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第4章

beautiful stories from shakespeare-第4章

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Then; for the first time; he told her the story of his life and hers; and that he had caused this storm to rise in order that his enemies; Antonio and Alonso; who were on board; might be delivered into his hands。

When he had made an end of his story he charmed her into sleep; for Ariel was at hand; and he had work for him to do。  Ariel; who longed for his complete freedom; grumbled to be kept in drudgery; but on being threateningly reminded of all the sufferings he had undergone when Sycorax ruled in the land; and of the debt of gratitude he owed to the master who had made those sufferings to end; he ceased to complain; and promised faithfully to do whatever Prospero might command。

〃Do so;〃 said Prospero; 〃and in two days I will discharge thee。〃

Then he bade Ariel take the form of a water nymph and sent him in search of the young prince。  And Ariel; invisible to Ferdinand; hovered near him; singing the while

   〃Come unto these yellow sands       And then take hands:     Court'sied when you have; and kiss'd       (The wild waves whist);     Foot it featly here and there;     And; sweet sprites; the burden bear!〃

And Ferdinand followed the magic singing; as the song changed to a solemn air; and the words brought grief to his heart; and tears to his eyes; for thus they ran

   〃Full fathom five thy father lies;       Of his bones are coral made。     Those are pearls that were his eyes;       Nothing of him that doth fade;     But doth suffer a sea…change     Into something rich and strange。     Sea…nymphs hourly ring his knell。     Hark! now I hear them; ding dong bell!〃

And so singing; Ariel led the spell…bound prince into the presence of Prospero and Miranda。  Then; behold! all happened as Prospero desired。  For Miranda; who had never; since she could first remember; seen any human being save her father; looked on the youthful prince with reverence in her eyes; and love in her secret heart。

〃I might call him;〃 she said; 〃a thing divine; for nothing natural I ever saw so noble!〃

And Ferdinand; beholding her beauty with wonder and delight; exclaimed

〃Most sure the goddess on whom these airs attend!〃

Nor did he attempt to hide the passion which she inspired in him; for scarcely had they exchanged half a dozen sentences; before he vowed to make her his queen if she were willing。  But Prospero; though secretly delighted; pretended wrath。

〃You come here as a spy;〃 he said to Ferdinand。  〃I will manacle your neck and feet together; and you shall feed on fresh water mussels; withered roots and husk; and have sea…water to drink。 Follow。〃

〃No;〃 said Ferdinand; and drew his sword。  But on the instant Prospero charmed him so that he stood there like a statue; still as stone; and Miranda in terror prayed her father to have mercy on her lover。  But he harshly refused her; and made Ferdinand follow him to his cell。  There he set the Prince to work; making him remove thousands of heavy logs of timber and pile them up; and Ferdinand patiently obeyed; and thought his toil all too well repaid by the sympathy of the sweet Miranda。

She in very pity would have helped him in his hard work; but he would not let her; yet he could not keep from her the secret of his love; and she; hearing it; rejoiced and promised to be his wife。

Then Prospero released him from his servitude; and glad at heart; he gave his consent to their marriage。

〃Take her;〃 he said; 〃she is thine own。〃

In the meantime; Antonio and Sebastian in another part of the island were plotting the murder of Alonso; the King of Naples; for Ferdinand being dead; as they thought; Sebastian would succeed to the throne on Alonso's death。  And they would have carried out their wicked purpose while their victim was asleep; but that Ariel woke him in good time。

Many tricks did Ariel play them。  Once he set a banquet before them; and just as they were going to fall to; he appeared to them amid thunder and lightning in the form of a harpy; and immediately the banquet disappeared。  Then Ariel upbraided them with their sins and vanished too。

Prospero by his enchantments drew them all to the grove without his cell; where they waited; trembling and afraid; and now at last bitterly repenting them of their sins。

Prospero determined to make one last use of his magic power; 〃And then;〃 said he; 〃I'll break my staff and deeper than did ever plummet sound I'll drown my book。〃

So he made heavenly music to sound in the air; and appeared to them in his proper shape as the Duke of Milan。  Because they repented; he forgave them and told them the story of his life since they had cruelly committed him and his baby daughter to the mercy of wind and waves。  Alonso; who seemed sorriest of them all for his past crimes; lamented the loss of his heir。  But Prospero drew back a curtain and showed them Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess。  Great was Alonso's joy to greet his loved son again; and when he heard that the fair maid with whom Ferdinand was playing was Prospero's daughter; and that the young folks had plighted their troth; he said

〃Give me your hands; let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart that doth not wish you joy。〃

So all ended happily。  The ship was safe in the harbor; and next day they all set sail for Naples; where Ferdinand and Miranda were to be married。  Ariel gave them calm seas and auspicious gales; and many were the rejoicings at the wedding。

Then Prospero; after many years of absence; went back to his own dukedom; where he was welcomed with great joy by his faithful subjects。  He practiced the arts of magic no more; but his life was happy; and not only because he had found his own again; but chiefly because; when his bitterest foes who had done him deadly wrong lay at his mercy; he took no vengeance on them; but nobly forgave them。

As for Ariel; Prospero made him free as air; so that he could wander where he would; and sing with a light heart his sweet song

   〃Where the bee sucks; there suck I:     In a cowslip's bell I lie;     There I couch when owls do cry。     On the bat's back I do fly     After summer; merrily:     Merrily; merrily; shall I live now;     Under the blossom that hangs on the bough。〃




AS YOU LIKE IT



There was once a wicked Duke named Frederick; who took the dukedom that should have belonged to his brother; sending him into exile。 His brother went into the Forest of Arden; where he lived the life of a bold forester; as Robin Hood did in Sherwood Forest in merry England。

The banished Duke's daughter; Rosalind; remained with Celia; Frederick's daughter; and the two loved each other more than most sisters。  One day there was a wrestling match at Court; and Rosalind and Celia went to see it。  Charles; a celebrated wrestler; was there; who had killed many men in contests of this kind。  Orlando; the young man he was to wrestle with; was so slender and youthful; that Rosalind and Celia thought he would surely be killed; as others had been; so they spoke to him; and asked him not to attempt so dangerous an adventure; but the only effect of their words was to make him wish more to come off well in the encounter; so as to win praise from such sweet ladies。

Orlando; like Rosalind's father; was being kept out of his inheritance by his brother; and was so sad at his brother's unkindness that; until he saw Rosalind; he did not care much whether he lived or died。  But now the sight of the fair Rosalind gave him strength and courage; so that he did marvelously; and at last; threw Charles to such a tune; that the wrestler had to be carried off the ground。 Duke Frederick was pleased with his courage; and asked his name。

〃My name is Orlando; and I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys;〃 said the young man。

Now Sir Rowland de Boys; when he was alive; had been a good friend to the banished Duke; so that Frederick heard with regret whose son Orlando was; and would not befriend him。  But Rosalind was delighted to hear that this handsome young stranger was the son of her father's old friend; and as they were going away; she turned back more than once to say another kind word to the brave young man。

〃Gentleman;〃 she said; giving him a chain from her neck; 〃wear this for me。  I could give more; 

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