beautiful stories from shakespeare- 第14部分

He　found　them　in　a　cavern　on　a　thunderous　day。　　They　were　revolving　round　a　cauldron　in　which　were　boiling　particles　of　many　strange　and　horrible　creatures；　and　they　knew　he　was　coming　before　he　arrived。

〃Answer　me　what　I　ask　you；〃　said　the　King。

〃Would　you　rather　hear　it　from　us　or　our　masters？〃　asked　the　first　witch。

〃Call　them；〃　replied　Macbeth。

Thereupon　the　witches　poured　blood　into　the　cauldron　and　grease　into　the　flame　that　licked　it；　and　a　helmeted　head　appeared　with　the　visor　on；　so　that　Macbeth　could　only　see　its　eyes。

He　was　speaking　to　the　head；　when　the　first　witch　said　gravely；　〃He　knows　thy　thought；〃　and　a　voice　in　the　head　said；　〃Macbeth；　beware　Macduff；　the　chieftain　of　Fife。〃　　The　head　then　descended　Into　the　cauldron　till　it　disappeared。

〃One　word　more；〃　pleaded　Macbeth。

〃He　will　not　be　commanded；〃　said　the　first　witch；　and　then　a　crowned　child　ascended　from　the　cauldron　bearing　a　tree　in　his　hand　The　child　said

　　　　〃Macbeth　shall　be　unconquerable　till　　　　　　The　Wood　of　Birnam　climbs　Dunsinane　Hill。〃

〃That　will　never　be；〃　said　Macbeth；　and　he　asked　to　be　told　if　Banquo's　descendants　would　ever　rule　Scotland。

The　cauldron　sank　into　the　earth；　music　was　heard；　and　a　procession　of　phantom　kings　filed　past　Macbeth；　behind　them　was　Banquo's　ghost。　　In　each　king；　Macbeth　saw　a　likeness　to　Banquo；　and　he　counted　eight　kings。

Then　he　was　suddenly　left　alone。

His　next　proceeding　was　to　send　murderers　to　Macduff's　castle。　They　did　not　find　Macduff；　and　asked　Lady　Macduff　where　he　was。　She　gave　a　stinging　answer；　and　her　questioner　called　Macduff　a　traitor。　　〃Thou　liest！〃　shouted　Macduff's　little　son；　who　was　immediately　stabbed；　and　with　his　last　breath　entreated　his　mother　to　fly。　　The　murderers　did　not　leave　the　castle　while　one　of　its　inmates　remained　alive。

Macduff　was　in　England　listening；　with　Malcolm；　to　a　doctor's　tale　of　cures　wrought　by　Edward　the　Confessor　when　his　friend　Ross　came　to　tell　him　that　his　wife　and　children　were　no　more。　　At　first　Ross　dared　not　speak　the　truth；　and　turn　Macduff's　bright　sympathy　with　sufferers　relieved　by　royal　virtue　into　sorrow　and　hatred。　But　when　Malcolm　said　that　England　was　sending　an　army　into　Scotland　against　Macbeth；　Ross　blurted　out　his　news；　and　Macduff　cried；　〃〃All　dead；　did　you　say？　　All　my　pretty　ones　and　their　mother？　Did　you　say　all？〃

His　sorry　hope　was　in　revenge；　but　if　he　could　have　looked　into　Macbeth's　castle　on　Dunsinane　Hill；　he　would　have　seen　at　work　a　force　more　solemn　than　revenge。　　Retribution　was　working；　for　Lady　Macbeth　was　mad。　　She　walked　in　her　sleep　amid　ghastly　dreams。　She　was　wont　to　wash　her　hands　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　a　time；　but　after　all　her　washing；　would　still　see　a　red　spot　of　blood　upon　her　skin。　　It　was　pitiful　to　hear　her　cry　that　all　the　perfumes　of　Arabia　could　not　sweeten　her　little　hand。

〃Canst　thou　not　minister　to　a　mind　diseased？〃　inquired　Macbeth　of　the　doctor；　but　the　doctor　replied　that　his　patient　must　minister　to　her　own　mind。　　This　reply　gave　Macbeth　a　scorn　of　medicine。　〃Throw　physic　to　the　dogs；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　none　of　it。〃

One　day　he　heard　a　sound　of　women　crying。　　An　officer　approched　him　and　said；　〃The　Queen；　your　Majesty；　is　dead。〃　　〃Out；　brief　candle；〃　muttered　Macbeth；　meaning　that　life　was　like　a　candle；　at　the　mercy　of　a　puff　of　air。　　He　did　not　weep；　he　was　too　familiar　with　death。

