（七月五日）

But pardon, gentles all,

The flat unraised spirits that have dared

On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth

So great an object: can this cockpit hold

The vasty fields of France? or may we cram

Within this wooden O * the very casques

That did affright the air at Agincourt?

o, pardon! since a crooked figure may

Attest in little place a million;

And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,

On your imaginary forces work,

Suppose, within the girdle of these walls

Are now confined two mighty monarchies,

Whose high upreared and abutting fronts

拾穗图

播种图

闻钟野祷图

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;

Into a thousand parts divide one man,

And make imaginary puissance;

Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them

Printing their proud hoofs i'the receiving earth;

For'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,

Carrv them here and there; jumping o'er times,

Turning the accomplishment of many years

Into an hour—glass．

——ShakesPeare: Prologue toHenry V.

可是，在座的各位，请原谅吧！像咱们这样低微的小人物，居然也敢在这几块破板搭成的戏台上，演出轰轰烈烈的事件。难道这么一个斗鸡场能容下法兰西的广大江山？或者我们能在这个木圏里塞进那么多将士？只要他们把头盔摇晃起来，定能震惊阿金柯特的空气！请原谅吧！可不是，一个小小的圆圏，在数字的末尾，就可以变成个一百万；那么，让我们凭这点渺小的作用，来激发你们无穷的想像力吧。假设在这团团一圏的墙壁内有两个强大的王国，国境是一片紧接的高地，却叫一道海峡的浪涛从中一隔两断。发挥你们的想像力，来弥补我们的贫乏吧。一个人，把他分身为一千个，组成了一支幻想的大军。我们提到马儿，眼前就仿佛万马奔腾，卷起漫天尘土。把我们的帝国装扮起来，这也全靠你们的想像帮助；凭着想像力，搬东移西，跨越时空，叫多少年代的事件都挤在一个时辰里。

——莎士比亚《亨利五世》开场白