beautiful stories from shakespeare-第13章

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uld　become　their　King；　if　at　the　end　of　a　year　Pericles　did　not　come　back。　　Moreover；　he　sent　forth　messengers　far　and　wide　in　search　of　the　missing　Pericles。

Some　of　these　made　their　way　to　Pentapolis；　and　finding　their　King　there；　told　him　how　discontented　his　people　were　at　his　long　absence；　and　that；　Antiochus　being　dead；　there　was　nothing　now　to　hinder　him　from　returning　to　his　kingdom。　　Then　Pericles　told　his　wife　and　father…in…law　who　he　really　was；　and　they　and　all　the　subjects　of　Simonides　greatly　rejoiced　to　know　that　the　gallant　husband　of　Thaisa　was　a　King　in　his　own　right。　　So　Pericles　set　sail　with　his　dear　wife　for　his　native　land。　　But　once　more　the　sea　was　cruel　to　him；　for　again　a　dreadful　storm　broke　out；　and　while　it　was　at　its　height；　a　servant　came　to　tell　him　that　a　little　daughter　was　born　to　him。　　This　news　would　have　made　his　heart　glad　indeed；　but　that　the　servant　went　on　to　add　that　his　wifehis　dear；　dear　Thaisawas　dead。

While　he　was　praying　the　gods　to　be　good　to　his　little　baby　girl；　the　sailors　came　to　him；　declaring　that　the　dead　Queen　must　be　thrown　overboard；　for　they　believed　that　the　storm　would　never　cease　so　long　as　a　dead　body　remained　in　the　vessel。　　So　Thaisa　was　laid　in　a　big　chest　with　spices　and　jewels；　and　a　scroll　on　which　the　sorrowful　King　wrote　these　lines：

　　　〃Here　I　give　to　understand　　　　　（If　e'er　this　coffin　drive　a…land）；　　　　　I；　King　Pericles；　have　lost　　　　　This　Queen　worth　all　our　mundane　cost。　　　　　Who　finds　her；　give　her　burying；　　　　　She　was　the　daughter　of　a　King；　　　　　Besides　this　treasure　for　a　fee；　　　　　The　gods　requite　his　charity！〃

Then　the　chest　was　cast　into　the　sea；　and　the　waves　taking　it；　by　and　by　washed　it　ashore　at　Ephesus；　where　it　was　found　by　the　servants　of　a　lord　named　Cerimon。　　He　at　once　ordered　it　to　be　opened；　and　when　he　saw　how　lovely　Thaisa　looked；　he　doubted　if　she　were　dead；　and　took　immediate　steps　to　restore　her。　　Then　a　great　wonder　happened；　for　she；　who　had　been　thrown　into　the　sea　as　dead；　came　back　to　life。　　But　feeling　sure　that　she　would　never　see　her　husband　again；　Thaisa　retired　from　the　world；　and　became　a　priestess　of　the　Goddess　Diana。

While　these　things　were　happening；　Pericles　went　on　to　Tarsus　with　his　little　daughter；　whom　he　called　Marina；　because　she　had　been　born　at　sea。　　Leaving　her　in　the　hands　of　his　old　friend　the　Governor　of　Tarsus；　the　King　sailed　for　his　own　dominions。

Now　Dionyza；　the　wife　of　the　Governor　of　Tarsus；　was　a　jealous　and　wicked　woman；　and　finding　that　the　young　Princess　grew　up　a　more　accomplished　and　charming　girl　than　her　own　daughter；　she　determined　to　take　Marina's　life。　　So　when　Marina　was　fourteen；　Dionyza　ordered　one　of　her　servants　to　take　her　away　and　kill　her。　　This　villain　would　have　done　so；　but　that　he　was　interrupted　by　some　pirates　who　came　in　and　carried　Marina　off　to　sea　with　them；　and　took　her　to　Mitylene；　where　they　sold　her　as　a　slave。　　Yet　such　was　her　goodness；　her　grace；　and　her　beauty；　that　she　soon　became　honored　there；　and　Lysimachus；　the　young　Governor；　fell　deep　in　love　with　her；　and　would　have　married　her；　but　that　he　thought　she　must　be　of　too　humble　parentage　to　become　the　wife　of　one　in　his　high　position。

The　wicked　Dionyza　believed；　from　her　servant's　report；　that　Marina　was　really　dead；　and　so　she　put　up　a　monument　to　her　memory；　and　showed　it　to　King　Pericles；　when　after　long　years　of　absence　he　came　to　see　his　much…loved　child。　　When　he　heard　that　she　was　dead；　his　grief　was　terrible　to　see。　　He　set　sail　once　more；　and　putting　on　sackcloth；　vowed　never　to　wash　his　face　or　cut　his　hair　again。　　There　was　a　pavilion　erected　on　deck；　and　there　he　lay　alone；　and　for　three　months　he　spoke　word　to　none。

At　last　it　chanced　that　his　ship　came　into　the　port　of　Mitylene；　and　Lysimachus；　the　Governor；　went　on　board　to　enquire　whence　the　vessel　came。　　When　he　heard　the　story　of　Pericles'　sorrow　and　silence；　he　bethought　him　of　Marina；　and　believing　that　she　could　rouse　the　King　from　his　stupor；　sent　for　her　and　bade　her　try　her　utmost　to　persuade　the　King　to　speak；　promising　whatever　reward　she　would；　if　she　succeeded。　　Marina　gladly　obeyed；　and　sending　the　rest　away；　she　sat　and　sang　to　her　poor　grief…laden　father；　yet；　sweet　as　was　her　voice；　he　made　no　sign。　　So　presently　she　spoke　to　him；　saying　that　her　grief　might　equal　his；　for；　though　she　was　a　slave；　she　came　from　ancestors　that　stood　equal　to　mighty　kings。

