beautiful stories from shakespeare-第26章

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〃Give　me　your　love；〃　he　said；　〃and　Claudio　shall　be　freed。〃

〃Before　I　would　marry　you；　he　should　die　if　he　had　twenty　heads　to　lay　upon　the　block；〃　said　Isabella；　for　she　saw　then　that　he　was　not　the　just　man　he　pretended　to　be。

So　she　went　to　her　brother　in　prison；　to　inform　him　that　he　must　die。　　At　first　he　was　boastful；　and　promised　to　hug　the　darkness　of　death。　　But　when　he　clearly　understood　that　his　sister　could　buy　his　life　by　marrying　Angelo；　he　felt　his　life　more　valuable　than　her　happiness；　and　he　exclaimed；　〃Sweet　sister；　let　me　live。〃

〃O　faithless　coward！　　O　dishonest　wretch！〃　she　cried。

At　this　moment　the　Duke　came　forward；　in　the　habit　of　a　friar；　to　request　some　speech　with　Isabella。　　He　called　himself　Friar　Lodowick。

The　Duke　then　told　her　that　Angelo　was　affianced　to　Mariana；　whose　love…story　he　related。　　He　then　asked　her　to　consider　this　plan。　Let　Mariana；　in　the　dress　of　Isabella；　go　closely　veiled　to　Angelo；　and　say；　in　a　voice　resembling　Isabella's；　that　if　Claudio　were　spared　she　would　marry　him。　　Let　her　take　the　ring　from　Angelo's　little　finger；　that　it　might　be　afterwards　proved　that　his　visitor　was　Mariana。

Isabella　had；　of　course；　a　great　respect　for　friars；　who　are　as　nearly　like　nuns　as　men　can　be。　　She　agreed；　therefore；　to　the　Duke's　plan。　　They　were　to　meet　again　at　the　moated　grange；　Mariana's　house。

In　the　street　the　Duke　saw　Lucio；　who；　seeing　a　man　dressed　like　a　friar；　called　out；　〃What　news　of　the　Duke；　friar？〃　　〃I　have　none；〃　said　the　Duke。

Lucio　then　told　the　Duke　some　stories　about　Angelo。　　Then　he　told　one　about　the　Duke。　　The　Duke　contradicted　him。　　Lucio　was　provoked；　and　called　the　Duke　〃a　shallow；　ignorant　fool；〃　though　he　pretended　to　love　him。　　〃The　Duke　shall　know　you　better　if　I　live　to　report　you；〃　said　the　Duke；　grimly。　　Then　he　asked　Escalus；　whom　he　saw　in　the　street；　what　he　thought　of　his　ducal　master。　　Escalus；　who　imagined　he　was　speaking　to　a　friar；　replied；　〃The　Duke　is　a　very　temperate　gentleman；　who　prefers　to　see　another　merry　to　being　merry　himself。〃

The　Duke　then　proceeded　to　call　on　Mariana。

Isabella　arrived　immediately　afterwards；　and　the　Duke　introduced　the　two　girls　to　one　another；　both　of　whom　thought　he　was　a　friar。　They　went　into　a　chamber　apart　from　him　to　discuss　the　saving　of　Claudio；　and　while　they　talked　in　low　and　earnest　tones；　the　Duke　looked　out　of　the　window　and　saw　the　broken　sheds　and　flower…beds　black　with　moss；　which　betrayed　Mariana's　indifference　to　her　country　dwelling。　　Some　women　would　have　beautified　their　garden：　not　she。　　She　was　for　the　town；　she　neglected　the　joys　of　the　country。　　He　was　sure　that　Angelo　would　not　make　her　unhappier。

〃We　are　agreed；　father；〃　said　Isabella；　as　she　returned　with　Mariana。

So　Angelo　was　deceived　by　the　girl　whom　he　had　dismissed　from　his　love；　and　put　on　her　finger　a　ring　he　wore；　in　which　was　set　a　milky　stone　which　flashed　in　the　light　with　secret　colors。

Hearing　of　her　success；　the　Duke　went　next　day　to　the　prison　prepared　to　learn　that　an　order　had　arrived　for　Claudio's　release。　　It　had　not；　however；　but　a　letter　was　banded　to　the　Provost　while　he　waited。　　His　amazement　was　great　when　the　Provost　read　aloud　these　words；　〃Whatsoever　you　may　hear　to　the　contrary；　let　Claudio　be　executed　by　four　of　the　clock。　　Let　me　have　his　head　sent　me　by　five。〃

But　the　Duke　said　to　the　Provost；　〃You　must　show　the　Deputy　another　head；〃　and　he　held　out　a　letter　and　a　signet。　　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃are　the　hand　and　seal　of　the　Duke。　　He　is　to　return；　I　tell　you；　and　Angelo　knows　it　not。　　Give　Angelo　another　head。〃

The　Provost　thought；　〃This　friar　speaks　with　power。　　I　know　the　Duke's　signet　and　I　know　his　hand。〃

He　said　at　length；　〃A　man　died　in　prison　this　morning；　a　pirate　of　the　age　of　Claudio；　with　a　beard　of　his　color。　　I　will　show　his　head。〃

The　pirate's　head　was　duly　shown　to　Angelo；　who　was　deceived　by　its　resemblance　to　Claudio's。

The　Duke's　return　was　so　popular　that　the　citizens　removed　the　city　gates　from　their　hinges　to　assist　his　entry　into　Vienna。　　Angelo　and　Escalus　duly　presented　themselves；　and　were　profusely　praised　for　their　conduct　of　affairs　in　the　Duke's　absence。

It　was；　therefore；　the　more　unpleasant　for　Angelo　when　Isabella；　passionately　angered　by　his　treachery；　knelt　before　the　Duke；　and　cried　for　justice。

When　her　story　was　told；　the　Duke　cried；　〃To　prison　with　her　for　a　slanderer　of　our　right　hand！　　But　stay；　who　persuaded　you　to　come　here？〃

〃Friar　Lodowick；〃　said　she。

〃Who　knows　him？〃　inquired　the　Duke。

〃I　do；　my　lord；〃　replied　Lucio。　　〃I　beat　him　because　he　spake　against　your　Grace。〃

A　friar　called　Peter　here　said；　〃Friar　Lodowick　is　a　holy　man。〃

Isabella　was　removed　by　an　officer；　and　Mariana　came　forward。　　She　took　off　her　veil；　and　said　to　Angelo；　〃This　is　the　face　you　once　swore　was　worth　looking　on。〃

Bravely　he　faced　her　as　she　put　out　her　hand　and　said；　〃This　is　the　hand　which　wears　the　ring　you　thought　to　give　another。〃

〃I　know　the　woman；〃　said　Angelo。　　〃Once　there　was　talk　of　marriage　between　us；　but　I　found　her　frivolous。〃

Mariana　here　burst　out　that　they　were　affianced　by　the　strongest　vows。　　Angelo　replied　by　asking　the　Duke　to　insist　on　the　production　of　Friar　Lodowick。

〃He　shall　appear；〃　promised　the　Duke；　and　bade　Escalus　examine　the　missing　witness　thoroughly　while　he　was　elsewhere。

Presently　the　Duke　re…appeared　in　the　character　of　Friar　Lodowick；　and　accompanied　by　Isabella　and　the　Provost。　　He　was　not　so　much　examined　as　abused　and　threatened　by　Escalus。　　Lucio　asked　him　to　deny；　if　he　dared；　that　he　called　the　Duke　a　fool　and　a　coward；　and　had　had　his　nose　pulled　for　his　impudence。

〃To　prison　with　him！〃　shouted　Escalus；　but　as　hands　were　laid　upon　him；　the　Duke　pulled　off　his　friar's　hood；　and　was　a　Duke　before　them　all。

〃Now；〃　he　said　to　Angelo；　〃if　you　have　any　impudence　that　can　yet　serve　you；　work　it　for　all　it's　worth。〃

〃Immediate　sentence　and　death　is　all　I　beg；〃　was　the　reply。

〃Were　you　affianced　to　Mariana？〃　asked　the　Duke。

〃I　was；〃　said　Angelo。

〃Then　marry　her　instantly；〃　said　his　master。　　〃Marry　them；〃　he　said　to　Friar　Peter；　〃and　return　with　them　here。〃

〃Come　hither；　Isabel；〃　said　the　Duke；　in　tender　tones。　　〃Your　friar　is　now　your　Prince；　and　grieves　he　was　too　late　to　save　your　brother；〃　but　well　the　roguish　Duke　knew　he　had　saved　him。

〃O　pardon　me；〃　she　cried；　〃that　I　employed　my　Sovereign　in　my　trouble。〃

〃You　are　pardoned；〃　he　said；　gaily。

At　that　moment　Angelo　and　his　wife　re…entered。　　〃And　now；　Angelo；〃　said　the　Duke；　gravely；　〃we　condemn　thee　to　the　block　on　which　Claudio　laid　his　head！〃

〃O　my　most　gracious　lord；〃　cried　Mariana；　〃mock　me　not！〃

〃You　shall　buy　a　better　husband；〃　said　the　Duke。

〃O　my　dear　lord；〃　said　she；　〃I　crave　no　better　man。〃

Isabella　nobly　added　her　prayer　to　Mariana's；　but　the　Duke　feigned　inflexibility。

〃Provost；〃　he　said；　〃how　came　it　that　Claudio　as　executed　at　an　unusual　hour？〃

Afraid　to　confess　the　lie　he　had　imposed　upon　Angelo；　the　Provost　said；　〃I　had　a　private　message。〃

〃You　are　discharged　from　your　office；〃　said　the　Duke。　　The　Provost　then　departed。　　Angelo　said；　〃I　am　sorry　to　have　caused　such　sorrow。　　I　prefer　death　to　mercy。〃　　Soon　there　was　a　motion　in　the　crowd。　　The　Provost　re…appeared　with　Claudio。　　Like　a　big　child　the　Provost　said；　〃I　saved　this　man；　he　is　like　Claudio。〃　The　Duke　was　amused；　and　said　to　Isabella；　〃I　pardon　him　because　he　is　like　your　brother。　　He　is　like　my　brother；　too；　if　you；　dear　Isabel；　will　be　mine。〃

She　was　his　with　a　smile；　and　the　Duke　forgave　Angelo；　and　promoted　the　Provost。

Lucio　he　condemned　to　marry　a　stout　woman　with　a　bitter　tongue。




TWO　GENTLEMEN　OF　VERONA



Only　one　of　them　was　really　a　gentleman；　as　you　will　discover　later。　Their　names　were　Valentine　and　Proteus。　　They　were　friends；　and　lived　at　Verona；　a　town　in　northern　Italy。　　Valentine　was　happy　in　his　name　because　it　was　that　of　the　patron　saint　of　lovers；　it　is　hard　for　a　Valentine　to　be　fickle　or　mean。　　Proteus　was　unhappy　in　his　name；　because　it　was　that　of　a　famous　shape…changer；　and　therefore　it　encouraged　him　to　be　a　lover　at　one　time　and　a　traitor　at　another。

One