5 The plague years 
　  
　　Will wrote his play Richard Ⅲ for Richard Burbage，and it was a great success．Richard the Third was a wicked king—a murderer－but he was wonderful on the stage，with Burbage's great voice and fine acting．Soon all London was saying King Richard's famous words when his horse is killed in war： 
　　A horse！a horse！my kingdom for a horse！ 
　　All kinds of people came to see plays and Will was making a lot of new friends．One day，after the play，he was talking to a young man outside the Rose．He was a very beautiful young man，a bit like a girl，perhaps—but still very good-looking．Later，I asked Will who he was． 
　　‘The Earl of Southampton，Will said．He's only eighteen，but he loves poetry and plays．’ 
　　‘Isn't he a friend of the Earl of Essex？’I asked．Everybody knew the Earl of Essex．He was young and good-looking—and some people said that Queen Elizabeth was in love with him． 
　　I don't know about that．The Queen was fifty-nine years old，and a very，very clever woman．But it was true that she liked to have good-looking young men around her，and the Earl of Essex was her favourite．Then．It all changed later，of course.‘Yes，he is，’said Will．‘But I think Essex is a dangerous man Henry needs better friends than him．’ 
　　‘Henry，eh？’I said，surprised．‘My word！Do you really call him Henry？Not Lord Suthampton？’ 
　　‘Only when other people aren't there．’Will laughed．‘I'm still just an actor from Stratford，Toby．Not very important．Let's go and have a drink at the Boar's Head on our way home．’ 
　　Will was always like that．Quiet，never shouting about himself to the world． 
　　In the Boar's Head we met some friends and started talking．The talk was all about the plague，which was coming back again into London． 
　　‘Have you heard the latest news？said one man．‘They say that more than thirty people are dying every week now．’ 
　　‘And the City Council，’said another man，wants to close all the theatres．They always do that when the plague comes to London．There'll be no work for any of us actors．’ 
　　‘But the players can go on tour，surely？’said Will． 
　　‘Yes，’said the first man．‘But it's a hard life．A different town，a different inn，a different play，every night．I think I'll stay in London．’ 
　　The plague is terrible in any place，but it was worst in London．In those narrow streets，with houses so close together，and the dirty water running down the middle of the street，there was no escape．When the plague came，it ran like fire through the town．If someone in a house got the plague，then the doors were shut and locked，and a big red cross was put on the door．Nobody could leave the house．You had to stay inside and fight—or die．If you were rich，you left London as fast as you could． 
