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安徒生童话-13 The Goloshes of Fortune-The Best Thing the Goloshes Did
添加时间:2014-01-16 14:35:52 浏览次数: 作者:Andersen
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  • EARLY on the following morning, while the clerk was still in bed, his neighbor, a young divinity student, who lodged1 on the same storey, knocked at his door, and then walked in. “Lend me your goloshes,” said he; “it is so wet in the garden, but the sun is shining brightly. I should like to go out there and smoke my pipe.” He put on the goloshes, and was soon in the garden, which contained only one plum-tree and one apple-tree; yet, in a town, even a small garden like this is a great advantage.

    The student wandered up and down the path; it was just six o’clock, and he could hear the sound of the post-horn in the street. “Oh, to travel, to travel!” cried he; “there is no greater happiness in the world: it is the height of my ambition. This restless feeling would be stilled, if I could take a journey far away from this country. I should like to see beautiful Switzerland, to travel through Italy, and,”—It was well for him that the goloshes acted immediately, otherwise he might have been carried too far for himself as well as for us. In a moment he found himself in Switzerland, closely packed with eight others in the diligence. His head ached, his back was stiff, and the blood had ceased to circulate, so that his feet were swelled2 and pinched by his boots. He wavered in a condition between sleeping and waking. In his right-hand pocket he had a letter of credit; in his left-hand pocket was his passport; and a few louis d’ors were sewn into a little leather bag which he carried in his breast-pocket. Whenever he dozed3, he dreamed that he had lost one or another of these possessions; then he would awake with a start, and the first movements of his hand formed a triangle from his right-hand pocket to his breast, and from his breast to his left-hand pocket, to feel whether they were all safe. Umbrellas, sticks, and hats swung in the net before him, and almost obstructed4 the prospect5, which was really very imposing6; and as he glanced at it, his memory recalled the words of one poet at least, who has sung of Switzerland, and whose poems have not yet been printed:—

    “How lovely to my wondering eyes

    Mont Blanc’s fair summits gently rise;

    ’Tis sweet to breathe the mountain air,—

    If you have gold enough to spare.”

    Grand, dark, and gloomy appeared the landscape around him. The pine-forests looked like little groups of moss7 on high rocks, whose summits were lost in clouds of mist. Presently it began to snow, and the wind blew keen and cold. “Ah,” he sighed, “if I were only on the other side of the Alps now, it would be summer, and I should be able to get money on my letter of credit. The anxiety I feel on this matter prevents me from enjoying myself in Switzerland. Oh, I wish I was on the other side of the Alps.”

    And there, in a moment, he found himself, far away in the midst of Italy, between Florence and Rome, where the lake Thrasymene glittered in the evening sunlight like a sheet of molten gold between the dark blue mountains. There, where Hannibal defeated Flaminius, the grape vines clung to each other with the friendly grasp of their green tendril fingers; while, by the wayside, lovely half-naked children were watching a herd8 of coal-black swine under the blossoms of fragrant9 laurel. Could we rightly describe this picturesque10 scene, our readers would exclaim, “Delightful11 Italy!”

    But neither the student nor either of his travelling companions felt the least inclination12 to think of it in this way. Poisonous flies and gnats13 flew into the coach by thousands. In vain they drove them away with a myrtle branch, the flies stung them notwithstanding. There was not a man in the coach whose face was not swollen14 and disfigured with the stings. The poor horses looked wretched; the flies settled on their backs in swarms15, and they were only relieved when the coachmen got down and drove the creatures off.

    As the sun set, an icy coldness filled all nature, not however of long duration. It produced the feeling which we experience when we enter a vault16 at a funeral, on a summer’s day; while the hills and the clouds put on that singular green hue17 which we often notice in old paintings, and look upon as unnatural18 until we have ourselves seen nature’s coloring in the south. It was a glorious spectacle; but the stomachs of the travellers were empty, their bodies exhausted19 with fatigue20, and all the longings21 of their heart turned towards a resting-place for the night; but where to find one they knew not. All the eyes were too eagerly seeking for this resting-place, to notice the beauties of nature.

