Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

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2.1 Enter a Senator ⌈With bonds⌉

SENATOR

And late five thousand. To Varro and to Isidore

He owes nine thousand, besides my former sum,

Which makes it five-and-twenty. Still in motion

Of raging waste! It cannot hold, it will not.

If I want gold, steal but a beggar’s dog

And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold.

If I would sell my horse and buy twenty more

Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon—

Ask nothing, give it him—it foals me straight,

And able horses. No porter at his gate,

But rather one that smiles and still invites

All that pass by. It cannot hold. No reason

Can sound his state in safety. Caphis ho!

Caphis, I say!

Enter Caphis

CAPHIS Here, sir. What is your pleasure?

SENATOR

Get on your cloak and haste you to Lord Timon.

Importune him for my moneys. Be not ceased

With slight denial, nor then silenced when

‘Commend me to your master’, and the cap

Plays in the right hand, thus; but tell him

My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn

Out of mine own, his days and times are past,

And my reliances on his fracted dates

Have smit my credit. I love and honour him,

But must not break my back to heal his finger.

Immediate are my needs, and my relief

Must not be tossed and turned to me in words,

But find supply immediate. Get you gone.

Put on a most importunate aspect,

A visage of demand, for I do fear

When every feather sticks in his own wing

Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,

Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.

CAPHIS

I go, sir.

SENATOR ⌈giving him bonds⌉

Take the bonds along with you,

And have the dates in count.

CAPHIS I will, sir.

SENATOR Go.

Exeunt ⌈severally⌉

2.2 Enter Flavius, with many bills in his hand

FLAVIUS

No care, no stop; so senseless of expense

That he will neither know how to maintain it

Nor cease his flow of riot, takes no account

How things go from him, nor resumes no care

Of what is to continue. Never mind

Was to be so unwise to be so kind.

What shall be done? He will not hear till feel.

⌈A sound of horns within⌉

I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting.

Fie, fie, fie, fie!

Enter Caphis ⌈at one door⌉ and Servants of Isidore and Varro ⌈at another door⌉

CAPHIS

Good even, Varro. What, you come for money?

VARRO’S SERVANT Is’t not your business too?

CAPHIS

It is; and yours too, Isidore?

ISIDORE’S SERVANT It is SO.

CAPHIS

Would we were all discharged.

VARRO’S SERVANT I fear it.

CAPHIS Here comes the lord.

Enter Timon and his train, amongst them Alcibiades, ⌈as from hunting⌉

TIMON

So soon as dinner’s done we’ll forth again,

My Alcibiades.

Caphis meets Timon

With me? What is your will?

CAPHIS

My lord, here is a note of certain dues.

TIMON Dues? Whence are you?

CAPHIS Of Athens here, my lord.

TIMON Go to my steward.

CAPHIS

Please it your lordship, he hath put me off,

To the succession of new days, this month.

My master is awaked by great occasion

To call upon his own, and humbly prays you

That with your other noble parts you’ll suit

In giving him his right.

TIMON Mine honest friend,

I prithee but repair to me next morning.

CAPHIS

Nay, good my lord.

TIMON Contain thyself, good friend.

VARRO’S SERVANT

One Varro’s servant, my good lord.

ISIDORE’S SERVANT (to Timon)

From Isidore. He humbly prays your speedy payment.

CAPHIS (to Timon)

If you did know, my lord, my master’s wants—

VARRO’S SERVANT (to Timon)

’Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks and past.

ISIDORE’S SERVANT (to Timon)

Your steward puts me off, my lord, and I

Am sent expressly to your lordship.

TIMON Give me breath.—

I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on.

I’ll wait upon you instantly.

Exeunt Alcibiades and Timon’s train

(To Flavius) Come hither. Pray you,

How goes the world, that I am thus encountered

With clamorous demands of broken bonds

And the detention of long-since-due debts,

Against my honour?

FLAVIUS (to Servants) Please you, gentlemen,

The time is unagreeable to this business;

Your importunacy cease till after dinner,

That I may make his lordship understand

Wherefore you are not paid.

TIMON (to Servants) Do so, my friends.

(To Flavius) See them well entertained. Exit

FLAVIUS Pray draw near.

Exit

Enter Apemantus and Fool

CAPHIS

Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus.

Let’s ha’ some sport with ’em.

VARRO’S SERVANT Hang him, he’ll abuse us.

ISIDORE’S SERVANT A plague upon him, dog!

VARRO’S SERVANT How dost, fool?

APEMANTUS Dost dialogue with thy shadow?

VARRO’S SERVANT I speak not to thee.

APEMANTUS No, ’tis to thyself, (To Fool) Come away.

ISIDORE’S SERVANT (to Varro’s Servant) There’s the fool hangs on your back already.

APEMANTUs No, thou stand‘st single: thou’rt not on him yet.

