beautiful stories from shakespeare-第14章

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。　　Hamlet　went　that　night；　and　true　enough；　at　midnight；　the　ghost　of　the　King；　in　the　armor　he　had　been　wont　to　wear；　appeared　on　the　battlements　in　the　chill　moonlight。　　Hamlet　was　a　brave　youth。　　Instead　of　running　away　from　the　ghost　he　spoke　to　itand　when　it　beckoned　him　he　followed　it　to　a　quiet　place；　and　there　the　ghost　told　him　that　what　he　had　suspected　was　true。　The　wicked　Claudius　had　indeed　killed　his　good　brother　the　King；　by　dropping　poison　into　his　ear　as　he　slept　in　his　orchard　in　the　afternoon。

〃And　you；〃　said　the　ghost；　〃must　avenge　this　cruel　murder　on　my　wicked　brother。　　But　do　nothing　against　the　Queen　for　I　have　loved　her；　and　she　is　your　mother。　　Remember　me。〃

Then　seeing　the　morning　approach；　the　ghost　vanished。

〃Now；〃　said　Hamlet；　〃there　is　nothing　left　but　revenge。　　Remember　theeI　will　remember　nothing　elsebooks；　pleasure；　youthlet　all　goand　your　commands　alone　live　on　my　brain。〃

So　when　his　friends　came　back　he　made　them　swear　to　keep　the　secret　of　the　ghost；　and　then　went　in　from　the　battlements；　now　gray　with　mingled　dawn　and　moonlight；　to　think　how　he　might　best　avenge　his　murdered　father。

The　shock　of　seeing　and　hearing　his　father's　ghost　made　him　feel　almost　mad；　and　for　fear　that　his　uncle　might　notice　that　he　was　not　himself；　he　determined　to　hide　his　mad　longing　for　revenge　under　a　pretended　madness　in　other　matters。

And　when　he　met　Ophelia；　who　loved　himand　to　whom　he　had　given　gifts；　and　letters；　and　many　loving　wordshe　behaved　so　wildly　to　her；　that　she　could　not　but　think　him　mad。　　For　she　loved　him　so　that　she　could　not　believe　he　would　be　as　cruel　as　this；　unless　he　were　quite　mad。　　So　she　told　her　father；　and　showed　him　a　pretty　letter　from　Hamlet。　　And　in　the　letter　was　much　folly；　and　this　pretty　verse

　　　　　　　〃Doubt　that　the　stars　are　fire；　　　　　　　　　　　Doubt　that　the　sun　doth　move；　　　　　　　　　Doubt　truth　to　be　a　liar；　　　　　　　　　　　But　never　doubt　I　love。〃

And　from　that　time　everyone　believed　that　the　cause　of　Hamlet's　supposed　madness　was　love。

Poor　Hamlet　was　very　unhappy。　　He　longed　to　obey　his　father's　ghostand　yet　he　was　too　gentle　and　kindly　to　wish　to　kill　another　man；　even　his　father's　murderer。　　And　sometimes　he　wondered　whether；　after　all；　the　ghost　spoke　truly。

Just　at　this　time　some　actors　came　to　the　Court；　and　Hamlet　ordered　them　to　perform　a　certain　play　before　the　King　and　Queen。　　Now；　this　play　was　the　story　of　a　man　who　had　been　murdered　in　his　garden　by　a　near　relation；　who　afterwards　married　the　dead　man's　wife。

You　may　imagine　the　feelings　of　the　wicked　King；　as　he　sat　on　his　throne；　with　the　Queen　beside　him　and　all　his　Court　around；　and　saw；　acted　on　the　stage；　the　very　wickedness　that　he　had　himself　done。　　And　when；　in　the　play；　the　wicked　relation　poured　poison　into　the　ear　of　the　sleeping　man；　the　wicked　Claudius　suddenly　rose；　and　staggered　from　the　roomthe　Queen　and　others　following。

Then　said　Hamlet　to　his　friends

〃Now　I　am　sure　the　ghost　spoke　true。　　For　if　Claudius　had　not　done　this　murder；　he　could　not　have　been　so　distressed　to　see　it　in　a　play。〃

Now　the　Queen　sent　for　Hamlet；　by　the　King's　desire；　to　scold　him　for　his　conduct　during　the　play；　and　for　other　matters；　and　Claudius；　wishing　to　know　exactly　what　happened；　told　old　Polonius　to　hide　himself　behind　the　hangings　in　the　Queen's　room。　　And　as　they　talked；　the　Queen　got　frightened　at　Hamlet's　rough；　strange　words；　and　cried　for　help；　and　Polonius　behind　the　curtain　cried　out　too。　　Hamlet；　thinking　it　was　the　King　who　was　hidden　there；　thrust　with　his　sword　at　the　hangings；　and　killed；　not　the　King；　but　poor　old　Polonius。

So　now　Hamlet　had　offended　his　uncle　and　his　mother；　and　by　bad　hap　killed　his　true　love's　father。

〃Oh！　what　a　rash　and　bloody　deed　is　this；〃　cried　the　Queen。

And　Hamlet　answered　bitterly；　〃Almost　as　bad　as　to　kill　a　king；　and　marry　his　brother。〃　　Then　Hamlet　told　the　Queen　plainly　all　his　thoughts　and　how　he　knew　of　the　murder；　and　begged　her；　at　least；　to　have　no　more　friendship　or　kindness　of　the　base　Claudius；　who　had　killed　the　good　King。　　And　as　they　spoke　the　King's　ghost　again　appeared　before　Hamlet；　but　the　Queen　could　not　see　it。　　So　when　the　ghost　had　gone；　they　parted。

