Queen Mary; and, Harold Part 39

HAROLD. Well, when it pa.s.ses then.

EDWARD. Ay if it pa.s.s.

Go not to Normandy--go not to Normandy.

HAROLD. And wherefore not, my king, to Normandy?

Is not my brother Wulfnoth hostage there For my dead father's loyalty to thee?

I pray thee, let me hence and bring him home.

EDWARD. Not thee, my son: some other messenger.

HAROLD. And why not me, my lord, to Normandy?

Is not the Norman Count thy friend and mine?

EDWARD. I pray thee, do not go to Normandy.

HAROLD. Because my father drove the Normans out Of England?--That was many a summer gone-- Forgotten and forgiven by them and thee.

EDWARD. Harold, I will not yield thee leave to go.

HAROLD. Why then to Flanders. I will hawk and hunt In Flanders.

EDWARD. Be there not fair woods and fields In England? Wilful, wilful. Go--the Saints Pilot and prosper all thy wandering out And homeward. Tostig, I am faint again.

Son Harold, I will in and pray for thee.

[_Exit, leaning on_ TOSTIG, _and followed by_ STIGAND, MORCAR, _and_ COURTIERS.

HAROLD. What lies upon the mind of our good king That he should harp this way on Normandy?

QUEEN. Brother, the king is wiser than he seems; And Tostig knows it; Tostig loves the king.

HAROLD. And love should know; and--be the king so wise,-- Then Tostig too were wiser than he seems.

I love the man but not his phantasies.

_Re-enter_ TOSTIG.

Well, brother, When didst thou hear from thy Northumbria?

TOSTIG. When did I hear aught but this '_When_' from thee?

Leave me alone, brother, with my Northumbria: She is _my_ mistress, let _me_ look to her!

The King hath made me Earl; make me not fool!

Nor make the King a fool, who made me Earl!

HAROLD. No, Tostig--lest I make myself a fool Who made the King who made thee, make thee Earl.

TOSTIG. Why chafe me then? Thou knowest I soon go wild.

GURTH. Come, come! as yet thou art not gone so wild But thou canst hear the best and wisest of us.

HAROLD. So says old Gurth, not I: yet hear! thine earldom, Tostig, hath been a kingdom. Their old crown Is yet a force among them, a sun set But leaving light enough for Alfgar's house To strike thee down by--nay, this ghastly glare May heat their fancies.

TOSTIG. My most worthy brother, Thou art the quietest man in all the world-- Ay, ay and wise in peace and great in war-- Pray G.o.d the people choose thee for their king!

But all the powers of the house of G.o.dwin Are not enframed in thee.

HAROLD. Thank the Saints, no!

But thou hast drain'd them shallow by thy tolls, And thou art ever here about the King: Thine absence well may seem a want of care.

Cling to their love; for, now the sons of G.o.dwin Sit topmost in the field of England, envy, Like the rough bear beneath the tree, good brother, Waits till the man let go.

TOSTIG. Good counsel truly!

I heard from my Northumbria yesterday.

HAROLD. How goes it then with thy Northumbria?

Well?

TOSTIG. And wouldst thou that it went aught else than well?

HAROLD. I would it went as well as with mine earldom, Leofwin's and Gurth's.

TOSTIG. Ye govern milder men.

GURTH. We have made them milder by just government.

TOSTIG. Ay, ever give yourselves your own good word.

LEOFWIN. An honest gift, by all the Saints, if giver

And taker be but honest! but they bribe Each other, and so often, an honest world Will not believe them.

HAROLD. I may tell thee, Tostig, I heard from thy Northumberland to-day.

TOSTIG. From spies of thine to spy my nakedness In my poor North!

HAROLD. There is a movement there, A blind one--nothing yet.

TOSTIG. Crush it at once With all the power I have!--I must--I will!-- Crush it half-born! Fool still? or wisdom there, My wise head-shaking Harold?

HAROLD. Make not thou The nothing something. Wisdom when in power And wisest, should not frown as Power, but smile As kindness, watching all, till the true _must_ Shall make her strike as Power: but when to strike-- O Tostig, O dear brother--If they prance, Rein in, not lash them, lest they rear and run And break both neck and axle.

TOSTIG. Good again!

Good counsel tho' scarce needed. Pour not water In the full vessel running out at top To swamp the house.

LEOFWIN. Nor thou be a wild thing Out of the waste, to turn and bite the hand Would help thee from the trap.

TOSTIG. Thou playest in tune.

LEOFWIN. To the deaf adder thee, that wilt not dance However wisely charm'd.

TOSTIG. No more, no more!

GURTH. I likewise cry 'no more.' Unwholesome talk For G.o.dwin's house! Leofwin, thou hast a tongue!