3 The actors come to town

　　Will married Anne Hathaway in November，and she came to live in Henley Street．John Shakespeare was pleased that his oldest son was married，but I don't think Will's mother wanted him to marry so young．Families cost a lot of money，and John Shakespeare was having a lot of money troubles in those days．Times were hard in Henley Street．

　　Susanna was born the next May．All babies look the same to me，but Will was very pleased with her．

　　‘Look，Toby，she's got my eyes，’he said happily．‘She's going to be as beautiful as the Queen of Egypt，and as clever as King Solomon．’

　　‘Oh yes？’I said．‘All parents talk like that about their children．I don't believe a word of it．’

　　I didn't see much of Will's wife．I knew she didn't like me．To her，I was one of Will's wild friends，who got him into trouble．She came from a very serious，Puritan family．Lots of church-going，and no singing or dancing．

　　Soon there was another baby on the way，and one evening in February 1585 I hurried round to Henley Street to hear the news．Will's sister，Joan，opened the door，and then Will came running down the stairs．

　　‘It's two of them！’he said．‘Twins！A girl and a boy．Isn't that wonderful！’

　　Will had some good friends，Hamnet and Judith Sadler，and he called the twins after them．John Shakespeare was very pleased to have his first grandson，and everyone was happy．For a while．

　　Will and I still went around together when we could．He was still reading，and writing，and soon I could see a change in him．He was twenty-three now，and he was not happy with his life．

　　‘Stratford's too small，Toby，’he said．‘Too slow．Too quiet．Too boring．I've got to get away．’

　　‘Yes，but how？’I asked．‘You've got a family—three young children，remember．’

　　He didn't answer．

　　In the summer months companies of players often came to small towns，and in 1587 five different companies came．Will and I always went to see the plays．Will loved to talk to the actors and to listen to all their stories of London

　　The Queen's Men came to Stratford in June，and we went to see the play．I don't remember what it was．I know that I laughed a lot，and that Will said it was a stupid play，with not a word of poetry in it．

　　‘Why don't you write a play yourself？’I told him．

　　‘Write a play？’He laughed．‘Anne would never speak to me again．’

　　I didn't say anything，and Will looked at me and laughed again．

　　It happened a few months later．I walked into the Shakespeares' kitchen one evening，and there was Anne，with a red，angry face，shouting at the top of her voice．

　　‘How can you do this to me？And what about the children—’Then she saw me and stopped．

　　Will was sitting at the table，and looked pleased to see me．‘I've told Anne，’he said quietly，‘that I'm going to live in London．I want to be an actor，and to write plays，if I can．’

　　‘Plays！’screamed Anne．‘Acting！Actors are dirty，wicked people！They're all thieves and criminals！They drink all day and they never go to church—’

　　‘Don't be stupid，Anne．You know that's not true．Listen．I'll come home when I can，but I must go to London．I can't do anything in Stratford．’He looked at me across the room．‘Are you coming with me，Toby？’

　　‘How soon can we start？’I said．

　　3 演员来到镇上

　　11月威尔和安·哈瑟维结婚了，安就住进了亨里街。约翰·莎士比亚见长子成家心里很高兴，可我觉得威尔的母亲并不想他这么早就结婚。结婚花了家里不少钱，再加上约翰·莎士比亚那段时间财运不济，这样一来，日子过得有点艰难。

　　次年5月女儿苏珊娜出世。对我来说，所有的孩子没什么不一样，但威尔欣喜若狂。

　　“托比，你瞧，她的眼睛长得真像我，”他高兴地说着，“长大后，她会美丽如埃及艳后，聪明如所罗门国王。”

　　“是吗？”我说，“所有父母都是这么说自己的孩子。我可不信。”

　　我不常见到威尔夫人，也清楚她不喜欢我。对她而言，我是威尔的一个粗野朋友，这种朋友只会让他出麻烦。她出生于一个虔诚的清教徒家庭，除了去教堂外根本不懂音乐和舞蹈。

　　不久，又一个孩子要出世了。1585年2月的一个夜晚我急匆匆地赶到亨里街去打听消息。威尔的妹妹琼为我开了门，接着就见威尔跑下楼梯。

　　“一胎两个呢！”他说道，“是双胞胎！一女一男。真是妙极了！”

　　威尔根据好友哈姆奈特和珠迪丝·塞德勒的名字给孪生子女起了名。约翰·莎士比亚见第一个孙子出世，由衷地高兴，有一段时间，每一个人都很快乐。

　　只要有机会威尔和我仍然经常来往，他依然读书写作，但是不久，我发现他变了。当时他23岁，但对生活不再知足。

　　“托比，斯特拉福镇实在太小了，”他说道，“发展缓慢，生活宁静，日子又单调，我必须离开此地。”

　　“是啊，可怎么离开呢？”我问道，“别忘了，你已经成家——还有三个孩子。”

　　他没有答话。

　　夏天经常有剧团到小镇巡回演出，1587年分别来了五个剧团。威尔和我总是结伴去看戏。威尔爱找演员们交谈，听他们讲发生在伦敦的故事。

　　6月“女王剧团”来到斯特拉福镇，我们又去看戏。这出戏的内容我已记不清楚，只记得当时看了直笑，但是威尔说这戏很糟糕，没有一句像样的诗歌。

　　“那你为什么不自己动手写剧本呢？”我告诉他。

　　“写剧本？”他大笑，“这样的话，安可再也不理我了。”

　　我不再说什么，威尔看看我又笑了。

　　几个月后事情就发生了。一天晚上我走进莎士比亚家的厨房，只见安涨红着脸，气呼呼地，她高声在嚷着：

　　“你怎么能这样对我？孩子怎么办？”这时她瞧见我就将话止住了。

　　威尔坐在桌旁，见我来很高兴。“我已经告诉安了。”他平静地说道，“我打算到伦敦去谋生。我想当一名演员，如果行的话，写写剧本。”

　　“写剧本！”安尖声叫起来，“去演戏！做演员既丢脸又龌龊，他们都是小偷和罪犯！整天只知道喝酒行乐，也从来不去教堂——”

　　“别犯傻了，安。你知道事实并不是这样。听着，一有机会我就回家探望，但我非去伦敦不可。呆在斯特拉福镇我不会有作为的。”他看了看房间对面的我，“托比，你想一起去吗？”