beautiful stories from shakespeare-第22部分

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p　his　mind　to　teach　his　bad…tempered　wife　a　lesson　she　would　never　forget。

So　he　welcomed　her　kindly　to　his　house；　but　when　supper　was　served　he　found　fault　with　everythingthe　meat　was　burnt；　he　said；　and　ill…served；　and　he　loved　her　far　too　much　to　let　her　eat　anything　but　the　best。　　At　last　Katharine；　tired　out　with　her　journey；　went　supperless　to　bed。　　Then　her　husband；　still　telling　her　how　he　loved　her；　and　how　anxious　he　was　that　she　should　sleep　well；　pulled　her　bed　to　pieces；　throwing　the　pillows　and　bedclothes　on　the　floor；　so　that　she　could　not　go　to　bed　at　all；　and　still　kept　growling　and　scolding　at　the　servants　so　that　Kate　might　see　how　unbeautiful　a　thing　ill…temper　was。

The　next　day；　too；　Katharine's　food　was　all　found　fault　with；　and　caught　away　before　she　could　touch　a　mouthful；　and　she　was　sick　and　giddy　for　want　of　sleep。　　Then　she　said　to　one　of　the　servants

〃I　pray　thee　go　and　get　me　some　repast。　　I　care　not　what。〃

〃What　say　you　to　a　neat's　foot？〃　said　the　servant。

Katharine　said　〃Yes；〃　eagerly；　but　the　servant；　who　was　in　his　master's　secret；　said　he　feared　it　was　not　good　for　hasty…tempered　people。　　Would　she　like　tripe？

〃Bring　it　me；〃　said　Katharine。

〃I　don't　think　that　is　good　for　hasty…tempered　people；〃　said　the　servant。　　〃What　do　you　say　to　a　dish　of　beef　and　mustard？〃

〃I　love　it；〃　said　Kate。

〃But　mustard　is　too　hot。〃

〃Why；　then；　the　beef；　and　let　the　mustard　go；〃　cried　Katharine；　who　was　getting　hungrier　and　hungrier。

〃No；〃　said　the　servant；　〃you　must　have　the　mustard；　or　you　get　no　beef　from　me。〃

〃Then；〃　cried　Katharine；　losing　patience；　〃let　it　be　both；　or　one；　or　anything　thou　wilt。〃

〃Why；　then；〃　said　the　servant；　〃the　mustard　without　the　beef！〃

Then　Katharine　saw　he　was　making　fun　of　her；　and　boxed　his　ears。

Just　then　Petruchio　brought　her　some　foodbut　she　had　scarcely　begun　to　satisfy　her　hunger；　before　he　called　for　the　tailor　to　bring　her　new　clothes；　and　the　table　was　cleared；　leaving　her　still　hungry。　　Katharine　was　pleased　with　the　pretty　new　dress　and　cap　that　the　tailor　had　made　for　her；　but　Petruchio　found　fault　with　everything；　flung　the　cap　and　gown　on　the　floor　vowing　his　dear　wife　should　not　wear　any　such　foolish　things。

〃I　will　have　them；〃　cried　Katharine。　　〃All　gentlewomen　wear　such　caps　as　these〃

〃When　you　are　gentle　you　shall　have　one　too；〃　he　answered；　〃and　not　till　then。〃　　When　he　had　driven　away　the　tailor　with　angry　wordsbut　privately　asking　his　friend　to　see　him　paidPetruchio　said

〃Come；　Kate；　let's　go　to　your　father's；　shabby　as　we　are；　for　as　the　sun　breaks　through　the　darkest　clouds；　so　honor　peereth　in　the　meanest　habit。　　It　is　about　seven　o'clock　now。　　We　shall　easily　get　there　by　dinner…time。〃

〃It's　nearly　two；〃　said　Kate；　but　civilly　enough；　for　she　had　grown　to　see　that　she　could　not　bully　her　husband；　as　she　had　done　her　father　and　her　sister；　〃it's　nearly　two；　and　it　will　be　supper…time　before　we　get　there。〃