    The road passed through a grove22 of olive-trees; it reminded the student of the willow-trees at home. Here stood a lonely inn, and close by it a number of crippled beggars had placed themselves; the brightest among them looked, to quote the words of Marryat, “like the eldest23 son of Famine who had just come of age.” The others were either blind, or had withered24 legs, which obliged them to creep about on their hands and knees, or they had shrivelled arms and hands without fingers. It was indeed poverty arrayed in rags. “Eccellenza, miserabili!” they exclaimed, stretching forth25 their diseased limbs. The hostess received the travellers with bare feet, untidy hair, and a dirty blouse. The doors were fastened together with string; the floors of the rooms were of brick, broken in many places; bats flew about under the roof; and as to the odor within—

    “Let us have supper laid in the stable,” said one of the travellers; “then we shall know what we are breathing.”

    The windows were opened to let in a little fresh air, but quicker than air came in the withered arms and the continual whining26 sounds, “Miserabili, eccellenza”. On the walls were inscriptions27, half of them against “la bella Italia.”

    The supper made its appearance at last. It consisted of watery28 soup, seasoned with pepper and rancid oil. This last delicacy29 played a principal part in the salad. Musty eggs and roasted cocks’-combs were the best dishes on the table; even the wine had a strange taste, it was certainly a mixture. At night, all the boxes were placed against the doors, and one of the travellers watched while the others slept. The student’s turn came to watch. How close the air felt in that room; the heat overpowered him. The gnats were buzzing about and stinging, while the miserabili, outside, moaned in their dreams.

    “Travelling would be all very well,” said the student of divinity to himself, “if we had no bodies, or if the body could rest while the soul if flying. Wherever I go I feel a want which oppresses my heart, for something better presents itself at the moment; yes, something better, which shall be the best of all; but where is that to be found? In fact, I know in my heart very well what I want. I wish to attain30 the greatest of all happiness.”

    No sooner were the words spoken than he was at home. Long white curtains shaded the windows of his room, and in the middle of the floor stood a black coffin31, in which he now lay in the still sleep of death; his wish was fulfilled, his body was at rest, and his spirit travelling.

    Esteem32 no man happy until he is in his grave,” were the words of Solon. Here was a strong fresh proof of their truth. Every corpse33 is a sphinx of immortality34. The sphinx in this sarcophagus might unveil its own mystery in the words which the living had himself written two days before—

    “Stern death, thy chilling silence waketh dread35;

    Yet in thy darkest hour there may be light.

    Earth’s garden reaper36! from the grave’s cold bed

    The soul on Jacob’s ladder takes her flight.

    Man’s greatest sorrows often are a part

    Of hidden griefs, concealed37 from human eyes,

    Which press far heavier on the lonely heart

    Than now the earth that on his coffin lies.”

    Two figures were moving about the room; we know them both. One was the fairy named Care, the other the messenger of Fortune. They bent38 over the dead.

    “Look!” said Care; “what happiness have your goloshes brought to mankind?”

    “They have at least brought lasting39 happiness to him who slumbers40 here,” she said.

    “Not so,” said Care, “he went away of himself, he was not summoned. His mental powers were not strong enough to discern the treasures which he had been destined41 to discover. I will do him a favor now.” And she drew the goloshes from his feet.

    The sleep of death was ended, and the recovered man raised himself. Care vanished, and with her the goloshes; doubtless she looked upon them as her own property.



