beautiful stories from shakespeare-第21节

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Othello　had　seen　Bianca；　who　was　in　station　lower；　in　beauty　and　speech　inferior　far；　to　Desdemona　and　he　began　in　spite　of　himself　to　praise　his　wife　to　the　villain　before　him。　　He　praised　her　skill　with　the　needle；　her　voice　that　could　〃sing　the　savageness　out　of　a　bear；〃　her　wit；　her　sweetness；　the　fairness　of　her　skin。　Every　time　he　praised　her　Iago　said　something　that　made　him　remember　his　anger　and　utter　it　foully；　and　yet　he　must　needs　praise　her；　and　say；　〃The　pity　of　it；　Iago！　　O　Iago；　the　pity　of　it；　Iago！〃

There　was　never　in　all　Iago's　villainy　one　moment　of　wavering。　　If　there　had　been　he　might　have　wavered　then。

〃Strangle　her；〃　he　said；　and　〃Good；　good！〃　said　his　miserable　dupe。

The　pair　were　still　talking　murder　when　Desdemona　appeared　with　a　relative　of　Desdemona's　father；　called　Lodovico；　who　bore　a　letter　for　Othello　from　the　Duke　of　Venice。　　The　letter　recalled　Othello　from　Cyprus；　and　gave　the　governorship　to　Cassio。

Luckless　Desdemona　seized　this　unhappy　moment　to　urge　once　more　the　suit　of　Cassio。

〃Fire　and　brimstone！〃　shouted　Othello。

〃It　may　be　the　letter　agitates　him；〃　explained　Lodovico　to　Desdemona；　and　he　told　her　what　it　contained。

〃I　am　glad；〃　said　Desdemona。　　It　was　the　first　bitter　speech　that　Othello's　unkindness　had　wrung　out　of　her。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　lose　your　temper；〃　said　Othello。

〃Why；　sweet　Othello？〃　she　asked；　sarcastically；　and　Othello　slapped　her　face。

Now　was　the　time　for　Desdemona　to　have　saved　her　life　by　separation；　but　she　knew　not　her　perilonly　that　her　love　was　wounded　to　the　core。　　〃I　have　not　deserved　this；〃　she　said；　and　the　tears　rolled　slowly　down　her　face。

Lodovico　was　shocked　and　disgusted。　　〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃this　would　not　be　believed　in　Venice。　　Make　her　amends；〃　but；　like　a　madman　talking　in　his　nightmare；　Othello　poured　out　his　foul　thought　in　ugly　speech；　and　roared；　〃Out　of　my　sight！〃

〃I　will　not　stay　to　offend　you；〃　said　his　wife；　but　she　lingered　even　in　going；　and　only　when　he　shouted　〃Avaunt！〃　did　she　leave　her　husband　and　his　guests。

Othello　then　invited　Lodovico　to　supper；　adding；　〃You　are　welcome；　sir；　to　Cyprus。　　Goats　and　monkeys！〃　　Without　waiting　for　a　reply　he　left　the　company。

Distinguished　visitors　detest　being　obliged　to　look　on　at　family　quarrels；　and　dislike　being　called　either　goats　or　monkeys；　and　Lodovico　asked　Iago　for　an　explanation。

True　to　himself；　Iago；　in　a　round…about　way；　said　that　Othello　was　worse　than　he　seemed；　and　advised　them　to　study　his　behavior　and　save　him　from　the　discomfort　of　answering　any　more　questions。

He　proceeded　to　tell　Roderigo　to　murder　Cassio。　　Roderigo　was　out　of　tune　with　his　friend。　　He　had　given　Iago　quantities　of　jewels　for　Desdemona　without　effect；　Desdemona　had　seen　none　of　them；　for　Iago　was　a　thief。

Iago　smoothed　him　with　a　lie；　and　when　Cassio　was　leaving　Bianca's　house；　Roderigo　wounded　him；　and　was　wounded　in　return。　　Cassio　shouted；　and　Lodovico　and　a　friend　came　running　up。　　Cassio　pointed　out　Roderigo　as　his　assailant；　and　Iago；　hoping　to　rid　himself　of　an　inconvenient　friend；　called　him　〃Villain！〃　and　stabbed　him；　but　not　to　death。

