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莎士比亚悲喜剧著名独白欣赏
1.3.1.3 导读

导读

《终成眷属》是莎士比亚着意描写爱情与血统之间冲突的一出好戏。莎士比亚在1602年创作《特洛伊罗斯与克瑞西达》,接着写了《终成眷属》(1603~1604年),再接下去又写了《一报还一报》(1604年)。这三个剧是连续创作的,在戏剧形式和艺术手法的运用上,有相似或相通之处,表现出一种“连续性”。莎士比亚到了创作中期,思想认识上有所深化,看问题不像以前那样天真,那样充满了幻想。他继续写喜剧,同时也写悲剧。这个时期的喜剧有一个显著共同特征,即:虽它们都写爱情,但不是男女双方的真诚甜蜜的爱情,而是爱情上的纠葛。剧中似乎有一个灰暗的阴影在晃动,看不到《无事生非》、《皆大欢喜》和《第十二夜》等早期浪漫喜剧中的欢乐气氛。评论家把莎士比亚的中期喜剧称为“阴暗的喜剧”或“问题剧”,包括《终成眷属》。

在民间故事里,常可见出身低微却拥有无比勇气、智慧或能力的青年,在圆满完成如屠龙、解谜、治病等最艰难的任务后,国王或公爵就会把美丽的公主许配给他。《终成眷属》的内容与此相类似,只是智勇双全的主角变成了女性,最终的奖赏则变成了男性。这种性别替换并非是莎士比亚自创的想法,而是源自于喷特(William Painter)于1566~1567年间出版(1575年修订)的英译故事集《愉悦的殿堂》(The Palace of Pleasure)。此书收录了卜伽丘(Boccaccio)《十日谈》(Decameron)里第三天的第九个故事,描述女主人翁治愈国王,并两度赢得夫婿而终成眷属的故事。

《终成眷属》虽然有一个大团圆的结局,但来之不易,所经历的不是常见的“好事多磨”,而是近乎残忍的折磨,其中人物为得到幸福所使用的手段使人看了很不舒服。其不同于以往喜剧之处,在戏一开始就显现了:男女主人公早早就结婚,但不是因为真正的爱情,终成眷属是指他们后来的破镜重圆。

在本剧里,海丽娜以神奇药方治好国王的痼疾,从而得以与暗恋已久的心上人勃特拉姆成婚。然而贝特汉不满这桩婚姻,愤而离开家园,远赴意大利从军,并在当地爱上一位名为狄安娜的女子。遭到遗弃的海丽娜伤心出走,她途经意大利时,得知丈夫的消息,便心生一计,在勃特拉姆即将返回法国的前一晚,假扮成狄安娜,与勃特拉姆共度一宵,并交换戒指作为定情物。海丽娜取得勃特拉姆手中的戒指后,勃特拉姆只得履行自己的承诺,永远爱着海丽娜。海丽娜二度智取勃特拉姆,如愿成为伯爵夫人,而国王也赐给狄安娜一名贵族丈夫。

此剧并不如其他莎翁喜剧那样受到欢迎,甚至已经不属于喜剧范畴,因为在喜剧中,主要人物几乎都要经过一番磨难后,才能获得圆满的结局。反观《终成眷属》,海丽娜历经的各种悲喜起伏,都不像喜剧般确定,常常与读者的预期产生落差。例如,国王病入膏肓,御医束手无策,而毫无经验的海丽娜却能凭着一帖神奇药方让国王康复。又例如,当勃特拉姆奉命与海丽娜成亲,看似已经成功的计划,却又因勃特拉姆的顽固高傲让海丽娜失望。在一切仿佛陷入绝境之时,海丽娜竟然又巧获勃特拉姆的消息,并利用一个难以令人信服的“床上把戏”(bed trick),完成另一项不可能的任务。最后,当海丽娜终于让丈夫回头后,国王也在此时答应让狄安娜在群臣中挑选丈夫。

