A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Уильям Шекспир

Tongue, not a word:—

       Come, trusty sword;

       Come, blade, my breast imbrue;

       And farewell, friends:—

       Thus Thisbe ends;

       Adieu, adieu, adieu.

       [Dies.]

       THESEUS

       Moonshine and lion are left to bury the dead.

       DEMETRIUS

       Ay, and wall too.

       BOTTOM

       No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?

       THESEUS

       No epilogue, I pray you; for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had played Pyramus, and hang’d himself in Thisbe’s garter, it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly; and very notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask; let your epilogue alone.

       [Here a dance of Clowns.]

       The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:—

       Lovers, to bed; ‘tis almost fairy time.

       I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn,

       As much as we this night have overwatch’d.

       This palpable-gross play hath well beguil’d

       The heavy gait of night.—Sweet friends, to bed.—

       A fortnight hold we this solemnity,

       In nightly revels and new jollity.

       [Exeunt.]

      SCENE II

       [Enter PUCK.]

       PUCK

       Now the hungry lion roars,

       And the wolf behowls the moon;

       Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

       All with weary task fordone.

       Now the wasted brands do glow,

       Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud,

       Puts the wretch that lies in woe

       In remembrance of a shroud.

       Now it is the time of night

       That the graves, all gaping wide,

       Every one lets forth its sprite,

       In the church-way paths to glide:

       And we fairies, that do run

       By the triple Hecate’s team

       From the presence of the sun,

       Following darkness like a dream,

       Now are frolic; not a mouse

       Shall disturb this hallow’d house:

       I am sent with broom before,

       To sweep the dust behind the door.

       [Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their Train.]

       OBERON

       Through the house give glimmering light,

       By the dead and drowsy fire:

       Every elf and fairy sprite

       Hop as light as bird from brier:

       And this ditty, after me,

       Sing and dance it trippingly.

       TITANIA

       First, rehearse your song by rote,

       To each word a warbling note;

       Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

       Will we sing, and bless this place.

       [Song and Dance.]

       OBERON

       Now, until the break of day,

       Through this house each fairy stray,

       To the best bride-bed will we,

       Which by us shall blessèd be;

       And the issue there create

       Ever shall be fortunate.

       So shall all the couples three

       Ever true in loving be;

       And the blots of Nature’s hand

       Shall not in their issue stand:

       Never mole, harelip, nor scar,

       Nor mark prodigious, such as are

       Despised in nativity,

       Shall upon their children be.—

       With this field-dew consecrate,

       Every fairy take his gate;

       And each several chamber bless,

       Through this palace, with sweet peace;

       E’er shall it in safety rest,

       And the owner of it blest.

       Trip away:

       Make no stay:

       Meet me all by break of day.

       [Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and Train.]

       PUCK

       If we shadows have offended,

       Think but this,—and all is mended,—

       That you have but slumber’d here

       While these visions did appear.

       And this weak and idle theme,

       No more yielding but a dream,

       Gentles, do not reprehend;

       If you pardon, we will mend.

       And, as I am an honest Puck,

       If we have unearnèd luck

       Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,

       We will make amends ere long;

       Else the Puck a liar call:

       So, good night unto you all.

       Give me your hands, if we be friends,

       And Robin shall restore amends.

       [Exit.]

       THE END