11 The last years

　　Will did write another play，of course．That was Henry VIII and he wrote it because the King's daughter，Princess Elizabeth，was getting married．The King's Men had to have a new play for a special day like that．

　　We were in London for rehearsals at the Globe，and the actors put on the new play for the first time on the 29th of June，1613．I remember the date well．

　　It happened soon after the play began．Richard Burbage was on stage and he suddenly looked up and stopped in the middle of a word．

　　‘Fire！’he shouted．‘The theatre's on fire！’

　　Wooden buildings burn fast，and Henry Condell shouted，‘Everybody out！Quickly！’

　　The crowd of playgoers began to hurry to the doors，and I ran round to open them．We could all see the smoke now，and John Heminges shouted to Will，‘The playbooks！We must get the playbooks out！’

　　Everybody got out and no one was hurt．One man's coat caught fire and his friend put the fire out with a bottle of beer．But the Globe burnt right down to the ground in an hour．Poor old John Heminges just stood there and cried．

　　But you can't kill a theatre that easily．A year later there was a new blobe in the same place．Bigger and better than the old one．People said it was the finest playhouse in England．

　　We didn't often go to London in those last years．Will was happy at home in Stratford with his family．He had time for his garden，time to talk to his Stratford friends，time to play with his granddaughter Elizabeth．He read his plays again，and he and I talked and laughed about the old days．

　　Judith got married at last in February 1616．She was thirty-one then，and married a man called Thomas Quiney，who was twenty-six．Will wasn't too happy about it．

　　‘Judith loves him very much，’he said quietly to me．‘But I'm not sure about him．I think she's making a mistake．’

　　He was right，of course．Will was usually right about people．Thomas Quiney was lazy，drank too much，and went with other women．

　　But Will didn't live to find that out．In March he went to London for a party at the Mermaid Tavern．Ben Jonson was now the play wright for the court of King James．The King was paying him some money every year，and Ben wanted to give a party for his friends．

　　It was a good party，I heard．But Will caught a fever and then rode home through the cold spring rain．When he got back to New Place，he was not a well man．

　　He died on the 23rd of April，in the year 1616．

　　They put his body in Holy Trinity Church，down by the river Avon．It was a bright，windy day，I remember．Ben Jonson came down from London，and cried in the church．He was a wild man，was Ben，always fighting and arguing about plays and poetry．But he loved his friend．He came up to me outside the church．

　　‘Toby，’he said．‘Will was a good，true man，and I loved him．We'll never see another poet like him in England．’

　　11 退隐的晚年

　　威尔又编写了一部戏剧《亨利八世》。此剧是为了庆祝国王之女伊丽莎白公主结婚大典而写的。像这样特殊的日子，“国王剧团”非得推出一部新剧本。

　　1613年6月29日，在伦敦的“环球剧院”，我们首次登台预演这一新剧。这个日子我记得一清二楚。

　　演出开出不久，意外事故就发生了。理查·白贝芝正在台上演出。突然，他抬起头，台词说到一半。

　　“着火啦！”他大嚷起来，“剧院着火啦！”

　　木制的房子火势蔓延很快，于是亨利·康德尔大叫着：“大家赶快出去！快出去！”

　　看戏的人群开始拼命向门口挤，我赶着打开所有大门疏散人群。这时我们都能看见烟雾弥漫，约翰·海明对威尔喊道，“那些剧本！我们必须把剧本抢出来！”

　　最后大家都安然无恙地脱险。有人衣服着了火，但他朋友用一瓶啤酒就给浇灭了。不过“环球剧院”一小时后全部烧毁，夷为平地。可怜的老约翰·海明只能站在那儿，顿足痛哭。

　　但是让剧院就此消失并不是轻而易举的事。一年后，在原地又盖起一座新的“环球剧院”，比原来的更大更气派。人们都说这是英国最好的一家剧院。

　　在威尔生前的最后几年中，我们不常去伦敦。在斯特拉福镇，他很高兴和家人呆在一起。这样一来，他就有时间搞搞园艺，和斯特拉福镇的朋友聊天，和外孙女伊丽莎白玩耍。他还重读他的剧本，而且与我一回忆起过去的岁月就谈笑风生。

　　1616年2月，珠迪丝终于嫁给了一位名叫托马斯·奎尼的男人，当时她31岁，丈夫26岁。威尔为此闷闷不乐。

　　“珠迪丝非常爱他，”他平静地对我说，“但我觉得这青年不可靠，我想她犯了一个错误。”

　　他确实说准了。威尔对人的直觉通常没错。托马斯·奎尼游手好闲，纵酒，还和其他女人勾勾搭搭。

　　但是威尔生前未能知道真相。同年3月，他去伦敦美人鱼酒店参加一个聚会。本·琼生这时已成为詹姆士国王的宫廷剧作家，国王每年付给他一些薪水，于是本决定宴请朋友。

　　听说这次聚会很热闹，但威尔不幸感冒发烧，后来骑马回家又淋了雨。当他回到“新地方”家中，人就垮了。

　　他于1616年4月23日去世。

　　人们将他安葬在艾汶河畔的“圣三一”教堂。我记得，那天天气晴朗，微风习习。本·琼生从伦敦赶来，在教堂内失声痛哭。他真是个古怪的人，唯有本才敢攻击和评论戏剧和诗歌。但他打心底里爱这位朋友。在教堂外面，他走到我身边。