　　In September 1592 the City Council closed the theatres． 
　　‘Are we going on tour，Will？’I said to him one day．‘Or back to Stratford？We can't stay in London．’ 
　　‘You go back to Stratford，Toby，’he said slowly．‘I'm going to Lord Southampton's home in Hampshire for a while．He's asked me to go and stay with him．I can do some writing there，read his books，meet a few people．’ 
　　I looked at him．‘There's a woman in this somewhere，isn't there？You've had a strange look in your eyes for weeks．’ 
　　Will laughed，but didn't answer my question． 
　　The theatres in London didn't open again until June 1594．Will often visited Lord Southampton，but sometimes we went on tour with the company，or spent time at home in Stratford．Will began to spend more time in Stratford，because it was quiet there，and he could do his writing．I never heard what Anne thought about it all． 
　　During those years Will wrote a lot of poetry．He wrote his beautiful long poem，Venus and Adonis，for his friend Lord Southampton，and he wrote many of his famous short poems，the Sonnets．But they didn't go in a book；they were only for his friends to read． 
　　One day，when we were back in London，I was reading some of his latest sonnets．Will was out somewhere，and I was at home in our lodgings in Bishopsgate．A lot of the poems were about a woman，a terrible，black-haired，black-eyed woman．She was cold and cruel，then she was true and loving，and then she was cruel again． 
　　For I have sworn thee fair，and thought thee bright， 
　　Who art as black as hell，as dark as night． 
　　Was Will writing about himself here？I asked myself．And who was this woman，this Dark Lady？ 
　　I always like to know what's going on，so I listened，and watched，and looked at all his women friends． 
　　Then one day I saw her．I was coming in the door at our lodgings，and she was coming downstairs．She had black hair and great stormy black eyes，and there was gold at her ears and round her neck．I stood back and she went past me like a ship sailing into war．She looked wild，and angry，and very，very beautiful． 
　　‘Whew！’I said to myself．‘If that's Will's Dark Lady，he'll never have a quiet，easy life！’ 
　　The woman looked Italian，so I went and asked John Florio about her．Florio was Lord Southampton's Italian teacher．We saw a lot of him in those days． 
　　I described the woman，and he knew her at once． 
　　‘Emilia，’he said．‘Emilia Bassano．Now Emilia Lanier，wife to Alphonso Lanier．Before that，she lived with the old Lord Chamberlain．She was not his wife，you understand．But why do you want to know，my friend？’ 
　　‘If she's a married lady，she doesn't have a lover now，then？’ 
