beautiful stories from shakespeare-第8节

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　ago。〃

〃One　face；　one　voice；　one　habit；　and　two　persons！〃　cried　the　Duke；　looking　first　at　Viola；　and　then　at　Sebastian。

〃An　apple　cleft　in　two；〃　said　one　who　knew　Sebastian；　〃is　not　more　twin　than　these　two　creatures。　　Which　is　Sebastian？〃

〃I　never　had　a　brother；〃　said　Sebastian。　　〃I　had　a　sister；　whom　the　blind　waves　and　surges　have　devoured。〃　　〃Were　you　a　woman；〃　he　said　to　Viola；　〃I　should　let　my　tears　fall　upon　your　cheek；　and　say；　'Thrice　welcome；　drowned　Viola！'〃

Then　Viola；　rejoicing　to　see　her　dear　brother　alive；　confessed　that　she　was　indeed　his　sister；　Viola。　　As　she　spoke；　Orsino　felt　the　pity　that　is　akin　to　love。

〃Boy；〃　he　said；　〃thou　hast　said　to　me　a　thousand　times　thou　never　shouldst　love　woman　like　to　me。〃

〃And　all　those　sayings　will　I　overswear；〃　Viola　replied；　〃and　all　those　swearings　keep　true。〃

〃Give　me　thy　hand；〃　Orsino　cried　in　gladness。　　〃Thou　shalt　be　my　wife；　and　my　fancy's　queen。〃

Thus　was　the　gentle　Viola　made　happy；　while　Olivia　found　in　Sebastian　a　constant　lover；　and　a　good　husband；　and　he　in　her　a　true　and　loving　wife。




MUCH　ADO　ABOUT　NOTHING



In　Sicily　is　a　town　called　Messina；　which　is　the　scene　of　a　curious　storm　in　a　teacup　that　raged　several　hundred　years　ago。

It　began　with　sunshine。　　Don　Pedro；　Prince　of　Arragon；　in　Spain；　had　gained　so　complete　a　victory　over　his　foes　that　the　very　land　whence　they　came　is　forgotten。　　Feeling　happy　and　playful　after　the　fatigues　of　war；　Don　Pedro　came　for　a　holiday　to　Messina；　and　in　his　suite　were　his　stepbrother　Don　John　and　two　young　Italian　lords；　Benedick　and　Claudio。

Benedick　was　a　merry　chatterbox；　who　had　determined　to　live　a　bachelor。　　Claudio；　on　the　other　hand；　no　sooner　arrived　at　Messina　than　he　fell　in　love　with　Hero；　the　daughter　of　Leonato；　Governor　of　Messina。

One　July　day；　a　perfumer　called　Borachio　was　burning　dried　lavender　in　a　musty　room　in　Leonato's　house；　when　the　sound　of　conversation　floated　through　the　open　window。

〃Give　me　your　candid　opinion　of　Hero；〃　Claudio；　asked；　and　Borachio　settled　himself　for　comfortable　listening。

〃Too　short　and　brown　for　praise；〃　was　Benedick's　reply；　〃but　alter　her　color　or　height；　and　you　spoil　her。〃

〃In　my　eyes　she　is　the　sweetest　of　women；〃　said　Claudio。

〃Not　in　mine；〃　retorted　Benedick；　〃and　I　have　no　need　for　glasses。　She　is　like　the　last　day　of　December　compared　with　the　first　of　May　if　you　set　her　beside　her　cousin。　　Unfortunately；　the　Lady　Beatrice　is　a　fury。〃

Beatrice　was　Leonato's　niece。　　She　amused　herself　by　saying　witty　and　severe　things　about　Benedick；　who　called　her　Dear　Lady　Disdain。　She　was　wont　to　say　that　she　was　born　under　a　dancing　star；　and　could　not　therefore　be　dull。

Claudio　and　Benedick　were　still　talking　when　Don　Pedro　came　up　and　said　good…humoredly；　〃Well；　gentlemen；　what's　the　secret？〃

〃I　am　longing；〃　answered　Benedick；　〃for　your　Grace　to　command　me　to　tell。〃

〃I　charge　you；　then；　on　your　allegiance　to　tell　me；〃　said　Don　Pedro；　falling　in　with　his　humor。

