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Half night； half day； half sleeping； half awake；
How if our waking life； like that of sleep；
Be all a dream in that eternal life
To which we wake not till we sleep in death？
How if； I say； the senses we now trust
For date of sensible comparison；
Ay； ev'n the Reason's self that dates with them；
Should be in essence or intensity
Hereafter so transcended； and awake
To a perceptive subtlety so keen
As to confess themselves befool'd before；
In all that now they will avouch for most？
One manlike thisbut only so much longer
As life is longer than a summer's day；
Believed himself a king upon his throne；
And play'd at hazard with his fellows' lives；
Who cheaply dream'd away their lives to him。
The sailor dream'd of tossing on the flood：
The soldier of his laurels grown in blood：
The lover of the beauty that he knew
Must yet dissolve to dusty residue：
The merchant and the miser of his bags
Of finger'd gold； the beggar of his rags：
And all this stage of earth on which we seem
Such busy actors； and the parts we play'd；
Substantial as the shadow of a shade；
And Dreaming but a dream within a dream！
FIFE。
Was it not said； sir；
By some philosopher as yet unborn；
That any chimney…sweep who for twelve hours
Dreams himself king is happy as the king
Who dreams himself twelve hours a chimney…sweep？
CLO。
A theme indeed for wiser heads than yours
To moralize uponHow came you here？
FIFE。
Not of my own will； I assure you； sir。
No matter for myself： but I would know
About my mistressI mean； master
CLO。
Oh； Now I rememberWell； your master…mistress
Is well； and deftly on its errand speeds；
As you shallif you can but hold your tongue。
Can you？
FIFE。
I'd rather be at home again。
CLO。
Where you shall be the quicker if while here
You can keep silence。
FIFE。
I may whistle； then？
Which by the virtue of my name I do；
And also as a reasonable test
Of waking sanity
CLO。
Well； whistle then；
And for another reason you forgot；
That while you whistle； you can chatter not。
Only rememberif you quit this pass
FIFE。
（His rhymes are out； or he had call'd it spot）
CLO。
A bullet brings you to。
I must forthwith to court to tell the King
The issue of this lamentable day；
That buries all his hope in night。
（To FIFE。）
Farewell。 Remember。
FIFE。
But a momentbut a word！
When shall I see my mismas
CLO。
Be content：
All in good time； and then； and not before；
Never to miss your master any more。
（Exit。）
FIFE。
Such talk of dreamingdreamingI begin
To doubt if I be dreaming I am Fife；
Who with a lad who call'd herself a boy
BecauseI doubt there's some confusion here
He wore no petticoat； came on a time
Riding from Muscovy on half a horse；
Who must have dreamt she was a horse entire；
To cant me off upon my hinder face
Under this tower； wall…eyed and musket…tongued；
With sentinels a…pacing up and down；
Crying All's well when all is far from well；
All the day long； and all the night； until
I dreamif what is dreaming be not waking
Of bells a…tolling and processions rolling
With candles； crosses； banners； San…benitos；
Of which I wear the flamy…finingest；
Through streets and places throng'd with fiery faces
To some back platform
Oh； I shall take a fire into my hand
With thinking of my own dear Muscovy
Only just over that Sierra there；
By which we tumbled headlong intoNo…land。
Now； if without a bullet after me；
I could but get a peep of my old home
Perhaps of my own mule to take me there
All's stillperhaps the gentlemen within
Are dreaming it is night behind their masks
God send 'em a good nightmare！Now thenHark！
Voicesand up the rocksand armed men
Climbing like catsPuss in the corner then。
（He hides。）
（Enter Soldiers cautiously up the rocks。）
CAPTAIN。
This is the frontier pass； at any rate；
Where Poland ends and Muscovy begins。
SOLDIER。
We must be close upon the tower； I know；
That half way up the mountain lies ensconced。
CAPT。
How know you that？
SOL。
He told me sothe Page
Who put us on the scent。
SOL。 2。
And； as I think；
Will soon be here to run it down with us。
CAPT。
Meantime； our horses on these ugly rocks
Useless； and worse than useless with their clatter
Leave them behind； with one or two in charge；
And softly； softly； softly。
SOLDIERS。
There it is！
There what？
The towerthe fortress
That the tower！
That mouse…trap！ We could pitch it down the rocks
With our own hands。
The rocks it hangs among
Dwarf its proportions and conceal its strength；
Larger and stronger than you think。
No matter；
No place for Poland's Prince to be shut up in。
At it at once！
CAPT。
NonoI tell you wait
Till those within give signal。 For as yet
We know not who side with us； and the fort
Is strong in man and musket。
SOL。
Shame to wait
For odds with such a cause at stake。
CAPT。
Because
Of such a cause at stake we wait for odds
For if not won at once； for ever lost：
For any long resistance on their part
Would bring Basilio's force to succour them
Ere we had rescued him we come to rescue。
So softly； softly； softly； still
A SOLDIER （discovering Fife）。
Hilloa！
SOLDIERS。
Hilloa！ Here's some one skulking
Seize and gag him！
Stab him at once； say I： the only way
To make all sure。
Hold； every man of you！
And down upon your knees！Why； 'tis the Prince！
The Prince！
Oh； I should know him anywhere；
And anyhow disguised。
But the Prince is chain'd。
And of a loftier presence
'Tis he； I tell you；
Only bewilder'd as he was before。
God save your Royal Highness！ On our knees
Beseech you answer us！
FIFE。
Just as you please。
Well'tis this country's custom； I suppose；
To take a poor man every now and then
And set him ON the throne； just for the fun
Of tumbling him again into the dirt。
And now my turn is come。 'Tis very pretty。
SOL。
His wits have been distemper'd with their drugs。
But do you ask him； Captain。
CAPT。
On my knees；
And in the name of all who kneel with me；
I do beseech your Highness answer to
Your royal title。
FIFE。
Still； just as you please。
In my own poor opinion of myself
But that may all be dreaming； which it seems
Is very much the fashion in this country
No Polish prince at all； but a poor lad
From Muscovy； where only help me back；
I promise never to contest the crown
Of Poland with whatever gentleman
You fancy to set up。
SOLDIERS。
From Muscovy？
A spy then
Of Astolfo's
Spy！ a spy
Hang him at once！
FIFE。
No； pray don't dream of that！
SOL。
How dared you then set yourself up for our Prince Segismund？
FIFE。
/I/ set up！/I/ like that
When 'twas yourselves be…siegesmunded me。
CAPT。
No matterLook！The signal from the tower。
Prince Segismund！
SOL。 （from the