beautiful stories from shakespeare-第19节

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

〃It　was　a　real　grief　to　me　to　be　without　ready　money　when　he　asked　for　some；〃　said　Sempronius。

〃The　same　here；〃　chimed　in　a　third　lord。

Timon　now　appeared；　and　his　guests　vied　with　one　another　in　apologies　and　compliments。　　Inwardly　sneering；　Timon　was　gracious　to　them　all。

In　the　banqueting　ball　was　a　table　resplendent　with　covered　dishes。　Mouths　watered。　　These　summer…friends　loved　good　food。

〃Be　seated；　worthy　friends；〃　said　Timon。　　He　then　prayed　aloud　to　the　gods　of　Greece。　　〃Give　each　man　enough；〃　he　said；　〃for　if　you；　who　are　our　gods；　were　to　borrow　of　men　they　would　cease　to　adore　you。　　Let　men　love　the　joint　more　than　the　host。　　Let　every　score　of　guests　contain　twenty　villains。　　Bless　my　friends　as　much　as　they　have　blessed　me。　　Uncover　the　dishes；　dogs；　and　lap！〃

The　hungry　lords　were　too　much　surprised　by　this　speech　to　resent　it。　　They　thought　Timon　was　unwell；　and；　although　he　had　called　them　dogs；　they　uncovered　the　dishes。

There　was　nothing　in　them　but　warm　water。

〃May　you　never　see　a　better　feast；〃　wished　Timon　〃I　wash　off　the　flatteries　with　which　you　plastered　me　and　sprinkle　you　with　your　villainy。〃　　With　these　words　he　threw　the　water　into　his　guests'　faces；　and　then　he　pelted　them　with　the　dishes。　　Having　thus　ended　the　banquet；　he　went　into　an　outhouse；　seized　a　spade；　and　quitted　Athens　for　ever。

His　next　dwelling　was　a　cave　near　the　sea。

Of　all　his　friends；　the　only　one　who　had　not　refused　him　aid　was　a　handsome　soldier　named　Alcibiades；　and　he　had　not　been　asked　because；　having　quarreled　with　the　Government　of　Athens；　he　had　left　that　town。　　The　thought　that　Alcibiades　might　have　proved　a　true　friend　did　not　soften　Timon's　bitter　feeling。　　He　was　too　weak…minded　to　discern　the　fact　that　good　cannot　be　far　from　evil　in　this　mixed　world。　　He　determined　to　see　nothing　better　in　all　mankind　than　the　ingratitude　of　Ventidius　and　the　meanness　of　Lucullus。

He　became　a　vegetarian；　and　talked　pages　to　himself　as　he　dug　in　the　earth　for　food。

One　day；　when　he　was　digging　for　roots　near　the　shore；　his　spade　struck　gold。　　If　he　had　been　a　wise　man　he　would　have　enriched　himself　quickly；　and　returned　to　Athens　to　live　in　comfort。　　But　the　sight　of　the　gold　vein　gave　no　joy　but　only　scorn　to　Timon。　〃This　yellow　slave；〃　he　said；　〃will　make　and　break　religions。　　It　will　make　black　white　and　foul　fair。　　It　will　buy　murder　and　bless　the　accursed。〃

He　was　still　ranting　when　Alcibiades；　now　an　enemy　of　Athens；　approached　with　his　soldiers　and　two　beautiful　women　who　cared　for　nothing　but　pleasure。

Timon　was　so　changed　by　his　bad　thoughts　and　rough　life　that　Alcibiades　did　not　recognize　him　at　first。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃A　beast；　as　you　are；〃　was　the　reply。

Alcibiades　knew　his　voice；　and　offered　him　help　and　money。　　But　Timon　would　none　of　it；　and　began　to　insult　the　women。　　They；　however；　when　they　found　he　had　discovered　a　gold　mine；　cared　not　a　jot　for　his　opinion　of　them；　but　said；　〃Give　us　some　gold；　good　Timon。　　Have　you　more？〃