At　the　Castle；　Desdemona　was　in　a　sad　mood。　　She　told　Emilia　that　she　must　leave　her；　her　husband　wished　it。　　〃Dismiss　me！〃　exclaimed　Emilia。　　〃It　was　his　bidding；　said　Desdemona；　we　must　not　displease　him　now。〃

She　sang　a　song　which　a　girl　had　sung　whose　lover　had　been　base　to　hera　song　of　a　maiden　crying　by　that　tree　whose　boughs　droop　as　though　it　weeps；　and　she　went　to　bed　and　slept。

She　woke　with　her　husband's　wild　eyes　upon　her。　　〃Have　you　prayed　to…night？〃　he　asked；　and　he　told　this　blameless　and　sweet　woman　to　ask　God's　pardon　for　any　sin　she　might　have　on　her　conscience。　〃I　would　not　kill　thy　soul；〃　he　said。

He　told　her　that　Cassio　had　confessed；　but　she　knew　Cassio　had　nought　to　confess　that　concerned　her。　　She　said　that　Cassio　could　not　say　anything　that　would　damage　her。　　Othello　said　his　mouth　was　stopped。

Then　Desdemona　wept；　but　with　violent　words；　in　spite　of　all　her　pleading；　Othello　pressed　upon　her　throat　and　mortally　hurt　her。

Then　with　boding　heart　came　Emilia；　and　besought　entrance　at　the　door；　and　Othello　unlocked　it；　and　a　voice　came　from　the　bed　saying；　〃A　guiltless　death　I　die。〃

〃Who　did　it？〃　cried　Emilia；　and　the　voice　said；　〃NobodyI　myself。　Farewell！〃

〃'Twas　I　that　killed　her；〃　said　Othello。

He　poured　out　his　evidence　by　that　sad　bed　to　the　people　who　came　running　in；　Iago　among　them；　but　when　he　spoke　of　the　handkerchief；　Emilia　told　the　truth。

And　Othello　knew。　　〃Are　there　no　stones　in　heaven　but　thunderbolts？〃　he　exclaimed；　and　ran　at　Iago；　who　gave　Emilia　her　death…blow　and　fled。

But　they　brought　him　back；　and　the　death　that　came　to　him　later　on　was　a　relief　from　torture。

They　would　have　taken　Othello　back　to　Venice　to　try　him　there；　but　he　escaped　them　on　his　sword。　　〃A　word　or　two　before　you　go；〃　he　said　to　the　Venetians　in　the　chamber。　　〃Speak　of　me　as　I　wasno　better；　no　worse。　　Say　I　cast　away　the　pearl　of　pearls；　and　wept　with　these　hard　eyes；　and　say　that；　when　in　Aleppo　years　ago　I　saw　a　Turk　beating　a　Venetian；　I　took　him　by　the　throat　and　smote　him　thus。〃

With　his　own　hand　he　stabbed　himself　to　the　heart；　and　ere　he　died　his　lips　touched　the　face　of　Desdemona　with　despairing　love。




THE　TAMING　OF　THE　SHREW



There　lived　in　Padua　a　gentleman　named　Baptista；　who　had　two　fair　daughters。　　The　eldest；　Katharine；　was　so　very　cross　and　ill…tempered；　and　unmannerly；　that　no　one　ever　dreamed　of　marrying　her；　while　her　sister；　Bianca；　was　so　sweet　and　pretty；　and　pleasant…spoken；　that　more　than　one　suitor　asked　her　father　for　her　hand。　　But　Baptista　said　the　elder　daughter　must　marry　first。

So　Bianca's　suitors　decided　among　themselves　to　try　and　get　some　one　to　marry　Katharineand　then　the　father　could　at　least　be　got　to　listen　to　their　suit　for　Bianca。

