beautiful stories from shakespeare-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o。

The　talkers　then　left　the　orchard；　and　Beatrice；　excited　and　tender；　stepped　out　of　the　summer…house；　saying　to　herself；　〃Poor　dear　Benedick；　be　true　to　me；　and　your　love　shall　tame　this　wild　heart　of　mine。〃

We　now　return　to　the　plan　of　hate。

The　night　before　the　day　fixed　for　Claudio's　wedding；　Don　John　entered　a　room　in　which　Don　Pedro　and　Claudio　were　conversing；　and　asked　Claudio　if　he　intended　to　be　married　to…morrow。

〃You　know　he　does！〃　said　Don　Pedro。

〃He　may　know　differently；〃　said　Don　John；　〃when　he　has　seen　what　I　will　show　him　if　he　will　follow　me。〃

They　followed　him　into　the　garden；　and　they　saw　a　lady　leaning　out　of　Hero's　window　talking　love　to　Borachio。

Claudio　thought　the　lady　was　Hero；　and　said；　〃I　will　shame　her　for　it　to…morrow！〃　Don　Pedro　thought　she　was　Hero；　too；　but　she　was　not　Hero；　she　was　Margaret。

Don　John　chuckled　noiselessly　when　Claudio　and　Don　Pedro　quitted　the　garden；　he　gave　Borachio　a　purse　containing　a　thousand　ducats。

The　money　made　Borachio　feel　very　gay；　and　when　he　was　walking　in　the　street　with　his　friend　Conrade；　he　boasted　of　his　wealth　and　the　giver；　and　told　what　he　had　done。

A　watchman　overheard　them；　and　thought　that　a　man　who　had　been　paid　a　thousand　ducats　for　villainy　was　worth　taking　in　charge。　　He　therefore　arrested　Borachio　and　Conrade；　who　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　in　prison。

Before　noon　of　the　next　day　half　the　aristocrats　in　Messina　were　at　church。　　Hero　thought　it　was　her　wedding　day；　and　she　was　there　in　her　wedding　dress；　no　cloud　on　her　pretty　face　or　in　her　frank　and　shining　eyes。

The　priest　was　Friar　Francis。

Turning　to　Claudio；　he　said；　〃You　come　hither；　my　lord；　to　marry　this　lady？〃　　〃No！〃　contradicted　Claudio。

Leonato　thought　he　was　quibbling　over　grammar。　　〃You　should　have　said；　Friar；〃　said　he；　〃'You　come　to　be　married　to　her。'〃

Friar　Francis　turned　to　Hero。　　〃Lady；〃　he　said；　〃you　come　hither　to　be　married　to　this　Count？〃　　〃I　do；〃　replied　Hero。

〃If　either　of　you　know　any　impediment　to　this　marriage；　I　charge　you　to　utter　it；〃　said　the　Friar。

〃Do　you　know　of　any；　Hero？〃　asked　Claudio。　　〃None；〃　said　she。

〃Know　you　of　any；　Count？〃　demanded　the　Friar。　　〃I　dare　reply　for　him；　'None；'〃　said　Leonato。

Claudio　exclaimed　bitterly；　〃O！　what　will　not　men　dare　say！　Father；〃　he　continued；　〃will　you　give　me　your　daughter？〃　　〃As　freely；〃　replied　Leonato；　〃as　God　gave　her　to　me。〃

〃And　what　can　I　give　you；〃　asked　Claudio；　〃which　is　worthy　of　this　gift？〃　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Don　Pedro；　〃unless　you　give　the　gift　back　to　the　giver。〃

〃Sweet　Prince；　you　teach　me；〃　said　Claudio。　　〃There；　Leonato；　take　her　back。〃

These　brutal　words　were　followed　by　others　which　flew　from　Claudio；　Don　Pedro　and　Don　John。

The　church　seemed　no　longer　sacred。　　Hero　took　her　own　part　as　long　as　she　could；　then　she　swooned。　　All　her　persecutors　left　the　church；　except　her　father；　who　was　befooled　by　the　accusations　against　her；　and　cried；　〃Hence　from　her！　　Let　her　die！〃

But　Friar　Francis　saw　Hero　blameless　with　his　clear　eyes　that　probed　the　soul。　　〃She　is　innocent；〃　he　said；　〃a　thousand　signs　have　told　me　so。〃

