beautiful stories from shakespeare-第17节

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It　was　not；　it　was　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　with　his　servant　Dromio；　and　he　wore　Angelo's　chain　round　his　neck！　　The　reconciled　pair　fairly　pounced　upon　him　to　know　what　he　meant　by　denying　the　receipt　of　the　chain　he　had　the　impudence　to　wear。　　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　lost　his　temper；　and　drew　his　sword；　and　at　that　moment　Adriana　and　several　others　appeared。　　〃Hold！〃　shouted　the　careful　wife。　　〃Hurt　him　not；　he　is　mad。　　Take　his　sword　away。　　Bind　himand　Dromio　too。〃

Dromio　of　Syracuse　did　not　wish　to　be　bound；　and　he　said　to　his　master；　〃Run；　master！　　Into　that　abbey；　quick；　or　we　shall　be　robbed！〃

They　accordingly　retreated　into　the　abbey。

Adriana；　Luciana；　and　a　crowd　remained　outside；　and　the　Abbess　came　out；　and　said；　〃People；　why　do　you　gather　here？〃

〃To　fetch　my　poor　distracted　husband；〃　replied　Adriana。

Angelo　and　the　merchant　remarked　that　they　had　not　known　that　he　was　mad。

Adriana　then　told　the　Abbess　rather　too　much　about　her　wifely　worries；　for　the　Abbess　received　the　idea　that　Adriana　was　a　shrew；　and　that　if　her　husband　was　distracted　he　had　better　not　return　to　her　for　the　present。

Adriana　determined；　therefore；　to　complain　to　Duke　Solinus；　and；　lo　and　behold！　a　minute　afterwards　the　great　man　appeared　with　officers　and　two　others。　　The　others　were　AEgeon　and　the　headsman。　The　thousand　marks　had　not　been　found；　and　AEgeon's　fate　seemed　sealed。

Ere　the　Duke　could　pass　the　abbey　Adriana　knelt　before　him；　and　told　a　woeful　tale　of　a　mad　husband　rushing　about　stealing　jewelry　and　drawing　his　sword；　adding　that　the　Abbess　refused　to　allow　her　to　lead　him　home。

The　Duke　bade　the　Abbess　be　summoned；　and　no　sooner　had　he　given　the　order　than　a　servant　from　The　Phoenix　ran　to　Adriana　with　the　tale　that　his　master　had　singed　off　the　doctor's　beard。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Adriana；　〃he's　in　the　abbey。〃

〃As　sure　as　I　live　I　speak　the　truth；〃　said　the　servant。

Antipholus　of　Syracuse　had　not　come　out　of　the　abbey；　before　his　brother　of　Ephesus　prostrated　himself　in　front　of　the　Duke；　exclaiming；　〃Justice；　most　gracious　Duke；　against　that　woman。〃　He　pointed　to　Adriana。　　〃She　has　treated　another　man　like　her　husband　in　my　own　house。〃

Even　while　he　was　speaking　AEgeon　said；　〃Unless　I　am　delirious；　I　see　my　son　Antipholus。〃

No　one　noticed　him；　and　Antipholus　of　Ephesus　went　on　to　say　how　the　doctor；　whom　he　called　〃a　threadbare　juggler；〃　had　been　one　of　a　gang　who　tied　him　to　his　slave　Dromio；　and　thrust　them　into　a　vault　whence　he　had　escaped　by　gnawing　through　his　bonds。

The　Duke　could　not　understand　how　the　same　man　who　spoke　to　him　was　seen　to　go　into　the　abbey；　and　he　was　still　wondering　when　AEgeon　asked　Antipholus　of　Ephesus　if　he　was　not　his　son。　　He　replied；　〃I　never　saw　my　father　in　my　life；〃　but　so　deceived　was　AEgeon　by　his　likeness　to　the　brother　whom　he　had　brought　up；　that　he　said；　〃Thou　art　ashamed　to　acknowledge　me　in　misery。〃

Soon；　however；　the　Abbess　advanced　with　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　and　Dromio　of　Syracuse。

