beautiful stories from shakespeare-第3节

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〃You　must　attend　this　gentleman；〃　said　the　Queen。　　〃Feed　him　with　apricots　and　dewberries；　purple　grapes；　green　figs；　and　mulberries。　Steal　honey…bags　for　him　from　the　bumble…bees；　and　with　the　wings　of　painted　butterflies　fan　the　moonbeams　from　his　sleeping　eyes。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　one　of　the　fairies；　and　all　the　others　said；　〃I　will。〃

〃Now；　sit　down　with　me；〃　said　the　Queen　to　the　clown；　〃and　let　me　stroke　your　dear　cheeks；　and　stick　musk…roses　in　your　smooth；　sleek　head；　and　kiss　your　fair　large　ears；　my　gentle　joy。〃

〃Where's　Peaseblossom？〃　asked　the　clown　with　the　ass's　head。　　He　did　not　care　much　about　the　Queen's　affection；　but　he　was　very　proud　of　having　fairies　to　wait　on　him。　　〃Ready；〃　said　Peaseblossom。

〃Scratch　my　head；　Peaseblossom；〃　said　the　clown。　　〃Where's　Cobweb？〃　〃Ready；〃　said　Cobweb。

〃Kill　me；〃　said　the　clown；　〃the　red　bumble…bee　on　the　top　of　the　thistle　yonder；　and　bring　me　the　honey…bag。　　Where's　Mustardseed？〃

〃Ready；〃　said　Mustardseed。

〃Oh；　I　want　nothing；〃　said　the　clown。　　〃Only　just　help　Cobweb　to　scratch。　　I　must　go　to　the　barber's；　for　methinks　I　am　marvelous　hairy　about　the　face。〃

〃Would　you　like　anything　to　eat？〃　said　the　fairy　Queen。

〃I　should　like　some　good　dry　oats；〃　said　the　clownfor　his　donkey's　head　made　him　desire　donkey's　food〃and　some　hay　to　follow。〃

〃Shall　some　of　my　fairies　fetch　you　new　nuts　from　the　squirrel's　house？〃　asked　the　Queen。

〃I'd　rather　have　a　handful　or　two　of　good　dried　peas；〃　said　the　clown。　　〃But　please　don't　let　any　of　your　people　disturb　me；　I　am　going　to　sleep。〃

Then　said　the　Queen；　〃And　I　will　wind　thee　in　my　arms。〃

And　so　when　Oberon　came　along　he　found　his　beautiful　Queen　lavishing　kisses　and　endearments　on　a　clown　with　a　donkey's　head。

And　before　he　released　her　from　the　enchantment；　he　persuaded　her　to　give　him　the　little　Indian　boy　he　so　much　desired　to　have。　Then　he　took　pity　on　her；　and　threw　some　juice　of　the　disenchanting　flower　on　her　pretty　eyes；　and　then　in　a　moment　she　saw　plainly　the　donkey…headed　clown　she　had　been　loving；　and　knew　how　foolish　she　had　been。

Oberon　took　off　the　ass's　head　from　the　clown；　and　left　him　to　finish　his　sleep　with　his　own　silly　head　lying　on　the　thyme　and　violets。

Thus　all　was　made　plain　and　straight　again。　　Oberon　and　Titania　loved　each　other　more　than　ever。　　Demetrius　thought　of　no　one　but　Helena；　and　Helena　had　never　had　any　thought　of　anyone　but　Demetrius。

As　for　Hermia　and　Lysander；　they　were　as　loving　a　couple　as　you　could　meet　in　a　day's　march；　even　through　a　fairy　wood。

So　the　four　mortal　lovers　went　back　to　Athens　and　were　married；　and　the　fairy　King　and　Queen　live　happily　together　in　that　very　wood　at　this　very　day。