　　Florio laughed loudly．‘Lovers！You don't know Emilia Lanier！She's a bad woman，my friend，a bad woman．’Now he spoke very quietly．‘For a time she was the friend of Lord Southampton．But not now．That is all finished．’ 
　　I didn't ask him about Will．Perhaps Emilia Lanier was Will's Dark Lady，or perhaps Will was just trying to help his friend Lord Southampton．Nobody will ever know now．  
　 
5 瘟疫流行时期 
　  
　　威尔为理查·白贝芝编写了剧本《理查三世》，获得巨大成功。剧中的理查三世是个虚伪狡诈的暴君——一个谋权篡位的凶手——由于白贝芝雄浑的嗓音和精彩的表演使这一形象在舞台上活灵活现。不久全伦敦传遍了理查王在战场上由于战马挨了一刀而摔倒时高喊的那句名言： 
　　“来一匹马！来一匹马吧！我的王位换一匹马！” 
　　形形色色的人慕名来看戏，威尔也因此结交了许多新朋友。一天，演出结束后，我看见在“玫瑰剧院”外他正和一个年轻人交谈。这人年少英俊，或许有点像女孩，不过依然相貌堂堂。后来，我向威尔问起这个人。 
　　“他是索桑普敦伯爵，”威尔说道，“他年仅18岁，酷爱诗歌和戏剧。” 
　　“他是不是爱塞克斯伯爵的朋友？”我问他。爱塞克斯伯爵无人不晓。他年轻英俊——有人说伊丽莎白女王也爱着他。 
　　这件事我倒不清楚。女王年已59岁，是个非常非常聪明的女人。但是女王喜欢年轻的、面目俊俏的男人陪伴左右是千真万确的，而爱塞克斯伯爵最得宠。不过后来一切都变了。 
　　“他的确是这样的人，”威尔说道，“但我认为爱塞克斯是个危险的人物，亨利需要结交比他更好的朋友。” 
　　“哦，亨利？”我诧异地说道，“真没想到！你真的叫他亨利吗？而不叫索桑普敦伯爵。” 
　　“只有别人不在时才叫的，”威尔笑了起来，“托比，毕竟我还只是从斯特拉福镇来的一个演员而已，无足轻重。我们回去吧，顺便到公猪头酒吧喝一杯。” 
　　威尔这人就是这样，处世稳重，从不对世人标榜自己。 
　　在公猪头酒吧我们遇见几位朋友，便开始高谈阔论起来。话题都是关于伦敦这次卷土重来的瘟疫。 
　　“你是否听说了最新消息？”有人说道，“他们说，现在每星期都有30多人濒临死亡的危险。” 
　　“还听说市政参议会，”又有人说道，“准备关闭所有剧院。每回伦敦流行瘟疫他们都这么做。我们这些演员要失业了。” 
　　“但是我们可以巡回演出吗？”威尔建议道。 
　　“这主意不错，”第一个开口的人说道，“但生活太苦。我们每晚要颠沛辗转，不同的村庄、不同的旅社、不同的剧目，与其过这种生活，倒不如呆在伦敦。” 
　　其实，各地瘟疫都很严重，只不过伦敦尤其厉害。狭窄的街道、拥挤的房屋，街道中心污水横流，人们又怎能幸免。瘟疫一来，势不可挡，迅速传遍全城。一旦哪家有人染上了瘟疫，就被封闭房门，贴上红十字。任何人不准踏出房门。只得呆在家里与病魔作斗争——或者等死。如果家境富裕，还是尽早搬离伦敦才为上策。 
　　1592年9月市政参议会封闭了剧院。 
　　“威尔，我们是去巡回演出呢？还是回斯特拉福镇？”有一天我问起他，“伦敦不能久留了。” 
　　“托比，你回斯特拉福镇吧，”他缓缓地说道，“我暂时到汉普郡的索桑普敦勋爵家住一阵。他已经邀我和他同住。在那儿我可以搞搞创作，看看书，会会客人。” 
　　我看着他说道：“此外也多少有点因为一个女人，是吧？几个星期来，你神情总有点怪怪的。” 
　　威尔笑起来，但没有回答我的问话。 
　　伦敦的剧院到1594年6月才重新开放。威尔常去拜访索桑普敦勋爵，偶尔我们也随剧团到各地巡回演出，或者干脆呆在斯特拉福镇家中。威尔开始花更多的时间呆在斯特拉福镇，因为小镇的宁静，他可以安心搞创作。我从没听到安对此作何想法。 
　　这些年间威尔创作了大量的诗歌。他写了诗体绮丽的长诗《维纳斯与阿童尼》献给好友索桑普敦勋爵，而且也创作了许多著名的短诗，十四行诗。但这些诗歌并没有编辑成书，只供朋友赏读。 
　　我们又回到伦敦后的一天，威尔出门去了，我一个人呆在“毕晓普门街”的公寓里，翻阅着他最新创作的一些十四行诗。这组诗大都描写一个女人，一个黑头发、黑眼睛的可怕的女人。她性情乖张善变，一会儿冷若冰霜，冷酷无情，一会儿又热情洋溢，真诚多情。 
　　“因为我曾赌咒说你美，说你璀粲， 
　　你却是地狱一般黑，夜一般暗。” 
　　威尔诗中写的是自己吗？我不禁纳闷。这女人是谁？这个黑女人会是谁呢？ 
　　我这人总喜欢将事情弄个水落石出。于是我仔细观察他的每位异性朋友。 
　　于是有一天我碰见了她。那天我正走进公寓大门，正巧她下楼，只见她一头秀发乌黑发亮，一双眼睛锐利有神，耳朵上戴着金耳环，脖子上挂着金项链。我往后退了几步为她让路，而她犹如一艘负有使命的战舰奔赴战场般风风火火地走过我身旁。看模样她疯狂不羁、一腔怒气，但长得丰姿绰约。 
　　“哎呀！”我心里想，“如果这就是威尔诗中的那位黑女人，那他的生活就不得安宁了。” 
　　这女人看上去像意大利人，我便去问约翰·佛罗里欧。佛罗里欧是索桑普敦勋爵的意大利语教师。那些日子我们时常见面。 
　　我把这女子描述了一番，他立即想起来了。 
　　“是埃米莉亚，”他说道，“埃米莉亚·巴塞诺。现在叫埃米莉亚·拉尼尔夫人，阿尔索·拉尼尔的妻子。这之前，她曾与那个老的宫内大臣同居。你也清楚她不是他的夫人。但我的朋友，你怎么打听起她来了？” 
　　“如果她是有夫之妇，那么现在她没有情人吧？” 
　　佛罗里欧大笑起来。“情人！你还不了解埃米莉亚·拉尼尔的为人吧！我的朋友，她可是个坏女人，一个坏透了的女人。”这时他语气轻缓了下来，“曾有一段时间她和索桑普敦来往甚密。不过不是现在，一切都结束了。” 
　　我不再向他打听威尔的情况。或许埃米莉亚·拉尼尔就是威尔的黑女人，或许威尔只是想帮助他的好友索桑普敦勋爵。现在也无从确知了。 
　　　    


 