beautiful stories from shakespeare-第18节

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o　gaudy　gold　or　shining　silver　for　me。　　I　choose　the　lead　casket；　joy　be　the　consequence！〃　And　opening　it；　he　found　fair　Portia's　portrait　inside；　and　he　turned　to　her　and　asked　if　it　were　true　that　she　was　his。

〃Yes；〃　said　Portia；　〃I　am　yours；　and　this　house　is　yours；　and　with　them　I　give　you　this　ring；　from　which　you　must　never　part。〃

And　Bassanio；　saying　that　he　could　hardly　speak　for　joy；　found　words　to　swear　that　he　would　never　part　with　the　ring　while　he　lived。

Then　suddenly　all　his　happiness　was　dashed　with　sorrow；　for　messengers　came　from　Venice　to　tell　him　that　Antonio　was　ruined；　and　that　Shylock　demanded　from　the　Duke　the　fulfilment　of　the　bond；　under　which　he　was　entitled　to　a　pound　of　the　merchant's　flesh。　　Portia　was　as　grieved　as　Bassanio　to　hear　of　the　danger　which　threatened　his　friend。

〃First；〃　she　said；　〃take　me　to　church　and　make　me　your　wife；　and　then　go　to　Venice　at　once　to　help　your　friend。　　You　shall　take　with　you　money　enough　to　pay　his　debt　twenty　times　over。〃

But　when　her　newly…made　husband　had　gone；　Portia　went　after　him；　and　arrived　in　Venice　disguised　as　a　lawyer；　and　with　an　introduction　from　a　celebrated　lawyer　Bellario；　whom　the　Duke　of　Venice　had　called　in　to　decide　the　legal　questions　raised　by　Shylock's　claim　to　a　pound　of　Antonio's　flesh。　　When　the　Court　met；　Bassanio　offered　Shylock　twice　the　money　borrowed；　if　he　would　withdraw　his　claim。　　But　the　money…lender's　only　answer　was

　　　〃If　every　ducat　in　six　thousand　ducats；　　　　　Were　in　six　parts；　and　every　part　a　ducat；　　　　　I　would　not　draw　them；I　would　have　my　bond。〃

It　was　then　that　Portia　arrived　in　her　disguise；　and　not　even　her　own　husband　knew　her。　　The　Duke　gave　her　welcome　on　account　of　the　great　Bellario's　introduction；　and　left　the　settlement　of　the　case　to　her。　　Then　in　noble　words　she　bade　Shylock　have　mercy。　But　he　was　deaf　to　her　entreaties。　　〃I　will　have　the　pound　of　flesh；〃　was　his　reply。

〃What　have　you　to　say？〃　asked　Portia　of　the　merchant。

〃But　little；〃　he　answered；　〃I　am　armed　and　well　prepared。〃

〃The　Court　awards　you　a　pound　of　Antonio's　flesh；〃　said　Portia　to　the　money…lender。

〃Most　righteous　judge！〃　cried　Shylock。　　〃A　sentence：　come；　prepare。〃

〃Tarry　a　little。　　This　bond　gives　you　no　right　to　Antonio's　blood；　only　to　his　flesh。　　If；　then；　you　spill　a　drop　of　his　blood；　all　your　property　will　be　forfeited　to　the　State。　　Such　is　the　Law。〃

And　Shylock；　in　his　fear；　said；　〃Then　I　will　take　Bassanio's　offer。〃

〃No；〃　said　Portia　sternly；　〃you　shall　have　nothing　but　your　bond。　Take　your　pound　of　flesh；　but　remember；　that　if　you　take　more　or　less；　even　by　the　weight　of　a　hair；　you　will　lose　your　property　and　your　life。〃

Shylock　now　grew　very　much　frightened。　　〃Give　me　my　three　thousand　ducats　that　I　lent　him；　and　let　him　go。〃

Bassanio　would　have　paid　it　to　him；　but　said　Portia；　〃No！　　He　shall　have　nothing　but　his　bond。〃

〃You；　a　foreigner；〃　she　added；　〃have　sought　to　take　the　life　of　a　Venetian　citizen；　and　thus　by　the　Venetian　law；　your　life　and　goods　are　forfeited。　　Down；　therefore；　and　beg　mercy　of　the　Duke。〃