With　further　insults；　Timon　filled　their　aprons　with　gold　ore。

〃Farewell；〃　said　Alcibiades；　who　deemed　that　Timon's　wits　were　lost；　and　then　his　disciplined　soldiers　left　without　profit　the　mine　which　could　have　paid　their　wages；　and　marched　towards　Athens。

Timon　continued　to　dig　and　curse；　and　affected　great　delight　when　he　dug　up　a　root　and　discovered　that　it　was　not　a　grape。

Just　then　Apemantus　appeared。　　〃I　am　told　that　you　imitate　me；〃　said　Apemantus。　　〃Only；〃　said　Timon；　〃because　you　haven't　a　dog　which　I　can　imitate。〃

〃You　are　revenging　yourself　on　your　friends　by　punishing　yourself；〃　said　Apemantus。　　〃That　is　very　silly；　for　they　live　just　as　comfortably　as　they　ever　did。　　I　am　sorry　that　a　fool　should　imitate　me。〃

〃If　I　were　like　you；〃　said　Timon；　〃I　should　throw　myself　away。〃

〃You　have　done　so；〃　sneered　Apemantus。　　〃Will　the　cold　brook　make　you　a　good　morning　drink；　or　an　east　wind　warm　your　clothes　as　a　valet　would？〃

〃Off　with　you！〃　said　Timon；　but　Apemantus　stayed　a　while　longer　and　told　him　he　had　a　passion　for　extremes；　which　was　true。　Apemantus　even　made　a　pun；　but　there　was　no　good　laughter　to　be　got　out　of　Timon。

Finally；　they　lost　their　temper　like　two　schoolboys；　and　Timon　said　he　was　sorry　to　lose　the　stone　which　he　flung　at　Apemantus；　who　left　him　with　an　evil　wish。

This　was　almost　an　〃at　home〃　day　for　Timon；　for　when　Apemantus　had　departed；　he　was　visited　by　some　robbers。　　They　wanted　gold。

〃You　want　too　much；〃　said　Timon。　　〃Here　are　water；　roots　and　berries。〃

〃We　are　not　birds　and　pigs；〃　said　a　robber。

〃No；　you　are　cannibals；〃　said　Timon。　　〃Take　the　gold；　then；　and　may　it　poison　you！　　Henceforth　rob　one　another。〃

He　spoke　so　frightfully　to　them　that；　though　they　went　away　with　full　pockets；　they　almost　repented　of　their　trade。　　His　last　visitor　on　that　day　of　visits　was　his　good　steward　Flavius。　　〃My　dearest　master！〃　cried　he。

〃Away！　　What　are　you？〃　said　Timon。

〃Have　you　forgotten　me；　sir？〃　asked　Flavius；　mournfully。

〃I　have　forgotten　all　men；〃　was　the　reply；　〃and　if　you'll　allow　that　you　are　a　man；　I　have　forgotten　you。〃

〃I　was　your　honest　servant；〃　said　Flavius。

〃Nonsense！　　I　never　had　an　honest　man　about　me；〃　retorted　Timon。

Flavius　began　to　cry。

〃What！　shedding　tears？〃　said　Timon。　　〃Come　nearer；　then。　　I　will　love　you　because　you　are　a　woman；　and　unlike　men；　who　only　weep　when　they　laugh　or　beg。〃

They　talked　awhile；　then　Timon　said；　〃Yon　gold　is　mine。　　I　will　make　you　rich；　Flavius；　if　you　promise　me　to　live　by　yourself　and　hate　mankind。　　I　will　make　you　very　rich　if　you　promise　me　that　you　will　see　the　flesh　slide　off　the　beggar's　bones　before　you　feed　him；　and　let　the　debtor　die　in　jail　before　you　pay　his　debt。〃

Flavius　simply　said；　〃Let　me　stay　to　comfort　you；　my　master。〃

〃If　you　dislike　cursing；　leave　me；〃　replied　Timon；　and　he　turned　his　back　on　Flavius；　who　went　sadly　back　to　Athens；　too　much　accustomed　to　obedience　to　force　his　services　upon　his　ailing　master。

