My name is Toby．I'm an old man，eighty-three this spring．My house is right in the middle of Stratford-upon-Avon，and I can watch the street market from my window．But I live very quietly now．I'm just an old man，sitting in a chair．

我叫托比，一位年迈的老人，今年春天年过83岁。家住艾汶河畔斯特拉福镇中心，透过窗户，便可以望到街道的闹市。我的生活平和宁静，毕竟我已是一位要在轮椅上安度晚年的老头子了。

I once knew the greatest man in England．For thirty years I was his friend．I worked with him in the theatre，through the good times and the bad time．He was a good friend to me．He was also the best playwright，the best poet，that ever lived in England．Will Shakespeare¹ was his name．

我曾认识英国的一位最伟大的人物。我与他相交30年，同在剧团工作，也共同度过人生中欢乐与艰辛的岁月。他是我的好友，也是英国有史以来最优秀的剧作家，最杰出的诗人。他就是威尔·莎士比亚。

I saw all his plays in the theatre．People loved them．They shouted，laughed and cried，ate oranges，and called for more．All kinds of people．Kings，Queens，Princes，great lords³ and ladies，poor people，the boys who held the horses…everyone．Will Shakespeare could please them all．

我看过他所有上演的戏剧。这些戏剧颇受欢迎，也一度令观众狂喜大悲，不过他们都希望能看到他更多的戏剧。形形色色的人，上自国王、王后、王子和豪富名女，下至贫苦百姓和牵马的脚夫……所有的人，威尔·莎士比亚都能令他们开心欢娱。

He put me in a play once．Well，he used⁴ my name-Toby．Twelfth Night was the play，I remember．Sir Toby Belch．He was a big fat man，who liked drinking too much and having a good time．Queen² Elizabeth the First watched that play-on Twelfth Night，the 6th of January，1601．She liked it，too．

他曾将我写进剧本，剧中用了我的原名——托比。我记得剧名为《第十二夜》，剧中的托比·培尔契爵士又大又胖而且喜欢酗酒行乐。女王伊丽莎白一世于1601年1月6号观看了此剧——《第十二夜》，也很喜欢。

Will's dead now，of course．He's been dead more than thirty years，and no one sees his plays now．The Puritans have closed all the theatres．There's no singing，no dancing，no plays．It wasn't like that in my young days．We had a good time in London，Will and I…

当然威尔现在已不在人世，他过世都30多年了，如今没有人能看到他的戏。自从清教徒关闭了所有的剧院，就不再有歌声、舞蹈和戏剧了。如今的情形同我年轻时与威尔在伦敦度过的快乐时光相比已经大不一样了。

I've no teeth now，and my hair has all fallen out，but I can still think—and remember．I remember when Will and I were young，just boys really…

现在虽然我一副老态，没有牙齿，头发也掉光了，但我还能思考——还能回忆，我记得威尔和我年轻的时候，还是孩子的时候……