整个故事看似完满地以喜剧收场,但读者的预期经过三番两次的落差后,却不相信这是真正的结局,反而会猜想狄安娜自己挑选的婚姻将可能会步上海丽娜与勃特拉姆的后尘,同样的故事将重新上演。也因此,学者及评论家普遍认为《终成眷属》并非喜剧,而是“阴暗喜剧”(dark comedy)或“问题剧”(problem play)。最早提出这个概念的是宝斯(F.S.Boas),他在1896年将此剧视为问题剧。他解释,戏中营造的“不是全然的欢愉也非全然的痛苦,但我们却为之振奋、着迷、困惑”,而剧中的问题,到最后也获得令人满意的结果。——或许这只是指表面上令人满意的结果,至于其后将引发的危机或变量,随着剧作家停笔就戛然而止了——就如一般人在提到问题剧时,会联想到易卜生的《玩偶之家》中的娜拉一样,结局看似找到问题的症结与出路,其后的发展却仍茫茫未知。

本剧并没有公开演出的纪录,剧本在当时也没有印行,而是在莎士比亚死后7年才出版的第一对开本(the First Folio)里首次面世,因此产生了此剧写作年代的考证与争论。许多人都将《终成眷属》与《一报还一报》拿来相提并论,因为这两出戏都是宝斯眼中的问题剧,而且由《终成眷属》的风格及语言特征来推断,此剧约完成于1602~1603年,正好就在《一报还一报》(1604年)之前。本剧的韵文浓缩、简略、抽象、模糊,也与《一报还一报》的语法相近,更有甚者,两剧在终了时都是利用“床上把戏”,达到童话故事般的和谐结局,却在现实世界里显得格格不入。

持反对意见的人则认为,类似的剧情在莎剧作中出现,并不能证明写作年代相近,例如“船难”事件就在他早期的《连环错》、中期的《第十二夜》、晚期的《暴风雨》里都出现过;而《终成眷属》的灵魂人物海丽娜为兼具胆识、智慧和美貌的女性,又与《威尼斯商人》里的鲍西娅、《皆大欢喜》中的罗瑟琳、《第十二夜》里的薇奥拉很像,而这些剧本都是在1596~1600年写成的。

尽管如此,多数学者仍将《终成眷属》列为17世纪的作品。因为莎士比亚在17世纪初时,将主要的心思都放在创作悲剧上,《哈姆雷特》、《奥赛罗》、《李尔王》、《麦克白》都是这个阶段的作品,而问题剧的主旨、调性及语言都较为接近悲剧,而不似15世纪90年代后期的喜剧。

自罗马时期的米南德(Menander)开始(约公元前4世纪),年轻男女会为了爱情竭尽全力跨越阶级和门第之见,而老一辈的父母、伯叔等则是千篇一律地站在反对的另一边。莎士比亚早期的作品如《仲夏夜之梦》及《罗密欧与朱丽叶》也遵循着这种模式,但到了《终成眷属》,他似乎想打破这个不成文的安排,使剧中的长者展现慈爱与包容之心:国王不嫌弃海丽娜的出身,慷慨将勃特拉姆许配给她;老臣拉佛支持她;伯爵夫人则满心欢喜地接受她为媳妇。反之,年轻一辈的勃特拉姆却显得自视过高。

本剧的另一个特点是性别观。与传统的性别角色限定有所不同。最明显的例子是海丽娜猛追自己心仪的男子。此外,在民间故事里,男选女之后,女方的意愿无人闻问,而在这个女选男故事里,男方的意愿却显得很重要。