Hero　revived　under　his　kind　gaze。　　Her　father；　flurried　and　angry；　knew　not　what　to　think；　and　the　Friar　said；　〃They　have　left　her　as　one　dead　with　shame。　　Let　us　pretend　that　she　is　dead　until　the　truth　is　declared；　and　slander　turns　to　remorse。〃

〃The　Friar　advises　well；〃　said　Benedick。　　Then　Hero　was　led　away　into　a　retreat；　and　Beatrice　and　Benedick　remained　alone　in　the　church。

Benedick　knew　she　had　been　weeping　bitterly　and　long。　　〃Surely　I　do　believe　your　fair　cousin　is　wronged；〃　he　said。　　She　still　wept。

〃Is　it　not　strange；〃　asked　Benedick；　gently；　〃that　I　love　nothing　in　the　world　as　well　as　you？〃

〃It　were　as　possible　for　me　to　say　I　loved　nothing　as　well　as　you；〃　said　Beatrice；　〃but　I　do　not　say　it。　　I　am　sorry　for　my　cousin。〃

〃Tell　me　what　to　do　for　her；〃　said　Benedick。　　〃Kill　Claudio。〃

〃Ha！　not　for　the　wide　world；〃　said　Benedick。　　〃Your　refusal　kills　me；〃　said　Beatrice。　　〃Farewell。〃

〃Enough！　　I　will　challenge　him；〃　cried　Benedick。

During　this　scene　Borachio　and　Conrade　were　in　prison。　　There　they　were　examined　by　a　constable　called　Dogberry。

The　watchman　gave　evidence　to　the　effect　that　Borachio　had　said　that　he　had　received　a　thousand　ducats　for　conspiring　against　Hero。

Leonato　was　not　present　at　this　examination；　but　he　was　nevertheless　now　thoroughly　convinced　Of　Hero's　innocence。　　He　played　the　part　of　bereaved　father　very　well；　and　when　Don　Pedro　and　Claudio　called　on　him　in　a　friendly　way；　he　said　to　the　Italian；　〃You　have　slandered　my　child　to　death；　and　I　challenge　you　to　combat。〃

〃I　cannot　fight　an　old　man；〃　said　Claudio。

〃You　could　kill　a　girl；〃　sneered　Leonato；　and　Claudio　crimsoned。

Hot　words　grew　from　hot　words；　and　both　Don　Pedro　and　Claudio　were　feeling　scorched　when　Leonato　left　the　room　and　Benedick　entered。

〃The　old　man；〃　said　Claudio；　〃was　like　to　have　snapped　my　nose　off。〃

〃You　are　a　villain！〃　said　Benedick；　shortly。　　〃Fight　me　when　and　with　what　weapon　you　please；　or　I　call　you　a　coward。〃

Claudio　was　astounded；　but　said；　〃I'll　meet　you。　　Nobody　shall　say　I　can't　carve　a　calf's　head。〃

Benedick　smiled；　and　as　it　was　time　for　Don　Pedro　to　receive　officials；　the　Prince　sat　down　in　a　chair　of　state　and　prepared　his　mind　for　justice。

The　door　soon　opened　to　admit　Dogberry　and　his　prisoners。

〃What　offence；〃　said　Don　Pedro；　〃are　these　men　charged　with？〃

Borachio　thought　the　moment　a　happy　one　for　making　a　clean　breast　of　it。　　He　laid　the　whole　blame　on　Don　John；　who　had　disappeared。　〃The　lady　Hero　being　dead；〃　he　said；　〃I　desire　nothing　but　the　reward　of　a　murderer。〃

Claudio　heard　with　anguish　and　deep　repentance。

Upon　the　re…entrance　of　Leonato　be　said　to　him；　〃This　slave　makes　clear　your　daughter's　innocence。　　Choose　your　revenge。

〃Leonato；〃　said　Don　Pedro；　humbly；　〃I　am　ready　for　any　penance　you　may　impose。〃

〃I　ask　you　both；　then；〃　said　Leonato；　〃to　proclaim　my　daughter's　innocence；　and　to　honor　her　tomb　by　singing　her　praise　before　it。　As　for　you；　Claudio；　I　have　this　to　say：　my　brother　has　a　daughter　so　like　Hero　that　she　might　be　a　copy　of　her。　　Marry　her；　and　my　vengeful　feelings　die。〃

