牛津书虫2级 1WillIam Shakespeare.docx

牛津书虫2级 1WillIam Shakespeare.docx

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牛津书虫2级1WillIamShakespeare

WillIamShakespeare

1Tobyremembers

    MynameisToby．I'manoldman，eighty-threethisspring．MyhouseisrightinthemiddleofStratford-upon-Avon，andIcanwatchthestreetmarketfrommywindow．ButIliveveryquietlynow．I'mjustanoldman，sittinginachair． 

    IonceknewthegreatestmaninEngland．ForthirtyyearsIwashisfriend．Iworkedwithhiminthetheatre，throughthegoodtimesandthebadtime．Hewasagoodfriendtome．Hewasalsothebestplaywright，thebestpoet，thateverlivedinEngland．WillShakespearewashisname． 

    Isawallhisplaysinthetheatre．Peoplelovedthem．Theyshouted，laughedandcried，ateoranges，andcalledformore．Allkindsofpeople．Kings，Queens，Princes，greatlordsandladies，poorpeople，theboyswhoheldthehorses…everyone．WillShakespearecouldpleasethemall． 

    Heputmeinaplayonce．Well，heusedmyname-Toby．TwelfthNightwastheplay，Iremember．SirTobyBelch．Hewasabigfatman，wholikeddrinkingtoomuchandhavingagoodtime．QueenElizabeththeFirstwatchedthatplay-onTwelfthNight，the6thofJanuary，1601．Shelikedit，too． 

    Will'sdeadnow，ofcourse．He'sbeendeadmorethanthirtyyears，andnooneseeshisplaysnow．ThePuritanshaveclosedallthetheatres．There'snosinging，nodancing，noplays．Itwasn'tlikethatinmyyoungdays．WehadagoodtimeinLondon，WillandI… 

    I'venoteethnow，andmyhairhasallfallenout，butIcanstillthink—andremember．IrememberwhenWillandIwereyoung，justboysreally… 

2Stratford-upon-Avon

    ItwasasunnydayinOctober1579whenIfirstmetWill，justoutsideStratford，nearabigfieldofappletrees．Isawaboyupinoneofthetrees．Hehadredhairandlookedabouttwoyearsolderthanme． 

    ‘Whatareyoudoingupthere？

’Icalled． 

    ‘Justgettingafewapples，’hesaid，smiling 

    ‘ThoseareFarmerNash'sapples，Isaid，‘andhe'llsendhisdogsafteryouifheseesyou．’ 

    ‘MrNashhasgonetomarket，’theboysaid．‘Comeon！

They'regoodapples．’ 

    ThenextminuteIwasupthetreewithhim．ButWillwaswrong．FarmerNashwasn'tatthemarket，andafewminuteslaterwesawhisangryredfaceabovethewallonthefarsideofthefield． 

    WillandIranlikethewindandonlystoppedwhenwereachedtheriver．Wesatdowntoeatourapples． 

    Willwasfifteen，andlivedinHenleyStreet，hetoldme．HisfatherwasJohnShakespeare，andhehadasister，Joan，andtwoyoungerbrothers，GilbertandRichard．Therewasanothersisterwhodied，Ilearntlater．Andthenextyearhehadanotherbrother，littleEdmund—thebabyofthefamily． 

    ‘Now，whataboutyou？

’heasked． 

    ‘There'sonlymeandmysister，’Isaid．‘Myparentsaredead，andwelivewithmymother'sbrother：

He'sashoe-makerinElyStreetandIworkforhim．Whatdoyoudo？

’ 

    ‘IgotoMrJenkins'schoolinChurchStreet，’Willsaid．‘Everyday，fromseveno'clockuntilfiveo'clock．NotSundays，ofcourse．’ 

    Iwassorryforhim．‘Isn'tisboring？

’Iasked． 

    ‘Sometimes．Usuallyit'sallright．’Helaybackandputhishandsbehindhishead．‘ButwehavetoreadandlearnalltheseLatinwriters．Iwanttoreadmodernwriters，andEng-lishwriters，likeGeoffreyChaucer．Canyouread？

’heasked． 

    ‘OfcourseIcanread！

’Isaid．‘Iwenttoschool．’ 