17世纪初的监护权和对于性操守的法律规范,在英国仍受争议。反对者认为,监护人常不考虑受监护人的个人意愿,便妄作决定。赞成的人则表示,监护人有必要帮助受监护人免于外来的引诱,以免丧失地位、财产或继承权。就性行为方面,反对性法规的人认为,性行为乃个人隐私,旁人无权干涉过问。赞成性法规的人则主张,法律应该加强严格监督规范。监护权和性操守这两项议题一经结合,就产生了另一项议题:性行为究竟是属于个人事件,还是公众事件?以《终成眷属》为例,莎士比亚似乎赞成由年长者或法律条文来匡正年轻人的性观念和性行为,引其走上婚姻的正途,例如伯爵夫人、拉佛和国王都代表这一角色。

莎士比亚撰写本剧时,他的两个女儿都已到了适婚年龄,因此家庭成员对婚姻的影响力,在他的剧作里也就愈彰显。从这个角度来看,本剧还标志着莎士比亚将人物重心逐渐转移到年长世代的过渡期。

这种转移也获得萧伯纳的赞许,他认为,伯爵夫人是西方戏剧史上描写得最完美的老妇人,而海丽娜与勃特拉姆之间的情绪反应也极为逼真。无怪乎若干学者不将海丽娜克服万难的英雄事迹视为《终成眷属》的主旨,而是把爱情与婚姻当作此剧的核心。

女扮男装,偷梁换柱,在以往的剧作中总给人带来愉快和欣慰,而在这里却使人心情沉重。这也就是为什么人们将这一剧作称为“悲喜剧”或“问题剧”的原因。

HELENA

O! were that all.I think not on my father;

And these great tears grace his remembrance more

Than those I shed for him.What was he like?

I have forgot him: my imagination

Carries no favour in 't but Bertram's.

I am undone: there is no living,none,

If Bertram be away.It were all one

That I should love a bright particular star

And think to wed it,he is so above me:

In his bright radiance and collateral light

Must I be comforted,not in his sphere.

The ambition in my love thus plagues itself:

The hind that would be mated by the lion

Must die for love.'Twas pretty,though a plague,

To see him every hour; to sit and draw

His arched brows,his hawking eye,his curls,

In our heart's table; heart too capable

Of every line and trick of his sweet favour:

But now he's gone,and my idolatrous fancy

Must sanctify his reliques.Who comes here?

One that goes with him: I love him for his sake;

And yet I know him a notorious liar,

Think him a great way fool,solely a coward;

Yet these fix'd evils sit so fit in him,

That they take place,when virtue's steely bones

Look bleak in the cold wind: withal,full oft we see

Cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly.

海丽娜

唉!要是真的只是这样倒好了。我不是想我的父亲;我这些滔滔的眼泪,虽然好像是一片孺慕的哀忱,却不是为他而流。他的容貌怎样,我也早就忘记了,在我的想象之中,除了勃特拉姆以外没有别人的影子。我现在一切都完了!要是勃特拉姆离我而去,我还有什么生趣?我正像爱上了一颗灿烂的明星,痴心地希望着有一天能够和它结合,他是这样高不可攀;我不能逾越我的名分和他亲近,只好在他的耀目的光华下,沾取他的几分余晖,安慰安慰我的饥渴。我的爱情的野心使我备受痛苦,希望和狮子匹配的驯鹿,必须为爱而死。每时每刻看见他,是愉快也是苦痛;我默坐在他的旁边,在心版上深深地刻画着他的秀曲的眉毛,他的敏锐的眼睛,他的迷人的鬈发,他那可爱的脸庞上的每一根线条,每一处微细的特点,都会清清楚楚地摄在我的心里。可是现在他去了,我的爱慕的私衷,只好以眷怀旧日的陈迹为满足。——谁来啦?这是一个和他同去的人;为了他的缘故我爱他,虽然我知道他是一个出名爱造谣言的人,是一个傻子,也是一个懦夫。但是这些本性难移的坏处,加在他身上,却十分合适,比起美德的崚嶒瘦骨受寒风摧残要合适得多:我们不是时常见到衣不蔽体的聪明人,不得不听候浑身锦绣的愚夫使唤吗?

HELENA

Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie

Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky

Gives us free scope; only doth backward pull

Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull.