CAPHIS (to Isidore’s Servant) Where’s the fool now?

APEMANTUS He last asked the question. Poor rogues’ and usurers’ men, bawds between gold and want.

ALL SERVANTS What are we, Apemantus? 6

APEMANTUS Asses.

ALL SERVANTS Why?

APEMANTUS That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves. Speak to ’em, fool.

FOOL How do you, gentlemen?

ALL SERVANTS Gramercies, good fool. How does your mistress?

FOOL She’s e’en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth.

APEMANTUS Good; gramercy.

Enter Page with two letters

FOOL Look you, here comes my mistress’ page.

PAGE Why, how now, captain? What do you in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably.

PAGE Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters. I know not which is which.

APEMANTUS Canst not read?

PAGE No.

APEMANTUS There will little learning die then that day thou art hanged. This is to Lord Timon, this to Alcibiades. Go, thou wast born a bastard, and thou’lt die a bawd.

PAGE Thou wast whelped a dog, and thou shalt famish a dog’s death. Answer not; I am gone. Exit

APEMANTUS E‘en so thou outrunn’st grace. Fool, I will go with you to Lord Timon’s.

FOOL Will you leave me there?

APEMANTUS If Timon stay at home. (To Servants) You three serve three usurers?

ALL SERVANTS Ay. Would they served us.

APEMANTUS So would I: as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.

FOOL Are you three usurers’ men?

ALL SERVANTS Ay, fool. 95

FOOL I think no usurer but has a fool to his servant. My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters they approach sadly and go away merry, but they enter my mistress’s house merrily and go away sadly. The reason of this?

VARRO’S SERVANT I could render one.

APEMANTUS Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster and a knave, which notwithstanding thou shalt be no less esteemed.

VARRO’S SERVANT What is a whoremaster, fool?

FOOL A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. ’Tis a spirit; sometime ’t appears like a lord, sometime like a lawyer, sometime like a philosopher with two stones more than’s artificial one. He is very often like a knight; and generally in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.

VARRO’S SERVANT Thou art not altogether a fool.

FOOL Nor thou altogether a wise man. As much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lack ’st.

APEMANTUS That answer might have become Apemantus. Enter Timon and Flavius

ALL SERVANTS Aside, aside, here comes Lord Timon.

APEMANTUS Come with me, fool, come.

FOOL I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman: sometime the philosopher.

Exeunt Apemantus and Fool

FLAVIUS (to Servants)

Pray you, walk near. I’ll speak with you anon.

Exeunt Servants

TIMON

You make me marvel wherefore ere this time

Had you not fully laid my state before me,

That I might so have rated my expense

As I had leave of means.

FLAVIUS You would not hear me.

At many leisures I proposed—

TIMON Go to.

Perchance some single vantages you took,

When my indisposition put you back,

And that unaptness made your minister

Thus to excuse yourself.

FLAVIUS O my good lord,

At many times I brought in my accounts,

Laid them before you; you would throw them off

And say you summed them in mine honesty.

When for some trifling present you have bid me

Return so much, I have shook my head and wept,

Yea, ‘gainst th’authority of manners prayed you

To hold your hand more close. I did endure

Not seldom nor no slight checks when I have

Prompted you in the ebb of your estate

And your great flow of debts. My lovèd lord—

Though you hear now too late, yet now’s a time—

The greatest of your having lacks a half

To pay your present debts.

TIMON Let all my land be sold.

FLAVIUS

‘Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone,

And what remains will hardly stop the mouth

Of present dues. The future comes apace.

What shall defend the interim, and at length

How goes our reck’ning?

TIMON

To Lacedaemon did my land extend.

FLAVIUS

O my good lord, the world is but a word.

Were it all yours to give it in a breath,

How quickly were it gone.

TIMON You tell me true.

FLAVIUS

If you suspect my husbandry or falsehood,

Call me before th’exactest auditors

And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,

When all our offices have been oppressed

With riotous feeders, when our vaults have wept

With drunken spilth of wine, when every room

Hath blazed with lights and brayed with minstrelsy,

I have retired me to a wasteful cock,

And set mine eyes at flow.

TIMON Prithee, no more.

FLAVIUS

‘Heavens,’ have I said, ‘the bounty of this lord!

How many prodigal bits have slaves and peasants

This night englutted! Who is not Timon’s?

What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is Lord

Timon’s?

Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon!

Ah, when the means are gone that buy this praise,

The breath is gone whereof this praise is made.

Feast won, fast lost; one cloud of winter show’rs,

These flies are couched.’

TIMON Come, sermon me no further.

No villainous bounty yet hath passed my heart.

Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.

Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack

To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart.

If I would broach the vessels of my love

And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,

Men and men’s fortunes could I frankly use

As I can bid thee speak.

FLAVIUS Assurance bless your thoughts!

