Queen Mary; and, Harold Part 53

TOSTIG. What for Norway then?

He looks for land among us, he and his.

HAROLD. Seven feet of English land, or something more, Seeing he is a giant.

TOSTIG. That is n.o.ble!

That sounds of G.o.dwin.

HAROLD. Come thou back, and be Once more a son of G.o.dwin.

TOSTIG (_turns away_). O brother, brother, O Harold--

HAROLD (_laying his hand on_ TOSTIG'S _shoulder_).

Nay then, come thou back to us!

TOSTIG (_after a pause turning to him_). Never shall any man say that I, that Tostig Conjured the mightier Harold from his North To do the battle for me here in England, Then left him for the meaner! thee!-- Thou hast no pa.s.sion for the House of G.o.dwin-- Thou hast but cared to make thyself a king-- Thou hast sold me for a cry.-- Thou gavest thy voice against me in the Council-- I hate thee, and despise thee, and defy thee.

Farewell for ever!

[_Exit_.

HAROLD. On to Stamford-bridge!

SCENE III.

AFTER THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD-BRIDGE. BANQUET.

HAROLD _and_ ALDWYTH. GURTH, LEOFWIN, MORCAR, EDWIN, _and other_ EARLS _and_ THANES.

VOICES. Hail! Harold! Aldwyth! hail, bridegroom and bride!

ALDWYTH (_talking with_ HAROLD).

Answer them thou!

Is this our marriage-banquet? Would the wines Of wedding had been dash'd into the cups Of victory, and our marriage and thy glory Been drunk together! these poor hands but sew, Spin, broider--would that they were man's to have held The battle-axe by thee!

HAROLD. There _was_ a moment When being forced aloof from all my guard, And striking at Hardrada and his madmen I had wish'd for any weapon.

ALDWYTH. Why art thou sad?

HAROLD. I have lost the boy who play'd at ball with me, With whom I fought another fight than this Of Stamford-bridge.

ALDWYTH. Ay! ay! thy victories Over our own poor Wales, when at thy side He conquer'd with thee.

HAROLD. No--the childish fist That cannot strike again.

ALDWYTH. Thou art too kindly.

Why didst thou let so many Nors.e.m.e.n hence?

Thy fierce forekings had clench'd their pirate hides To the bleak church doors, like kites upon a barn.

HAROLD. Is there so great a need to tell thee why?

ALDWYTH. Yea, am I not thy wife?

VOICES. Hail, Harold, Aldwyth!

Bridegroom and bride!

ALDWYTH. Answer them! [_To_ HAROLD.

HAROLD (_to all_). Earls and Thanes!

Full thanks for your fair greeting of my bride!

Earls, Thanes, and all our countrymen! the day, Our day beside the Derwent will not s.h.i.+ne Less than a star among the goldenest hours Of Alfred, or of Edward his great son, Or Athelstan, or English Ironside Who fought with Knut, or Knut who coming Dane Died English. Every man about his king Fought like a king; the king like his own man, No better; one for all, and all for one, One soul! and therefore have we shatter'd back The hugest wave from Norseland ever yet Surged on us, and our battle-axes broken The Raven's wing, and dumb'd his carrion croak From the gray sea for ever. Many are gone-- Drink to the dead who died for us, the living Who fought and would have died, but happier lived, If happier be to live; they both have life In the large mouth of England, till _her_ voice Die with the world. Hail--hail!

MORCAR. May all invaders perish like Hardrada!

All traitors fail like Tostig. [_All drink but_ HAROLD.

ALDWYTH. Thy cup's full!

HAROLD. I saw the hand of Tostig cover it.

Our dear, dead, traitor-brother, Tostig, him Reverently we buried. Friends, had I been here, Without too large self-lauding I must hold The sequel had been other than his league With Norway, and this battle. Peace be with him!

He was not of the worst. If there be those At banquet in this hall, and hearing me-- For there be those I fear who p.r.i.c.k'd the lion To make him spring, that sight of Danish blood Might serve an end not English--peace with them Likewise, if they can be at peace with what G.o.d gave us to divide us from the wolf!

ALDWYTH (_aside to_ HAROLD).

Make not our Morcar sullen: it is not wise.

HAROLD. Hail to the living who fought, the dead who fell!

VOICES. Hail, hail!

FIRST THANE. How ran that answer which King Harold gave To his dead namesake, when he ask'd for England?

LEOFWIN. 'Seven feet of English earth, or something more, Seeing he is a giant!'

FIRST THANE. Then for the b.a.s.t.a.r.d Six feet and nothing more!

LEOFWIN. Ay, but belike Thou hast not learnt his measure.

FIRST THANE. By St. Edmund I over-measure him. Sound sleep to the man Here by dead Norway without dream or dawn!

SECOND THANE. What is he bragging still that he will come To thrust our Harold's throne from under him?

My nurse would tell me of a molehill crying To a mountain 'Stand aside and room for me!'

FIRST THANE. Let him come! let him come.

Here's to him, sink or swim! [_Drinks_.

SECOND THANE. G.o.d sink him!

FIRST THANE. Cannot hands which had the strength To shove that stranded iceberg off our sh.o.r.es, And send the shatter'd North again to sea, Scuttle his c.o.c.kle-sh.e.l.l? What's Brunanburg To Stamford-bridge? a war-crash, and so hard, So loud, that, by St. Dunstan, old St. Thor-- By G.o.d, we thought him dead--but our old Thor Heard his own thunder again, and woke and came Among us again, and mark'd the sons of those Who made this Britain England, break the North: