The Duke longed for someone to whom he could tell his sorrow, and repeat over and over again the story of his love. And chance brought him such a companion. For about this time a goodly ship was wrecked5 on the Illyrian coast, and among those who reached land in safety were the captain and a fair young maid, named Viola. But she was little grateful for being rescued from the perils6 of the sea, since she feared that her twin brother was drowned, Sebastian, as dear to her as the heart in her bosom7, and so like her that, but for the difference in their manner of dress, one could hardly be told from the other. The captain, for her comfort, told her that he had seen her brother bind8 himself “to a strong mast that lived upon the sea,” and that thus there was hope that he might be saved.
Viola now asked in whose country she was, and learning that the young Duke Orsino ruled there, and was as noble in his nature as in his name, she decided9 to disguise herself in male attire10, and seek for employment with him as a page.
In this she succeeded, and now from day to day she had to listen to the story of Orsino's love. At first she sympathized very truly with him, but soon her sympathy grew to love. At last it occurred to Orsino that his hopeless love-suit might prosper11 better if he sent this pretty lad to woo Olivia for him. Viola unwillingly12 went on this errand, but when she came to the house, Malvolio, Olivia's steward13, a vain, officious man, sick, as his mistress told him, of self-love, forbade the messenger admittance.
Viola, however (who was now called Cesario), refused to take any denial, and vowed14 to have speech with the Countess. Olivia, hearing how her instructions were defied and curious to see this daring youth, said, “We'll once more hear Orsino's embassy.”
When Viola was admitted to her presence and the servants had been sent away, she listened patiently to the reproaches which this bold messenger from the Duke poured upon her, and listening she fell in love with the supposed Cesario; and when Cesario had gone, Olivia longed to send some love-token after him. So, calling Malvolio, she bade him follow the boy.
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“He left this ring behind him,” she said, taking one from her finger. “Tell him I will none of it.”
Malvolio did as he was bid, and then Viola, who of course knew perfectly16 well that she had left no ring behind her, saw with a woman's quickness that Olivia loved her. Then she went back to the Duke, very sad at heart for her lover, and for Olivia, and for herself.
It was but cold comfort she could give Orsino, who now sought to ease the pangs17 of despised love by listening to sweet music, while Cesario stood by his side.
“Ah,” said the Duke to his page that night, “you too have been in love.”
“A little,” answered Viola.
“What kind of woman is it?” he asked.
“Of your complexion,” she answered.
“What years, i' faith?” was his next question.
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To this came the pretty answer, “About your years, my lord.”
“Too old, by Heaven!” cried the Duke. “Let still the woman take an elder than herself.”
By and by Orsino begged Cesario once more to visit Olivia and to plead his love-suit. But she, thinking to dissuade19 him, said--
“If some lady loved you as you love Olivia?”
“Ah! that cannot be,” said the Duke.
“But I know,” Viola went on, “what love woman may have for a man. My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be,” she added blushing, “perhaps, were I a woman, I should love your lordship.”
“And what is her history?” he asked.
“A blank, my lord,” Viola answered. “She never told her love, but let concealment20 like a worm in the bud feed on her damask cheek: she pined in thought, and with a green and yellow melancholy21 she sat, like Patience on a monument, smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed?”
“But died thy sister of her love, my boy?” the Duke asked; and Viola, who had all the time been telling her own love for him in this pretty fashion, said--
“I am all the daughters my father has and all the brothers-- Sir, shall I go to the lady?”
“To her in haste,” said the Duke, at once forgetting all about the story, “and give her this jewel.”
So Viola went, and this time poor Olivia was unable to hide her love, and openly confessed it with such passionate22 truth, that Viola left her hastily, saying--
But in vowing24 this, Viola did not know the tender pity she would feel for other's suffering. So when Olivia, in the violence of her love, sent a messenger, praying Cesario to visit her once more, Cesario had no heart to refuse the request.
But the favors which Olivia bestowed25 upon this mere26 page aroused the jealousy27 of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a foolish, rejected lover of hers, who at that time was staying at her house with her merry old uncle Sir Toby. This same Sir Toby dearly loved a practical joke, and knowing Sir Andrew to be an arrant28 coward, he thought that if he could bring off a duel29 between him and Cesario, there would be rare sport indeed. So he induced Sir Andrew to send a challenge, which he himself took to Cesario. The poor page, in great terror, said--
“I will return again to the house, I am no fighter.”
“Back you shall not to the house,” said Sir Toby, “unless you fight me first.”
And as he looked a very fierce old gentleman, Viola thought it best to await Sir Andrew's coming; and when he at last made his appearance, in a great fright, if the truth had been known, she tremblingly drew her sword, and Sir Andrew in like fear followed her example. Happily for them both, at this moment some officers of the Court came on the scene, and stopped the intended duel. Viola gladly made off with what speed she might, while Sir Toby called after her--
Now, while these things were happening, Sebastian had escaped all the dangers of the deep, and had landed safely in Illyria, where he determined31 to make his way to the Duke's Court. On his way thither32 he passed Olivia's house just as Viola had left it in such a hurry, and whom should he meet but Sir Andrew and Sir Toby. Sir Andrew, mistaking Sebastian for the cowardly Cesario, took his courage in both hands, and walking up to him struck him, saying, “There's for you.”
“Why, there's for you; and there, and there!” said Sebastian, bitting back a great deal harder, and again and again, till Sir Toby came to the rescue of his friend. Sebastian, however, tore himself free from Sir Toby's clutches, and drawing his sword would have fought them both, but that Olivia herself, having heard of the quarrel, came running in, and with many reproaches sent Sir Toby and his friend away. Then turning to Sebastian, whom she too thought to be Cesario, she besought33 him with many a pretty speech to come into the house with her.
Sebastian, half dazed and all delighted with her beauty and grace, readily consented, and that very day, so great was Olivia's baste34, they were married before she had discovered that he was not Cesario, or Sebastian was quite certain whether or not he was in a dream.
Meanwhile Orsino, hearing how ill Cesario sped with Olivia, visited her himself, taking Cesario with him. Olivia met them both before her door, and seeing, as she thought, her husband there, reproached him for leaving her, while to the Duke she said that his suit was as fat and wholesome35 to her as howling after music.
“Still so cruel?” said Orsino.
“Still so constant,” she answered.
Then Orsino's anger growing to cruelty, he vowed that, to be revenged on her, he would kill Cesario, whom he knew she loved. “Come, boy,” he said to the page.
And Viola, following him as he moved away, said, “I, to do you rest, a thousand deaths would die.”
A great fear took hold on Olivia, and she cried aloud, “Cesario, husband, stay!”
“Her husband?” asked the Duke angrily.
“No, my lord, not I,” said Viola.
And the priest who had married Sebastian and Olivia, coming in, declared Cesario to be the bridegroom.
“O thou dissembling cub37!” the Duke exclaimed. “Farewell, and take her, but go where thou and I henceforth may never meet.”
At this moment Sir Andrew came up with bleeding crown, complaining that Cesario had broken his head, and Sir Toby's as well.
“I never hurt you,” said Viola, very positively38; “you drew your sword on me, but I bespoke39 you fair, and hurt you not.”
Yet, for all her protesting, no one there believed her; but all their thoughts were on a sudden changed to wonder, when Sebastian came in.
“I am sorry, madam,” he said to his wife, “I have hurt your kinsman41. Pardon me, sweet, even for the vows42 we made each other so late ago.”
“One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons!” cried the Duke, looking first at Viola, and then at Sebastian.
“An apple cleft43 in two,” said one who knew Sebastian, “is not more twin than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?”
“I never had a brother,” said Sebastian. “I had a sister, whom the blind waves and surges have devoured44.” “Were you a woman,” he said to Viola, “I should let my tears fall upon your cheek, and say, 'Thrice welcome, drowned Viola!'”
Then Viola, rejoicing to see her dear brother alive, confessed that she was indeed his sister, Viola. As she spoke40, Orsino felt the pity that is akin15 to love.
“Boy,” he said, “thou hast said to me a thousand times thou never shouldst love woman like to me.”
“And all those sayings will I overswear,” Viola replied, “and all those swearings keep true.”
“Give me thy hand,” Orsino cried in gladness. “Thou shalt be my wife, and my fancy's queen.”
Thus was the gentle Viola made happy, while Olivia found in Sebastian a constant lover, and a good husband, and he in her a true and loving wife.
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1
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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2
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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4
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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5
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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6
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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7
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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8
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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11
prosper
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| v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣 | |
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12
unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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13
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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14
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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15
akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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16
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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17
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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18
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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19
dissuade
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| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
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20
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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21
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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22
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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23
deplore
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| vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾 | |
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24
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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25
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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27
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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28
arrant
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| adj.极端的；最大的 | |
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29
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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30
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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31
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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32
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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33
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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34
baste
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| v.殴打，公开责骂 | |
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35
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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36
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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37
cub
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| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
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38
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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39
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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40
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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41
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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42
vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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43
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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44
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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