Thus　were　the　tables　turned；　and　no　mercy　would　have　been　shown　to　Shylock　had　it　not　been　for　Antonio。　　As　it　was；　the　money…lender　forfeited　half　his　fortune　to　the　State；　and　he　had　to　settle　the　other　half　on　his　daughter's　husband；　and　with　this　he　had　to　be　content。

Bassanio；　in　his　gratitude　to　the　clever　lawyer；　was　induced　to　part　with　the　ring　his　wife　had　given　him；　and　with　which　he　had　promised　never　to　part；　and　when　on　his　return　to　Belmont　he　confessed　as　much　to　Portia；　she　seemed　very　angry；　and　vowed　she　would　not　be　friends　with　him　until　she　had　her　ring　again。　　But　at　last　she　told　him　that　it　was　she　who；　in　the　disguise　of　the　lawyer；　had　saved　his　friend's　life；　and　got　the　ring　from　him。　So　Bassanio　was　forgiven；　and　made　happier　than　ever；　to　know　how　rich　a　prize　he　had　drawn　in　the　lottery　of　the　caskets。




TIMON　OF　ATHENS



Four　hundred　years　before　the　birth　of　Christ；　a　man　lived　in　Athens　whose　generosity　was　not　only　great；　but　absurd。　　He　was　very　rich；　but　no　worldly　wealth　was　enough　for　a　man　who　spent　and　gave　like　Timon。　　If　anybody　gave　Timon　a　horse；　he　received　from　Timon　twenty　better　horses。　　If　anybody　borrowed　money　of　Timon　and　offered　to　repay　it；　Timon　was　offended。　　If　a　poet　had　written　a　poem　and　Timon　had　time　to　read　it；　he　would　be　sure　to　buy　it；　and　a　painter　had　only　to　hold　up　his　canvas　in　front　of　Timon　to　receive　double　its　market　price。

Flavius；　his　steward；　looked　with　dismay　at　his　reckless　mode　of　life。　　When　Timon's　house　was　full　of　noisy　lords　drinking　and　spilling　costly　wine；　Flavius　would　sit　in　a　cellar　and　cry。　　He　would　say　to　himself；　〃There　are　ten　thousand　candles　burning　in　this　house；　and　each　of　those　singers　braying　in　the　concert…room　costs　a　poor　man's　yearly　income　a　night〃；　and　he　would　remember　a　terrible　thing　said　by　Apemantus；　one　of　his　master's　friends；　〃O　what　a　number　of　men　eat　Timon；　and　Timon　sees　them　not！〃

Of　course；　Timon　was　much　praised。

A　jeweler　who　sold　him　a　diamond　pretended　that　it　was　not　quite　perfect　till　Timon　wore　it。　　〃You　mend　the　jewel　by　wearing　it；〃　he　said。　　Timon　gave　the　diamond　to　a　lord　called　Sempronius；　and　the　lord　exclaimed；　〃O；　he's　the　very　soul　of　bounty。〃　　〃Timon　is　infinitely　dear　to　me；〃　said　another　lord；　called　Lucullus；　to　whom　he　gave　a　beautiful　horse；　and　other　Athenians　paid　him　compliments　as　sweet。

But　when　Apemantus　had　listened　to　some　of　them；　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　knock　out　an　honest　Athenian's　brains。〃

〃You　will　die　for　that；〃　said　Timon。

〃Then　I　shall　die　for　doing　nothing；〃　said　Apemantus。　　And　now　you　know　what　a　joke　was　like　four　hundred　years　before　Christ。

This　Apernantus　was　a　frank　despiser　of　mankind；　but　a　healthy　one；　because　he　was　not　unhappy。　　In　this　mixed　world　anyone　with　a　number　of　acquaintances　knows　a　person　who　talks　bitterly　of　men；　but　does　not　shun　them；　and　boasts　that　he　is　never　deceived　by　their　fine　speeches；　and　is　inwardly　cheerful　and　proud。　　Apemantus　was　a　man　like　that。