Something　in　her　voice　and　story　touched　the　King's　heart；　and　he　looked　up　at　her；　and　as　he　looked；　he　saw　with　wonder　how　like　she　was　to　his　lost　wife；　so　with　a　great　hope　springing　up　in　his　heart；　he　bade　her　tell　her　story。

Then；　with　many　interruptions　from　the　King；　she　told　him　who　she　was　and　how　she　had　escaped　from　the　cruel　Dionyza。　　So　Pericles　knew　that　this　was　indeed　his　daughter；　and　he　kissed　her　again　and　again；　crying　that　his　great　seas　of　joy　drowned　him　with　their　sweetness。　　〃Give　me　my　robes；〃　he　said：　〃O　Heaven；　bless　my　girl！〃

Then　there　came　to　him；　though　none　else　could　hear　it；　the　sound　of　heavenly　music；　and　falling　asleep；　he　beheld　the　goddess　Diana；　in　a　vision。

〃Go；〃　she　said　to　him；　〃to　my　temple　at　Ephesus；　and　when　my　maiden　priests　are　met　together；　reveal　how　thou　at　sea　didst　lose　thy　wife。〃

Pericles　obeyed　the　goddess　and　told　his　tale　before　her　altar。　Hardly　had　he　made　an　end；　when　the　chief　priestess；　crying　out；　〃You　areyou　areO　royal　Pericles！〃　fell　fainting　to　the　ground；　and　presently　recovering；　she　spoke　again　to　him；　〃O　my　lord；　are　you　not　Pericles？〃　　〃The　voice　of　dead　Thaisa！〃　exclaimed　the　King　in　wonder。　　〃That　Thaisa　am　I；〃　she　said；　and　looking　at　her　he　saw　that　she　spoke　the　very　truth。

Thus　Pericles　and　Thaisa；　after　long　and　bitter　suffering；　found　happiness　once　more；　and　in　the　joy　of　their　meeting　they　forgot　the　pain　of　the　past。　　To　Marina　great　happiness　was　given；　and　not　only　in　being　restored　to　her　dear　parents；　for　she　married　Lysimachus；　and　became　a　princess　in　the　land　where　she　had　been　sold　as　a　slave。




HAMLET



Hamlet　was　the　only　son　of　the　King　of　Denmark。　　He　loved　his　father　and　mother　dearlyand　was　happy　in　the　love　of　a　sweet　lady　named　Ophelia。　　Her　father；　Polonius；　was　the　King's　Chamberlain。

While　Hamlet　was　away　studying　at　Wittenberg；　his　father　died。　Young　Hamlet　hastened　home　in　great　grief　to　hear　that　a　serpent　had　stung　the　King；　and　that　he　was　dead。　　The　young　Prince　had　loved　his　father　so　tenderly　that　you　may　judge　what　he　felt　when　he　found　that　the　Queen；　before　yet　the　King　had　been　laid　in　the　ground　a　month；　had　determined　to　marry　againand　to　marry　the　dead　King's　brother。

Hamlet　refused　to　put　off　mourning　for　the　wedding。

〃It　is　not　only　the　black　I　wear　on　my　body；〃　he　said；　〃that　proves　my　loss。　　I　wear　mourning　in　my　heart　for　my　dead　father。　　His　son　at　least　remembers　him；　and　grieves　still。〃

Then　said　Claudius　the　King's　brother；　〃This　grief　is　unreasonable。　Of　course　you　must　sorrow　at　the　loss　of　your　father；　but〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Hamlet；　bitterly；　〃I　cannot　in　one　little　month　forget　those　I　love。〃

With　that　the　Queen　and　Claudius　left　him；　to　make　merry　over　their　wedding；　forgetting　the　poor　good　King　who　had　been　so　kind　to　them　both。

And　Hamlet；　left　alone；　began　to　wonder　and　to　question　as　to　what　he　ought　to　do。　　For　he　could　not　believe　the　story　about　the　snake…bite。　　It　seemed　to　him　all　too　plain　that　the　wicked　Claudius　had　killed　the　King；　so　as　to　get　the　crown　and　marry　the　Queen。　Yet　he　had　no　proof；　and　could　not　accuse　Claudius。

And　while　he　was　thus　thinking　came　Horatio；　a　fellow　student　of　his；　from　Wittenberg。

〃What　brought　you　here？〃　asked　Hamlet；　when　he　had　greeted　his　friend　kindly。

〃I　came；　my　lord；　to　see　your　father's　funeral。〃

〃I　think　it　was　to　see　my　mother's　wedding；〃　said　Hamlet；　bitterly。　〃My　father！　　We　shall　not　look　upon　his　like　again。〃

〃My　lord；〃　answered　Horatio；　〃I　think　I　saw　him　yesternight。〃

Then；　while　Hamlet　listened　in　surprise；　Horatio　told　how　he；　with　two　gentlemen　of　the　guard；　had　seen　the　King's　ghost　on　the　battlements。　　Hamlet　went　that　night；　and　true　enough；　at　midnight；　the　ghost　of　the　King；　in　the　armor　he　had