beautiful stories from shakespeare-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


uch　for　his　good　as　dining。

Desdemona　left　the　garden；　and　Iago　asked　if　it　was　really　true　that　Cassio　had　known　Desdemona　before　her　marriage。

〃Yes；〃　said　Othello。

〃Indeed；〃　said　Iago；　as　though　something　that　had　mystified　him　was　now　very　clear。

〃Is　he　not　honest？〃　demanded　Othello；　and　Iago　repeated　the　adjective　inquiringly；　as　though　he　were　afraid　to　say　〃No。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　insisted　Othello。

To　this　Iago　would　only　say　the　flat　opposite　of　what　he　said　to　Cassio。　　He　had　told　Cassio　that　reputation　was　humbug。　　To　Othello　he　said；　〃Who　steals　my　purse　steals　trash；　but　he　who　filches　from　me　my　good　name　ruins　me。〃

At　this　Othello　almost　leapt　into　the　air；　and　Iago　was　so　confident　of　his　jealousy　that　he　ventured　to　warn　him　against　it。　　Yes；　it　was　no　other　than　Iago　who　called　jealousy　〃the　green…eyed　monster　which　doth　mock　the　meat　it　feeds　on。〃

Iago　having　given　jealousy　one　blow；　proceeded　to　feed　it　with　the　remark　that　Desdemona　deceived　her　father　when　she　eloped　with　Othello。　　〃If　she　deceived　him；　why　not　you？〃　was　his　meaning。

Presently　Desdemona　re…entered　to　tell　Othello　that　dinner　was　ready。　　She　saw　that　he　was　ill　at　ease。　　He　explained　it　by　a　pain　in　his　forehead。　　Desdemona　then　produced　a　handkerchief；　which　Othello　had　given　her。　　A　prophetess；　two　hundred　years　old；　had　made　this　handkerchief　from　the　silk　of　sacred　silkworms；　dyed　it　in　a　liquid　prepared　from　the　hearts　of　maidens；　and　embroidered　it　with　strawberries。　　Gentle　Desdemona　thought　of　it　simply　as　a　cool；　soft　thing　for　a　throbbing　brow；　she　knew　of　no　spell　upon　it　that　would　work　destruction　for　her　who　lost　it。　　〃Let　me　tie　it　round　your　head；〃　she　said　to　Othello；　〃you　will　be　well　in　an　hour。〃　　But　Othello　pettishly　said　it　was　too　small；　and　let　it　fall。　　Desdemona　and　he　then　went　indoors　to　dinner；　and　Emilia　picked　up　the　handkerchief　which　Iago　had　often　asked　her　to　steal。

She　was　looking　at　it　when　Iago　came　in。　　After　a　few　words　about　it　he　snatched　it　from　her；　and　bade　her　leave　him。

In　the　garden　he　was　joined　by　Othello；　who　seemed　hungry　for　the　worst　lies　he　could　offer。　　He　therefore　told　Othello　that　he　had　seen　Cassio　wipe　his　mouth　with　a　handkerchief；　which；　because　it　was　spotted　with　strawberries；　he　guessed　to　be　one　that　Othello　had　given　his　wife。

The　unhappy　Moor　went　mad　with　fury；　and　Iago　bade　the　heavens　witness　that　he　devoted　his　hand　and　heart　and　brain　to　Othello's　service。　　〃I　accept　your　love；〃　said　Othello。　　〃Within　three　days　let　me　hear　that　Cassio　is　dead。〃

Iago's　next　step　was　to　leave　Desdemona's　handkerchief　in　Cassio's　room。　　Cassio　saw　it；　and　knew　it　was　not　his；　but　he　liked　the　strawberry　pattern　on　it；　and　he　gave　it　to　his　sweetheart　Bianca　and　asked　her　to　copy　it　for　him。

Iago's　next　move　was　to　induce　Othello；　who　had　been　bullying　Desdemona　about　the　handkerchief；　to　play　the　eavesdropper　to　a　conversation　between　Cassio　and　himself。　　His　intention　was　to　talk　about　Cassio's　sweetheart；　and　allow　Othello　to　suppose　that　the　lady　spoken　of　was　Desdemona。

〃How　are　you；　lieutenant？〃　asked　Iago　when　Cassio　appeared。

〃The　worse　for　being　called　what　I　am　not；〃　replied　Cassio；　gloomily。

〃Keep　on　reminding　Desdemona；　and　you'll　soon　be　restored；〃　said　Iago；　adding；　in　a　tone　too　low　for　Othello　to　hear；　〃If　Bianca　could　set　the　matter　right；　how　quickly　it　would　mend！〃

〃Alas！　poor　rogue；〃　said　Cassio；　〃I　really　think　she　loves　me；〃　and　like　the　talkative　coxcomb　he　was；　Cassio　was　led　on　to　boast　of　Bianca's　fondness　for　him；　while　Othello　imagined；　with　choked　rage；　that　he　prattled　of　Desdemona；　and　thought；　〃I　see　your　nose；　Cassio；　but　not　the　dog　I　shall　throw　it　to。〃

Othello　was　still　spying　when　Bianca　entered；　boiling　over　with　the　idea　that　Cassio；　whom　she　considered　her　property；　had　asked　her　to　copy　the　embroidery　on　the　handkerchief　of　a　new　sweetheart。　She　tossed　him　the　handkerchief　with　scornful　words；　and　Cassio　departed　with　her。