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    1 lodged [lɔdʒd] cbdc6941d382cc0a87d97853536fcd8d   第7级
    v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 );暂住;埋入;(权利、权威等)归属
    参考例句:
    • The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    2 swelled [sweld] bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73   第7级
    增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
    参考例句:
    • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
    • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
    3 dozed [dəuzd] 30eca1f1e3c038208b79924c30b35bfc   第8级
    v.打盹儿,打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • He boozed till daylight and dozed into the afternoon. 他喝了个通霄,昏沉沉地一直睡到下午。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
    • I dozed off during the soporific music. 我听到这催人入睡的音乐,便不知不觉打起盹儿来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    4 obstructed [əb'strʌktɪd] 5b709055bfd182f94d70e3e16debb3a4   第7级
    阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 ); 堵塞; 阻碍; 阻止
    参考例句:
    • Tall trees obstructed his view of the road. 有大树挡着,他看不到道路。
    • The Irish and Bristol Channels were closed or grievously obstructed. 爱尔兰海峡和布里斯托尔海峡或遭受封锁,或受到了严重阻碍。
    5 prospect [ˈprɒspekt] P01zn   第7级
    n.前景,前途;景色,视野
    参考例句:
    • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect. 事态呈现出可喜的前景。
    • The prospect became more evident. 前景变得更加明朗了。
    6 imposing [ɪmˈpəʊzɪŋ] 8q9zcB   第8级
    adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
    参考例句:
    • The fortress is an imposing building. 这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
    • He has lost his imposing appearance. 他已失去堂堂仪表。
    7 moss [mɒs] X6QzA   第7级
    n.苔,藓,地衣
    参考例句:
    • Moss grows on a rock. 苔藓生在石头上。
    • He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss. 有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。
    8 herd [hɜ:d] Pd8zb   第7级
    n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起
    参考例句:
    • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness. 她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
    • He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd. 他从无主见,只是人云亦云。
    9 fragrant [ˈfreɪgrənt] z6Yym   第7级
    adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
    参考例句:
    • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn. 深秋的香山格外美丽。
    • The air was fragrant with lavender. 空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
    10 picturesque [ˌpɪktʃəˈresk] qlSzeJ   第8级
    adj.美丽如画的,(语言)生动的,绘声绘色的
    参考例句:
    • You can see the picturesque shores beside the river. 在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
    • That was a picturesque phrase. 那是一个形象化的说法。
    11 delightful [dɪˈlaɪtfl] 6xzxT   第8级
    adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
    参考例句:
    • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday. 上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
    • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute. 彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
    12 inclination [ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃn] Gkwyj   第7级
    n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好
    参考例句:
    • She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head. 她微微点头向我们致意。
    • I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry. 我没有丝毫着急的意思。
    13 gnats [næts] e62a9272689055f936a8d55ef289d2fb   第12级
    n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • He decided that he might fire at all gnats. 他决定索性把鸡毛蒜皮都摊出来。 来自辞典例句
    • The air seemed to grow thick with fine white gnats. 空气似乎由于许多白色的小虫子而变得浑浊不堪。 来自辞典例句
    14 swollen [ˈswəʊlən] DrcwL   第8级
    adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀
    参考例句:
    • Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day. 因为整天站着,她的双腿已经肿了。
    • A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up. 蚊子叮了她,她的手臂肿起来了。
    15 swarms [swɔ:mz] 73349eba464af74f8ce6c65b07a6114c   第7级
    蜂群,一大群( swarm的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
    • On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天,这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。
    16 vault [vɔ:lt] 3K3zW   第8级
    n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室
    参考例句:
    • The vault of this cathedral is very high. 这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
    • The old patrician was buried in the family vault. 这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
    17 hue [hju:] qdszS   第10级
    n.色度;色调;样子
    参考例句:
    • The diamond shone with every hue under the Sun. 金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
    • The same hue will look different in different light. 同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
    18 unnatural [ʌnˈnætʃrəl] 5f2zAc   第9级
    adj.不自然的;反常的
    参考例句:
    • Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way? 她有任何反常表现吗?
    • She has an unnatural smile on her face. 她脸上挂着做作的微笑。
    19 exhausted [ɪgˈzɔ:stɪd] 7taz4r   第8级
    adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的
    参考例句:
    • It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted. 搬运回家的这段路程特别长,到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
    • Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life. 珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
    20 fatigue [fəˈti:g] PhVzV   第7级
    n.疲劳,劳累
    参考例句:
    • The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey. 这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
    • I have got over my weakness and fatigue. 我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。