A　gentleman　from　Verona；　named　Petruchio；　was　the　one　they　thought　of；　and；　half　in　jest；　they　asked　him　if　he　would　marry　Katharine；　the　disagreeable　scold。　　Much　to　their　surprise　he　said　yes；　that　was　just　the　sort　of　wife　for　him；　and　if　Katharine　were　handsome　and　rich；　he　himself　would　undertake　soon　to　make　her　good…tempered。

Petruchio　began　by　asking　Baptista's　permission　to　pay　court　to　his　gentle　daughter　Katharineand　Baptista　was　obliged　to　own　that　she　was　anything　but　gentle。　　And　just　then　her　music　master　rushed　in；　complaining　that　the　naughty　girl　had　broken　her　lute　over　his　head；　because　he　told　her　she　was　not　playing　correctly。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃I　love　her　better　than　ever；　and　long　to　have　some　chat　with　her。〃

When　Katharine　came；　he　said；　〃Good…morrow；　Katefor　that；　I　hear；　is　your　name。〃

〃You've　only　heard　half；〃　said　Katharine；　rudely。

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃they　call　you　plain　Kate；　and　bonny　Kate；　and　sometimes　Kate　the　shrew；　and　so；　hearing　your　mildness　praised　in　every　town；　and　your　beauty　too；　I　ask　you　for　my　wife。〃

〃Your　wife！〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Never！〃　　She　said　some　extremely　disagreeable　things　to　him；　and；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　ended　by　boxing　his　ears。

〃If　you　do　that　again；　I'll　cuff　you；〃　he　said　quietly；　and　still　protested；　with　many　compliments；　that　he　would　marry　none　but　her。

When　Baptista　came　back；　he　asked　at　once

〃How　speed　you　with　my　daughter？〃

〃How　should　I　speed　but　well；〃　replied　Petruchio〃how；　but　well？〃

〃How　now；　daughter　Katharine？〃　the　father　went　on。

〃I　don't　think；〃　said　Katharine；　angrily；　〃you　are　acting　a　father's　part　in　wishing　me　to　marry　this　mad…cap　ruffian。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Petruchio；　〃you　and　all　the　world　would　talk　amiss　of　her。　　You　should　see　how　kind　she　is　to　me　when　we　are　alone。　　In　short；　I　will　go　off　to　Venice　to　buy　fine　things　for　our　weddingforkiss　me；　Kate！　we　will　be　married　on　Sunday。〃

With　that；　Katharine　flounced　out　of　the　room　by　one　door　in　a　violent　temper；　and　he；　laughing；　went　out　by　the　other。　　But　whether　she　fell　in　love　with　Petruchio；　or　whether　she　was　only　glad　to　meet　a　man　who　was　not　afraid　of　her；　or　whether　she　was　flattered　that；　in　spite　of　her　rough　words　and　spiteful　usage；　he　still　desired　her　for　his　wifeshe　did　indeed　marry　him　on　Sunday；　as　he　had　sworn　she　should。

To　vex　and　humble　Katharine's　naughty；　proud　spirit；　he　was　late　at　the　wedding；　and　when　he　came；　came　wearing　such　shabby　clothes　that　she　was　ashamed　to　be　seen　with　him。　　His　servant　was　dressed　in　the　same　shabby　way；　and　the　horses　they　rode　were　the　sport　of　everyone　they　passed。

And；　after　the　marriage；　when　should　have　been　the　wedding　breakfast；　Petruchio　carried　his　wife　away；　not　allowing　her　to　eat　or　drinksaying　that　she　was　his　now；　and　he　could　do　as　he　liked　with　her。

And　his　manner　was　so　violent；　and　he　behaved　all　through　his　wedding　in　so　mad　and　dreadful　a　manner；　that　Katharine　trembled　and　went　with　him。　　He　mounted　her　on　a　stumbling；　lean；　old　horse；　and　they　journeyed　by　rough　muddy　ways　to　Petruchio's　house；　he　scolding　and　snarling　all　the　way。

She　was　terribly　tired　when　she　reached　her　new　home；　but　Petruchio　was　determined　that　she　should　neither　eat　nor　sleep　that　night；　for　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　teach　his　bad…tempered　w