beautiful stories from shakespeare-第20部分

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ve　impressed　them　on　wax。〃

Alcibiades　read　from　the　sheet　of　wax　this　couplet

　　　〃Here　lie　I；　Timon；　who；　alive；　　　　　　　　　all　living　men　did　hate。　　　　　Pass　by　and　say　your　worst；　but　pass；　　　　　　　　　and　stay　not　here　your　gait。〃

〃Dead；　then；　is　noble　Timon；〃　said　Alcibiades；　and　be　entered　Athens　with　an　olive　branch　instead　of　a　sword。

So　it　was　one　of　Timon's　friends　who　was　generous　in　a　greater　matter　than　Timon's　need；　yet　are　the　sorrow　and　rage　of　Timon　remembered　as　a　warning　lest　another　ingratitude　should　arise　to　turn　love　into　hate。




OTHELLO



Four　hundred　years　ago　there　lived　in　Venice　an　ensign　named　Iago；　who　hated　his　general；　Othello；　for　not　making　him　a　lieutenant。　Instead　of　Iago；　who　was　strongly　recommended；　Othello　had　chosen　Michael　Cassio；　whose　smooth　tongue　had　helped　him　to　win　the　heart　of　Desdemona。　　lago　had　a　friend　called　Roderigo；　who　supplied　him　with　money　and　felt　he　could　not　be　happy　unless　Desdemona　was　his　wife。

Othello　was　a　Moor；　but　of　so　dark　a　complexion　that　his　enemies　called　him　a　Blackamoor。　　His　life　had　been　hard　and　exciting。　He　had　been　vanquished　in　battle　and　sold　into　slavery；　and　he　had　been　a　great　traveler　and　seen　men　whose　shoulders　were　higher　than　their　heads。　　Brave　as　a　lion；　he　had　one　great　faultjealousy。　His　love　was　a　terrible　selfishness。　　To　love　a　woman　meant　with　him　to　possess　her　as　absolutely　as　he　possessed　something　that　did　not　live　and　think。　　The　story　of　Othello　is　a　story　of　jealousy。

One　night　Iago　told　Roderigo　that　Othello　had　carried　off　Desdemona　without　the　knowledge　of　her　father；　Brabantio。　　He　persuaded　Roderigo　to　arouse　Brabantio；　and　when　that　senator　appeared　Iago　told　him　of　Desdemona's　elopement　in　the　most　unpleasant　way。　Though　he　was　Othello's　officer；　he　termed　him　a　thief　and　a　Barbary　horse。

Brabantio　accused　Othello　before　the　Duke　of　Venice　of　using　sorcery　to　fascinate　his　daughter；　but　Othello　said　that　the　only　sorcery　he　used　was　his　voice；　which　told　Desdemona　his　adventures　and　hair…breadth　escapes。　　Desdemona　was　led　into　the　council…chamber；　and　she　explained　how　she　could　love　Othello　despite　his　almost　black　face　by　saying；　〃I　saw　Othello's　visage　in　his　mind。〃

As　Othello　had　married　Desdemona；　and　she　was　glad　to　be　his　wife；　there　was　no　more　to　be　said　against　him；　especially　as　the　Duke　wished　him　to　go　to　Cyprus　to　defend　it　against　the　Turks。　　Othello　was　quite　ready　to　go；　and　Desdemona；　who　pleaded　to　go　with　him；　was　pernutted　to　join　him　at　Cyprus。

Othello's　feelings　on　landing　in　this　island　were　intensely　joyful。　〃Oh；　my　sweet；〃　he　said　to　Desdemona；　who　arrived　with　Iago；　his　wife；　and　Roderigo　before　him；　〃I　hardly　know　what　I　say　to　you。　I　am　in　love　with　my　own　happiness。〃

News　coming　presently　that　the　Turkish　fleet　was　out　of　action；　he　proclaimed　a　festival　in　Cyprus　from　five　to　eleven　at　night。