    21 longings [ˈlɔ:ŋɪŋz] 093806503fd3e66647eab74915c055e7   第8级
    渴望,盼望( longing的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • Ah, those foolish days of noble longings and of noble strivings! 啊,那些充满高贵憧憬和高尚奋斗的傻乎乎的时光!
    • I paint you and fashion you ever with my love longings. 我永远用爱恋的渴想来描画你。
    22 grove [grəʊv] v5wyy   第7级
    n.林子,小树林,园林
    参考例句:
    • On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees. 山顶上一片高大的树林。
    • The scent of lemons filled the grove. 柠檬香味充满了小树林。
    23 eldest [ˈeldɪst] bqkx6   第8级
    adj.最年长的,最年老的
    参考例句:
    • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne. 国王的长子是王位的继承人。
    • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son. 城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
    24 withered [ˈwɪðəd] 342a99154d999c47f1fc69d900097df9   第7级
    adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式
    参考例句:
    • The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
    • The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。
    25 forth [fɔ:θ] Hzdz2   第7级
    adv.向前;向外,往外
    参考例句:
    • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth. 风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
    • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession. 他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
    26 whining [hwaɪnɪŋ] whining   第11级
    n. 抱怨,牢骚 v. 哭诉,发牢骚
    参考例句:
    • That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
    • The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着(要进来)。
    27 inscriptions [ɪnsk'rɪpʃnz] b8d4b5ef527bf3ba015eea52570c9325   第8级
    (作者)题词( inscription的名词复数 ); 献词; 碑文; 证劵持有人的登记
    参考例句:
    • Centuries of wind and rain had worn away the inscriptions on the gravestones. 几个世纪的风雨已磨损了墓碑上的碑文。
    • The inscriptions on the stone tablet have become blurred with the passage of time. 年代久了,石碑上的字迹已经模糊了。
    28 watery [ˈwɔ:təri] bU5zW   第9级
    adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的
    参考例句:
    • In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust. 他那含泪的眼睛流露出不信任的神情。
    • Her eyes became watery because of the smoke. 因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
    29 delicacy [ˈdelɪkəsi] mxuxS   第9级
    n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴
    参考例句:
    • We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship. 我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
    • He sensed the delicacy of the situation. 他感觉到了形势的微妙。
    30 attain [əˈteɪn] HvYzX   第7级
    vt.达到,获得,完成
    参考例句:
    • I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
    • His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。
    31 coffin [ˈkɒfɪn] XWRy7   第8级
    n.棺材,灵柩
    参考例句:
    • When one's coffin is covered, all discussion about him can be settled. 盖棺论定。
    • The coffin was placed in the grave. 那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。
    32 esteem [ɪˈsti:m] imhyZ   第7级
    n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作
    参考例句:
    • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust. 我认为他不值得信赖。
    • The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem. 那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。
    33 corpse [kɔ:ps] JYiz4   第7级
    n.尸体,死尸
    参考例句:
    • What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse. 她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
    • The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming. 尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。
    34 immortality [ˌimɔ:'tæliti] hkuys   第7级
    n.不死,不朽
    参考例句:
    • belief in the immortality of the soul 灵魂不灭的信念
    • It was like having immortality while you were still alive. 仿佛是当你仍然活着的时候就得到了永生。
    35 dread [dred] Ekpz8   第7级
    vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
    参考例句:
    • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes. 我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
    • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread. 她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
    36 reaper [ˈri:pə(r)] UA0z4   第11级
    n.收割者,收割机
    参考例句:
    • The painting is organized about a young reaper enjoying his noonday rest. 这幅画的画面设计成一个年轻的割禾人在午间休息。
    • A rabbit got caught in the blades of the reaper. 一只兔子被卷到收割机的刀刃中去了。
    37 concealed [kən'si:ld] 0v3zxG   第7级
    a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
    参考例句:
    • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
    • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
    38 bent [bent] QQ8yD   第7级
    n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的;v.(使)弯曲,屈身(bend的过去式和过去分词)
    参考例句:
    • He was fully bent upon the project. 他一心扑在这项计划上。
    • We bent over backward to help them. 我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
    39 lasting [ˈlɑ:stɪŋ] IpCz02   第7级
    adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持
    参考例句:
    • The lasting war debased the value of the dollar. 持久的战争使美元贬值。
    • We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles. 我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
    40 slumbers [ˈslʌmbəz] bc73f889820149a9ed406911856c4ce2   第9级
    睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • His image traversed constantly her restless slumbers. 他的形象一再闯进她的脑海,弄得她不能安睡。
    • My Titan brother slumbers deep inside his mountain prison. Go. 我的泰坦兄弟就被囚禁在山脉的深处。
    41 destined [ˈdestɪnd] Dunznz   第7级
    adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的
    参考例句:
    • It was destined that they would marry. 他们结婚是缘分。
    • The shipment is destined for America. 这批货物将运往美国。

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