Presently　a　messenger　told　him　that　he　saw　Birnam　Wood　on　the　march。　Macbeth　called　him　a　liar　and　a　slave；　and　threatened　to　hang　him　if　he　had　made　a　mistake。　　〃If　you　are　right　you　can　hang　me；〃　he　said。

From　the　turret　windows　of　Dunsinane　Castle；　Birnam　Wood　did　indeed　appear　to　be　marching。　　Every　soldier　of　the　English　army　held　aloft　a　bough　which　he　had　cut　from　a　tree　in　that　wood；　and　like　human　trees　they　climbed　Dunsinane　Hill。

Macbeth　had　still　his　courage。　　He　went　to　battle　to　conquer　or　die；　and　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　kill　the　English　general's　son　in　single　combat。　　Macbeth　then　felt　that　no　man　could　fight　him　and　live；　and　when　Macduff　came　to　him　blazing　for　revenge；　Macbeth　said　to　him；　〃Go　back；　I　have　spilt　too　much　of　your　blood　already。〃

〃My　voice　is　in　my　sword；〃　replied　Macduff；　and　hacked　at　him　and　bade　him　yield。

〃I　will　not　yield！〃　said　Macbeth；　but　his　last　hour　had　struck。　He　fell。

Macbeth's　men　were　in　retreat　when　Macduff　came　before　Malcolm　holding　a　King's　head　by　the　hair。

〃Hail；　King！〃　he　said；　and　the　new　King　looked　at　the　old。

So　Malcolm　reigned　after　Macbeth；　but　in　years　that　came　afterwards　the　descendants　of　Banquo　were　kings。




THE　COMEDY　OF　ERRORS



AEGEON　was　a　merchant　of　Syracuse；　which　is　a　seaport　in　Sicily。　His　wife　was　AEmilia；　and　they　were　very　happy　until　AEgeon's　manager　died；　and　he　was　obliged　to　go　by　himself　to　a　place　called　Epidamnum　on　the　Adriatic。　　As　soon　as　she　could　AEmilia　followed　him；　and　after　they　had　been　together　some　time　two　baby　boys　were　born　to　them。　　The　babies　were　exactly　alike；　even　when　they　were　dressed　differently　they　looked　the　same。

And　now　you　must　believe　a　very　strange　thing。　　At　the　same　inn　where　these　children　were　born；　and　on　the　same　day；　two　baby　boys　were　born　to　a　much　poorer　couple　than　AEmilia　and　AEgeon；　so　poor；　indeed；　were　the　parents　of　these　twins　that　they　sold　them　to　the　parents　of　the　other　twins。

AEmilia　was　eager　to　show　her　children　to　her　friends　in　Syracuse；　and　in　treacherous　weather　she　and　AEgeon　and　the　four　babies　sailed　homewards。

They　were　still　far　from　Syracuse　when　their　ship　sprang　a　leak；　and　the　crew　left　it　in　a　body　by　the　only　boat；　caring　little　what　became　of　their　passengers。

AEmilia　fastened　one　of　her　children　to　a　mast　and　tied　one　of　the　slave…children　to　him；　AEgeon　followed　her　example　with　the　remaining　children。　　Then　the　parents　secured　themselves　to　the　same　masts；　and　hoped　for　safety。

The　ship；　however；　suddenly　struck　a　rock　and　was　split　in　two；　and　AEmilia；　and　the　two　children　whom　she　had　tied；　floated　away　from　AEgeon　and　the　other　children。　　AEmilia　and　her　charges　were　picked　up　by　some　people　of　Epidamnum；　but　some　fishermen　of　Corinth　took　the　babies　from　her　by　force；　and　she　returned　to　Epidanmum　alone；　and　very　miserable。　　Afterwards　she　settled　in　Ephesus；　a　famous　town　in　Asia　Minor。

AEgeon　and　his　charges　were　also　saved；　and；　more　fortunate　than　AEmilia；　he　was　able　to　return　to　Syracuse　and　keep　them　till　they　were　eighteen。　　His　own　child　he　called　Antipholus；　and　the　slavechild　he　called　Dromio；　and；　strangely　enough；　these　were　the　names　given　to　the　children　who　floated　away　from　him。

At　the　age　of　eighteen　the　son　who　was　with　AEgeon　grew　restless　with　a　desire　to　find　his　brother。　　AEgeon　let　him　depart　with　his　servant；　and　the　young　men　are　henceforth　known　as　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　and　Dromio　of　Syracuse。