THE　TEMPEST



Prospero；　the　Duke　of　Milan；　was　a　learned　and　studious　man；　who　lived　among　his　books；　leaving　the　management　of　his　dukedom　to　his　brother　Antonio；　in　whom　indeed　he　had　complete　trust。　　But　that　trust　was　ill…rewarded；　for　Antonio　wanted　to　wear　the　duke's　crown　himself；　and；　to　gain　his　ends；　would　have　killed　his　brother　but　for　the　love　the　people　bore　him。　　However；　with　the　help　of　Prospero's　great　enemy；　Alonso；　King　of　Naples；　he　managed　to　get　into　his　hands　the　dukedom　with　all　its　honor；　power；　and　riches。　For　they　took　Prospero　to　sea；　and　when　they　were　far　away　from　land；　forced　him　into　a　little　boat　with　no　tackle；　mast；　or　sail。　In　their　cruelty　and　hatred　they　put　his　little　daughter；　Miranda　（not　yet　three　years　old）；　into　the　boat　with　him；　and　sailed　away；　leaving　them　to　their　fate。

But　one　among　the　courtiers　with　Antonio　was　true　to　his　rightful　master；　Prospero。　　To　save　the　duke　from　his　enemies　was　impossible；　but　much　could　be　done　to　remind　him　of　a　subject's　love。　　So　this　worthy　lord；　whose　name　was　Gonzalo；　secretly　placed　in　the　boat　some　fresh　water；　provisions；　and　clothes；　and　what　Prospero　valued　most　of　all；　some　of　his　precious　books。

The　boat　was　cast　on　an　island；　and　Prospero　and　his　little　one　landed　in　safety。　　Now　this　island　was　enchanted；　and　for　years　had　lain　under　the　spell　of　a　fell　witch；　Sycorax；　who　had　imprisoned　in　the　trunks　of　trees　all　the　good　spirits　she　found　there。　　She　died　shortly　before　Prospero　was　cast　on　those　shores；　but　the　spirits；　of　whom　Ariel　was　the　chief；　still　remained　in　their　prisons。

Prospero　was　a　great　magician；　for　he　had　devoted　himself　almost　entirely　to　the　study　of　magic　during　the　years　in　which　he　allowed　his　brother　to　manage　the　affairs　of　Milan。　　By　his　art　he　set　free　the　imprisoned　spirits；　yet　kept　them　obedient　to　his　will；　and　they　were　more　truly　his　subjects　than　his　people　in　Milan　had　been。　　For　he　treated　them　kindly　as　long　as　they　did　his　bidding；　and　he　exercised　his　power　over　them　wisely　and　well。　One　creature　alone　he　found　it　necessary　to　treat　with　harshness：　this　was　Caliban；　the　son　of　the　wicked　old　witch；　a　hideous；　deformed　monster；　horrible　to　look　on；　and　vicious　and　brutal　in　all　his　habits。

When　Miranda　was　grown　up　into　a　maiden；　sweet　and　fair　to　see；　it　chanced　that　Antonio　and　Alonso；　with　Sebastian；　his　brother；　and　Ferdinand；　his　son；　were　at　sea　together　with　old　Gonzalo；　and　their　ship　came　near　Prospero's　island。　　Prospero；　knowing　they　were　there；　raised　by　his　art　a　great　storm；　so　that　even　the　sailors　on　board　gave　themselves　up　for　lost；　and　first　among　them　all　Prince　Ferdinand　leaped　into　the　sea；　and；　as　his　father　thought　in　his　grief；　was　drowned。　　But　Ariel　brought　him　safe　ashore；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　crew；　although　they　were　washed　overboard；　were　landed　unhurt　in　different　parts　of　the　island；　and　the　good　ship　herself；　which　they　all　thought　had　been　wrecked；　lay　at　anchor　in　the　harbor　whither　Ariel　had　brought　her。　　Such　wonders　could　Prospero　and　his　spirits　perform。

While　yet　the　tempest　was　raging；　Prospero　showed　his　daughter　the　brave　ship　laboring　in　the　trough　of　the　sea；　and　told　her　that　it　was　filled　with　living　human　beings　like　themselves。　　She；　in　pity　of　their　lives；　prayed　him　who　had　raised　this　storm　to　quell　it。　　Then　her　father　bade　her　to　have　no　fear；　for　he　intended　to　save　every　one　of　them。