    Willsatupandbegantoeatanotherapple．‘Iwanttobeawriter，’hesaid．‘Apoet．Iwantthatmorethananythingintheworld．’ 

    Wewerefriendsfromthatday，untilthedayhedied．Wemetnearlyeveryday，andhetaughtmealotaboutbooksandpoetryandwriters．Healwayshadhisnoseinabook． 

    WhenWillleftschool，heworkedforhisfatherinHenleyStreet．JohnShakespearewasaglove-maker，andhehadotherbusinesstoo，likebuyingandsellingsheep．ButWillwasn'tinterested． 

    ‘Whatarewegoingtodo，Toby？

’hesaidtomeoneday．‘Wecan'tspendallourlivesmakingshoesandgloves！

’ 

    ‘Well，’Isaid，‘wecouldrunawaytoseaandbesailors．Sailroundtheworld，likeFrancisDrake． 

    DrakesailedbacktoPlymouthin1581，afterhisthree-yearjourneyroundtheworld，butwewerestillinStratford．Wemadelotsofplans，butnothingevercameofthem． 

    Willwasstillreadingalotandhewasalreadywritingpoemshimself．Hesometimesshowedthemtome，andIsaidtheywereverygood．Ididn'treallyknowanythingaboutpoetrythen，buthewasmyfriend． 

    Willwasnothappywithhiswriting．‘I'vegotsomuchtolearn，Toby，’hesaid．‘Somuchtolearn．’ 

    PoorWill．Hehadalottolearnaboutwomen，too．OnedayinOctober1582hecametomyhousewithalongface． 

    ‘I'llneverleaveStratford．’hesaid． 

    ‘Whynot？

’Iasked．‘We'llgetawayoneday．You'llsee．’ 

    ‘Perhapsyouwill，’hesaid，‘butI'mgoingtobemarriedinafewweeks'time．ToAnneHathaway．’ 

    Mymouthfellopenandstayedopen．‘Married！

ToAnneHathaway？

IsthattheHathawaysoveratShottery？

’ 

    ‘Yes，’Willsaid．Iwasworkingonsomeshoesonthetable，andWillpickedoneupandlookedatit． 

    ‘Well，er，she'safinegirl，ofcourse，’Isaiduncomfort-ably．‘But…but，Will，she'stwenty-sixandyou'reonlyeighteen！

’ 

    ‘Iknow，’Willsaid．‘ButI'vegottomarryher．’ 

    ‘Ohno！

’Isaid．‘Youmean，she's…’ 

    ‘That'sright，’saidWill．‘Inaboutsixmonths'timeI'mgoingtobeafather．’

3Theactorscometotown

    WillmarriedAnneHathawayinNovember，andshecametoliveinHenleyStreet．JohnShakespearewaspleasedthathisoldestsonwasmarried，butIdon'tthinkWill'smotherwantedhimtomarrysoyoung．Familiescostalotofmoney，andJohnShakespearewashavingalotofmoneytroublesinthosedays．TimeswerehardinHenleyStreet． 

    SusannawasbornthenextMay．Allbabieslookthesametome，butWillwasverypleasedwithher． 

    ‘Look，Toby，she'sgotmyeyes，’hesaidhappily．‘She'sgoingtobeasbeautifulastheQueenofEgypt，andascleverasKingSolomon．’ 

    ‘Ohyes？

’Isaid．‘Allparentstalklikethatabouttheirchildren．Idon'tbelieveawordofit．’ 

    Ididn'tseemuchofWill'swife．Iknewshedidn'tlikeme．Toher，IwasoneofWill'swildfriends，whogothimintotrouble．Shecamefromaveryserious，Puritanfamily．Lotsofchurch-going，andnosingingordancing． 

    Soontherewasanotherbabyontheway，andoneeveninginFebruary1585IhurriedroundtoHenleyStreettohearthenews．Will'ssister，Joan，openedthedoor，andthenWillcamerunningdownthestairs． 

    ‘It'stwoofthem！

’hesaid．‘Twins！

Agirlandaboy．Isn'tthatwonderful！

’ 