〃I　can　be　as　dumb　as　a　mute；〃　apologized　Benedick　to　Claudio；　〃but　his　Grace　commands　my　speech。〃　　To　Don　Pedro　he　said；　〃Claudio　is　in　love　with　Hero；　Leonato's　short　daughter。〃

Don　Pedro　was　pleased；　for　he　admired　Hero　and　was　fond　of　Claudio。　When　Benedick　had　departed；　he　said　to　Claudio；　〃Be　steadfast　in　your　love　for　Hero；　and　I　will　help　you　to　win　her。　　To…night　her　father　gives　a　masquerade；　and　I　will　pretend　I　am　Claudio；　and　tell　her　how　Claudio　loves　her；　and　if　she　be　pleased；　I　will　go　to　her　father　and　ask　his　consent　to　your　union。〃

Most　men　like　to　do　their　own　wooing；　but　if　you　fall　in　love　with　a　Governor's　only　daughter；　you　are　fortunate　if　you　can　trust　a　prince　to　plead　for　you。

Claudio　then　was　fortunate；　but　he　was　unfortunate　as　well；　for　he　had　an　enemy　who　was　outwardly　a　friend。　　This　enemy　was　Don　Pedro's　stepbrother　Don　John；　who　was　jealous　of　Claudio　because　Don　Pedro　preferred　him　to　Don　John。

It　was　to　Don　John　that　Borachio　came　with　the　interesting　conversation　which　he　had　overheard。

〃I　shall　have　some　fun　at　that　masquerade　myself；〃　said　Don　John　when　Borachio　ceased　speaking。

On　the　night　of　the　masquerade；　Don　Pedro；　masked　and　pretending　he　was　Claudio；　asked　Hero　if　he　might　walk　with　her。

They　moved　away　together；　and　Don　John　went　up　to　Claudio　and　said；　〃Signor　Benedick；　I　believe？〃　　〃The　same；〃　fibbed　Claudio。

〃I　should　be　much　obliged　then；〃　said　Don　John；　〃if　you　would　use　your　influence　with　my　brother　to　cure　him　of　his　love　for　Hero。　She　is　beneath　him　in　rank。〃

〃How　do　you　know　he　loves　her？〃　inquired　Claudio。

〃I　heard　him　swear　his　affection；〃　was　the　reply；　and　Borachio　chimed　in　with；　〃So　did　I　too。〃

Claudio　was　then　left　to　himself；　and　his　thought　was　that　his　Prince　had　betrayed　him。　　〃Farewell；　Hero；〃　he　muttered；　〃I　was　a　fool　to　trust　to　an　agent。〃

Meanwhile　Beatrice　and　Benedick　（who　was　masked）　were　having　a　brisk　exchange　of　opinions。

〃Did　Benedick　ever　make　you　laugh？〃　asked　she。

〃Who　is　Benedick？〃　he　inquired。

〃A　Prince's　jester；〃　replied　Beatrice；　and　she　spoke　so　sharply　that　〃I　would　not　marry　her；〃　he　declared　afterwards；　〃if　her　estate　were　the　Garden　of　Eden。〃

But　the　principal　speaker　at　the　masquerade　was　neither　Beatrice　nor　Benedick。　　It　was　Don　Pedro；　who　carried　out　his　plan　to　the　letter；　and　brought　the　light　back　to　Claudio's　face　in　a　twinkling；　by　appearing　before　him　with　Leonato　and　Hero；　and　saying；　〃Claudio；　when　would　you　like　to　go　to　church？〃

〃To…morrow；〃　was　the　prompt　answer。　　〃Time　goes　on　crutches　till　I　marry　Hero。〃

〃Give　her　a　week；　my　dear　son；〃　said　Leonato；　and　Claudio's　heart　thumped　with　joy。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　amiable　Don　Pedro；　〃we　must　find　a　wife　for　Signor　Benedick。　　It　is　a　task　for　Hercules。〃

〃I　will　help　you；〃　said　Leonato；　〃if　I　have　to　sit　up　ten　nights。〃

Then　Hero　spoke。　　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；　my　lord；　to　find　a　good　husband　for　Beatrice。〃

Thus；　with　happy　laughter；　ended　the　masquerade　which　had　given　Claudio　a　lesson　for　nothing。