Then　cried　Adriana；　〃I　see　two　husbands　or　mine　eyes　deceive　me；〃　and　Antipholus；　espying　his　father；　said；　〃Thou　art　AEgeon　or　his　ghost。〃

It　was　a　day　of　surprises；　for　the　Abbess　said；　〃I　will　free　that　man　by　paying　his　fine；　and　gain　my　husband　whom　I　lost。　　Speak；　AEgeon；　for　I　am　thy　wife　AEmilia。〃

The　Duke　was　touched。　　〃He　is　free　without　a　fine；〃　he　said。

So　AEgeon　and　AEmilia　were　reunited；　and　Adriana　and　her　husband　reconciled；　but　no　one　was　happier　than　Antipholus　of　Syracuse；　who；　in　the　Duke's　presence；　went　to　Luciana　and　said；　〃I　told　you　I　loved　you。　　Will　you　be　my　wife？〃

Her　answer　was　given　by　a　look；　and　therefore　is　not　written。

The　two　Dromios　were　glad　to　think　they　would　receive　no　more　beatings。




THE　MERCHANT　OF　VENICE



Antonio　was　a　rich　and　prosperous　merchant　of　Venice。　　His　ships　were　on　nearly　every　sea；　and　he　traded　with　Portugal；　with　Mexico；　with　England；　and　with　India。　　Although　proud　of　his　riches；　he　was　very　generous　with　them；　and　delighted　to　use　them　in　relieving　the　wants　of　his　friends；　among　whom　his　relation；　Bassanio；　held　the　first　place。

Now　Bassanio；　like　many　another　gay　and　gallant　gentleman；　was　reckless　and　extravagant；　and　finding　that　he　had　not　only　come　to　the　end　of　his　fortune；　but　was　also　unable　to　pay　his　creditors；　he　went　to　Antonio　for　further　help。

〃To　you；　Antonio；〃　he　said；　〃I　owe　the　most　in　money　and　in　love：　and　I　have　thought　of　a　plan　to　pay　everything　I　owe　if　you　will　but　help　me。〃

〃Say　what　I　can　do；　and　it　shall　be　done；〃　answered　his　friend。

Then　said　Bassanio；　〃In　Belmont　is　a　lady　richly　left；　and　from　all　quarters　of　the　globe　renowned　suitors　come　to　woo　her；　not　only　because　she　is　rich；　but　because　she　is　beautiful　and　good　as　well。　　She　looked　on　me　with　such　favor　when　last　we　met；　that　I　feel　sure　that　I　should　win　her　away　from　all　rivals　for　her　love　had　I　but　the　means　to　go　to　Belmont；　where　she　lives。〃

〃All　my　fortunes；〃　said　Antonio；　〃are　at　sea；　and　so　I　have　no　ready　money；　but　luckily　my　credit　is　good　in　Venice；　and　I　will　borrow　for　you　what　you　need。〃

There　was　living　in　Venice　at　this　time　a　rich　money…lender；　named　Shylock。　　Antonio　despised　and　disliked　this　man　very　much；　and　treated　him　with　the　greatest　harshness　and　scorn。　　He　would　thrust　him；　like　a　cur；　over　his　threshold；　and　would　even　spit　on　him。　Shylock　submitted　to　all　these　indignities　with　a　patient　shrug；　but　deep　in　his　heart　he　cherished　a　desire　for　revenge　on　the　rich；　smug　merchant。　　For　Antonio　both　hurt　his　pride　and　injured　his　business。　　〃But　for　him；〃　thought　Shylock；　〃I　should　be　richer　by　half　a　million　ducats。　　On　the　market　place；　and　wherever　he　can；　he　denounces　the　rate　of　interest　I　charge；　andworse　than　thathe　lends　out　money　freely。〃

So　when　Bassanio　came　to　him　to　ask　for　a　loan　of　three　thousand　ducats　to　Antonio　for　three　months；　Shylock　hid　his　hatred；　and　turning　to　Antonio；　said〃Harshly　as　you　have　treated　me；　I　would　be　friends　with　you　and　have　your　love。　　So　I　will　lend　you　the　money　and　charge　you　no　interest。　　But；　just　for　fun；　you　shall　sign　a　bond　in　which　it　shall　be　agreed　that　if　you　do　not　repay　me　in　three　months'　time；　then　I　shall　have　the　right　to　a　pound　of　your　flesh；　to　be　cut　from　what　part　of　your　body　I　choose。〃