    Willhadsomegoodfriends，HamnetandJudithSadler，andhecalledthetwinsafterthem．JohnShakespearewasverypleasedtohavehisfirstgrandson，andeveryonewashappy．Forawhile． 

    WillandIstillwentaroundtogetherwhenwecould．Hewasstillreading，andwriting，andsoonIcouldseeachangeinhim．Hewastwenty-threenow，andhewasnothappywithhislife． 

    ‘Stratford'stoosmall，Toby，’hesaid．‘Tooslow．Tooquiet．Tooboring．I'vegottogetaway．’ 

    ‘Yes，buthow？

’Iasked．‘You'vegotafamily—threeyoungchildren，remember．’ 

    Hedidn'tanswer． 

    Inthesummermonthscompaniesofplayersoftencametosmalltowns，andin1587fivedifferentcompaniescame．WillandIalwayswenttoseetheplays．WilllovedtotalktotheactorsandtolistentoalltheirstoriesofLondon 

    TheQueen'sMencametoStratfordinJune，andwewenttoseetheplay．Idon'trememberwhatitwas．IknowthatIlaughedalot，andthatWillsaiditwasastupidplay，withnotawordofpoetryinit． 

    ‘Whydon'tyouwriteaplayyourself？

’Itoldhim． 

    ‘Writeaplay？

’Helaughed．‘Annewouldneverspeaktomeagain．’ 

    Ididn'tsayanything，andWilllookedatmeandlaughedagain． 

    Ithappenedafewmonthslater．IwalkedintotheShakespeares'kitchenoneevening，andtherewasAnne，withared，angryface，shoutingatthetopofhervoice． 

    ‘Howcanyoudothistome？

Andwhataboutthechildren—’Thenshesawmeandstopped． 

    Willwassittingatthetable，andlookedpleasedtoseeme．‘I'vetoldAnne，’hesaidquietly，‘thatI'mgoingtoliveinLondon．Iwanttobeanactor，andtowriteplays，ifIcan．’ 

    ‘Plays！

’screamedAnne．‘Acting！

Actorsaredirty，wickedpeople！

They'reallthievesandcriminals！

Theydrinkalldayandtheynevergotochurch—’ 

    ‘Don'tbestupid，Anne．Youknowthat'snottrue．Listen．I'llcomehomewhenIcan，butImustgotoLondon．Ican'tdoanythinginStratford．’Helookedatmeacrosstheroom．‘Areyoucomingwithme，Toby？

’ 

    ‘Howsooncanwestart？

’Isaid．

4AnewlifeinLondon

    It'stwodaysjourneytoLondonbyhorse，andWilltalkedalltheway．Hiseyeswerebrightandexcited．Hewasfullofplans，andpoems，andaloveoflife． 

    ‘ItalkedtooneoftheQueen'sMen，’hetoldme．‘Hesaidthathecouldfindmeworkinthetheatre．Acting，perhaps．Orhelpingtowritesomeplays．Ishowedhimsomeofmywriting，andhewasveryinterested． 

    WhenwerodeintoLondon，Ibegantofeelafraid．Thiswasabig，bigcity，andwewerejusttwounimportantyoungmenfromasmalltown．I'llneverforgetthenoise，andthesmells，andthecrowds．Therewere200，000peoplelivingintheCityofLondon—Ineversawsomanypeoplebeforeinmylife． 

    WewentdowntotheriverThamesandsawthefamousLondonBridge，withallitsshopsandhouses．DowntheriverwastheTowerofLondon．EnemiesoftheQueenwentintotheTowerthroughtherivergate，andmostlycameoutwithouttheirheads． 

    WefoundasmallinninEastcheap，nottooexpensive，andhadsomebread，meat，andbeerforoursupper． 

    ‘Well，we'rehere！

’Willsaid．‘Atlast！

’ 

    ‘Mmm，’Isaid．‘Whatdowedonext？

’ 

    Helaughed．‘Everything！

’ 

    Thenextdaywebegantolookforwork． 

    Thoseearlyyearswerewonderful．Wedidn'thavemuchmoney，ofcourse，andwehadtoworkveryhard．Anewactoronlygotsixshillingsaweek