Cassio　was　on　duty　in　the　Castle　where　Othello　ruled　Cyprus；　so　Iago　decided　to　make　the　lieutenant　drink　too　much。　　He　had　some　difficulty；　as　Cassio　knew　that　wine　soon　went　to　his　head；　but　servants　brought　wine　into　the　room　where　Cassio　was；　and　Iago　sang　a　drinking　song；　and　so　Cassio　lifted　a　glass　too　often　to　the　health　of　the　general。

When　Cassio　was　inclined　to　be　quarrelsome；　Iago　told　Roderigo　to　say　something　unpleasant　to　him。　　Cassio　cudgeled　Roderigo；　who　ran　into　the　presence　of　Montano；　the　ex…governor。　　Montano　civilly　interceded　for　Roderigo；　but　received　so　rude　an　answer　from　Cassio　that　he　said；　〃Come；　come；　you're　drunk！〃　　Cassio　then　wounded　him；　and　Iago　sent　Roderigo　out　to　scare　the　town　with　a　cry　of　mutiny。

The　uproar　aroused　Othello；　who；　on　learning　its　cause；　said；　〃Cassio；　I　love　thee；　but　never　more　be　officer　of　mine。〃

On　Cassio　and　Iago　being　alone　together；　the　disgraced　man　moaned　about　his　reputation。　　Iago　said　reputation　and　humbug　were　the　same　thing。　　〃O　God；〃　exclaimed　Cassio；　without　heeding　him；　〃that　men　should　put　an　enemy　in　their　mouths　to　steal　away　their　brains！〃

Iago　advised　him　to　beg　Desdemona　to　ask　Othello　to　pardon　him。　Cassio　was　pleased　with　the　advice；　and　next　morning　made　his　request　to　Desdemona　in　the　garden　of　the　castle。　　She　was　kindness　itself；　and　said；　〃Be　merry；　Cassio；　for　I　would　rather　die　than　forsake　your　cause。〃

Cassio　at　that　moment　saw　Othello　advancing　with　Iago；　and　retired　hurriedly。

Iago　said；　〃I　don't　like　that。〃

〃What　did　you　say？〃　asked　Othello；　who　felt　that　he　had　meant　something　unpleasant；　but　Iago　pretended　he　had　said　nothing。　〃Was　not　that　Cassio　who　went　from　my　wife？〃　asked　Othello；　and　Iago；　who　knew　that　it　was　Cassio　and　why　it　was　Cassio；　said；　〃I　cannot　think　it　was　Cassio　who　stole　away　in　that　guilty　manner。〃

Desdemona　told　Othello　that　it　was　grief　and　humility　which　made　Cassio　retreat　at　his　approach。　　She　reminded　him　how　Cassio　had　taken　his　part　when　she　was　still　heart…free；　and　found　fault　with　her　Moorish　lover。　　Othello　was　melted；　and　said；　〃I　will　deny　thee　nothing；〃　but　Desdemona　told　him　that　what　she　asked　was　as　much　for　his　good　as　dining。

Desdemona　left　the　garden；　and　Iago　asked　if　it　was　really　true　that　Cassio　had　known　Desdemona　before　her　marriage。

〃Yes；〃　said　Othello。

〃Indeed；〃　said　Iago；　as　though　something　that　had　mystified　him　was　now　very　clear。

〃Is　he　not　honest？〃　demanded　Othello；　and　Iago　repeated　the　adjective　inquiringly；　as　though　he　were　afraid　to　say　〃No。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　insisted　Othello。

To　this　Iago　would　only　say　the　flat　opposite　of　what　he　said　to　Cassio。　　He　had　told　Cassio　that　reputation　was　humbug。　　To　Othello　he　said；　〃Who　steals　my　purse　steals　trash；　but　he　who　filches　from　me　my　good　name　ruins　me。〃

At　this　Othello　almost　leapt　into　the　air；　and　Iago　was　so　confident　of　his　jealousy　that　he　ventured　to　warn　him　against　it。　　Yes；　it　was　no　other　than　Iago　who　called　jealousy　〃the　green…eyed　monster　which　doth　mock　the　meat　it　feeds　on。〃

Iago　having　given　jealousy　one　blow；　proceeded　to　feed　it　with　the　remark　that　Desdemona　deceived　her　father　when　she　eloped　with　Othello。　　〃If　she　deceived　him；　why　not　you？〃　was　his　meaning。