The　steward　had　accepted　nothing；　but　a　report　got　about　that　a　mighty　nugget　of　gold　had　been　given　him　by　his　former　master；　and　Timon　therefore　received　more　visitors。　　They　were　a　painter　and　a　poet；　whom　he　had　patronized　in　his　prosperity。

〃Hail；　worthy　Timon！〃　said　the　poet。　　〃We　heard　with　astonishment　how　your　friends　deserted　you。　　No　whip's　large　enough　for　their　backs！〃

〃We　have　come；〃　put　in　the　painter；　〃to　offer　our　services。〃

〃You've　heard　that　I　have　gold；〃　said　Timon。

〃There　was　a　report；〃　said　the　painter；　blushing；　〃but　my　friend　and　I　did　not　come　for　that。〃

〃Good　honest　men！〃　jeered　Timon。　　〃All　the　same；　you　shall　have　plenty　of　gold　if　you　will　rid　me　of　two　villains。〃

〃Name　them；〃　said　his　two　visitors　in　one　breath。　　〃Both　of　you！〃　answered　Timon。　　Giving　the　painter　a　whack　with　a　big　stick；　he　said；　〃Put　that　into　your　palette　and　make　money　out　of　it。〃　　Then　he　gave　a　whack　to　the　poet；　and　said；　〃Make　a　poem　out　of　that　and　get　paid　for　it。　　There's　gold　for　you。〃

They　hurriedly　withdrew。

Finally　Timon　was　visited　by　two　senators　who；　now　that　Athens　was　threatened　by　Alcibiades；　desired　to　have　on　their　side　this　bitter　noble　whose　gold　might　help　the　foe。

〃Forget　your　injuries；〃　said　the　first　senator。　　〃Athens　offers　you　dignities　whereby　you　may　honorably　live。〃

〃Athens　confesses　that　your　merit　was　overlooked；　and　wishes　to　atone；　and　more　than　atone；　for　her　forgetfulness；〃　said　the　second　senator。

〃Worthy　senators；〃　replied　Timon；　in　his　grim　way；　〃I　am　almost　weeping；　you　touch　me　so！　　All　I　need　are　the　eyes　of　a　woman　and　the　heart　of　a　fool。　　〃

But　the　senators　were　patriots。　　They　believed　that　this　bitter　man　could　save　Athens；　and　they　would　not　quarrel　with　him。　　〃Be　our　captain；〃　they　said；　〃and　lead　Athens　against　Alcibiades；　who　threatens　to　destroy　her。〃

〃Let　him　destroy　the　Athenians　too；　for　all　I　care；〃　said　Timon；　and　seeing　an　evil　despair　in　his　face；　they　left　him。

The　senators　returned　to　Athens；　and　soon　afterwards　trumpets　were　blown　before　its　walls。　　Upon　the　walls　they　stood　and　listened　to　Alcibiades；　who　told　them　that　wrong…doers　should　quake　in　their　easy　chairs。　　They　looked　at　his　confident　army；　and　were　convinced　that　Athens　must　yield　if　he　assaulted　it；　therefore　they　used　the　voice　that　strikes　deeper　than　arrows。

〃These　walls　of　ours　were　built　by　the　hands　of　men　who　never　wronged　you；　Alcibiades；〃　said　the　first　senator。

〃Enter；〃　said　the　second　senator；　〃and　slay　every　tenth　man；　if　your　revenge　needs　human　flesh。〃

〃Spare　the　cradle；〃　said　the　first　senator。

〃I　ask　only　justice；〃　said　Alcibiades。　　〃If　you　admit　my　army；　I　will　inflict　the　penalty　of　your　own　laws　upon　any　soldier　who　breaks　them。〃

At　that　moment　a　soldier　approached　Alcibiades；　and　said；　〃My　noble　general；　Timon　is　dead。〃　　He　handed　Alcibiades　a　sheet　of　wax；　saying；　〃He　is　buried　by　the　sea；　on　the　beach；　and　over　his　grave　is　a　stone　with　letters　on　it　which　I　cannot　read；　and　therefore　I　have　impressed　them　on　wax。〃

Alcibiades　read　from　the　sheet　of　wax　this　couplet