02-01-威廉·莎士比亚 [9]
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In September we opened the Globe theatre．It was a grand，new building near the Rose．Will，Richard Burbage，and the others paid for it themselves．It was the best playhouse in London，and soon the most famous．The other companies had good theatres and some good actors，but we had the famous Richard Burbage—and the best plays．
We put on three new plays by will in the next year，and some plays by other writers．One of the new playwrights was Ben Jonson．He was a clever man and he wrote clever plays，but people still liked Will's plays best．Ben couldn't understand it．He was always arguing with Will about how to write plays．He argued with everyone．He went to prison once because he killed a man in a fight．He was eight years younger than Will，but he and Will were very good friends．
Will's next play was Hamlet，Prince of Denmark．We all met one day in the Boar's Head to talk about it．There were six of us—me and Will，Richard Burbage，Henry Condell，John Heminges，and Augustine Phillips．
Will put his pile of papers on the table and sat down．
‘Well，’he said．‘You've all read it．What do you think？’
‘It's very good，’John Heminges began，‘but it's too long．It'll take about four hours in the theatre．’
‘We don't have to use it all，’Will said．‘We can cut it down to three hours，perhaps two and a half．’
Henry Condell picked up one of the paper from the table．‘Look at this bit，when Ophelia is talking about Hamlet，’he said．‘Hamlet sounds like the Earl of Essex to me．Were you thinking of Essex when you wrote this？’
Will smiled．‘Perhaps，’he said．‘And perhaps not．’
‘Richard will play Prince Hamlet，yes？’said Augustine．
‘Of course！’Will said．‘I wrote the part for him．He's our star actor．I'll play the ghost of Hamle's father．’He looked at me．‘Hamlet will wear black，Toby，and Ophelia will wear white．’
Henry finished his beer．‘It's a good story，Will，with good parts for us all．But will the playgoers like it？It moves very slowly，and they like a play to be fast and exciting．Prince Hamlet knows that his uncle Claudius murdered the king his father．But he doesn't do anything about it for a long time．He just talks about it．And in the end nearly everybody dies，one way or another．’
Augustine didn't agree with that．‘You haven't understood the play，Henry．It is exciting，very exciting．The play is inside Hamlet himself．He wants to kill his uncle，but he can't Murder is wrong．But he must kill him，because of his father．We can all understand how he feels．’
All this time Richard Burbage was silent．He was reading bits of the play again．Now he put down the paper in his hand and looked up His eyes were bright，excited．
‘Have any of you really listened to the language of this play？This is your best play yet，Will—the best of them all．Just listen to the language，the poetry！’He stood up，and his great voice filled the room．
To be，or not to be—that is the question…
We sat and listened，silently，while that wonderful voice brought the words to life．Will watched him，smiling．He knew that Richard，like him，was in love with words．…To die，to sleep—
To sleep—perchance to dream．Ay，theer's the rub．
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil
Must give us pause．
Richard Burbage was right，of course．The people loved the play，they loved Burbage as Hamlet，they cried for poor Ophelia's death，and they shouted for the murderer Claudius to die．I think it was Will's most famous play．
■ 7 女王、国王和王子们
每年圣诞节我们要安排愈来愈多的戏剧进宫演出。1598年上演了威尔的一部历史剧《亨利四世》。剧中大多描写亨利四世之子和他的朋友约翰·福斯泰夫爵士两人。约翰爵士已是垂暮之年，身体肥胖，游手好闲，只会酗酒聊天、寻欢作乐，但这个角色挺招人喜欢。他一度成为最受伦敦观众欢迎的人物，那时街头巷尾到处流传着关于福斯泰夫的种种笑料。
演完戏后，女王传令召见威尔。
“怎么啦？我们是否做错事啦？”约翰·海明轻声问我。
“我们一会儿就知道了。”我说道。
我们目不转睛地看着威尔走到女王的座椅前。女王已是垂暮之年，戴着红色假发，一口黑齿，但又不失女王风度。如果女王一不高兴……
女王天生一副演员般的好嗓子，铿锵有力，我们可以很容易地听到她讲话。
“莎士比亚绅士，”她开口说道，接着启齿一笑，这微笑犹如春天早晨的旭日，我恍然明白，为什么全英国人民如此爱戴女王。
“莎士比亚绅士，你不愧为英国最杰出的剧作家，我非常欣赏你这部戏剧。我觉得剧中的约翰·福斯泰夫非常滑稽诙谐，我认识不少这样的英国人。你能否为我续写一部喜剧？我想看看福斯泰夫谈情说爱。”
威尔回到了我们身边，双眼闪闪发亮，看得出他已在构思了。
“暂且别来找我说话，”他说道，“我得着手续写一部戏剧。”
两星期后他就把剧本赶写了出来。2月20日我们便到里士满宫为女王演出此剧《温莎的风流娘儿们》，逗得女王开怀大笑。
但1599
In September we opened the Globe theatre．It was a grand，new building near the Rose．Will，Richard Burbage，and the others paid for it themselves．It was the best playhouse in London，and soon the most famous．The other companies had good theatres and some good actors，but we had the famous Richard Burbage—and the best plays．
We put on three new plays by will in the next year，and some plays by other writers．One of the new playwrights was Ben Jonson．He was a clever man and he wrote clever plays，but people still liked Will's plays best．Ben couldn't understand it．He was always arguing with Will about how to write plays．He argued with everyone．He went to prison once because he killed a man in a fight．He was eight years younger than Will，but he and Will were very good friends．
Will's next play was Hamlet，Prince of Denmark．We all met one day in the Boar's Head to talk about it．There were six of us—me and Will，Richard Burbage，Henry Condell，John Heminges，and Augustine Phillips．
Will put his pile of papers on the table and sat down．
‘Well，’he said．‘You've all read it．What do you think？’
‘It's very good，’John Heminges began，‘but it's too long．It'll take about four hours in the theatre．’
‘We don't have to use it all，’Will said．‘We can cut it down to three hours，perhaps two and a half．’
Henry Condell picked up one of the paper from the table．‘Look at this bit，when Ophelia is talking about Hamlet，’he said．‘Hamlet sounds like the Earl of Essex to me．Were you thinking of Essex when you wrote this？’
Will smiled．‘Perhaps，’he said．‘And perhaps not．’
‘Richard will play Prince Hamlet，yes？’said Augustine．
‘Of course！’Will said．‘I wrote the part for him．He's our star actor．I'll play the ghost of Hamle's father．’He looked at me．‘Hamlet will wear black，Toby，and Ophelia will wear white．’
Henry finished his beer．‘It's a good story，Will，with good parts for us all．But will the playgoers like it？It moves very slowly，and they like a play to be fast and exciting．Prince Hamlet knows that his uncle Claudius murdered the king his father．But he doesn't do anything about it for a long time．He just talks about it．And in the end nearly everybody dies，one way or another．’
Augustine didn't agree with that．‘You haven't understood the play，Henry．It is exciting，very exciting．The play is inside Hamlet himself．He wants to kill his uncle，but he can't Murder is wrong．But he must kill him，because of his father．We can all understand how he feels．’
All this time Richard Burbage was silent．He was reading bits of the play again．Now he put down the paper in his hand and looked up His eyes were bright，excited．
‘Have any of you really listened to the language of this play？This is your best play yet，Will—the best of them all．Just listen to the language，the poetry！’He stood up，and his great voice filled the room．
To be，or not to be—that is the question…
We sat and listened，silently，while that wonderful voice brought the words to life．Will watched him，smiling．He knew that Richard，like him，was in love with words．…To die，to sleep—
To sleep—perchance to dream．Ay，theer's the rub．
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil
Must give us pause．
Richard Burbage was right，of course．The people loved the play，they loved Burbage as Hamlet，they cried for poor Ophelia's death，and they shouted for the murderer Claudius to die．I think it was Will's most famous play．
■ 7 女王、国王和王子们
每年圣诞节我们要安排愈来愈多的戏剧进宫演出。1598年上演了威尔的一部历史剧《亨利四世》。剧中大多描写亨利四世之子和他的朋友约翰·福斯泰夫爵士两人。约翰爵士已是垂暮之年，身体肥胖，游手好闲，只会酗酒聊天、寻欢作乐，但这个角色挺招人喜欢。他一度成为最受伦敦观众欢迎的人物，那时街头巷尾到处流传着关于福斯泰夫的种种笑料。
演完戏后，女王传令召见威尔。
“怎么啦？我们是否做错事啦？”约翰·海明轻声问我。
“我们一会儿就知道了。”我说道。
我们目不转睛地看着威尔走到女王的座椅前。女王已是垂暮之年，戴着红色假发，一口黑齿，但又不失女王风度。如果女王一不高兴……
女王天生一副演员般的好嗓子，铿锵有力，我们可以很容易地听到她讲话。
“莎士比亚绅士，”她开口说道，接着启齿一笑，这微笑犹如春天早晨的旭日，我恍然明白，为什么全英国人民如此爱戴女王。
“莎士比亚绅士，你不愧为英国最杰出的剧作家，我非常欣赏你这部戏剧。我觉得剧中的约翰·福斯泰夫非常滑稽诙谐，我认识不少这样的英国人。你能否为我续写一部喜剧？我想看看福斯泰夫谈情说爱。”
威尔回到了我们身边，双眼闪闪发亮，看得出他已在构思了。
“暂且别来找我说话，”他说道，“我得着手续写一部戏剧。”
两星期后他就把剧本赶写了出来。2月20日我们便到里士满宫为女王演出此剧《温莎的风流娘儿们》，逗得女王开怀大笑。
但1599