, if you like, cut out my tongue,

and let me keep my eyes. Oh, spare my eyes,

even if just so I can look at you!

Look, I swear, the instrument is cold

and cannot harm me.

HUBERT.

I can heat it, boy.

I can heat it, boy.

ARTHUR.

No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief,

Being create for comfort, to be us'd

In undeserved extremes. See else yourself:

There is no malice in this burning coal;

The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out,

And strew'd repentant ashes on his head.

No, by heaven; the fire is dead from grief,

as it was made to comfort us, at being used

in such a terrible way. Look for yourself:

there is no evil in this burning coal;

the breath of heaven has blown out his spirit,

and piled the ashes of repentance on his head.

HUBERT.

But with my breath I can revive it, boy.

But I can bring back to life with my breath, boy.

ARTHUR.

An if you do, you will but make it blush

And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert.

Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes,

And, like a dog that is compell'd to fight,

Snatch at his master that doth tarre him on.

All things that you should use to do me wrong

Deny their office; only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends,

Creatures of note for mercy lacking uses.

If you do, you will only be making it blush

with shame at your behaviour, Hubert.

No, maybe it will sparkle in your eyes,

and, like a dog that is forced to fight,

bite his master who is urging him on.

Everything you want to harm me with

refuses to do so; it's only you who lacks

the mercy which fierce fire and iron offers,

a creature who should be able to show mercy.

HUBERT.

Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eye

For all the treasure that thine uncle owes.

Yet I am sworn, and I did purpose, boy,

With this same very iron to burn them out.

Well, I must think of what's best; I won't touch your eyes

for all the treasure that your uncle has.

But I swore, and I intended, boy,

to burn them out with this iron here.

ARTHUR.

O, now you look like Hubert! All this while

You were disguis'd.

Oh, now you look like Hubert! All this time

you were disguised.

HUBERT.

Peace; no more. Adieu.

Your uncle must not know but you are dead:

I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports;

And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure

That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,

Will not offend thee.

Quiet; no more. Goodbye.

Your uncle must believe that you are dead:

I'll give these cruel spies false reports;

and, pretty child, sleep without fear, safe in the knowledge

that Hubert will not harm you

for all the wealth in the world.

ARTHUR.

O heaven! I thank you, Hubert.

Oh heaven! I thank you, Hubert.

HUBERT.

Silence; no more. Go closely in with me.

Much danger do I undergo for thee.

Silence; no more. Stick close to me.

I'm taking a great risk for you.

Exeunt

England. KING JOHN'S palace

Enter KING JOHN, PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and other LORDS

KING JOHN.

Here once again we sit, once again crown'd,

And look'd upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes.

Here I sit once again, once again with my crown,

and, I hope, looked upon by happy eyes.

PEMBROKE.

This once again, but that your Highness pleas'd,

Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before,

And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off,

The faiths of men ne'er stained with revolt;

Fresh expectation troubled not the land

With any long'd-for change or better state.

To say once again, except that your Highness wished,

was unnecessary: you had the crown before,

and your great royalty was never taken away,

the loyalty of men was never stained with rebellion;

the land was not troubled by demands

for any desired change or better leader.

SALISBURY.

Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,

To guard a title that was rich before,

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,

To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue

Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,