TIMON

And in some sort these wants of mine are crowned

That I account them blessings, for by these

Shall I try friends. You shall perceive how you

Mistake my fortunes. I am wealthy in my friends.—

Within there, Flaminius, Servilius!

Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and a Third Servant

ALL SERVANTS

My lord, my lord.

TIMON I will dispatch you severally,

(To Servilius) You to Lord Lucius,

(To Flaminius) to Lord Lucullus you—

I hunted with his honour today—

(To Third Servant) You to Sempronius. Commend me

to their loves,

And I am proud, say, that my occasions have

Found time to use ’em toward a supply of money.

Let the request be fifty talents.

FLAMINIUS As you have said, my lord. Exeunt Servants

FLAVIUS

Lord Lucius and Lucullus? Hmh!

TIMON

Go you, sir, to the senators,

Of whom, even to the state’s best health, I have

Deserved this hearing. Bid ‘em send o’th’ instant

A thousand talents to me.

FLAVIUS I have been bold,

For that I knew it the most general way,

To them, to use your signet and your name;

But they do shake their heads, and I am here

No richer in return.

TIMON Is’t true? Can’t be?

FLAVIUS

They answer in a joint and corporate voice

That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot

Do what they would, are sorry, you are honourable,

But yet they could have wished—they know not—

Something hath been amiss—a noble nature

May catch a wrench—would all were well—’tis pity;

And so, intending other serious matters,

After distasteful looks and these hard fractions,

With certain half-caps and cold moving nods

They froze me into silence.

TIMON You gods reward them!

Prithee, man, look cheerly. These old fellows

Have their ingratitude in them hereditary.

Their blood is caked, ‘tis cold, it seldom flows.

’Tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind;

And nature as it grows again toward earth

Is fashioned for the journey dull and heavy.

Go to Ventidius. Prithee, be not sad.

Thou art true and honest—ingenuously I speak—

No blame belongs to thee. Ventidius lately

Buried his father, by whose death he’s stepped

Into a great estate. When he was poor,

Imprisoned, and in scarcity of friends,

I cleared him with five talents. Greet him from me.

Bid him suppose some good necessity

Touches his friend, which craves to be remembered

With those five talents. That had, give’t these fellows

To whom ‘tis instant due. Ne’er speak or think

That Timon’s fortunes ’mong his friends can sink.

FLAVIUS

I would I could not think it. That thought is bounty’s

foe:

Being free itself, it thinks all others so.

Exeunt ⌈severally⌉

3.1 Enter Flaminius, with a box under his cloak, waiting to speak with Lucullus. From his master, enters a Servant to him

LUCULLUS’ SERVANT I have told my lord of you. He is coming down to you.

FLAMINIUS I thank you, sir.

Enter Lucullus

LUCULLUS’ SERVANT Here’s my lord.

LUCULLUS (aside) One of Lord Timon’s men? A gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer tonight.—Ftaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very respectively welcome, sir. (To his Servant) Fill me some wine. Exit Servant And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master?

FLAMINIUS His health is well, sir.

LUCULLUS I am right glad that his health is well, sir. And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?

FLAMINIUS Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir, which in my lord’s behalf I come to entreat your honour to supply, who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present assistance therein.

LUCULLUS La, la, la, la, ‘nothing doubting’ says he? Alas, good lord! A noble gentleman ’tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I ha’ dined with him and told him on‘t, and come again to supper to him of purpose to have him spend less; and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his. I ha’ told him on’t, but I could ne’er get him from’t.

Enter Servant, with wine

SERVANT Please your lordship, here is the wine.

LUCULLUS Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. (Drinking) Here’s to thee!

FLAMINIUS Your lordship speaks your pleasure.

LUCULLUS I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit, give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canst use the time well if the time use thee well. (Drinking) Good parts in thee! (To his Servant) Get you gone, sirrah. Exit Servant Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord’s a bountiful gentleman; but thou art wise, and thou know‘st well enough, although thou com’st to me, that this is no time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship without security. (Giving coins) Here’s three solidares for thee. Good boy, wink at me, and say thou saw’st me not. Fare thee well.

FLAMINIUS

Is’t possible the world should so much differ,

And we alive that lived?

He throws the coins at Lucullus

Fly, damned baseness,

To him that worships thee.

LUCULLUS Ha! Now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master.

Exit

FLAMINIUS

May these add to the number that may scald thee.

Let molten coin be thy damnation,

Thou disease of a friend, and not himself.

Has friendship such a faint and milky heart

It turns in less than two nights? O you gods,

I feel my master’s passion! This slave

Unto this hour has my lord’s meat in him.

Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment,

When he is turned to poison?

O, may diseases only work upon’t;

And when he’s sick to death, let not that part of nature

Which my lord paid for be of any power

To expel sickness, but prolong his hour.

Exit

3.2 Enter Lucius, with three Strangers

LUCIUS Who, the Lord Timon? He is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman.

