beautiful stories from shakespeare- 第23部分

These　words　were　terrible　to　Julia；　and　she　swooned。　　Valentine　revived　her；　and　said；　〃What　was　the　matter；　boy？〃

〃I　remembered；〃　fibbed　Julia；　〃that　I　was　charged　to　give　a　ring　to　the　Lady　Silvia；　and　that　I　did　not。〃

〃Well；　give　it　to　me；〃　said　Proteus。

She　handed　him　a　ring；　but　it　was　the　ring　that　Proteus　gave　to　Julia　before　he　left　Verona。

Proteus　looked　at　her　hand；　and　crimsoned　to　the　roots　of　his　hair。

〃I　changed　my　shape　when　you　changed　your　mind；〃　said　she。

〃But　I　love　you　again；〃　said　he。

Just　then　outlaws　entered；　bringing　two　prizesthe　Duke　and　Sir　Thurio。

〃Forbear！〃　cried　Valentine；　sternly。　　〃The　Duke　is　sacred。〃

Sir　Thurio　exclaimed；　〃There's　Silvia；　she's　mine！〃

〃Touch　her；　and　you　die！〃　said　Valentine。

〃I　should　be　a　fool　to　risk　anything　for　her；〃　said　Sir　Thurio。

〃Then　you　are　base；〃　said　the　Duke。　　〃Valentine；　you　are　a　brave　man。　　Your　banishment　is　over。　　I　recall　you。　　You　may　marry　Silvia。　　You　deserve　her。〃

〃I　thank　your　Grace；〃　said　Valentine；　deeply　moved；　〃and　yet　must　ask　you　one　more　boon。〃

〃I　grant　it；〃　said　the　Duke。

〃Pardon　these　men；　your　Grace；　and　give　them　employment。　　They　are　better　than　their　calling。〃

〃I　pardon　them　and　you；〃　said　the　Duke。　　〃Their　work　henceforth　shall　be　for　wages。〃

〃What　think　you　of　this　page；　your　Grace？〃　asked　Valentine；　indicating　Julia。

The　Duke　glanced　at　her；　and　said；　〃I　think　the　boy　has　grace　in　him。〃

〃More　grace　than　boy；　say　I；〃　laughed　Valentine；　and　the　only　punishment　which　Proteus　had　to　bear　for　his　treacheries　against　love　and　friendship　was　the　recital　in　his　presence　of　the　adventures　of　Julia…Sebastian　of　Verona。




ALL'S　WELL　THAT　ENDS　WELL



In　the　year　thirteen　hundred　and　something；　the　Countess　of　Rousillon　was　unhappy　in　her　palace　near　the　Pyrenees。　　She　had　lost　her　husband；　and　the　King　of　France　had　summoned　her　son　Bertram　to　Paris；　hundreds　of　miles　away。

Bertram　was　a　pretty　youth　with　curling　hair；　finely　arched　eyebrows；　and　eyes　as　keen　as　a　hawk's。　　He　was　as　proud　as　ignorance　could　make　him；　and　would　lie　with　a　face　like　truth　itself　to　gain　a　selfish　end。　　But　a　pretty　youth　is　a　pretty　youth；　and　Helena　was　in　love　with　him。

Helena　was　the　daughter　of　a　great　doctor　who　had　died　in　the　service　of　the　Count　of　Rousillon。　　Her　sole　fortune　consisted　in　a　few　of　her　father's　prescriptions。

When　Bertram　had　gone；　Helena's　forlorn　look　was　noticed　by　the　Countess；　who　told　her　that　she　was　exactly　the　same　to　her　as　her　own　child。　　Tears　then　gathered　in　Helena's　eyes；　for　she　felt　that　the　Countess　made　Bertram　seem　like　a　brother　whom　she　could　never　marry。　　The　Countess　guessed　her　secret　forthwith；　and　Helena　confessed　that　Bertram　was　to　her　as　the　sun　is　to　the　day。

She　hoped；　however；　to　win　this　sun　by　earning　the　gratitude　of　the　King　of　France；　who　suffered　from　a　lingering　illness；　which　made　him　lame。　　The　great　doctors　attached　to　the　Court　despaired　of　curing　him；　but　Helena　had　confidence　in　a　prescription　which　her　father　had　used　with　success。

Taking　an　affectionate　leave　of　the　Countess；　she　went　to　Paris；　and　was　allowed　to　see　the　King。

He　was　very　polite；　but　it　was　plain　he　thought　her　a　quack。　　〃It　would　not　become　me；〃　he　said；　〃to　apply　to　a　simple　maiden　for　the　relief　which　all　the　learned　doctors　cannot　give　me。〃