When　the　Queen　told　Claudius　what　had　passed；　and　how　Polonius　was　dead；　he　said；　〃This　shows　plainly　that　Hamlet　is　mad；　and　since　he　has　killed　the　Chancellor；　it　is　for　his　own　safety　that　we　must　carry　out　our　plan；　and　send　him　away　to　England。〃

So　Hamlet　was　sent；　under　charge　of　two　courtiers　who　served　the　King；　and　these　bore　letters　to　the　English　Court；　requiring　that　Hamlet　should　be　put　to　death。　　But　Hamlet　had　the　good　sense　to　get　at　these　letters；　and　put　in　others　instead；　with　the　names　of　the　two　courtiers　who　were　so　ready　to　betray　him。　　Then；　as　the　vessel　went　to　England；　Hamlet　escaped　on　board　a　pirate　ship；　and　the　two　wicked　courtiers　left　him　to　his　fate；　and　went　on　to　meet　theirs。

Hamlet　hurried　home；　but　in　the　meantime　a　dreadful　thing　had　happened。　　Poor　pretty　Ophelia；　having　lost　her　lover　and　her　father；　lost　her　wits　too；　and　went　in　sad　madness　about　the　Court；　with　straws；　and　weeds；　and　flowers　in　her　hair；　singing　strange　scraps　of　songs；　and　talking　poor；　foolish；　pretty　talk　with　no　heart　of　meaning　to　it。　　And　one　day；　coming　to　a　stream　where　willows　grew；　she　tried　to　bang　a　flowery　garland　on　a　willow；　and　fell　into　the　water　with　all　her　flowers；　and　so　died。

And　Hamlet　had　loved　her；　though　his　plan　of　seeming　madness　had　made　him　hide　it；　and　when　he　came　back；　he　found　the　King　and　Queen；　and　the　Court；　weeping　at　the　funeral　of　his　dear　love　and　lady。

Ophelia's　brother；　Laertes；　had　also　just　come　to　Court　to　ask　justice　for　the　death　of　his　father；　old　Polonius；　and　now；　wild　with　grief；　he　leaped　into　his　sister's　grave；　to　clasp　her　in　his　arms　once　more。

〃I　loved　her　more　than　forty　thousand　brothers；〃　cried　Hamlet；　and　leapt　into　the　grave　after　him；　and　they　fought　till　they　were　parted。

Afterwards　Hamlet　begged　Laertes　to　forgive　him。

〃I　could　not　bear；〃　he　said；　〃that　any；　even　a　brother；　should　seem　to　love　her　more　than　I。〃

But　the　wicked　Claudius　would　not　let　them　be　friends。　　He　told　Laertes　how　Hamlet　had　killed　old　Polonius；　and　between　them　they　made　a　plot　to　slay　Hamlet　by　treachery。

Laertes　challenged　him　to　a　fencing　match；　and　all　the　Court　were　present。　　Hamlet　had　the　blunt　foil　always　used　in　fencing；　but　Laertes　had　prepared　for　himself　a　sword；　sharp；　and　tipped　with　poison。　　And　the　wicked　King　had　made　ready　a　bowl　of　poisoned　wine；　which　he　meant　to　give　poor　Hamlet　when　he　should　grow　warm　with　the　sword　play；　and　should　call　for　drink。

So　Laertes　and　Hamlet　fought；　and　Laertes；　after　some　fencing；　gave　Hamlet　a　sharp　sword　thrust。　　Hamlet；　angry　at　this　treacheryfor　they　had　been　fencing；　not　as　men　fight；　but　as　they　playclosed　with　Laertes　in　a　struggle；　both　dropped　their　swords；　and　when　they　picked　them　up　again；　Hamlet；　without　noticing　it；　had　exchanged　his　own　blunt　sword　for　Laertes'　sharp　and　poisoned　one。　And　with　one　thrust　of　it　he　pierced　Laertes；　who　fell　dead　by　his　own　treachery。

At　this　moment　the　Queen　cried　out；　〃The　drink；　the　drink！　　Oh；　my　dear　Hamlet！　　I　am　poisoned！〃

She　had　drunk　of　the　poisoned　bowl　the　King　had　prepared　for　Hamlet；　and　the　King　saw　the　Queen；　whom；　wicked　as　he　was；　he　really　loved；　fall　dead　by　his　means。

Then　Ophelia　being　dead；　and　Polonius；　and　the　Queen；　and　Laertes；　and　the　two　courtiers　who　had　been　sent　to　England；　Hamlet　at　last　found　courage　to　do　the　ghost's　bidding　and　avenge　his　father's　murderwhich；　if　he　had　braced　up　his　heart　to　do　long　before；　all　these　lives　had　been　spared；　and　none　had　suffered　but　the　wicked　King；　who　well　deserved　to　die。

Hamlet；　his　heart　at　last　being　great　enough　to　do　the　deed　he　ought；　turned　the　poisoned　sword　on　the　false　King。

〃Thenvenomdo　thy　work！〃　he　cried；　and　the　King　died。

So　Hamlet　in　the　end　kept　the　promise　he　had　made　his　father。　　And　all　being　now　accomplished；　he　himself　died。　　And　those　who　stood　by　saw　him　die；　with　prayers　and　tears；　for　his　friends　and　his　people　loved　him　with　their　whole　hearts。　　Thus　ends　the　tragic　tale　of　H