〃Noble　sir；〃　said　Claudio；　〃I　am　yours。〃　　Claudio　then　went　to　his　room　and　composed　a　solemn　song。　　Going　to　the　church　with　Don　Pedro　and　his　attendants；　he　sang　it　before　the　monument　of　Leonato's　family。　　When　he　had　ended　he　said；　〃Good　night；　Hero。　Yearly　will　I　do　this。〃

He　then　gravely；　as　became　a　gentleman　whose　heart　was　Hero's；　made　ready　to　marry　a　girl　whom　he　did　not　love。　　He　was　told　to　meet　her　in　Leonato's　house；　and　was　faithful　to　his　appointment。

He　was　shown　into　a　room　where　Antonio　（Leonato's　brother）　and　several　masked　ladies　entered　after　him。　　Friar　Francis；　Leonato；　and　Benedick　were　present。

Antonio　led　one　of　the　ladies　towards　Claudio。

〃Sweet；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃let　me　see　your　face。〃

〃Swear　first　to　marry　her；〃　said　Leonato。

〃Give　me　your　hand；〃　said　Claudio　to　the　lady；　〃before　this　holy　friar　I　swear　to　marry　you　if　you　will　be　my　wife。〃

〃Alive　I　was　your　wife；〃　said　the　lady；　as　she　drew　off　her　mask。

〃Another　Hero！〃　exclaimed　Claudio。

〃Hero　died；〃　explained　Leonato；　〃only　while　slander　lived。〃

The　Friar　was　then　going　to　marry　the　reconciled　pair；　but　Benedick　interrupted　him　with；　〃Softly；　Friar；　which　of　these　ladies　is　Beatrice？〃

Hereat　Beatrice　unmasked；　and　Benedick　said；　〃You　love　me；　don't　you？〃

〃Only　moderately；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃Do　you　love　me？〃

〃Moderately；〃　answered　Benedick。

〃I　was　told　you　were　well…nigh　dead　for　me；〃　remarked　Beatrice。

〃Of　you　I　was　told　the　same；〃　said　Benedick。

〃Here's　your　own　hand　in　evidence　of　your　love；〃　said　Claudio；　producing　a　feeble　sonnet　which　Benedick　had　written　to　his　sweetheart。　　〃And　here；〃　said　Hero；　〃is　a　tribute　to　Benedick；　which　I　picked　out　of　the　'　pocket　of　Beatrice。〃

〃A　miracle！〃　exclaimed　Benedick。　　〃Our　hands　are　against　our　hearts！　Come；　I　will　marry　you；　Beatrice。〃

〃You　shall　be　my　husband　to　save　your　life；〃　was　the　rejoinder。

Benedick　kissed　her　on　the　mouth；　and　the　Friar　married　them　after　he　had　married　Claudio　and　Hero。

〃How　is　Benedick　the　married　man？〃　asked　Don　Pedro。

〃Too　happy　to　be　made　unhappy；〃　replied　Benedick。　　〃Crack　what　jokes　you　will。　　As　for　you；　Claudio；　I　had　hoped　to　run　you　through　the　body；　but　as　you　are　now　my　kinsman；　live　whole　and　love　my　cousin。〃

〃My　cudgel　was　in　love　with　you；　Benedick；　until　to…day；〃　said　Claudio；　but；　〃Come；　come；　let's　dance；〃　said　Benedick。

And　dance　they　did。　　Not　even　the　news　of　the　capture　of　Don　John　was　able　to　stop　the　flying　feet　of　the　happy　lovers；　for　revenge　is　not　sweet　against　an　evil　man　who　has　failed　to　do　harm。




ROMEO　AND　JULIET



Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　in　Verona　two　great　families　named　Montagu　and　Capulet。　　They　were　both　rich；　and　I　suppose　they　were　as　sensible；　in　most　things；　as　other　rich　people。　　But　in　one　thing　they　were　extremely　silly。　　There　was　an　old；　old　quarrel　between　the　two　families；　and　instead　of　making　it　up　like　reasonable　folks；　they　made　a　sort　of　pet　of　their　quarrel；　a