Othello　had　seen　Bianca；　who　was　in　station　lower；　in　beauty　and　speech　inferior　far；　to　Desdemona　and　he　began　in　spite　of　himself　to　praise　his　wife　to　the　villain　before　him。　　He　praised　her　skill　with　the　needle；　her　voice　that　could　〃sing　the　savageness　out　of　a　bear；〃　her　wit；　her　sweetness；　the　fairness　of　her　skin。　Every　time　he　praised　her　Iago　said　something　that　made　him　remember　his　anger　and　utter　it　foully；　and　yet　he　must　needs　praise　her；　and　say；　〃The　pity　of　it；　Iago！　　O　Iago；　the　pity　of　it；　Iago！〃

There　was　never　in　all　Iago's　villainy　one　moment　of　wavering。　　If　there　had　been　he　might　have　wavered　then。

〃Strangle　her；〃　he　said；　and　〃Good；　good！〃　said　his　miserable　dupe。

The　pair　were　still　talking　murder　when　Desdemona　appeared　with　a　relative　of　Desdemona's　father；　called　Lodovico；　who　bore　a　letter　for　Othello　from　the　Duke　of　Venice。　　The　letter　recalled　Othello　from　Cyprus；　and　gave　the　governorship　to　Cassio。

Luckless　Desdemona　seized　this　unhappy　moment　to　urge　once　more　the　suit　of　Cassio。

〃Fire　and　brimstone！〃　shouted　Othello。

〃It　may　be　the　letter　agitates　him；〃　explained　Lodovico　to　Desdemona；　and　he　told　her　what　it　contained。

〃I　am　glad；〃　said　Desdemona。　　It　was　the　first　bitter　speech　that　Othello's　unkindness　had　wrung　out　of　her。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　lose　your　temper；〃　said　Othello。

〃Why；　sweet　Othello？〃　she　asked；　sarcastically；　and　Othello　slapped　her　face。

Now　was　the　time　for　Desdemona　to　have　saved　her　life　by　separation；　but　she　knew　not　her　perilonly　that　her　love　was　wounded　to　the　core。　　〃I　have　not　deserved　this；〃　she　said；　and　the　tears　rolled　slowly　down　her　face。

Lodovico　was　shocked　and　disgusted。　　〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃this　would　not　be　believed　in　Venice。　　Make　her　amends；〃　but；　like　a　madman　talking　in　his　nightmare；　Othello　poured　out　his　foul　thought　in　ugly　speech；　and　roared；　〃Out　of　my　sight！〃

〃I　will　not　stay　to　offend　you；〃　said　his　wife；　but　she　lingered　even　in　going；　and　only　when　he　shouted　〃Avaunt！〃　did　she　leave　her　husband　and　his　guests。

Othello　then　invited　Lodovico　to　supper；　adding；　〃You　are　welcome；　sir；　to　Cyprus。　　Goats　and　monkeys！〃　　Without　waiting　for　a　reply　he　left　the　company。

Distinguished　visitors　detest　being　obliged　to　look　on　at　family　quarrels；　and　dislike　being　called　either　goats　or　monkeys；　and　Lodovico　asked　Iago　for　an　explanation。

True　to　himself；　Iago；　in　a　round…about　way；　said　that　Othello　was　worse　than　he　seemed；　and　advised　them　to　study　his　behavior　and　save　him　from　the　discomfort　of　answering　any　more　questions。

He　proceeded　to　tell　Roderigo　to　murder　Cassio。　　Roderigo　was　out　of　tune　with　his　friend。　　He　had　given　Iago　quantities　of　jewels　for　Desdemona　without　effect；　Desdemona　had　seen　none　of　them；　for　Iago　was　a　thief。

Iago　smoothed　him　with　a　lie；　and　when　Cassio　was　leaving　Bianca's　house；　Roderigo　wounded　him；　and　was　wounded　in　return。　　Cassio　shouted；　and　Lodovico　and　a　friend　came　running　up。　　Cassio　pointed　out　Roderigo　as　his　assailant；　and　Iago；　hoping　to　rid　himself　of　an　inconvenient　friend；　called　him　〃Villain！〃　and　stabbed　him；　but　not　to　death。

At　the　Castle；　Desdemona　was　in　a　sad　mood。　　She　told　Emilia　that　she　must　leave　her；　her　husband　wished　it。　　〃Dismiss　me！〃　exclaimed　Emilia。　　〃It　was　his　bidding；　said　Desdemona；　we　must　not　displease　him　now。〃

She　sang　a　song　which　a　girl　had　sung　whose　lover　had　been　base　to　hera　song　of　a　maiden　crying　by　that　tree　whose　boughs　droop　as　though　it　weeps；　and　she　went　to　bed　and　slept。

She　woke　with　her　husband's　wild　eyes　upon　her。　　〃Have　you　prayed　to…night？〃　he　asked；　and　he　told　this　blameless　and　sweet　woman　to　ask　God's　pardon　for　any　sin　she　might　have　on　her　conscience。　〃I　would　not　kill　thy　soul；〃　he　said。

He　told　her　that　Cassio　had　confessed；　but　she　knew　Cassio　had　nought　to　confess　that　concerned　her。　　She　said　that　Cassio　could　not　say　anything　that　would　damage　her。　　Othello　said　his　mouth　was　stopped。

Then　Desdemona　wept；　but　with　violent　words；　in　spite　of　all　her　pleading；　Othello　pressed　upon　her　throat　and　mortally　hurt　her。

Then　with　boding　heart　came　Emilia；　and　besought　entrance　at　the　door；　and　Othello　unlocked　it；　and　a　voic