牛津書蟲系列 威廉·莎士比亞 04 倫敦的新生活

　　4 A new life in London

　　It's two days journey to London by horse，and Will talked all the way.His eyes were bright and excited.He was full of plans，and poems，and a love of life.

　　‘I talked to one of the Queen's Men，’he told me.‘He said that he could find me work in the theatre.Acting，perhaps.Or helping to write some plays.I showed him some of my writing，and he was very interested.

　　When we rode into London，I began to feel afraid.This was a big，big city，and we were just two unimportant young men from a small town.I'll never forget the noise，and the smells，and the crowds.There were 200，000 people living in the City of London—I never saw so many people before in my life.

　　We went down to the river Thames and saw the famous London Bridge，with all its shops and houses.Down the river was the Tower of London.Enemies of the Queen went into the Tower through the river gate，and mostly came out without their heads.

　　We found a small inn in Eastcheap，not too expensive，and had some bread，meat，and beer for our supper.

　　‘Well，we're here!’Will said.‘At last!’

　　‘Mmm，’I said.‘What do we do next?’

　　He laughed.‘Everything!’

　　The next day we began to look for work.

　　Those early years were wonderful.We didn't have much money，of course，and we had to work very hard.A new actor only got six shillings a week，and there wasn't work every week.I decided not to be an actor.

　　‘Why not?’said will.‘It's a great life.’

　　We were working that month for the Queen's Men at the theatre called The Curtain up in Shoreditch.Will was acting four small parts in two different plays.He played a soldier and amurderer in one play，and in the other play he was a thief，and also an Italian lord in love with the Queen of the Night.And he loved it.

　　‘I'm not clever like you，I said.‘I can't remember all those words.I forget who I am!I say the soldier's words，when I'm an Italian lord.I come on stage too late， or too soon.I stand in all the wrong places…’

　　Will laughed.‘What are you going to do，then?’

　　‘Costumes，’I said.‘And properties.I had a talk with John Heminges，and he said they need a new man to help with all the clothes and the other things.’

　　‘Yes，’Will said slowly.‘You'll be good at that.Now，I've got a fight on stage tomorrow，and I have to die with lots of blood.How are you going to get me some blood?’

　　‘I've already got it!I smiled kindly at him.‘Sheep's blood I got it down at Smithfield market this morning.You can have as much blood as you want.I'm keeping it warm for you!’

　　Will was good at acting.Not the best，but good.An actor had to do everything.He had to learn his words，of course—perhaps for six different plays at the same time. No theatre put on the same play every day.He had to dance，and sing，and play music.He had to jump，and fall，and fight.And the fights had to look real.The playgoers of London knew a real fight when they saw one.

　　John Heminges of the Queen's Men taught us both a lot.He was a good friend，then and for many years.

　　I had a lot to learn，too.I learnt how to make shoes out of brown paper.How to clean the actors hats with a bit of bread.Then they looked like new again.I ran all over London to buy the best hair for the wigs.I learnt how to make fish，and fruit，and a piece of meat out of wood and coloured paper.

　　Will was busy day and night.I don't know when he slept.He was acting in plays，he was writing his own plays，he was reading books，he was meeting other writers，making friends…He was learning，learning，learning.

　　One day we were having a glass of beer with Richard Burbage at the Boar's Head in Eastcheap.Burbage was an actor with Lord Strange's Men.He was very friendly with Will.

　　‘You've written four plays now，Will，’he said.‘They're good，and you're getting better all the time.And I'm getting better as an actor all the time.Come and work with Lord Strange's Men at the Rose theatre on Bankside.You can write for us.’

　　So we both went to the Rose.John Heminges came with us，and Augustine Phillips—he was a good actor，too.

　　We worked harder than ever at the Rose.Plays were always in the afternoon，because of the daylight.We had rehearsals in the morning，and by lunch-time people were already coming across the river to get their places for the play.And more and more people came.By 1592 London was hearing the name William Shakespeare again and again.