〃It　shall　be　seven；〃　said　Petruchio；　obstinately；　〃before　I　start。　Why；　whatever　I　say　or　do；　or　think；　you　do　nothing　but　contradict。　I　won't　go　to…day；　and　before　I　do　go；　it　shall　be　what　o'clock　I　say　it　is。〃

At　last　they　started　for　her　father's　house。

〃Look　at　the　moon；〃　said　he。

〃It's　the　sun；〃　said　Katharine；　and　indeed　it　was。

〃I　say　it　is　the　moon。　　Contradicting　again！　　It　shall　be　sun　or　moon；　or　whatever　I　choose；　or　I　won't　take　you　to　your　father's。〃

Then　Katharine　gave　in；　once　and　for　all。　　〃What　you　will　have　it　named；〃　she　said；　〃it　is；　and　so　it　shall　be　so　for　Katharine。〃　And　so　it　was；　for　from　that　moment　Katharine　felt　that　she　had　met　her　master；　and　never　again　showed　her　naughty　tempers　to　him；　or　anyone　else。

So　they　journeyed　on　to　Baptista's　house；　and　arriving　there；　they　found　all　folks　keeping　Bianca's　wedding　feast；　and　that　of　another　newly　married　couple；　Hortensio　and　his　wife。　　They　were　made　welcome；　and　sat　down　to　the　feast；　and　all　was　merry；　save　that　Hortensio's　wife；　seeing　Katharine　subdued　to　her　husband；　thought　she　could　safely　say　many　disagreeable　things；　that　in　the　old　days；　when　Katharine　was　free　and　froward；　she　would　not　have　dared　to　say。　　But　Katharine　answered　with　such　spirit　and　such　moderation；　that　she　turned　the　laugh　against　the　new　bride。

After　dinner；　when　the　ladies　had　retired；　Baptista　joined　in　a　laugh　against　Petruchio；　saying　〃Now　in　good　sadness；　son　Petruchio；　I　fear　you　have　got　the　veriest　shrew　of　all。〃

〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃let　me　prove　it　to　you。　　Each　of　us　shall　send　a　message　to　his　wife；　desiring　her　to　come　to　him；　and　the　one　whose　wife　comes　most　readily　shall　win　a　wager　which　we　will　agree　on。〃

The　others　said　yes　readily　enough；　for　each　thought　his　own　wife　the　most　dutiful；　and　each　thought　he　was　quite　sure　to　win　the　wager。

They　proposed　a　wager　of　twenty　crowns。

〃Twenty　crowns；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃I'll　venture　so　much　on　my　hawk　or　hound；　but　twenty　times　as　much　upon　my　wife。〃

〃A　hundred　then；〃　cried　Lucentio；　Bianca's　husband。

〃Content；〃　cried　the　others。

Then　Lucentio　sent　a　message　to　the　fair　Bianca　bidding　her　to　come　to　him。　　And　Baptista　said　he　was　certain　his　daughter　would　come。　But　the　servant　coming　back；　said

〃Sir；　my　mistress　is　busy；　and　she　cannot　come。〃'

〃There's　an　answer　for　you；〃　said　Petruchio。

〃You　may　think　yourself　fortunate　if　your　wife　does　not　send　you　a　worse。〃

〃I　hope；　better；〃　Petruchio　answered。　　Then　Hortensio　said

〃Go　and　entreat　my　wife　to　come　to　me　at　once。〃

〃Ohif　you　entreat　her；〃　said　Petruchio。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　answered　Hortensio；　sharply；　〃do　what　you　can；　yours　will　not　be　entreated。〃

But　now　the　servant　came　in；　and　said

〃She　says　you　are　playing　some　jest；　she　will　not　come。〃

〃Better　and　better；〃　cried　Petruchio；　〃now　go　to　your　mistress　and　say　I　command　her　to　come　to　me。〃

They　all　began　to　laugh；　saying　they　knew　what　her　answer　would　be；　and　that　she　would　not　come。

