Preface

I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which latter had it of his father, this last having in like manner had it of his father—and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it.It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition.It may have happened, it may not have happened：but it could have happened.It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days；it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it.

THE AUTHOR

小引

我要照人家给我讲的那样，叙述一个故事。讲这故事的人是从他的父亲那儿听来的，他的父亲又是从“他的”父亲那儿听来的，这位父亲的父亲还是一样，也是从“他的”父亲那儿听来的——一代又一代地一直往上推，总共有三百多年之久，老是父亲传给儿子，把这故事流传下来。这也许是历史上的事情，也许只是无稽的传说。这里面所说的事情也许曾经发生过，也许没有发生过，不过那是可能发生过的。也许从前那些博学多才的人相信这个故事；也许只有那些无知无识和脑筋简单的人才喜欢它，相信它。

慈悲的美德……

蕴含着双重的幸福；

它既能使施惠者感到欣慰，

又能降福于受惠者。

它有超乎一切的无上魅力：

比君主的王冠

更能显示帝王的光彩。

——《威尼斯商人》