We played Romeo and Juliet at Richmond Palace that year．We also played before the Queen at Christmas．She liked to see the new plays，and she paid us ￡10 a play．
We often had to work through the night to get the stage ready in time，but it was exciting to be in one of the Queen's palaces at Christmas．There was a lot of singing and dancing，and eating and drinking．Some years Christmas began in November and didn't finish until February or March．
The year 1596 began well，but that summer the weather was really bad．Cold．Wet．It never stopped raining，and the plague began to come back into London．We were in Stratford for the summer，but I went down to Hampshire for a few weeks to do some business for Will about some sheep．Will didn't need me at home，because he was busy writing his new play，A Midsummer Night's Dream．
I came back to Stratford one wet August evening．The house in Henley Street was strangely quiet，and I went round the back and up to Will's room—his writing room， we called it．He was just sitting there not doing anything，just sitting．
‘What's the matter，Will？I said．‘Where is everybody？’ ‘At church．His face was grey，and his eyes looked empty，dead． ‘What's happened？’I asked．‘What is it？’
He looked at me．‘Hamnet… ’he began．‘Hamnet was ill last week，and…and he died，yesterday．He was only eleven，Toby，and he's dead．My boy．My only son．He's dead，Toby．Dead．’He put his face in his hands．
What Can you say to a man when something like that happens to him？I sat down next to him and put my hand on his arm．We sat together，silently．I knew that Will loved that boy of his—red-haired，bright as a new penny，full of life．Just like his father．
那年我们在里士满宫上演了《罗密欧与朱丽叶》。每逢圣诞节，我们常在女王御前演出， 她爱看新剧，而且一出剧付我们10英镑。
我们经常得通宵达旦，及时赶搭戏台，但圣诞节时能在女王宫廷内演出倒让人感觉是一件兴奋的事。宫廷内载歌载舞，大摆宴席，觥筹交错。有几年圣诞节11月便开始，一直热闹到次年二三月才结束。
1596年初风调雨顺，不料夏天天气很糟，潮湿阴冷，又遇连绵大雨，伦敦的瘟疫卷 土重来，于是我们回到斯特拉福镇过夏天。威尔家中一时用不着我帮忙，当时他正忙于 编写一部新剧本——《仲夏夜之梦》，于是我有几个星期去了汉普郡帮威尔料理羊毛生意。
八月的一个雨夜，我回到斯特拉福镇。亨里街的宅邸出奇地静，我便绕到后门径直到 了威尔的房间——他的“写作室”，我们这样称呼。他正坐在那里，一动不动地只是呆 坐着。
“出了什么事，威尔？”我问道，“其他人呢？” “在教堂。”他脸色苍白，眼睛茫然呆滞。 “发生什么事了？”我问道，“到底怎么了？”
他望着我。“哈姆奈特……”，他开口说道，“上星期哈姆奈特病倒了，可是……可是他昨天死了。他才11岁呀，托比，可他却死了。我的孩子。我唯一的儿子。托比，他死了，死了。”他双手掩面哭了。
发生这样的事你又能说什么来安慰他呢？我挨着他坐下，把手放在他的胳膊上，就这 样并排静静地坐着。我知道威尔很疼爱这个儿子——他长着红色闪着光泽的头发，聪明 伶俐、生气勃勃，很像他父亲。
原文：We played Romeo and Juliet at Richmond Palace that year．
重点短语：
释：那一年
拓：this year今年；
last year去年；
next year明年。
原文：We always played before the Queen at Christmas．
句子解析：
解析：before the queen是介词短语作状语，
点明了play的对象和地点是女王的御前。
原文：She liked to see the new plays，and she paid us ￡10 a play．
重点短语：pay sb. some money
释：付某人钱
拓：v. pay付钱
搭：pay sb.+多少钱+单位
原文：We often had to work through the night to get the stage ready in time.
重点短语：through the night
释：一整夜
拓：through 介词，表示自始至终、从头到尾；
all night，over the night，都可以表示一整夜的意思。
句子解析：
解析：to get the stage ready是一个to do的动词不定式结构，做了work的目的状语。
词组辨析：in time / on time
in time强调及时，正赶得上
on time强调准时
原文：but that summer the weather was really bad．Cold．Wet．It never stopped raining.
句子解析：
解析：第一句话之后cold, wet两个形容词单独成句，
这是英语写作中一种很自然的用法。
强调的形容词单独用句号隔开，更能体现景物的特点。
原文：but I went down to Hampshire for a few weeks to do some business for Will about some sheep．
重点短语：
解析：to do some business是动词不定式to do引导的目的状语。
原文：because he was busy writing his new play.
重点短语：be busy doing sth.
释：忙着做某事
原文：I came back to Stratford one wet August evening．
句子解析：
解析：one wet August evening为名词短语作表示时间的状语
原文：The house in Henley Street was strangely quiet.
句子解析：
解析：strangely quiet
副词strangely修饰形容词quiet
例：surprisingly good 令人意想不到的好
原文：and I went round the back and up to Will's room.
重点单词：back
释：n. 后门
拓：n. 背面，后卫
vt.支持
原文：He was just sitting there not doing anything，just sitting．
句子解析：
解析：not doing anything和just sitting均为伴随状语。
原文：’What's the matter，Will？I said． What's happened？’I asked
句子解析：
这两句均表示发生了什么，强调发生的事和现在有关系。
原文：His face was grey，and his eyes looked empty，dead．
重点单词：grey
释：灰白
拓：pale 苍白无力，一般指生病后精神不好。
重点短语：looked empty, dead
释：看起来茫然呆滞
拓：look 看起来
后面加上形容词，表示看上去怎么样。
原文：Hamnet was ill last week，and…and he died.
词汇辨析：ill / sick
释：有病的
拓：作定语时通常用sick
作表语时可用 ill(英) 或 sick (美)
例：a sick man 病人
sb. be ill [sick] 生病的
原文：He put his face in his hands．
句子解析：
解析：in his hands是介词短语做了put的地点状语
原文：What Can you say to a man when something like that happens to him？
句子解析：
解析：when引导了一个时间状语从句，主语是一个疑问句
原文：We sat together, silently．
重点单词：
解析：silently是一个表示状态的副词
拓：副词修饰动词和形容词时位置很灵活，
可以放在句首，也可以放在句末
原文：I knew that Will loved that boy of his—red-haired, bright as a new penny, full of life.
重点短语：bright as a new penny
释：聪明伶俐
拓：形容词+as+喻体的比喻结构表示
例：The exam is as difficult as the last one.
这次考试与上次一样难
重点短语：full of life
释：充满活力
拓：充满活力也可以用full of energy表示
