beautiful stories from shakespeare-第24章

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Then　with　boding　heart　came　Emilia；　and　besought　entrance　at　the　door；　and　Othello　unlocked　it；　and　a　voice　came　from　the　bed　saying；　〃A　guiltless　death　I　die。〃

〃Who　did　it？〃　cried　Emilia；　and　the　voice　said；　〃NobodyI　myself。　Farewell！〃

〃'Twas　I　that　killed　her；〃　said　Othello。

He　poured　out　his　evidence　by　that　sad　bed　to　the　people　who　came　running　in；　Iago　among　them；　but　when　he　spoke　of　the　handkerchief；　Emilia　told　the　truth。

And　Othello　knew。　　〃Are　there　no　stones　in　heaven　but　thunderbolts？〃　he　exclaimed；　and　ran　at　Iago；　who　gave　Emilia　her　death…blow　and　fled。

But　they　brought　him　back；　and　the　death　that　came　to　him　later　on　was　a　relief　from　torture。

They　would　have　taken　Othello　back　to　Venice　to　try　him　there；　but　he　escaped　them　on　his　sword。　　〃A　word　or　two　before　you　go；〃　he　said　to　the　Venetians　in　the　chamber。　　〃Speak　of　me　as　I　wasno　better；　no　worse。　　Say　I　cast　away　the　pearl　of　pearls；　and　wept　with　these　hard　eyes；　and　say　that；　when　in　Aleppo　years　ago　I　saw　a　Turk　beating　a　Venetian；　I　took　him　by　the　throat　and　smote　him　thus。〃

With　his　own　hand　he　stabbed　himself　to　the　heart；　and　ere　he　died　his　lips　touched　the　face　of　Desdemona　with　despairing　love。




THE　TAMING　OF　THE　SHREW



There　lived　in　Padua　a　gentleman　named　Baptista；　who　had　two　fair　daughters。　　The　eldest；　Katharine；　was　so　very　cross　and　ill…tempered；　and　unmannerly；　that　no　one　ever　dreamed　of　marrying　her；　while　her　sister；　Bianca；　was　so　sweet　and　pretty；　and　pleasant…spoken；　that　more　than　one　suitor　asked　her　father　for　her　hand。　　But　Baptista　said　the　elder　daughter　must　marry　first。

So　Bianca's　suitors　decided　among　themselves　to　try　and　get　some　one　to　marry　Katharineand　then　the　father　could　at　least　be　got　to　listen　to　their　suit　for　Bianca。

A　gentleman　from　Verona；　named　Petruchio；　was　the　one　they　thought　of；　and；　half　in　jest；　they　asked　him　if　he　would　marry　Katharine；　the　disagreeable　scold。　　Much　to　their　surprise　he　said　yes；　that　was　just　the　sort　of　wife　for　him；　and　if　Katharine　were　handsome　and　rich；　he　himself　would　undertake　soon　to　make　her　good…tempered。

Petruchio　began　by　asking　Baptista's　permission　to　pay　court　to　his　gentle　daughter　Katharineand　Baptista　was　obliged　to　own　that　she　was　anything　but　gentle。　　And　just　then　her　music　master　rushed　in；　complaining　that　the　naughty　girl　had　broken　her　lute　over　his　head；　because　he　told　her　she　was　not　playing　correctly。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃I　love　her　better　than　ever；　and　long　to　have　some　chat　with　her。〃

When　Katharine　came；　he　said；　〃Good…morrow；　Katefor　that；　I　hear；　is　your　name。〃

〃You've　only　heard　half；〃　said　Katharine；　rudely。

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Petruchio；　〃they　call　you　plain　Kate；　and　bonny　Kate；　and　sometimes　Kate　the　shrew；　and　so；　hearing　your　mildness　praised　in　every　town；　and　your　beauty　too；　I　ask　you　for　my　wife。〃

〃Your　wife！〃　cried　Kate。　　〃Never！〃　　She　said　some　extremely　disagreeable　things　to　him；　and；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　ended　by　boxing　his　ears。

〃If　you　do　that　again；　I'll　cuff　you；〃　he　said　quietly；　and　still　protested；　with　many　compliments；　that　he　would　marry　none　but　her。

When　Baptista　came　back；　he　asked　at　once

〃How　speed　you　with　my　daughter？〃

〃How　should　I　speed　but　well；〃　replied　Petruchio〃how；　but　well？〃

〃How　now；　daughter　Katharine？〃　the　father　went　on。

〃I　don't　think；〃　said　Katharine；　angrily；　〃you　are　acting　a　father's　part　in　wishing　me　to　marry　this　mad…cap　ruffian。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Petruchio；　〃you　and　all　the　world　would　talk　amiss　of　her。　　You　should　see　how　kind　she　is　to　me　when　we　are　alone。　　In　short；　I　will　go　off　to　Venice　to　buy　fine　things　for　our　weddingforkiss　me；　Kate！　we　will　be　married　on　Sunday。〃

With　that；　Katharine　flounced　out　of　the　room　by　one　door　in　a　violent　temper；　and　he；　laughing；　went　out　by　the　other。　　But　whether　she　fell　in　love　with　Petruchio；　or　whether　she　was　only　glad　to　meet　a　man　who　was　not　afraid　of　her；　or　whether　she　was　flattered　that；　in　spite　of　her　rough　words　and　spiteful　usage；　he　still　desired　her　for　his　wifeshe　did　indeed　marry　him　on　Sunday；　as　he　had　sworn　she　should。

To　vex　and　humble　Katharine's　naughty；　proud　spirit；　he　was　late　at　the　wedding；　and　when　he　came；　came　wearing　such　shabby　clothes　that　she　was　ashamed　to　be　seen　with　him。　　His　servant　was　dressed　in　the　same　shabby　way；　and　the　horses　they　rode　were　the　sport　of　everyone　they　passed。

And；　after　the　marriage；　when　should　have　been　the　wedding　breakfast；　Petruchio　carried　his　wife　away；　not　allowing　her　to　eat　or　drinksaying　that　she　was　his　now；　and　he　could　do　as　he　liked　with　her。

And　his　manner　was　so　violent；　and　he　behaved　all　through　his　wedding　in　so　mad　and　dreadful　a　manner；　that　Katharine　trembled　and　went　with　him。　　He　mounted　her　on　a　stumbling；　lean；　old　horse；　and　they　journeyed　by　rough　muddy　ways　to　Petruchio's　house；　he　scolding　and　snarling　all　the　way。

She　was　terribly　tired　when　she　reached　her　new　home；　but　Petruchio　was　determined　that　she　should　neither　eat　nor　sleep　that　night；　for　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　teach　his　bad…tempered　wife　a　lesson　she　would　never　forget。

So　he　welcomed　her　kindly　to　his　house；　but　when　supper　was　served　he　found　fault　with　everythingthe　meat　was　burnt；　he　said；　and　ill…served；　and　he　loved　her　far　too　much　to　let　her　eat　anything　but　the　best。　　At　last　Katharine；　tired　out　with　her　journey；　went　supperless　to　bed。　　Then　her　husband；　still　telling　her　how　he　loved　her；　and　how　anxious　he　was　that　she　should　sleep　well；　pulled　her　bed　to　pieces；　throwing　the　pillows　and　bedclothes　on　the　floor；　so　that　she　could　not　go　to　bed　at　all；　and　still　kept　growling　and　scolding　at　the　servants　so　that　Kate　might　see　how　unbeautiful　a　thing　ill…temper　was。

The　next　day；　too；　Katharine's　food　was　all　found　fault　with；　and　caught　away　before　she　could　touch　a　mouthful；　and　she　was　sick　and　giddy　for　want　of　sleep。　　Then　she　said　to　one　of　the　servants

〃I　pray　thee　go　and　get　me　some　repast。　　I　care　not　what。〃

〃What　say　you　to　a　neat's　foot？〃　said　the　servant。

Katharine　said　〃Yes；〃　eagerly；　but　the　servant；　who　was　in　his　master's　secret；　said　he　feared　it　was　not　good　for　hasty…tempered　people。　　Would　she　like　tripe？

〃Bring　it　me；〃　said　Katharine。

〃I　don't　think　that　is　good　for　hasty…tempered　people；〃　said　the　servant。　　〃What　do　you　say　to　a　dish　of　beef　and　mustard？〃

〃I　love　it；〃　said　Kate。

〃But　mustard　is　too　hot。〃

〃Why；　then；　the　beef；　and　let　the　mustard　go；〃　cried　Katharine；　who　was　getting　hungrier　and　hungrier。

〃No；〃　said　the　servant；　〃you　must　have　the　mustard；　or　you　get　no　beef　from　me。〃

〃Then；〃　cried　Katharine；　losing　patience；　〃let　it　be　both；　or　one；　or　anything　thou　wilt。〃

〃Why；　then；〃　said　the　servant；　〃the　mustard　without　the　beef！〃

Then　Katharine　saw　he　was　making　fun　of　her；　and　boxed　his　ears。

Just　then　Petruchio　brought　her　some　foodbut　she　had　scarcely　begun　to　satisfy　her　hunger；　before　he　called　for　the　tailor　to　bring　her　new　clothes；　and　the　table　was　cleared；　leaving　her　still　hungry。　　Katharine　was　pleased　with　the　pretty　new　dress　and　cap　that　the　tailor　had　made　for　her；　but　Petruchio　found　fault　with　everything；　flung　the　cap　and　gown　on　the　floor　vowing　his　dear　wife　should　not　wear　any　such　foolish　things。

〃I　will　have　them；〃　cried　Katharine。　　〃All　gentlewomen　wear　such　caps　as　these〃

〃When　you　are　gentle　you　shall　have　one　too；〃　he　answered；　〃and　not　till　then。〃　　When　he　had　driven　away　the　tailor　with　angry　wordsbut　privately　asking　his　friend　to　see　him　paidPetruchio　said

〃Come；　Kate；　let's　go　to　your　father's；　shabby　as　we　are；　for　as　the　sun　breaks　through　the　darkest　clouds；　so　honor　peereth　in　the　meanest　habit。　　It　is　about　seven　o'clock　now。　　We　shall　easily　get　there　by　dinner…time。〃

〃It's　nearly　two；〃　said　Kate；　but　civilly　enough；　for　she　had　grown　to　see　that　she　could　not　bully　her　husband；　as　she　had　done　her　father　and　her　sister；　〃it's　nearly　two；　and　it　will　be　supper…time　before　we　get　there。〃

〃It　shall　be　seven；〃　said　Petruchio；　obstinately；　〃before　I　start。　Why；　whatever　I　say　or　do；　or　think；　you　do　nothing　but　contradict。　I　won't　go　to…day；　and　before　I　do　go；　it　sh