Presently　Desdemona　re…entered　to　tell　Othello　that　dinner　was　ready。　　She　saw　that　he　was　ill　at　ease。　　He　explained　it　by　a　pain　in　his　forehead。　　Desdemona　then　produced　a　handkerchief；　which　Othello　had　given　her。　　A　prophetess；　two　hundred　years　old；　had　made　this　handkerchief　from　the　silk　of　sacred　silkworms；　dyed　it　in　a　liquid　prepared　from　the　hearts　of　maidens；　and　embroidered　it　with　strawberries。　　Gentle　Desdemona　thought　of　it　simply　as　a　cool；　soft　thing　for　a　throbbing　brow；　she　knew　of　no　spell　upon　it　that　would　work　destruction　for　her　who　lost　it。　　〃Let　me　tie　it　round　your　head；〃　she　said　to　Othello；　〃you　will　be　well　in　an　hour。〃　　But　Othello　pettishly　said　it　was　too　small；　and　let　it　fall。　　Desdemona　and　he　then　went　indoors　to　dinner；　and　Emilia　picked　up　the　handkerchief　which　Iago　had　often　asked　her　to　steal。

She　was　looking　at　it　when　Iago　came　in。　　After　a　few　words　about　it　he　snatched　it　from　her；　and　bade　her　leave　him。

In　the　garden　he　was　joined　by　Othello；　who　seemed　hungry　for　the　worst　lies　he　could　offer。　　He　therefore　told　Othello　that　he　had　seen　Cassio　wipe　his　mouth　with　a　handkerchief；　which；　because　it　was　spotted　with　strawberries；　he　guessed　to　be　one　that　Othello　had　given　his　wife。

The　unhappy　Moor　went　mad　with　fury；　and　Iago　bade　the　heavens　witness　that　he　devoted　his　hand　and　heart　and　brain　to　Othello's　service。　　〃I　accept　your　love；〃　said　Othello。　　〃Within　three　days　let　me　hear　that　Cassio　is　dead。〃

Iago's　next　step　was　to　leave　Desdemona's　handkerchief　in　Cassio's　room。　　Cassio　saw　it；　and　knew　it　was　not　his；　but　he　liked　the　strawberry　pattern　on　it；　and　he　gave　it　to　his　sweetheart　Bianca　and　asked　her　to　copy　it　for　him。

Iago's　next　move　was　to　induce　Othello；　who　had　been　bullying　Desdemona　about　the　handkerchief；　to　play　the　eavesdropper　to　a　conversation　between　Cassio　and　himself。　　His　intention　was　to　talk　about　Cassio's　sweetheart；　and　allow　Othello　to　suppose　that　the　lady　spoken　of　was　Desdemona。

〃How　are　you；　lieutenant？〃　asked　Iago　when　Cassio　appeared。

〃The　worse　for　being　called　what　I　am　not；〃　replied　Cassio；　gloomily。

〃Keep　on　reminding　Desdemona；　and　you'll　soon　be　restored；〃　said　Iago；　adding；　in　a　tone　too　low　for　Othello　to　hear；　〃If　Bianca　could　set　the　matter　right；　how　quickly　it　would　mend！〃

〃Alas！　poor　rogue；〃　said　Cassio；　〃I　really　think　she　loves　me；〃　and　like　the　talkative　coxcomb　he　was；　Cassio　was　led　on　to　boast　of　Bianca's　fondness　for　him；　while　Othello　imagined；　with　choked　rage；　that　he　prattled　of　Desdemona；　and　thought；　〃I　see　your　nose；　Cassio；　but　not　the　dog　I　shall　throw　it　to。〃

Othello　was　still　spying　when　Bianca　entered；　boiling　over　with　the　idea　that　Cassio；　whom　she　considered　her　property；　had　asked　her　to　copy　the　embroidery　on　the　handkerchief　of　a　new　sweetheart。　She　tossed　him　the　handkerchief　with　scornful　words；　and　Cassio　departed　with　her。

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　vi