FIRST STRANGER We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours: now Lord Timon’s happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.

LUCIUS Fie, no, do not believe it. He cannot want for money. 9

SECOND STRANGER But believe you this, my lord, that not long ago one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow so many talents—nay, urged extremely for‘t, and showed what necessity belonged to’t, and yet was denied.

LUCIUS How?

SECOND STRANGER I tell you, denied, my lord.

LUCIUS What a strange case was that! Now before the gods, I am ashamed on’t. Denied that honourable man? There was very little honour showed in’t. For my own part, I must needs confess I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and suchlike trifles—nothing comparing to his; yet had he not mistook him and sent to me, I should ne’er have denied his occasion so many talents.

Enter Servilius

SERVILIUS (aside) See, by good hap yonder’s my lord. I have sweat to see his honour. (To Lucius) My honoured lord!

⌈LUCIUS⌉ Servilius! You are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well. Commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend.

SERVILIUS May it please your honour, my lord hath sent—

LUCIUS Ha! What has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord, he’s ever sending. How shall I thank him, think’st thou? And what has he sent now?

SERVILIUS He’s only sent his present occasion now, my lord, requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents.

⌈LUCIUS⌉

I know his lordship is but merry with me.

He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.

SERVILIUS

But in the mean time he wants less, my lord.

If his occasion were not virtuous

I should not urge it half so faithfully.

LUCIUS

Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?

SERVILIUS Upon my soul, ’tis true, sir.

LUCIUS What a wicked beast was I to disfurnish myself against such a good time when I might ha’ shown myself honourable) How unluckily it happened that I should purchase the day before a little part, and undo a great deal of honour! Servilius, now before the gods I am not able to do, the more beast I, I say. I was sending to use Lord Timon myself—these gentlemen can witness—but I would not for the wealth of Athens I had done’t now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me because I have no power to be kind. And tell him this from me: I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far as to use mine own words to him?

SERVILIUS Yes, sir, I shall.

LUCIUS

I’ll look you out a good turn, Servilius. Exit Servilius

True as you said: Timon is shrunk indeed;

And he that’s once denied will hardly speed. Exit

FIRST STRANGER

Do you observe this, Hostilius?

SECOND STRANGER Ay, too well.

FIRST STRANGER

Why, this is the world’s soul, and just of the same piece

Is every flatterer’s spirit. Who can call him his friend

That dips in the same dish? For, in my knowing,

Timon has been this lord’s father

And kept his credit with his purse,

Supported his estate; nay, Timon’s money

Has paid his men their wages. He ne’er drinks,

But Timon’s silver treads upon his lip;

And yet—O see the monstrousness of man

When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!—

He does deny him, in respect of his,

What charitable men afford to beggars.

THIRD STRANGER

Religion groans at it.

FIRST STRANGER For mine own part,

I never tasted Timon in my life,

Nor came any of his bounties over me

To mark me for his friend; yet I protest,

For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue,

And honourable carriage,

Had his necessity made use of me

I would have put my wealth into donation

And the best half should have returned to him,

So much I love his heart. But I perceive

Men must learn now with pity to dispense,

For policy sits above conscience.

Exeunt

3.3 Enter Timon’s Third Servant, with Sempronius, another of Timon’s friends

SEMPRONIUS

Must he needs trouble me in’t? Hmh! ’Bove all others?

He might have tried Lord Lucius or Lucullus;

And now Ventidius is wealthy too,

Whom he redeemed from prison. All these

Owes their estates unto him.

SERVANT My lord,

They have all been touched and found base metal,

For they have all denied him.

SEMPRONIUS How, have they denied him?

Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him,

And does he send to me? Three? Hmhl

It shows but little love or judgement in him.

Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,

Thrive, give him over; must I take th’ cure upon me?

He’s much disgraced me in’t. I’m angry at him,

That might have known my place. I see no sense for’t

But his occasions might have wooed me first,

For, in my conscience, I was the first man

That e‘er received gift from him.

And does he think so backwardly of me now

That I’ll requite it last? No.

So it may prove an argument of laughter

To th’ rest, and I ’mongst lords be thought a fool.

I’d rather than the worth of thrice the sum

He’d sent to me first, but for my mind’s sake.

I’d such a courage to do him good. But now return,

And with their faint reply this answer join:

Who bates mine honour shall not know my coin.

Exit

SERVANT Excellent. Your lordship’s a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic—he crossed himself by’t, and I cannot think but in the end the villainies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul! Takes virtuous copies to be wicked, like those that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire; of such a nature is his politic love.

This was my lord’s best hope. Now all are fled

Save only the gods. Now his friends are dead.

Doors that were ne’er acquainted with their wards

Many a bounteous year must be employed

Now to guard sure their master;

And this is all a liberal course allows:

Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.

Exit