Timon；　you　will　be　surprised　to　hear；　became　much　worse　than　Apemantus；　after　the　dawning　of　a　day　which　we　call　Quarter　Day。

Quarter　Day　is　the　day　when　bills　pour　in。　　The　grocer；　the　butcher；　and　the　baker　are　all　thinking　of　their　debtors　on　that　day；　and　the　wise　man　has　saved　enough　money　to　be　ready　for　them。　　But　Timon　had　not；　and　he　did　not　only　owe　money　for　food。　　He　owed　it　for　jewels　and　horses　and　furniture；　and；　worst　of　all；　he　owed　it　to　money…lenders；　who　expected　him　to　pay　twice　as　much　as　he　had　borrowed。

Quarter　Day　is　a　day　when　promises　to　pay　are　scorned；　and　on　that　day　Timon　was　asked　for　a　large　sum　of　money。　　〃Sell　some　land；〃　he　said　to　his　steward。　　〃You　have　no　land；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Nonsense！　　I　had　a　hundred；　thousand　acres；〃　said　Timon。　　〃You　could　have　spent　the　price　of　the　world　if　you　had　possessed　it；〃　said　Flavius。

〃Borrow　some　then；〃　said　Timon；　〃try　Ventidius。〃　　He　thought　of　Ventidius　because　he　had　once　got　Ventidius　out　of　prison　by　paying　a　creditor　of　this　young　man。　　Ventidius　was　now　rich。　　Timon　trusted　in　his　gratitude。　　But　not　for　all；　so　much　did　he　owe！　Servants　were　despatched　with　requests　for　loans　of　money　to　several　friends：

One　servant　（Flaminius）　went　to　Lucullus。　　When　he　was　announced　Lucullus　said；　〃A　gift；　I　warrant。　　I　dreamt　of　a　silver　jug　and　basin　last　night。〃　　Then；　changing　his　tone；　〃How　is　that　honorable；　free…hearted；　perfect　gentleman；　your　master；　eh？〃

〃Well　in　health；　sir；〃　replied　Flaminius。

〃And　what　have　you　got　there　under　your　cloak？〃　asked　Lucullus；　jovially。

〃Faith；　sir；　nothing　but　an　empty　box；　which；　on　my　master's　behalf；　I　beg　you　to　fill　with　money；　sir。〃

〃La！　la！　la！〃　said　Lucullus；　who　could　not　pretend　to　mean；　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　〃Your　master's　one　fault　is　that　he　is　too　fond　of　giving　parties。　　I've　warned　him　that　it　was　expensive。　　Now；　look　here；　Flaminius；　you　know　this　is　no　time　to　lend　money　without　security；　so　suppose　you　act　like　a　good　boy　and　tell　him　that　I　was　not　at　home。　　Here's　three　solidares　for　yourself。〃

〃Back；　wretched　money；〃　cried　Flaminius；　〃to　him　who　worships　you！〃

Others　of　Timon's　friends　were　tried　and　found　stingy。　　Amongst　them　was　Sempronius。

〃Hum；〃　he　said　to　Timon's　servant；　〃has　he　asked　Ventidius？　　Ventidius　is　beholden　to　him。〃

〃He　refused。〃

〃Well；　have　you　asked　Lucullus？〃

〃He　refused。〃

〃A　poor　compliment　to　apply　to　me　last　of　all；〃　said　Sempronius；　in　affected　anger。　　〃If　he　had　sent　to　me　at　first；　I　would　gladly　have　lent　him　money；　but　I'm　not　going　to　be　such　a　fool　as　to　lend　him　any　now。〃

〃Your　lordship　makes　a　good　villain；〃　said　the　servant。

When　Timon　found　that　his　friends　were　so　mean；　he　took　advantage　of　a　lull　in　his　storm　of　creditors　to　invite　Ventidius　and　Company　to　a　banquet。　　Flavius　was　horrified；　but　Ventidius　and　Company；　were　not　in　the　least　ashamed；　and　they　assembled　accordingly　in　Timon's　house；　and　said　to　one　another　that　their　princely　host　had　been　jesting　with　them。

〃I　had　to　put　off　an　important　engagement　in　order　to　come　here；〃　said　Lucullus；　〃but　who　could　refuse　Timon？〃