beautiful stories from shakespeare-第22章

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pon　his　ailing　master。

The　steward　had　accepted　nothing；　but　a　report　got　about　that　a　mighty　nugget　of　gold　had　been　given　him　by　his　former　master；　and　Timon　therefore　received　more　visitors。　　They　were　a　painter　and　a　poet；　whom　he　had　patronized　in　his　prosperity。

〃Hail；　worthy　Timon！〃　said　the　poet。　　〃We　heard　with　astonishment　how　your　friends　deserted　you。　　No　whip's　large　enough　for　their　backs！〃

〃We　have　come；〃　put　in　the　painter；　〃to　offer　our　services。〃

〃You've　heard　that　I　have　gold；〃　said　Timon。

〃There　was　a　report；〃　said　the　painter；　blushing；　〃but　my　friend　and　I　did　not　come　for　that。〃

〃Good　honest　men！〃　jeered　Timon。　　〃All　the　same；　you　shall　have　plenty　of　gold　if　you　will　rid　me　of　two　villains。〃

〃Name　them；〃　said　his　two　visitors　in　one　breath。　　〃Both　of　you！〃　answered　Timon。　　Giving　the　painter　a　whack　with　a　big　stick；　he　said；　〃Put　that　into　your　palette　and　make　money　out　of　it。〃　　Then　he　gave　a　whack　to　the　poet；　and　said；　〃Make　a　poem　out　of　that　and　get　paid　for　it。　　There's　gold　for　you。〃

They　hurriedly　withdrew。

Finally　Timon　was　visited　by　two　senators　who；　now　that　Athens　was　threatened　by　Alcibiades；　desired　to　have　on　their　side　this　bitter　noble　whose　gold　might　help　the　foe。

〃Forget　your　injuries；〃　said　the　first　senator。　　〃Athens　offers　you　dignities　whereby　you　may　honorably　live。〃

〃Athens　confesses　that　your　merit　was　overlooked；　and　wishes　to　atone；　and　more　than　atone；　for　her　forgetfulness；〃　said　the　second　senator。

〃Worthy　senators；〃　replied　Timon；　in　his　grim　way；　〃I　am　almost　weeping；　you　touch　me　so！　　All　I　need　are　the　eyes　of　a　woman　and　the　heart　of　a　fool。　　〃

But　the　senators　were　patriots。　　They　believed　that　this　bitter　man　could　save　Athens；　and　they　would　not　quarrel　with　him。　　〃Be　our　captain；〃　they　said；　〃and　lead　Athens　against　Alcibiades；　who　threatens　to　destroy　her。〃

〃Let　him　destroy　the　Athenians　too；　for　all　I　care；〃　said　Timon；　and　seeing　an　evil　despair　in　his　face；　they　left　him。

The　senators　returned　to　Athens；　and　soon　afterwards　trumpets　were　blown　before　its　walls。　　Upon　the　walls　they　stood　and　listened　to　Alcibiades；　who　told　them　that　wrong…doers　should　quake　in　their　easy　chairs。　　They　looked　at　his　confident　army；　and　were　convinced　that　Athens　must　yield　if　he　assaulted　it；　therefore　they　used　the　voice　that　strikes　deeper　than　arrows。

〃These　walls　of　ours　were　built　by　the　hands　of　men　who　never　wronged　you；　Alcibiades；〃　said　the　first　senator。

〃Enter；〃　said　the　second　senator；　〃and　slay　every　tenth　man；　if　your　revenge　needs　human　flesh。〃

〃Spare　the　cradle；〃　said　the　first　senator。

〃I　ask　only　justice；〃　said　Alcibiades。　　〃If　you　admit　my　army；　I　will　inflict　the　penalty　of　your　own　laws　upon　any　soldier　who　breaks　them。〃

At　that　moment　a　soldier　approached　Alcibiades；　and　said；　〃My　noble　general；　Timon　is　dead。〃　　He　handed　Alcibiades　a　sheet　of　wax；　saying；　〃He　is　buried　by　the　sea；　on　the　beach；　and　over　his　grave　is　a　stone　with　letters　on　it　which　I　cannot　read；　and　therefore　I　have　impressed　them　on　wax。〃

Alcibiades　read　from　the　sheet　of　wax　this　couplet

　　　〃Here　lie　I；　Timon；　who；　alive；　　　　　　　　　all　living　men　did　hate。　　　　　Pass　by　and　say　your　worst；　but　pass；　　　　　　　　　and　stay　not　here　your　gait。〃

〃Dead；　then；　is　noble　Timon；〃　said　Alcibiades；　and　be　entered　Athens　with　an　olive　branch　instead　of　a　sword。

So　it　was　one　of　Timon's　friends　who　was　generous　in　a　greater　matter　than　Timon's　need；　yet　are　the　sorrow　and　rage　of　Timon　remembered　as　a　warning　lest　another　ingratitude　should　arise　to　turn　love　into　hate。




OTHELLO



Four　hundred　years　ago　there　lived　in　Venice　an　ensign　named　Iago；　who　hated　his　general；　Othello；　for　not　making　him　a　lieutenant。　Instead　of　Iago；　who　was　strongly　recommended；　Othello　had　chosen　Michael　Cassio；　whose　smooth　tongue　had　helped　him　to　win　the　heart　of　Desdemona。　　lago　had　a　friend　called　Roderigo；　who　supplied　him　with　money　and　felt　he　could　not　be　happy　unless　Desdemona　was　his　wife。