What power is it which mounts my love so high;

That makes me see,and cannot feed mine eye?

The mightiest space in fortune nature brings

To join like likes,and kiss like native things.

Impossible be strange attempts to those

That weigh their pains in sense,and do suppose

What hath been cannot be: who ever strove

To show her merit,that did miss her love?

The king's disease,—my project may deceive me,

But my intents are fix'd and will not leave me.

海丽娜

一切办法都在于我们自己,虽然我们把它诿之天意;注定人类命运的上天,给我们自由发展的机会,只有当我们自己冥顽不灵、不能利用这种机会的时候,我们的计划才会遭遇挫折。哪一种力量激起我爱情的雄心,使我能够看见,却不能喂饱我的视欲?尽管地位如何悬殊,惺惺相怜的人,造物总会使他们结合在一起。只有那些斤斤计较、害怕麻烦、认为好梦已成过去的人,他们的希冀才永无实现的可能;能够努力发挥她的本领的,怎么会在恋爱上失败?王上的病——我的计划也许只是一种妄想,可是我的主意已决,一定要把它尝试一下。

HELENA

Then,I confess,

Here on my knee,before high heaven and you

That before you,and next unto high heaven,

I love your son.

My friends were poor,but honest; so's my love:

Be not offended,for it hurts not him

That he is lov'd of me: I follow him not

By any token of presumptuous suit;

Nor would I have him till I do deserve him;

Yet never know how that desert should be.

I know I love in vain,strive against hope;

Yet,in this captious and intenible sieve

I still pour in the waters of my love,

And lack not to lose still.Thus,Indian-like,

Religious in mine error,I adore

The sun,that looks upon his worshipper,

But knows of him no more.My dearest madam,

Let not your hate encounter with my love

For loving where you do: but,if yourself,

Whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth,

Did ever in so true a flame of liking

Wish chastely and love dearly,that your Dian

Was both herself and Love; O! then,give pity

To her,whose state is such that cannot choose

But lend and give where she is sure to lose;

That seeks not to find that her search implies,

But,riddle-like,lives sweetly where she dies.

海丽娜

既然如此,我就当着上天和您的面前跪下,承认我是爱着您的儿子,并且爱他胜过您,仅次于爱上天。我的亲友虽然贫寒,都是正直的人;我的爱情也是一样。不要因此而恼怒,因为他被我所爱,对他并无损害;我并不用僭越名分的表示向他追求,在我不配得到他的眷爱以前,决不愿把他占有,虽然我不知道怎样才可以配得上他。我知道我的爱是没有希望的徒劳,可是在这罗网一样千孔万眼的筛子里,依然把我如水的深情灌注下去,永远不感到干涸。我正像印度人一样虔信而执迷,我崇拜着太阳,它的光辉虽然也照到它的信徒的身上,却根本不知道有这样一个人存在。我的最亲爱的夫人,不要因为我爱了您所爱的人而憎恨我,您是一位年高德劭的人,要是在您纯洁的青春,也曾经燃起过同样真诚的情热,怀抱着无邪的愿望和深挚的爱慕,使您同时能忠实于贞操和恋情,那么请您可怜可怜我这命薄缘悭、自知无望、拼着在默默无闻中了此残生的人儿吧!

HELENA

''Till I have no wife,I have nothing in France''

Nothing in France until he has no wife!

Thou shalt have none,Rousillon,none in France;

Then hast thou all again.Poor lord! is't I

That chase thee from thy country,and expose

Those tender limbs of thine to the event

Of the non-sparing war? and is it I

That drive thee from the sportive court,where thou

Wast shot at with fair eyes,to be the mark

Of smoky muskets? O you leaden messengers,

That ride upon the violent speed of fire,

Fly with false aim; move the still-piecing air,

That sings with piercing; do not touch my lord!

Whoever shoots at him,I set him there;

Whoever charges on his forward breast,

I am the caitiff that do hold him to 't;

And,though I kill him not,I am the cause

His death was so effected: better 'twere

I met the ravin lion when he roar'd

With sharp constraint of hunger; better 'twere

That all the miseries which nature owes

Were mine at once.No,come thou home,Rousillon,

Whence honour but of danger wins a scar,

As oft it loses all: I will be gone;

My being here it is that holds thee hence:

Shall I stay here to do 't? no,no,although

The air of paradise did fan the house,

And angels offic'd all: I will be gone,

That pitiful rumour may report my flight,

To consolate thine ear.Come,night; end,day!

For with the dark,poor thief,I'll steal away.

海丽娜

“余一日有妻在法兰西,法兰西即一日无足以令余眷恋之物。”法兰西没有可以使他眷恋的东西,除非他在法兰西没有妻子!罗西昂伯爵,你将在法兰西没有妻子,那时你就可以重新得到你所眷恋的一切了。可怜的人!难道是我把你逐出祖国,让你那娇生惯养的身体去当受无情的战火吗?难道是我害你远离风流逸乐的宫廷,使你再也感受不到含情的美目对你投射的箭镞,却一变而成为冒烟的枪炮的鹄的吗?乘着火力在天空中横飞的弹丸呀,愿你们能够落空;让空气中充满着你们穿过气流而发出的歌声吧,但不要接触到我的丈夫的身体!谁要是射中了他,我就是主使暴徒行凶的祸首;谁要是向他奋不顾身的胸前挥动兵刃的,我就是陷他于死地的巨恶;虽然我不曾亲手把他杀死,他却是因我而死。我宁愿让我的身体去膏饿狮的馋吻,我宁愿世间所有的惨痛集于我的一身。不,回来吧,罗西昂伯爵!不要冒着丧失一切的危险,去换来一个光荣的创疤,我会离此而去的。既然你的不愿回来,只是因为我在这里的缘故,难道我会继续留在这里吗?不,不,即使这屋子里播满着天堂的香味,即使这里是天使们遨游的乐境,我也不能做一日之留。我一去之后,我的出走的消息也许会传到你的耳中,使你得到安慰。快来吧,黑夜;快快结束吧,白昼!因为我这可怜的贼子,要趁着黑暗悄悄溜走。

COUNTESS

What angel shall

Bless this unworthy husband? he cannot thrive,

Unless her prayers,whom heaven delights to hear,

And loves to grant,reprieve him from the wrath

Of greatest justice.Write,write,Rinaldo,

To this unworthy husband of his wife;

Let every word weigh heavy of her worth

That he does weigh too light: my greatest grief,

Though little he do feel it,set down sharply.

Dispatch the most convenient messenger:

When haply he shall hear that she is gone,

He will return; and hope I may that she,

Hearing so much,will speed her foot again,

Led hither by pure love.Which of them both

Is dearest to me I have no skill in sense

To make distinction.Provide this messenger.

My heart is heavy and mine age is weak;

Grief would have tears,and sorrow bids me speak.

伯爵夫人

哪一个天使愿意祝福这个无情无义的丈夫呢?像他这样的人,是终身不会发达的,除非因为上苍喜欢听她的祷告,乐意答应她的祈愿,才会赦免他那弥天的大罪。里那多,赶快替我写信给这位好妻子的坏丈夫,每一字每一句都要证明她的贤德,来反衬出他自己的薄情;我心里的忧虑悲哀,虽然他一点不曾感觉到,你也要给我切切实实地写在信上。尽快把这封信寄出去,也许他听见了她已经出走,就会回到家里来;我还希望她知道他已经回来,纯洁的爱情也会引导她重新回来。我分别不出他们两个人之中,谁是我所最疼爱的。快去把送信人找来。我的心因忧伤而沉重,年龄使我变成这样软弱,我不知道应该流泪呢,还是向人诉述我的悲哀。

HELENA

That you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,

One of the greatest in the Christian world

Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne 'tis needful,

Ere I can perfect mine intents,to kneel.

Time was I did him a desired office,

Dear almost as his life; which gratitude

Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep forth,

And answer,thanks.I duly am inform'd

His Grace is at Marseilles; to which place

We have convenient convoy.You must know,

I am supposed dead: the army breaking,

My husband hies him home; where,heaven aiding,

And by the leave of my good lord the king,

We'll be before our welcome.

Wid.

Gentle madam,

You never had a servant to whose trust

Your business was more welcome.

HELENA

Nor you,mistress,Ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labour

To recompense your love.Doubt not but heaven

Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,

As it hath fated her to be my motive

And helper to a husband.But,O strange men!

That can such sweet use make of what they hate,

When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts

Defiles the pitchy night: so lust doth play

With what it loathes for that which is away.

But more of this hereafter.You,Diana,

Under my poor instructions yet must suffer

Something in my behalf.

Yet,I pray you:

But with the word the time will bring on summer,

When briers shall have leaves as well as thorns,

And be as sweet as sharp.We must away;

Our waggon is prepar'd,and time revives us:

All's well that ends well: still the fine's the crown;

Whate'er the course,the end is the renown.

海丽娜

为了使你们明白我并没有欺弄你们,一个当今最伟大的人物可以替我作保证;在我还没有达到我的目的以前,我必须在他的宝座之前下跪。过去我曾经替他做过一件和他的生命差不多同样宝贵的事,即使是蛮顽无情的鞑靼人,也不能不由衷迸出一声感谢。有人告诉我他现在在马赛,正好有便人可以护送我们到那儿去。我还要告知你们,人家都当我已经死了。现在军队已经解散,我的丈夫也回家去了,要是我能够得到上天的默佑和王上的准许,我们也可以早早回家。

寡妇

好夫人,请您相信我,我是您的最忠实的仆人,凡是您信托我做的事,我无不乐意为您效劳。

海丽娜

大娘,你也可以相信我是你的一个最好的朋友,无时无刻不在想着怎样才可以报答你的厚意。你应该相信,既然上天注定使你的女儿帮助我得到一个丈夫,它也一定会使我帮助她称心如意地嫁一位如意郎君。我就是不懂男子们的心理,他们竟会向一个被认为厌恶的女子倾注他们的万种温情!沉沉的黑夜使他觉察不出自己已经受人愚弄,抱着一个避之唯恐不及的蛇蝎,还以为就是那已经杳如黄鹤的玉人,可是这些话我们以后再说吧。狄安娜,我还要请你为了我的缘故,稍为委屈一下。请再忍耐片刻,转眼就是夏天了,野蔷薇快要绿叶满枝,遮掩了它周身的棘刺;苦尽之后会有甘来。我们可以出发了,车子已经预备好,疲劳的精神也已经养息过来。万事吉凶成败,需看后场结局;倘能如愿以偿,何患路途纡曲。

PAROLLES

Virginity being blown down,man will quicklier be blown up: marry,in blowing him down again,with the breach yourselves made,you lose your city.It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to preserve virginity.Loss of virginity is rational increase and there was never virgin got till virginity was first lost.That you were made of is metal to make virgins.Virginity by being once lost may be ten times found; by being ever kept,it is ever lost: 'tis too cold a companion; away with 't!

HELENA

I will stand for 't a little,though therefore I die a virgin.

PAROLLES

There's little can be said in 't; 'tis against the rule of nature.To speak on the part of virginity,is to accuse your mothers; which is most infallible disobedience.He that hangs himself is a virgin: virginity murders itself and should be buried in highways out of all sanctified limit,as a desperate offendress against nature.Virginity breeds mites,much like a cheese; consumes itself to the very paring,and so dies with feeding his own stomach.Besides,virginity is peevish,proud,idle,made of self-love,which is the most inhibited sin in the canon.Keep it not; you cannot choose but loose by't: out with 't! within ten year it will make itself ten,which is a goodly increase; and the principal itself not much the worse: away with 't!