〃Heaven　uses　weak　instruments　sometimes；〃　said　Helena；　and　she　declared　that　she　would　forfeit　her　life　if　she　failed　to　make　him　well。

〃And　if　you　succeed？〃　questioned　the　King。

〃Then　I　will　ask　your　Majesty　to　give　me　for　a　husband　the　man　whom　I　choose！〃

So　earnest　a　young　lady　could　not　be　resisted　forever　by　a　suffering　king。　　Helena；　therefore；　became　the　King's　doctor；　and　in　two　days　the　royal　cripple　could　skip。

He　summoned　his　courtiers；　and　they　made　a　glittering　throng　in　the　throne　room　of　his　palace。　　Well　might　the　country　girl　have　been　dazzled；　and　seen　a　dozen　husbands　worth　dreaming　of　among　the　handsome　young　noblemen　before　her。　　But　her　eyes　only　wandered　till　they　found　Bertram。　　Then　she　went　up　to　him；　and　said；　〃I　dare　not　say　I　take　you；　but　I　am　yours！〃　　Raising　her　voice　that　the　King　might　hear；　she　added；　〃This　is　the　Man！〃

〃Bertram；〃　said　the　King；　〃take　her；　she's　your　wife！〃

〃My　wife；　my　liege？〃　said　Bertram。　　〃I　beg　your　Majesty　to　permit　me　to　choose　a　wife。〃

〃Do　you　know；　Bertram；　what　she　has　done　for　your　King？〃　asked　the　monarch；　who　had　treated　Bertram　like　a　son。

〃Yes；　your　Majesty；〃　replied　Bertram；　〃but　why　should　I　marry　a　girl　who　owes　her　breeding　to　my　father's　charity？〃

〃You　disdain　her　for　lacking　a　title；　but　I　can　give　her　a　title；〃　said　the　King；　and　as　he　looked　at　the　sulky　youth　a　thought　came　to　him；　and　he　added；　〃Strange　that　you　think　so　much　of　blood　when　you　could　not　distinguish　your　own　from　a　beggar's　if　you　saw　them　mixed　together　in　a　bowl。〃

〃I　cannot　love　her；〃　asserted　Bertram；　and　Helena　said　gently；　〃Urge　him　not；　your　Majesty。　　I　am　glad　to　have　cured　my　King　for　my　country's　sake。〃

〃My　honor　requires　that　scornful　boy's　obedience；〃　said　the　King。　〃Bertram；　make　up　your　mind　to　this。　　You　marry　this　lady；　of　whom　you　are　so　unworthy；　or　you　learn　how　a　king　can　hate。　　Your　answer？〃

Bertram　bowed　low　and　said；　〃Your　Majesty　has　ennobled　the　lady　by　your　interest　in　her。　　I　submit。〃

〃Take　her　by　the　band；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　tell　her　she　is　yours。〃

Bertram　obeyed；　and　with　little　delay　he　was　married　to　Helena。

Fear　of　the　King；　however；　could　not　make　him　a　lover。　　Ridicule　helped　to　sour　him。　　A　base　soldier　named　Parolles　told　him　to　his　face　that　now　he　had　a　〃kicky…wicky〃　his　business　was　not　to　fight　but　to　stay　at　home。　　〃Kicky…wicky〃　was　only　a　silly　epithet　for　a　wife；　but　it　made　Bertram　feel　he　could　not　bear　having　a　wife；　and　that　he　must　go　to　the　war　in　Italy；　though　the　King　had　forbidden　him。

Helena　he　ordered　to　take　leave　of　the　King　and　return　to　Rousillon；　giving　her　letters　for　his　mother　and　herself。　　He　then　rode　off；　bidding　her　a　cold　good…bye。

She　opened　the　letter　addressed　to　herself；　and　read；　〃When　you　can　get　the　ring　from　my　finger　you　can　call　me　husband；　but　against　that　'when'　I　write　'never。'〃

Dry…eyed　had　Helena　been　when　she　entered　the　King's　presence　and　said　farewell；　but　he　was　uneasy　on　her　account；　and　gave　her　a　ring　from　his　own　finger；　saying；　〃If　you　send　this　to　me；　I　shall　know　you　are　in　trouble；　and　help　you。〃

She　did　not　show　him　Bertram's　letter　to　his　wife；　it　would　have　made　him　wish　to　kill　the　truant　Count；　but　she　went　back　to　Rousillon　and　handed　her　mother…in…law　the　second　letter。　　It　was　short　and　bitter。　　〃I　have　run　away；〃　it　said。　　〃If　the　world　be　broad　enough；　I　will　be　always　far　away　from　her。〃