　　4 倫敦的新生活

　　坐了兩天的馬車我們抵達倫敦，一路上威爾談笑風生，雙眼熠熠生輝，此時他躊躇滿志，對生活無限憧憬。

　　“我曾和‘女王劇團’的演員聊過天，”他告訴我，“他說可以幫我在劇團找個活干，或許可以演戲，或者讓我?guī)兔憚”?。我曾給他看過一些我的作品，他很感興趣。”

　　我們驅(qū)車進入倫敦城時，我開始感到心慌。這是很大、很大的一座城市，而我們只是兩個從小鎮(zhèn)來的微不足道的小伙子。城市的擁擠、喧囂摻和著種種氣味至今令我記憶猶新。倫敦市內(nèi)生活著20萬居民——我以前從未見過這么多的人。

　　我們來到了泰晤士河，看到了著名的倫敦橋以及商店和住宅鱗次櫛比。河下游便是倫敦塔，女王的敵人一旦從河上的閘門進了這座塔，幾乎不能生還。

　　我們在東切普塞德街找到一處不太貴的小客棧住下，晚飯吃了幾塊面包、肉，喝了點啤酒。

　　“哇，我們終于到了這兒!”威爾說道，“終于!”

　　“是啊，”我說，“接下來我們干什么呢?”

　　他笑道：“什么都干!”

　　第二天我們便出去找活干。

　　在倫敦最初幾年的情況很好。由于身邊錢不多，我們工作很賣勁。因為新演員一星期只能拿到6先令的報酬，更何況并不是每個星期都能上臺演出，最后我決定放棄做演員。

　　“為什么不干呢?”威爾說道，“這生活不是很好嗎。”

　　那個月我們工作的“女王劇團”正在濱渠街的“窗簾劇院”演出。威爾分別在兩出不同的戲中扮演了四個小角色，在一出戲中扮演士兵和兇殺犯，在另一出戲中同時扮演小偷和一位愛上奈特王后的意大利勛爵，他很喜歡這角色。

　　“我不如你聰明，”我說，“我總記不住全部的臺詞。上了臺又忘記自己演的角色!當我演意大利勛爵時我竟背出演士兵的臺詞。上臺不是太遲就是太快，甚至會站錯位置。”

　　威爾笑道，“那你打算怎么辦?”

　　“做戲裝，”我說，“還有道具。我和約翰·海明談過了，他說劇團也正需要有個人能幫著安排戲裝和其它事情。”

　　“那好吧，”威爾慢慢地說道，“你會干好的。對了，明天上臺我要參加決斗，并且最后要失血過多而死。你打算怎樣弄到血呢?”

　　“我早準備好啦!”我溫和地笑道，“是羊血。今天早上我跑了一趟倫敦肉市場，你要多少血就有多少血。我會替你保管，不讓它凍結(jié)。”

　　威爾善于演戲。雖稱不上最出色，但已算很好的了。做演員真不容易，事事都得干。最起碼得學會背臺詞——有可能同時得背六出不同的戲的臺詞，因為戲院并非每天上演同一出戲。做演員必須會奏樂，能歌善舞，還要跳躍，摔跤和決斗。決斗必須看起來像真的一樣，否則倫敦市內(nèi)的觀眾一眼就可以看出真假。

　　“女王劇團”的約翰·海明成了我們多年的朋友，他教會我們倆許多東西。

　　當然我要學的東西很多。我學會了如何用牛皮紙做鞋，學會了用一點面包洗掉演員帽子上的污漬，使帽子煥然一新。我要跑遍倫敦買到最好的頭發(fā)制成假發(fā)，還要懂得如何用木頭和彩色紙做成魚、水果和肉片。

　　威爾夜以繼日地忙碌，連我都不知道他什么時候睡覺。他不停地演戲、寫他自己的劇本、看書，接觸其他作家，結(jié)識新朋友……他一直在學習、學習、再學習。

　　一天我們在東切普塞德街的公豬頭酒吧同理查·白貝芝喝酒。白貝芝是“斯特林奇大臣劇團”的演員，對威爾很友好。

　　“威爾，你已經(jīng)創(chuàng)作了四個劇本，”他說道，“劇本寫得不錯，你的創(chuàng)作一直在進步，而我的演技也日益精湛。你就到‘斯特林奇大臣劇團’來，在河濱的‘玫瑰劇院’工作吧。你可以為我們寫劇本。”

　　于是我們倆都進了“玫瑰劇院”。一起過來的還有約翰·海明和奧古斯丁·菲利普——他也是個好演員。

　　在“玫瑰劇院”，我們比以往更加努力工作。由于需要日光，我們上午預演，下午演戲。到了吃午飯時，人們已經(jīng)陸續(xù)過河來占位子等候看戲，而且每次來的觀眾有增無減。時至1592年，威廉·莎士比亞在倫敦已頗具名望。