高龄的约翰·刚特
Old John of Gaunt,
德高望重的兰开斯特,你有没有遵照你的誓约
time-honoured Lancaster Hast thou according to thy oath and
把亨利·海瑞福德,你的勇敢的儿子带来
bond brought hither Henry Hereford, thy bold son?
证实他上次
Here to make good the boisterous late appeal,
对诺福克公爵托马斯·毛勃雷所提出的激烈的控诉
which then our leisure would not let us hear,
那时我因为政务忙碌,没有听他说下去
against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?
我把他带来了,陛下
I have, my liege.
再请你告诉我,你有没有试探过他的口气
Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him,
究竟他控诉这位公爵,是出于私人的宿怨呢
if he appeal the duke on ancient malice.
还是因为尽一个忠臣的本分
Or worthily, as a good subject should,
知道他确实有谋逆的行动?
on some known groundof treachery in him?
据我从他嘴里所能探听出来的
As near as I could sift himon that argument on some
他的动机的确是因为看到公爵在进行不利于陛下的阴谋
apparent danger seen in himaimed at your highness,
而不是出于内心的私怨
no inveterate malice.
那么叫他们来见我吧
Then call them to our presence.
让他们当面对质,怒目相视
Face to face, and frowning brow to brow, ourselves
我要听一听原告和被告双方无拘束的争辩
will hear the accuser and the accused freely speak.
他们两个都是意气高傲、秉性刚强的人
High-stomached are they both, and full of ire,
在盛怒之中,他们就像大海一般聋聩,烈火一般躁急
in rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.
愿无数幸福的岁月
Many years of happy days befall my gracious sovereign,
降临于我的宽仁慈爱的君王
my most loving liege.
愿陛下的幸福与日俱增
Each day still better other’ shappiness until the heavens,
直到上天嫉妒地上的佳运
envying earth’s good hap,
把一个不朽的荣名加在您的王冠之上
add an immortaltitle to your crown.
我谢谢你们两位,可是两人之中,有一个人不过向我假意谄媚
We thank you both. Yet one but flatters us,
因为你们今天来此的目的
as well appeareth by the cause you come.
是要彼此互控各人以叛逆的重罪
Namely, to appeal each other of high treason.
海瑞福德贤弟,你对于诺福克公爵托马斯·毛勃雷
Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object against
有什么不满?
the Duke of Norfolk,Thomas Mowbray?
第一——愿上天记录我的言语
First, heaven be there cord to my speech.
我今天来到陛下的御座之前
Tendering the precious safety of my prince,
提出这一控诉,完全是出于一个臣子关怀他主上安全的一片忠心
come I appellant to this princely presence.
现在,托马斯·毛勃雷,我要和你面面相对
Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee, and mark my
听着我的话吧,我的身体将要在这人世担♥保♥我所说的一切
greeting well. For what I speak my body shall make good upon
否则我的灵魂将要在天上负责它的真实
this earth, or my divine soul answer it in heaven
你是一个叛徒和奸贼,辜负国恩
Thou art a traitor and a miscreant too good to be so
死有余辜
and too bad to live.
天色越是晴朗空明,越显得浮云的混浊
Once more, the more to aggravate the note,
让我再用奸恶的叛徒的名字塞在你的嘴里
with a foul traitor’s name stuff I thy throat.
请陛下允许我,在我离开这儿以前
And wish – so please my sovereign – ere I move.
我要用我正义的宝剑证明我的说话
What my tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove.
不要因为我言辞的冷淡而责怪我情虚气馁
Let not my cold word shere accuse my zeal.
热血正在胸膛里沸腾,准备因此而溅洒
The blood is hot that must be cooled for this.
首先因为当着陛下的天威之前
First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me from
不敢不抑制我的口舌
giving reins and spursto my free speech.
否则我早就把
Which else would post until it had returned
这些叛逆的名称加倍掷还给他了
these terms of treason doubly down his throat.