〃Cheer　up；〃　said　the　noble　widow　to　the　deserted　wife。　　〃I　wash　his　name　out　of　my　blood；　and　you　alone　are　my　child。〃

The　Dowager　Countess；　however；　was　still　mother　enough　to　Bertram　to　lay　the　blame　of　his　conduct　on　Parolles；　whom　she　called　〃a　very　tainted　fellow。〃

Helena　did　not　stay　long　at　Rousillon。　　She　clad　herself　as　a　pilgrim；　and；　leaving　a　letter　for　her　mother…in…law；　secretly　set　out　for　Florence。

On　entering　that　city　she　inquired　of　a　woman　the　way　to　the　Pilgrims'　House　of　Rest；　but　the　woman　begged　〃the　holy　pilgrim〃　to　lodge　with　her。

Helena　found　that　her　hostess　was　a　widow；　who　had　a　beautiful　daughter　named　Diana。

When　Diana　heard　that　Helena　came　from　France；　she　said；　〃A　countryman　of　yours；　Count　Rousillon；　has　done　worthy　service　for　Florence。〃　But　after　a　time；　Diana　had　something　to　tell　which　was　not　at　all　worthy　of　Helena's　husband。　　Bertram　was　making　love　to　Diana。　He　did　not　hide　the　fact　that　he　was　married；　but　Diana　heard　from　Parolles　that　his　wife　was　not　worth　caring　for。

The　widow　was　anxious　for　Diana's　sake；　and　Helena　decided　to　inform　her　that　she　was　the　Countess　Rousillon。

〃He　keeps　asking　Diana　for　a　lock　of　her　hair；〃　said　the　widow。

Helena　smiled　mournfully；　for　her　hair　was　as　fine　as　Diana's　and　of　the　same　color。　　Then　an　idea　struck　her；　and　she　said；　〃Take　this　purse　of　gold　for　yourself。　　I　will　give　Diana　three　thousand　crowns　if　she　will　help　me　to　carry　out　this　plan。　　Let　her　promise　to　give　a　lock　of　her　hair　to　my　husband　if　he　will　give　her　the　ring　which　he　wears　on　his　finger。　　It　is　an　ancestral　ring。　　Five　Counts　of　Rousillon　have　worn　it；　yet　he　will　yield　it　up　for　a　lock　of　your　daughter's　hair。　　Let　your　daughter　insist　that　he　shall　cut　the　lock　of　hair　from　her　in　a　dark　room；　and　agree　in　advance　that　she　shall　not　speak　a　single　word。〃

The　widow　listened　attentively；　with　the　purse　of　gold　in　her　lap。　She　said　at　last；　〃I　consent；　if　Diana　is　willing。〃

Diana　was　willing；　and；　strange　to　say；　the　prospect　of　cutting　off　a　lock　of　hair　from　a　silent　girl　in　a　dark　room　was　so　pleasing　to　Bertram　that　he　handed　Diana　his　ring；　and　was　told　when　to　follow　her　into　the　dark　room。　　At　the　time　appointed　he　came　with　a　sharp　knife；　and　felt　a　sweet　face　touch　his　as　he　cut　off　the　lock　of　hair；　and　he　left　the　room　satisfied；　like　a　man　who　is　filled　with　renown；　and　on　his　finger　was　a　ring　which　the　girl　in　the　dark　room　had　given　him。

The　war　was　nearly　over；　but　one　of　its　concluding　chapters　taught　Bertram　that　the　soldier　who　had　been　impudent　enough　to　call　Helena　his　〃kicky…wicky〃　was　far　less　courageous　than　a　wife。　Parolles　was　such　a　boaster；　and　so　fond　of　trimmmgs　to　his　clothes；　that　the　French　officers　played　him　a　trick　to　discover　what　he　was　made　of。　　He　had　lost　his　drum；　and　had　said　that　he　would　regain　it　unless　he　was　killed　in　the　attempt。　　His　attempt　was　a　very　poor　one；　and　he　was　inventing　the　story　of　a　heroic　failure；　when　he　was　surrounded　and　disarmed。

〃Portotartarossa；〃　said　a　French　lord。

〃What　horrible　lingo　is　this？〃　thought　Parolles；　who　had　been　blindfolded。

〃He's　calling　for　the　tortures；〃　said　a　French　man；　affecting　to　act　as　interpreter。　　〃What　will　you　say　without　'em？〃

〃As　much；〃　replied　Parolles；　〃as　I　could　possibly　say　if　you　pinched　me　like　a　pasty。〃　　He　was　as　good　as　his　word。　　He　told　them　how　many　there　were　in　each　regiment　of　the　Florentine　army；　and　he　ref