Enter Hubert and Executioners, with irons and rope. HUBERT
Heat me these irons hot, and look thou stand
Within the arras. When I strike my foot
Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth
And bind the boy which you shall find with me
Fast to the chair. Be heedful. Hence, and watch. 5 EXECUTIONER
I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. HUBERT
Uncleanly scruples fear not you. Look to ’t.
Executioners exit.
Young lad, come forth. I have to say with you. Enter Arthur. ARTHUR
Good morrow, Hubert. HUBERT
Good morrow, little prince. 10 ARTHUR
As little prince, having so great a title
To be more prince, as may be. You are sad. HUBERT
Indeed, I have been merrier. ARTHUR
Mercy on me!
Methinks nobody should be sad but I. 15
Yet I remember, when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night
Only for wantonness. By my christendom,
So I were out of prison and kept sheep,
I should be as merry as the day is long. 20
And so I would be here but that I doubt
My uncle practices more harm to me.
He is afraid of me, and I of him.
Is it my fault that I was Geoffrey’s son?
No, indeed, is ’t not. And I would to heaven 25
I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert. HUBERT, aside
If I talk to him, with his innocent prate
He will awake my mercy, which lies dead.
Therefore I will be sudden and dispatch. | Act IV opens in a castle prison in England. Hubert enters with some scary-looking executioners who are holding some rope and irons. He tells the executioners to stay out of sight while they heat up the irons in the hot coals. Then, when he signals them by stomping his foot, they should rush forward and tie Arthur to a chair. One of the executioners says, "I hope you have permission to do this," and Hubert assures him he does. Hubert calls Arthur, and as they chat he can feel himself losing his nerve. This kid's not so bad. Hubert decides he better act fastbefore he changes his mind. |
ARTHUR
Are you sick, Hubert? You look pale today. 30
In sooth, I would you were a little sick
That I might sit all night and watch with you.
I warrant I love you more than you do me. HUBERT, aside
His words do take possession of my bosom.
He shows Arthur a paper.
Read here, young Arthur. (Aside.) How now, 35
foolish rheum?
Turning dispiteous torture out of door?
I must be brief lest resolution drop
Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.—
Can you not read it? Is it not fair writ? 40 ARTHUR
Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect.
Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? HUBERT
Young boy, I must. ARTHUR
And will you?
HUBERT
And I will. 45 ARTHUR
Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,
I knit my handkercher about your brows—
The best I had, a princess wrought it me—
And I did never ask it you again;
And with my hand at midnight held your head, 50
And like the watchful minutes to the hour
Still and anon cheered up the heavy time,
Saying “What lack you?” and “Where lies your
grief?”
Or “What good love may I perform for you?” 55
Many a poor man’s son would have lien still
And ne’er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your sick service had a prince.
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning. Do, an if you will. 60
If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,
Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes—
These eyes that never did nor never shall
So much as frown on you? HUBERT
I have sworn to do it. 65
And with hot irons must I burn them out. 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 this fiery indignation 70
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 hammered iron?
An if an angel should have come to me 75
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believed him. No tongue but
Hubert’s. HUBERT stamps his foot and calls Come forth. Enter Executioners with ropes, a heated iron, and a
brazier of burning coals. Do as I bid you do. 80 | Arthur sees that Hubert's upset, and asks him what's wrong. Hubert shows Arthur a paper with King John's orders to burn out Arthur's eyes with hot irons. Arthur is—understandably—shocked. Not only is he surprised at the brutality of the order, he can't believe Hubert has the heart to do such a thing. Hubert assures him that he'll do it. But even as Hubert tries to act tough with Arthur, he keeps turning aside and berating himself for his squeamishness. Again, he tells himself he has to act quickly before he chickens out. Arthur questions Hubert's motives. Doesn't he remember that Arthur once took care of him when he was sick? Why would Hubert want to harm someone who's never hurt him, and who, in fact, has helped him? Hubert sticks with his, "I promised I would, so I have to," excuse. When Arthur tries again to dissuade him, Hubert stamps his foot, and the executioners come forward. |
ARTHUR
O, save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes are out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. HUBERT
Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.
He takes the iron. ARTHUR
Alas, what need you be so boist’rous-rough?
I will not struggle; I will stand stone-still. 85
For God’s 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 angerly. 90
Thrust but these men away, and I’ll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to. HUBERT, to Executioners
Go stand within. Let me alone with him. EXECUTIONER
I am best pleased to be from such a deed. Executioners exit. ARTHUR
Alas, I then have chid away my friend! 95
He hath a stern look but a gentle heart.
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours. HUBERT Come, boy, prepare yourself. ARTHUR
Is there no remedy? 100 HUBERT
None but to lose your eyes. ARTHUR
O God, 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 105
there,
Your vile intent must needs seem horrible. HUBERT
Is this your promise? Go to, hold your tongue. ARTHUR
Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues
Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes. 110
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.
He seizes the iron.
Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold, 115
And would not harm me. HUBERT, taking back the iron
I can heat it, boy. ARTHUR
No, in good sooth. The fire is dead with grief,
Being create for comfort, to be used
In undeserved extremes. See else yourself. 120
There is no malice in this burning coal.
The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out
And strewed repentant ashes on his head. HUBERT
But with my breath I can revive it, boy. ARTHUR
An if you do, you will but make it blush 125
And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert.
Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes,
And, like a dog that is compelled to fight,
Snatch at his master that doth tar him on.
All things that you should use to do me wrong 130
Deny their office. Only you do lack
That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses. HUBERT
Well, see to live. I will not touch thine eye
For all the treasure that thine uncle owes. 135
Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out. ARTHUR
O, now you look like Hubert. All this while
You were disguisèd. HUBERT
Peace. No more. Adieu. 140
Your uncle must not know but you are dead.
I’ll fill these doggèd spies with false reports.
And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure
That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee. 145 ARTHUR
O heaven! I thank you, Hubert. HUBERT
Silence. No more. Go closely in with me.
Much danger do I undergo for thee. They exit. | Arthur begs the executioners not to be so rough as they tie him up. Then he pleads with Hubert, saying that if he'll just send the executioners away, he'll sit in the chair and be quiet as a lamb. Hubert tells the executioners leave him alone with Arthur, and they happily depart. Not even the executioners want to be involved with burning out a kid's eyes. Arthur begs Hubert to spare him, but Hubert keeps saying that he won't. Then Arthur notices that the iron has gone cold. Hubert says, big deal, he can just heat it up, but Arthur uses the iron as a metaphor for Hubert's own emotions; he says Hubert has lost his momentum, and no longer has it in him to do the deed. If you're money was on Arthur, you win. Hubert abruptly says that he won't burn out Arthur's eyes—not for all the wealth of the king. Of course, Hubert will tell everyone he carried out his task, so Arthur needs to lie low: no one can know that he's still alive. Hubert knows he's taking a big risk here, and tells Arthur so as they sneak out. |