要不是他的身体里流着高贵的王族的血液,我就要向他公然挑战
Setting aside his high blood’s royalty, I do defy him,
把唾涎吐在他的身上
and I spit at him.
骂他是一个造谣诽谤的懦夫和恶汉
Call him a slanderous coward and a villain,
为了证实他是这样一个人,我愿意让他先占一点上风
which to maintain I would allow him odds.
然后再和他决一雌雄,即使我必须
And meet him, were I tied to run afoot even to the
徒步走到阿尔卑斯山的冰天雪地之间
frozen ridges of the Alps. Meantime, let this defend
现在我要凭着决斗为我的忠心辩护,凭着我的一切希望发誓他说的全然是虚伪的谎话
my loyalty: by all my hopes most falsely doth he lie.
脸色惨白的战栗的懦夫,这儿我掷下我的手套
Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage.
要是你的畏罪的灵魂里还残留着几分勇气
If guilty dread hath left thee so much strength as
敢接受我的荣誉的信物,那么俯身下去,把它拾起来吧
to take up mine honour’s pawn, then stoop.
我把它拾起来了,凭着那
I take it up, and by that sword I swear which gently
轻按我的肩头、使我受到骑士荣封的御剑起誓
laid my knighthood on my shoulder.
我愿意接受一切按照骑士规矩的正当的挑战
I’ll answer thee in any knightly trial.
假如我是叛徒,或者我的应战是不义的
And when I mount, alive may I not light,
那么,但愿我一上了马,不再留着活命下来
if I be traitor or unjustly fight.
我的贤弟控诉毛勃雷的,究竟是一些什么罪名
What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray’s charge?
像他那样为我们所倚畀的人,倘不是果然犯下昭彰的重罪
It must be great that can inherit us so much as of a
是决不会引起我们丝毫恶意的猜疑的
thought of ill in him.
瞧吧,我所说的话,我的生命将要证明它的真实
Look what I speak: my life shall prove it true,
这十♥八♥年♥来,我们国内一切叛逆的阴谋
that all the treasons for these eighteen years
追本穷源
complotted and contrived in this land fetched from false
都是出于毛勃雷的主动
Mowbray their first head and spring
不但如此,我还要凭着他的罪恶的生命
Further I say, and further will maintain that he did
肯定地指出葛罗斯特公爵
plot the Duke of Gloucester’s death,
是被他设计谋害的,他嗾使那位公爵的轻信的敌人用暴♥力♥溅洒了他的无辜的血液
sluiced out his innocent soul through streams of blood.
正像被害的亚伯一样,他的血正在从无言的墓穴里向我高声呼喊
Which blood, like sacrificing Abel’s cries even from the
要求我替他伸冤雪恨
tongueless caverns of the earth to me for justice
痛惩奸凶
and rough chastisement.
凭着我的光荣的家世起誓
And by the glorious worth of my descent,
我要手刃他的仇人,否则宁愿丧失我的生命
this arm shall do it, or this life be spent
他的决心多么大呀!
How high a pitch his resolution soars!
托马斯·诺福克,你对于这番话有些什么辩白?
Thomas of Norfolk, what sayest thou to this?
啊!请陛下转过脸去,暂时塞住您的耳朵
O, let my sovereign turn awayhis face and bid his ear a
让我告诉这侮辱他自己血统的人
little while be deaf till I have told this slander of his
上帝和善良的世人是多么痛恨像他这样一个说谎的恶徒
blood, how God and good men hate so foul a liar!
毛勃雷,我的眼睛和耳朵是大公无私的
Mowbray, impartial are our eyes and ears.
他不过是我的叔父的儿子
Were he my brother, nay, my kingdom’s heir,
即使他是我的同胞兄弟
as he is but my father’s brother’s son.
或者是我的王国的继承者
Now, by my sceptre’sawe, I make a vow,
凭着我的御杖的威严起誓,这一种神圣的血统上的关连
such neighbour nearness to oursacred blood should nothing
也不能给他任何的特权,或者使我不可摇撼的正直的心灵对他略存偏袒
privilege him, nor partialise the unstooping firmness of my
他是我的臣子,毛勃雷,你也是我的臣子
upright soul. He is our subject, Mowbray, so art thou.