Borachio　cheered　up　Don　John　by　laying　a　plan　before　him　with　which　he　was　confident　he　could　persuade　both　Claudio　and　Don　Pedro　that　Hero　was　a　fickle　girl　who　had　two　strings　to　her　bow。　　Don　John　agreed　to　this　plan　of　hate。

Don　Pedro；　on　the　other　hand；　had　devised　a　cunning　plan　of　love。　〃If；〃　he　said　to　Leonato；　〃we　pretend；　when　Beatrice　is　near　enough　to　overhear　us；　that　Benedick　is　pining　for　her　love；　she　will　pity　him；　see　his　good　qualities；　and　love　him。　　And　if；　when　Benedick　thinks　we　don't　know　he　is　listening；　we　say　how　sad　it　is　that　the　beautiful　Beatrice　should　be　in　love　with　a　heartless　scoffer　like　Benedick；　he　will　certainly　be　on　his　knees　before　her　in　a　week　or　less。〃

So　one　day；　when　Benedick　was　reading　in　a　summer…house；　Claudio　sat　down　outside　it　with　Leonato；　and　said；　〃Your　daughter　told　me　something　about　a　letter　she　wrote。〃

〃Letter！〃　exclaimed　Leonato。　　〃She　will　get　up　twenty　times　in　the　night　and　write　goodness　knows　what。　　But　once　Hero　peeped；　and　saw　the　words　'Benedick　and　Beatrice'　on　the　sheet；　and　then　Beatrice　tore　it　up。〃

〃Hero　told　me；〃　said　Claudio；　〃that　she　cried；　'O　sweet　Benedick！'〃

Benedick　was　touched　to　the　core　by　this　improbable　story；　which　he　was　vain　enough　to　believe。　　〃She　is　fair　and　good；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　must　not　seem　proud。　　I　feel　that　I　love　her。　People　will　laugh；　of　course；　but　their　paper　bullets　will　do　me　no　harm。〃

At　this　moment　Beatrice　came　to　the　summerhouse；　and　said；　〃Against　my　will；　I　have　come　to　tell　you　that　dinner　is　ready。〃

〃Fair　Beatrice；　I　thank　you；〃　said　Benedick。

〃I　took　no　more　pains　to　come　than　you　take　pains　to　thank　me；〃　was　the　rejoinder；　intended　to　freeze　him。

But　it　did　not　freeze　him。　　It　warmed　him。　　The　meaning　he　squeezed　out　of　her　rude　speech　was　that　she　was　delighted　to　come　to　him。

Hero；　who　had　undertaken　the　task　of　melting　the　heart　of　Beatrice；　took　no　trouble　to　seek　an　occasion。　　She　simply　said　to　her　maid　Margaret　one　day；　〃Run　into　the　parlor　and　whisper　to　Beatrice　that　Ursula　and　I　are　talking　about　her　in　the　orchard。〃

Having　said　this；　she　felt　as　sure　that　Beatrice　would　overhear　what　was　meant　for　her　ears　as　if　she　had　made　an　appointment　with　her　cousin。

In　the　orchard　was　a　bower；　screened　from　the　sun　by　honeysuckles；　and　Beatrice　entered　it　a　few　minutes　after　Margaret　had　gone　on　her　errand。

〃But　are　you　sure；〃　asked　Ursula；　who　was　one　of　Hero's　attendants；　〃that　Benedick　loves　Beatrice　so　devotedly？〃

〃So　say　the　Prince　and　my　betrothed；〃　replied　Hero；　〃and　they　wished　me　to　tell　her；　but　I　said；　'No！　　Let　Benedick　get　over　it。'〃

〃Why　did　you　say　that？〃

〃Because　Beatrice　is　unbearably　proud。　　Her　eyes　sparkle　with　disdain　and　scorn。　　She　is　too　conceited　to　love。　　I　should　not　like　to　see　her　making　game　of　poor　Benedick's　love。　　I　would　rather　see　Benedick　waste　away　like　a　covered　fire。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　Ursula。　　〃I　think　your　cousin　is　too　clear…sighted　not　to　see　the　merits　of　Benedick。〃　　〃He　is　the　one　man　in　Italy；　except　Claudio；〃　said　Hero。

The　talkers　then　left　the　orchard；　and　Beatrice；　excited　and　tender；　stepped　out　of　the　summer