Then；　for　the　first　time；　he　told　her　the　story　of　his　life　and　hers；　and　that　he　had　caused　this　storm　to　rise　in　order　that　his　enemies；　Antonio　and　Alonso；　who　were　on　board；　might　be　delivered　into　his　hands。

When　he　had　made　an　end　of　his　story　he　charmed　her　into　sleep；　for　Ariel　was　at　hand；　and　he　had　work　for　him　to　do。　　Ariel；　who　longed　for　his　complete　freedom；　grumbled　to　be　kept　in　drudgery；　but　on　being　threateningly　reminded　of　all　the　sufferings　he　had　undergone　when　Sycorax　ruled　in　the　land；　and　of　the　debt　of　gratitude　he　owed　to　the　master　who　had　made　those　sufferings　to　end；　he　ceased　to　complain；　and　promised　faithfully　to　do　whatever　Prospero　might　command。

〃Do　so；〃　said　Prospero；　〃and　in　two　days　I　will　discharge　thee。〃

Then　he　bade　Ariel　take　the　form　of　a　water　nymph　and　sent　him　in　search　of　the　young　prince。　　And　Ariel；　invisible　to　Ferdinand；　hovered　near　him；　singing　the　while

　　　〃Come　unto　these　yellow　sands　　　　　　　And　then　take　hands：　　　　　Court'sied　when　you　have；　and　kiss'd　　　　　　　（The　wild　waves　whist）；　　　　　Foot　it　featly　here　and　there；　　　　　And；　sweet　sprites；　the　burden　bear！〃

And　Ferdinand　followed　the　magic　singing；　as　the　song　changed　to　a　solemn　air；　and　the　words　brought　grief　to　his　heart；　and　tears　to　his　eyes；　for　thus　they　ran

　　　〃Full　fathom　five　thy　father　lies；　　　　　　　Of　his　bones　are　coral　made。　　　　　Those　are　pearls　that　were　his　eyes；　　　　　　　Nothing　of　him　that　doth　fade；　　　　　But　doth　suffer　a　sea…change　　　　　Into　something　rich　and　strange。　　　　　Sea…nymphs　hourly　ring　his　knell。　　　　　Hark！　now　I　hear　them；　ding　dong　bell！〃

And　so　singing；　Ariel　led　the　spell…bound　prince　into　the　presence　of　Prospero　and　Miranda。　　Then；　behold！　all　happened　as　Prospero　desired。　　For　Miranda；　who　had　never；　since　she　could　first　remember；　seen　any　human　being　save　her　father；　looked　on　the　youthful　prince　with　reverence　in　her　eyes；　and　love　in　her　secret　heart。

〃I　might　call　him；〃　she　said；　〃a　thing　divine；　for　nothing　natural　I　ever　saw　so　noble！〃

And　Ferdinand；　beholding　her　beauty　with　wonder　and　delight；　exclaimed

〃Most　sure　the　goddess　on　whom　these　airs　attend！〃

Nor　did　he　attempt　to　hide　the　passion　which　she　inspired　in　him；　for　scarcely　had　they　exchanged　half　a　dozen　sentences；　before　he　vowed　to　make　her　his　queen　if　she　were　willing。　　But　Prospero；　though　secretly　delighted；　pretended　wrath。

〃You　come　here　as　a　spy；〃　he　said　to　Ferdinand。　　〃I　will　manacle　your　neck　and　feet　together；　and　you　shall　feed　on　fresh　water　mussels；　withered　roots　and　husk；　and　have　sea…water　to　drink。　Follow。〃

〃No；〃　said　Ferdinand；　and　drew　his　sword。　　But　on　the　instant　Prospero　charmed　him　so　that　he　stood　there　like　a　statue；　still　as　stone；　and　Miranda　in　terror　prayed　her　father　to　have　mercy　on　her　lover。　　But　he　harshly　refused　her；　and　made　Ferdinand　follow　him　to　his　cell。　　There　he　set　the　Prince　to　work；　making　him　remove　thousands　of　heavy　logs　of　timber　and　pile　them　up；　and　Ferdinand　patiently　obeyed；　and　thought　his　toil　all　too　well　repaid　by　the　sympathy　of　the　sweet　Miranda。

She　in　very