帕洛

处女的贞操轰破了以后,男人就会更快地被轰得远远的。但是,你们虽然把男人轰倒了,自己的围墙也就有了缺口,那么城市当然就保不住啦。在自然界中,保全处女的贞操决非得策。贞操的丧失是合理的增加,倘不先把处女的贞操破坏,处女们从何而来?你的身体恰恰就是造成处女的材料。贞操一次丧失可以十倍增加;永远保持,就会永远失去。这种冷冰冰的东西,你要它做什么!

海丽娜

我还想暂时保全它一下,虽然也许我会因此而以处女终老。

帕洛

那未免太说不过去了,这是违反自然界的法律的。你要是为贞操辩护,等于诋毁你的母亲,那就是忤逆不孝。以处女终老的人,等于自己杀害了自己,这种女人应该让她露骨道旁,不让她的尸骸进入圣地,因为她是反叛自然意志的罪人。贞操像一块干酪一样,搁的日子长久了就会生虫霉烂,自己把自己的内脏掏空;而且它是一种乖僻骄傲无聊的东西,重视贞操的人,无非因为自视不凡,这是教条中所大忌的一种罪过。何必把它保持起来呢?这样做只有让你吃亏。算了吧!在一年之内,你就可以收回双倍利息,而且你的本钱也不会怎么走了样子。放弃了它吧!

KING

I would I had that corporal soundness now,

As when thy father and myself in friendship

First tried our soldiership! He did look far

Into the service of the time and was

Discipled of the bravest: he lasted long;

But on us both did haggish age steal on

And wore us out of act.It much repairs me

To talk of your good father.In his youth

He had the wit which I can well observe

To-day in our young lords; but they may jest

Till their own scorn return to them unnoted

Ere they can hide their levity in honour;

So like a courtier,contempt nor bitterness

Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,

His equal had awaked them,and his honour,

Clock to itself,knew the true minute when

Exception bid him speak,and at this time

His tongue obey'd his hand: who were below him

He used as creatures of another place

And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks,

Making them proud of his humility,

In their poor praise he humbled.

Such a man Might be a copy to these younger times;

Which,follow'd well,would demonstrate them now

But goers backward.

国王

想起你父亲在时,与我交称莫逆,我们两人初上战场的时候,大家都是年轻力壮,现在要是也像那样就好了!他是个谙熟时务的干才,也是个能征惯战的健儿;他活到很大年纪,可是我们两人都在不知不觉中变成老朽,不中用了。提起你的父亲,使我精神为之一振。他年轻时候的那种才华,我可以从我们现在这辈贵族少年身上同样看到,可是他们的信口讥评,往往来不及遮掩他们的轻薄,已经在无意中自取其辱。你父亲才真是一个有大臣风度的人,在他的高傲之中没有轻蔑,在他的严峻之中没有苛酷;只有当那些和他同等地位的人激起他的不满的时候,他才会对他们作无情的指责;他的良知就像一具时钟,正确地知道在哪一分钟为了特殊的理由使他不能不侃侃而言,那时他的舌头就会听从他的指挥。他把那些在他下面的人视为不同地位的人看待,在他们卑微的身份前降尊纡贵,听了他们贫弱的谀辞,也会谦谢不遑,使他们因他的逊让而受宠若惊。这样一个人是可以作为现在这辈年轻人的模范的。如果他们肯认真效仿他,就会明白自己实际上是大大地后退了。

KING

'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her,the which

I can build up.Strange is it that our bloods,

Of colour,weight,and heat,pour'd all together,

Would quite confound distinction,yet stand off

In differences so mighty.If she be

All that is virtuous,save what thou dislikest,

A poor physician's daughter,thou dislikest

Of virtue for the name: but do not so:

From lowest place when virtuous things proceed,

The place is dignified by the doer's deed:

Where great additions swell's,and virtue none,

It is a dropsied honour.Good alone

Is good without a name.Vileness is so:

The property by what it is should go,

Not by the title.She is young,wise,fair;

In these to nature she's immediate heir,

And these breed honour: that is honour's scorn,

Which challenges itself as honour's born

And is not like the sire: honours thrive,

When rather from our acts we them derive

Than our foregoers: the mere word's a slave

Debosh'd on every tomb,on every grave

A lying trophy,and as oft is dumb

Where dust and damn'd oblivion is the tomb

Of honour'd bones indeed.What should be said?

If thou canst like this creature as a maid,

I can create the rest: virtue and she

Is her own dower; honour and wealth from me.

BERTRAM

I cannot love her,nor will strive to do't.

KING

Thou wrong'st thyself,if thou shouldst strive to choose.

HELENA

That you are well restored,my lord,I'm glad:

Let the rest go.

KING

My honour's at the stake; which to defeat,

I must produce my power.Here,take her hand,

Proud scornful boy,unworthy this good gift;

That dost in vile misprision shackle up

My love and her desert; that canst not dream,

We,poising us in her defective scale,

Shall weigh thee to the beam; that wilt not know,

It is in us to plant thine honour where

We please to have it grow.Cheque thy contempt:

Obey our will,which travails in thy good:

Believe not thy disdain,but presently

Do thine own fortunes that obedient right

Which both thy duty owes and our power claims;

Or I will throw thee from my care for ever

Into the staggers and the careless lapse

Of youth and ignorance; both my revenge and hate

Loosing upon thee,in the name of justice,

Without all terms of pity.Speak; thine answer.

国王

你看不起她,不过因为她地位低微,那我可以把她抬高起来。要是把人们的血液倾注在一起,那颜色、重量和热度都难以区别,偏偏在人间的关系上,会划分这样清楚的鸿沟,真是一件怪事。她倘然是一个道德上完善的女子,你不喜欢她,只因为她是一个穷医生的女儿,那么你重视虚名甚于美德,这就错了。穷巷陋室,有德之士居之,可以使蓬荜增辉,世禄之家,不务修善,虽有盛名,亦将隳败。善恶的区别,在于行为的本身,不在于地位的有无。她有天赋的青春、智慧和美貌,这一切的本身即是光荣;最可耻的,却是那些席父祖的余荫、不知绍述先志、一味妄自尊大的人。最好的光荣应该来自我们自己的行动,而不是倚恃家门。虚名是一个下贱的奴隶,在每一座墓碑上说着谎话,倒是在默默无言的一杯荒土之下,往往埋葬着忠臣义士的骸骨。有什么话好说呢?只要你能因为这女子的本身而爱她,我可以给她其余的一切;她的贤淑美貌是她自己的嫁妆,光荣和财富是我给她的赏赐。

勃特拉姆

我不能爱她,也不想爱她。

国王

你要是抗不奉命,一定要自讨没趣的。

海丽娜

陛下圣体复原,已经使我欣慰万分;其余的事情,不必谈了。

国王

这与我的信用有关,为使它不受损害,我必须运用我的权力。来,骄横傲慢的孩子,握着她的手,你才不配接受这一件卓越的赐予呢。你的愚妄狂悖,不但辜负了她的好处,也已经丧失了我的欢心。你以为她和你处在天平的不平衡的两端,却不知道我站在她的一面,便可以把两方的轻重倒转过来;你也没有想到你的升沉荣辱,完全操在我的手中。为了你自己的好处,赶快抑制你的轻蔑,服从我的旨意;我有命令你的权力,你有服从我的天职;否则你将永远得不到我的眷顾,让年轻的愚昧把你拖下了终身蹭蹬的深渊,我的愤恨和憎恶将要用王法的名义降临到你的头上,没有一点怜悯宽恕。快回答我吧。