(单词翻译:单击)
And the people laughed and said, 'It is the King's fool who is riding by,' and they mocked him.
And he drew rein1 and said, 'Nay2, but I am the King.' And he told them his three dreams.
And a man came out of the crowd and spake bitterly to him, and said, 'Sir, knowest thou not that out of the luxury of the rich cometh the life of the poor? By your pomp we are nurtured3, and your vices4 give us bread. To toil5 for a hard master is bitter, but to have no master to toil for is more bitter still. Thinkest thou that the ravens6 will feed us? And what cure hast thou for these things? Wilt7 thou say to the buyer, "Thou shalt buy for so much," and to the seller, "Thou shalt sell at this price?" I trow not. Therefore go back to thy Palace and put on thy purple and fine linen8(亚麻布) . What hast thou to do with us, and what we suffer?'
'Are not the rich and the poor brothers?' asked the young King.
'Aye,' answered the man, 'and the name of the rich brother is Cain.'
And the young King's eyes filled with tears, and he rode on through the murmurs9(杂音,低语) of the people, and the little page grew afraid and left him.
And when he reached the great portal(大门,入口) of the cathedral, the soldiers thrust their halberts out and said, 'What dost thou seek here? None enters by this door but the King.'
And his face flushed with anger, and he said to them, 'I am the King,' and waved their halberts aside and passed in.
And when the old Bishop10 saw him coming in his goatherd's dress, he rose up in wonder from his throne, and went to meet him, and said to him, 'My son, is this a king's apparel? And with what crown shall I crown thee, and what sceptre shall I place in thy hand? Surely this should be to thee a day of joy, and not a day of abasement11.'
'Shall Joy wear what grief has fashioned?' said the young King. And he told him his three dreams.
And when the Bishop had heard them he knit his brows, and said, 'My son, I am an old man, and in the winter of my days, and I know that many evil things are done in the wide world. The fierce robbers come down from the mountains, and carry off the little children, and sell them to the Moors12. The lions lie in wait for the caravans13, and leap upon the camels. The wild boar roots up the corn in the valley, and the foxes gnaw14 the vines upon the hill. The pirates lay waste the sea-coast and burn the ships of the fishermen, and take their nets from them. In the salt-marshes live the lepers(麻风病患者) ; they have houses of wattled reeds, and none may come nigh them. The beggars wander through the cities, and eat their food with the dogs. Canst thou make these things not to be? Wilt thou take the leper for thy bedfellow, and set the beggar at thy board? Shall the lion do thy bidding, and the wild boar obey thee? Is not He who made misery15 wiser than thou art? Wherefore I praise thee not for this that thou hast done, but I bid thee ride back to the Palace and make thy face glad, and put on the raiment that beseemeth a king, and with the crown of gold I will crown thee, and the sceptre(权杖) of pearl will I place in thy hand. And as for thy dreams, think no more of them. The burden of this world is too great for one man to bear, and the world's sorrow too heavy for one heart to suffer.'
'Sayest thou that in this house?' said the young King, and he strode past the Bishop, and climbed up the steps of the altar(祭坛) , and stood before the image of Christ.
He stood before the image of Christ, and on his right hand and on his left were the marvellous vessels16 of gold, the chalice17 with the yellow wine, and the vial with the holy oil. He knelt before the image of Christ, and the great candles burned brightly by the jewelled shrine18(圣地,神龛) , and the smoke of the incense19 curled in thin blue wreaths through the dome20. He bowed his head in prayer, and the priests in their stiff copes crept away from the altar.
And suddenly a wild tumult21 came from the street outside, and in entered the nobles with drawn22 swords and nodding plumes23, and shields of polished steel. 'Where is this dreamer of dreams?' they cried. 'Where is this King, who is apparelled like a beggar - this boy who brings shame upon our state? Surely we will slay24 him, for he is unworthy to rule over us.'
And the young King bowed his head again, and prayed, and when he had finished his prayer he rose up, and turning round he looked at them sadly.
And lo! through the painted windows came the sunlight streaming upon him, and the sunbeams wove round him a tissued robe that was fairer than the robe that had been fashioned for his pleasure. The dead staff blossomed, and bare lilies that were whiter than pearls. The dry thorn blossomed, and bare roses that were redder than rubies25. Whiter than fine pearls were the lilies, and their stems were of bright silver. Redder than male rubies were the roses, and their leaves were of beaten gold.
He stood there in the raiment(衣服) of a king, and the gates of the jewelled shrine flew open, and from the crystal of the many-rayed monstrance shone a marvellous and mystical light. He stood there in a king's raiment, and the Glory of God filled the place, and the saints in their carven niches26 seemed to move. In the fair raiment of a king he stood before them, and the organ pealed27 out its music, and the trumpeters(吹鼓手) blew upon their trumpets28(喇叭,小号) , and the singing boys sang.
And the people fell upon their knees in awe29, and the nobles sheathed30 their swords and did homage31, and the Bishop's face grew pale, and his hands trembled. 'A greater than I hath crowned thee,' he cried, and he knelt before him.
And the young King came down from the high altar, and passed Home through the midst of the people. But no man dared look upon his face, for it was like the face of an angel.
1
rein
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n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治 | |
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2
nay
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adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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3
nurtured
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养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 ); 培育; 滋长; 助长 | |
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4
vices
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缺陷( vice的名词复数 ); 恶习; 不道德行为; 台钳 | |
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5
toil
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vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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6
ravens
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n.低质煤;渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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7
wilt
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v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎;(指人)疲倦,衰弱 | |
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8
linen
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n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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murmurs
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n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 );低语声;怨言;嘀咕 | |
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10
bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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11
abasement
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n.滥用 | |
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12
moors
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v.停泊,系泊(船只)( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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13
caravans
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(可供居住的)拖车(通常由机动车拖行)( caravan的名词复数 ); 篷车; (穿过沙漠地带的)旅行队(如商队) | |
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14
gnaw
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v.不断地啃、咬;使苦恼,折磨 | |
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15
misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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vessels
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n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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17
chalice
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n.圣餐杯;金杯毒酒 | |
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18
shrine
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n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣 | |
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19
incense
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v.激怒;n.香,焚香时的烟,香气 | |
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20
dome
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n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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21
tumult
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n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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22
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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23
plumes
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羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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24
slay
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v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
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25
rubies
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红宝石( ruby的名词复数 ); 红宝石色,深红色 | |
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26
niches
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壁龛( niche的名词复数 ); 合适的位置[工作等]; (产品的)商机; 生态位(一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位) | |
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27
pealed
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v.(使)(钟等)鸣响,(雷等)发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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trumpets
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喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 ); 小号; 喇叭形物; (尤指)绽开的水仙花 | |
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29
awe
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n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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30
sheathed
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adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的;覆盖的;铠装的;装鞘了的v.将(刀、剑等)插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 );包,覆盖 | |
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31
homage
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n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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