我允许你放胆说话
Free speech and fearless I to thee allow.
那么,波林勃洛克,我就说你这番诬蔑的狂言
Then, Bolingbroke, as low as to thy heart,
完全是从你虚伪的心头经过你的奸诈的喉咙所发出的欺人的谎话
through the false passage of thy throat, thou liest
讲到葛罗斯特
For Gloucester’s death.
他并不是我杀死的
I slew him not. But tomine own disgrace neglected
可是我很惭愧
my sworn duty in that case.
那时我没有尽我应尽的责任
This is my fault.
至于他所控诉我的其余的一切
As for the rest appealed,
全然出于一个卑劣的奸人
it issues from the rancour of a villain.
一个丧心的叛徒的恶意
A recreant and most degenerate traitor which in myself
我要勇敢地为我自己辩护
I boldly will defend. And interchangeably hurl down
在这傲慢的叛徒的足前也要掷下我的挑战的信物
my gage upon this overweening traitor’s foot
凭着他胸头最优良的血液
to prove myself a loyal gentleman even in the best
证明我的耿耿不二的忠贞
blood chambered in his bosom. In haste whereof, most
我诚心请求陛下替我们指定一个决斗的日期,好让世人早一些判断我们的是非曲直
heartily I pray your highness to assign our trial day.
你们这两个燃烧着怒火的骑士,听从我的旨意
Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be ruled by me:
让我们用不流血的方式,消除彼此的愤怒
let’s purge this choler without letting blood.
我虽然不是医生,却可以下这样的诊断:
This we prescribe, though no physician:
深刻的仇恨会造成太深的伤痕
deep malice makes too deep incision.
劝你们捐嫌忘怨,言归于好
Forget, forgive, conclude and be agreed:
我们的医生说这一个月内是不应该流血的
our doctors say this is no time to bleed.
好叔父,让我们赶快结束这一场刚刚开始的争端
Good uncle, let this end where it begun:
我来劝解诺福克公爵,你去劝解你的儿子吧
we’ll calm the Duke of Norfolk, you your son.
像我这样年纪的人,做一个和事佬是最合适不过的
To be a make-peace shall become my age: throw down,
我的儿,把诺福克公爵的手套掷下了吧
my son, the Dukeof Norfolk’s gage.
诺福克,你也把他的手套掷下来
And, Mowbray, throw down his.
怎么,哈利*,你还不掷下来?
When, Harry, when?
做父亲的不应该向他的儿子发出第二次的命令
Obedience bids I should not bid again.
毛勃雷,我吩咐你快掷下,争持下去是没有好处的
Mowbray, throw down, we bid: there is no boot.
尊严的陛下,我愿意把自己投身在您的足前
Myself I throw, dread sovereign, at thy foot.
您可以支配我的生命,可是不能强迫我容忍♥耻辱
My life thou shalt command, but not my shame.
为您尽忠效命是我的天职,可是即使死神高踞在我的坟墓之上
The one my duty owes, but my fair name,
您也不能使我的美好的名誉横遭污毁
to dark dishonour’s use thou shalt not have.
我现在在这儿受到这样的羞辱和诬蔑
I am disgraced, impeached and baffled here,
谗言的有毒的枪尖刺透了我的灵魂
pierced to the soul with slander’s venomed spear.
只有他那吐着毒瘴的心头的鲜血
The which no balm can cure but his heart-blood
才可以医治我的创伤
which breathed this poison.
一切意气之争必须停止
Rage must be withstood.
把他的手套给我,雄狮的神威可以使豹子慑伏
Give me his gage. Lions make leopards tame.
是的,可是不能改变它身上的斑点
Yea, but not change his spots.
要是您能够取去我的耻辱,我就可以献上我的手套
Take but my shame, and I resign my gage

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