Let　alone；　AEgeon　found　his　home　too　dreary　to　dwell　in；　and　traveled　for　five　years。　　He　did　not；　during　his　absence；　learn　all　the　news　of　Syracuse；　or　he　would　never　have　gone　to　Ephesus。

As　it　was；　his　melancholy　wandering　ceased　in　that　town；　where　he　was　arrested　almost　as　soon　as　he　arrived。　　He　then　found　that　the　Duke　of　Syracuse　had　been　acting　in　so　tyrannical　a　manner　to　Ephesians　unlucky　enough　to　fall　into　his　hands；　that　the　Government　of　Ephesus　had　angrily　passed　a　law　which　punished　by　death　or　a　fine　of　a　thousand　pounds　any　Syracusan　who　should　come　to　Ephesus。　AEgeon　was　brought　before　Solinus；　Duke　of　Ephesus；　who　told　him　that　he　must　die　or　pay　a　thousand　pounds　before　the　end　of　the　day。

You　will　think　there　was　fate　in　this　when　I　tell　you　that　the　children　who　were　kidnaped　by　the　fishermen　of　Corinth　were　now　citizens　of　Ephesus；　whither　they　had　been　brought　by　Duke　Menaphon；　an　uncle　of　Duke　Solinus。　　They　will　henceforth　be　called　Antipholus　of　Ephesus　and　Dromio　of　Ephesus。

Moreover；　on　the　very　day　when　AEgeon　was　arrested；　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　landed　in　Ephesus　and　pretended　that　he　came　from　Epidamnum　in　order　to　avoid　a　penalty。　　He　handed　his　money　to　his　servant　Dromio　of　Syracuse；　and　bade　him　take　it　to　the　Centaur　Inn　and　remain　there　till　he　came。

In　less　than　ten　minutes　he　was　met　on　the　Mart　by　Dromio　of　Ephesus；　his　brother's　slave；　and　immediately　mistook　him　for　his　own　Dromio。　　〃Why　are　you　back　so　soon？　　Where　did　you　leave　the　money？〃　asked　Antipholus　of　Syracuse。

This　Drornio　knew　of　no　money　except　sixpence；　which　he　had　received　on　the　previous　Wednesday　and　given　to　the　saddler；　but　he　did　know　that　his　mistress　was　annoyed　because　his　master　was　not　in　to　dinner；　and　he　asked　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　to　go　to　a　house　called　The　Phoenix　without　delay。　　His　speech　angered　the　hearer；　who　would　have　beaten　him　if　he　had　not　fled。　　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　them　went　to　The　Centaur；　found　that　his　gold　had　been　deposited　there；　and　walked　out　of　the　inn。

He　was　wandering　about　Ephesus　when　two　beautiful　ladies　signaled　to　him　with　their　hands。　　They　were　sisters；　and　their　names　were　Adriana　and　Luciana。　　Adriana　was　the　wife　of　his　brother　Antipholus　of　Ephesus；　and　she　had　made　up　her　mind；　from　the　strange　account　given　her　by　Dromio　of　Ephesus；　that　her　husband　preferred　another　woman　to　his　wife。　　〃Ay；　you　may　look　as　if　you　did　not　know　me；〃　she　said　to　the　man　who　was　really　her　brother…in…law；　〃but　I　can　remember　when　no　words　were　sweet　unless　I　said　them；　no　meat　flavorsome　unless　I　carved　it。〃

〃Is　it　I　you　address？〃　said　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　stiffly。　　〃I　do　not　know　you。〃

〃Fie；　brother；〃　said　Luciana。　　〃You　know　perfectly　well　that　she　sent　Dromio　to　you　to　bid　you　come　to　dinner〃；　and　Adriana　said；　〃Come；　come；　I　have　been　made　a　fool　of　long　enough。　　My　truant　husband　shall　dine　with　me　and　confess　his　silly　pranks　and　be　forgiven。〃

They　were　determined　ladies；　and　Antipholus　of　Syracuse　grew　weary　of　disputing　with　them；　and　followed　them　obediently　to　The　Phoenix；　where　a　very　late　〃mid…day〃　dinner　awaited　them。

They　were　at　dinner　when　Antipholus　of　Ephesus　and　his　slave　Dromio　demanded　admittance。　　〃Maud；　Bridget；　Marian；　Cecily；　Gillian；　Ginn！〃　shouted　Dromio　of　Ephesus；　who　knew　all　his　fellow…servants'　names　by　heart。

From　within　came　the　reply；