〃No；〃　cried　Bassanio　to　his　friend；　〃you　shall　run　no　such　risk　for　me。〃

〃Why；　fear　not；〃　said　Antonio；　〃my　ships　will　be　home　a　month　before　the　time。　　I　will　sign　the　bond。〃

Thus　Bassanio　was　furnished　with　the　means　to　go　to　Belmont；　there　to　woo　the　lovely　Portia。　　The　very　night　he　started；　the　money…lender's　pretty　daughter；　Jessica；　ran　away　from　her　father's　house　with　her　lover；　and　she　took　with　her　from　her　father's　hoards　some　bags　of　ducats　and　precious　stones。　　Shylock's　grief　and　anger　were　terrible　to　see。　　His　love　for　her　changed　to　hate。　〃I　would　she　were　dead　at　my　feet　and　the　jewels　in　her　ear；〃　he　cried。　　His　only　comfort　now　was　in　hearing　of　the　serious　losses　which　had　befallen　Antonio；　some　of　whose　ships　were　wrecked。　〃Let　him　look　to　his　bond；〃　said　Shylock；　〃let　him　look　to　his　bond。〃

Meanwhile　Bassanio　had　reached　Belmont；　and　had　visited　the　fair　Portia。　　He　found；　as　he　had　told　Antonio；　that　the　rumor　of　her　wealth　and　beauty　had　drawn　to　her　suitors　from　far　and　near。　But　to　all　of　them　Portia　had　but　one　reply。　　She　would　only　accept　that　suitor　who　would　pledge　himself　to　abide　by　the　terms　of　her　father's　will。　　These　were　conditions　that　frightened　away　many　an　ardent　wooer。　　For　he　who　would　win　Portia's　heart　and　hand；　had　to　guess　which　of　three　caskets　held　her　portrait。　　If　he　guessed　aright；　then　Portia　would　be　his　bride；　if　wrong；　then　he　was　bound　by　oath　never　to　reveal　which　casket　he　chose；　never　to　marry；　and　to　go　away　at　once。

The　caskets　were　of　gold；　silver；　and　lead。　　The　gold　one　bore　this　inscription：〃Who　chooseth　me　shall　gain　what　many　men　desire〃；　the　silver　one　had　this：〃Who　chooseth　me　shall　get　as　much　as　he　deserves〃；　while　on　the　lead　one　were　these　words：〃Who　chooseth　me　must　give　and　hazard　all　he　hath。〃　　The　Prince　of　Morocco；　as　brave　as　he　was　black；　was　among　the　first　to　submit　to　this　test。　He　chose　the　gold　casket；　for　he　said　neither　base　lead　nor　silver　could　contain　her　picture。　　So　be　chose　the　gold　casket；　and　found　inside　the　likeness　of　what　many　men　desiredeath。

After　him　came　the　haughty　Prince　of　Arragon；　and　saying；　〃Let　me　have　what　I　deservesurely　I　deserve　the　lady；〃　he　chose　the　silver　one；　and　found　inside　a　fool's　head。　　〃Did　I　deserve　no　more　than　a　fool's　head？〃　he　cried。

Then　at　last　came　Bassanio；　and　Portia　would　have　delayed　him　from　making　his　choice　from　very　fear　of　his　choosing　wrong。　　For　she　loved　him　dearly；　even　as　he　loved　her。　　〃But；〃　said　Bassanio；　let　me　choose　at　once；　for；　as　I　am；　I　live　upon　the　rack。〃

Then　Portia　bade　her　servants　to　bring　music　and　play　while　her　gallant　lover　made　his　choice。　　And　Bassanio　took　the　oath　and　walked　up　to　the　casketsthe　musicians　playing　softly　the　while。　〃Mere　outward　show；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　be　despised。　　The　world　is　still　deceived　with　ornament；　and　so　no　gaudy　gold　or　shining　silver　for　me。　　I　choose　the　lead　casket；　joy　be