Othello　was　a　Moor；　but　of　so　dark　a　complexion　that　his　enemies　called　him　a　Blackamoor。　　His　life　had　been　hard　and　exciting。　He　had　been　vanquished　in　battle　and　sold　into　slavery；　and　he　had　been　a　great　traveler　and　seen　men　whose　shoulders　were　higher　than　their　heads。　　Brave　as　a　lion；　he　had　one　great　faultjealousy。　His　love　was　a　terrible　selfishness。　　To　love　a　woman　meant　with　him　to　possess　her　as　absolutely　as　he　possessed　something　that　did　not　live　and　think。　　The　story　of　Othello　is　a　story　of　jealousy。

One　night　Iago　told　Roderigo　that　Othello　had　carried　off　Desdemona　without　the　knowledge　of　her　father；　Brabantio。　　He　persuaded　Roderigo　to　arouse　Brabantio；　and　when　that　senator　appeared　Iago　told　him　of　Desdemona's　elopement　in　the　most　unpleasant　way。　Though　he　was　Othello's　officer；　he　termed　him　a　thief　and　a　Barbary　horse。

Brabantio　accused　Othello　before　the　Duke　of　Venice　of　using　sorcery　to　fascinate　his　daughter；　but　Othello　said　that　the　only　sorcery　he　used　was　his　voice；　which　told　Desdemona　his　adventures　and　hair…breadth　escapes。　　Desdemona　was　led　into　the　council…chamber；　and　she　explained　how　she　could　love　Othello　despite　his　almost　black　face　by　saying；　〃I　saw　Othello's　visage　in　his　mind。〃

As　Othello　had　married　Desdemona；　and　she　was　glad　to　be　his　wife；　there　was　no　more　to　be　said　against　him；　especially　as　the　Duke　wished　him　to　go　to　Cyprus　to　defend　it　against　the　Turks。　　Othello　was　quite　ready　to　go；　and　Desdemona；　who　pleaded　to　go　with　him；　was　pernutted　to　join　him　at　Cyprus。

Othello's　feelings　on　landing　in　this　island　were　intensely　joyful。　〃Oh；　my　sweet；〃　he　said　to　Desdemona；　who　arrived　with　Iago；　his　wife；　and　Roderigo　before　him；　〃I　hardly　know　what　I　say　to　you。　I　am　in　love　with　my　own　happiness。〃

News　coming　presently　that　the　Turkish　fleet　was　out　of　action；　he　proclaimed　a　festival　in　Cyprus　from　five　to　eleven　at　night。

Cassio　was　on　duty　in　the　Castle　where　Othello　ruled　Cyprus；　so　Iago　decided　to　make　the　lieutenant　drink　too　much。　　He　had　some　difficulty；　as　Cassio　knew　that　wine　soon　went　to　his　head；　but　servants　brought　wine　into　the　room　where　Cassio　was；　and　Iago　sang　a　drinking　song；　and　so　Cassio　lifted　a　glass　too　often　to　the　health　of　the　general。

When　Cassio　was　inclined　to　be　quarrelsome；　Iago　told　Roderigo　to　say　something　unpleasant　to　him。　　Cassio　cudgeled　Roderigo；　who　ran　into　the　presence　of　Montano；　the　ex…governor。　　Montano　civilly　interceded　for　Roderigo；　but　received　so　rude　an　answer　from　Cassio　that　he　said；　〃Come；　come；　you're　drunk！〃　　Cassio　then　wounded　him；　and　Iago　sent　Roderigo　out　to　scare　the　town　with　a　cry　of　mutiny。

The　uproar　aroused　Othello；　who；　on　learning　its　cause；　said；　〃Cassio；　I　love　thee；　but　never　more　be　officer　of　mine。〃

On　Cassio　and　Iago　being　alone　together；　the　disgraced　man　moaned　about　his　reputation。　　Iago　said　reputation　and　humbug　were　the　same　thing。　　〃O　God；〃　exclaimed　Cassio；　without　heeding　him；　〃that　men　should　put　an　enemy　in　their　mouths　to　steal　away　their　brains！〃

Iago　advised　him　to　beg　Desdemona　to　ask　Othello　to　pardon　him。　Cassio　was　pleased　with　the　advice；　and　next　morning　made　his　request　to　Desdemona　in　the　garden　of　the　castle。　　She　was　kindness　itself；　and　said；　〃Be　merry；　Cassio；　for　I　would　rather　die　than　forsake　your　cause。〃

Cassio　at　that　moment　saw　Othello　advancing　with　Iago；　and　retired　hurriedly。

Iago　said；　〃I　don't　like　that。〃

〃What　did　you　say？〃　asked　Othello；　who　felt　that　he　had　meant　something　unpleasant；　but　Iago　pretended　he　had　said　nothing。　〃Was　not　that　Cassio　who　went　from　my　wife？〃　asked　Othello；　and　Iago；　who　knew　that　it　was　Cassio　and　why　it　was　Cassio；　said；　〃I　cannot　think　it　was　Cassio　who　stole　away　in　that　guilty　manner。〃

Desdemona　told　Othello　that　it　was　grief　and　humility　which　made　Cassio　retreat　at　his　approach。　　She　reminded　him　how　Cassio　had　taken　his　part　when　she　was　still　heart…free；　and　found　fault　with　her　Moorish　lover。　　Othello　was　melted；　and　said；　〃I　will　deny　thee　nothing；〃　but　Desdemona　told　him　that　what　she　asked　was　as　much　for　his　good　as　dining。

Desdemona　left　the　garden；　and　Iago　asked　if　it　was　really　true　that