Then　suddenly　Baptista　cried

〃Here　comes　Katharine！〃　　And　sure　enoughthere　she　was。

〃What　do　you　wish；　sir？〃　she　asked　her　husband。

〃Where　are　your　sister　and　Hortensio's　wife？〃

〃Talking　by　the　parlor　fire。〃

〃Fetch　them　here。〃

When　she　was　gone　to　fetch　them；　Lucentio　said

〃Here　is　a　wonder！〃

〃I　wonder　what　it　means；〃　said　Hortensio。

〃It　means　peace；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃and　love；　and　quiet　life。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Baptista；　〃you　have　won　the　wager；　and　I　will　add　another　twenty　thousand　crowns　to　her　dowryanother　dowry　for　another　daughterfor　she　is　as　changed　as　if　she　were　someone　else。〃

So　Petruchio　won　his　wager；　and　had　in　Katharine　always　a　loving　wife　and　true；　and　now　he　had　broken　her　proud　and　angry　spirit　he　loved　her　well；　and　there　was　nothing　ever　but　love　between　those　two。　　And　so　they　lived　happy　ever　afterwards。




MEASURE　FOR　MEASURE



More　centuries　ago　than　I　care　to　say；　the　people　of　Vienna　were　governed　too　mildly。　　The　reason　was　that　the　reigning　Duke　Vicentio　was　excessively　good…natured；　and　disliked　to　see　offenders　made　unhappy。

The　consequence　was　that　the　number　of　ill…behaved　persons　in　Vienna　was　enough　to　make　the　Duke　shake　his　head　in　sorrow　when　his　chief　secretary　showed　him　it　at　the　end　of　a　list。　　He　decided；　therefore；　that　wrongdoers　must　be　punished。　　But　popularity　was　dear　to　him。　　He　knew　that；　if　he　were　suddenly　strict　after　being　lax；　he　would　cause　people　to　call　him　a　tyrant。　　For　this　reason　he　told　his　Privy　Council　that　he　must　go　to　Poland　on　important　business　of　state。　　〃I　have　chosen　Angelo　to　rule　in　my　absence；〃　said　he。

Now　this　Angelo；　although　he　appeared　to　be　noble；　was　really　a　mean　man。　　He　had　promised　to　marry　a　girl　called　Mariana；　and　now　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　her；　because　her　dowry　had　been　lost。　　So　poor　Mariana　lived　forlornly；　waiting　every　day　for　the　footstep　of　her　stingy　lover；　and　loving　him　still。

Having　appointed　Angelo　his　deputy；　the　Duke　went　to　a　friar　called　Thomas　and　asked　him　for　a　friar's　dress　and　instruction　in　the　art　of　giving　religious　counsel；　for　he　did　not　intend　to　go　to　Poland；　but　to　stay　at　home　and　see　how　Angelo　governed。

Angelo　had　not　been　a　day　in　office　when　he　condemned　to　death　a　young　man　named　Claudio　for　an　act　of　rash　selfishness　which　nowadays　would　only　be　punished　by　severe　reproof。

Claudio　had　a　queer　friend　called　Lucio；　and　Lucio　saw　a　chance　of　freedom　for　Claudio　if　Claudio's　beautiful　sister　Isabella　would　plead　with　Angelo。

Isabella　was　at　that　time　living　in　a　nunnery。　　Nobody　had　won　her　heart；　and　she　thought　she　would　like　to　become　a　sister；　or　nun。

Meanwhile　Claudio　did　not　lack　an　advocate。

An　ancient　lord；　Escalus；　was　for　leniency。　　〃Let　us　cut　a　little；　but　not　kill；〃　he　said。　　〃This　gentleman　had　a　most　noble　father。〃

Angelo　was　unmoved。　　〃If　twelve　men　find　me　guilty；　I　ask　no　more　mercy　than　is　in　the　law。〃

Angelo　then　ordered　the　Provost　to　see　that　Claudio　was　executed　at　nine　the　next　morning。

After　the　issue　of　this　order　Angelo　was　told　that　the　sister　of　the　condemned　man　desired　to　see　him。

〃Admit　her；〃　said　Angelo。

On　entering　with　Lucio；　the　beautiful　girl　said；　〃I　am　a　woeful　suitor　to　your　Honor