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死神的使者
添加时间:2014-11-23 17:48:55 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • In ancient times a giant was once travelling on a great highway, when suddenly an unknown man sprang up before him, and said, "Halt, not one step farther!" - "What!" cried the giant, "a creature whom I can crush between my fingers, wants to block my way? Who art thou that thou darest to speak so boldly?" - "I am Death," answered the other. "No one resists me, and thou also must obey my commands. But the giant refused, and began to struggle with Death. It was a long, violent battle, at last the giant got the upper hand, and struck Death down with his fist, so that he dropped by a stone. The giant went his way, and Death lay there conquered, and so weak that he could not get up again. "What will be done now," said he, "if I stay lying here in a corner? No one will die in the world, and it will get so full of people that they won't have room to stand beside each other." In the meantime a young man came along the road, who was strong and healthy, singing a song, and glancing around on every side. When he saw the half-fainting one, he went compassionately1 to him, raised him up, poured a strengthening draught2 out of his flask3 for him, and waited till he came round. "Dost thou know," said the stranger, whilst he was getting up, "who I am, and who it is whom thou hast helped on his legs again?" - "No," answered the youth, "I do not know thee." - "I am Death," said he. "I spare no one, and can make no exception with thee, but that thou mayst see that I am grateful, I promise thee that I will not fall on thee unexpectedly, but will send my messengers to thee before I come and take thee away." - "Well," said the youth, "it is something gained that I shall know when thou comest, and at any rate be safe from thee for so long." Then he went on his way, and was light-hearted, and enjoyed himself, and lived without thought. But youth and health did not last long, soon came sicknesses and sorrows, which tormented4 him by day, and took away his rest by night. "Die, I shall not," said he to himself, "for Death will send his messengers before that, but I do wish these wretched days of sickness were over." As soon as he felt himself well again he began once more to live merrily. Then one day some one tapped him on the shoulder. He looked round, and Death stood behind him, and said, "Follow me, the hour of thy departure from this world has come." - "What," replied the man, "wilt5 thou break thy word? Didst thou not promise me that thou wouldst send thy messengers to me before coming thyself? I have seen none!" - "Silence!" answered Death. "Have I not sent one messenger to thee after another? Did not fever come and smite6 thee, and shake thee, and cast thee down? Has dizziness not bewildered thy head? Has not gout twitched7 thee in all thy limbs? Did not thine ears sing? Did not tooth-ache bite into thy cheeks? Was it not dark before thine eyes? And besides all that, has not my own brother Sleep reminded thee every night of me? Didst thou not lie by night as if thou wert already dead? The man could make no answer; he yielded to his fate, and went away with Death.

    古时后,有个巨人漫步在乡间的大道上,突然一个陌生人跳到他跟前说:"站住,不许再往前走一步!""什么?"巨人叫道,"你这小东西,我两根指头就能把你捏死,你敢挡我的路?你是什么人,敢口吐狂言?""我是死神,"他回答说,"没有人能反抗我,你也必须服从我的命令。"但巨人拒绝了,和死神打斗起来,这是一场持久而激烈的战斗,最后巨人占了上风,一拳击倒了死神,使他瘫倒在一块石头旁。 巨人凯旋而去,死神倒在那儿屈服了,他太虚弱了,竟爬不起来了。 "现在我该怎么办呢?"他说,"如果就缩在这个角落里,世上就没人会死,那么必定会挤满人而无处容身了。"这时来了位年轻人,朝气蓬勃,一路高歌,并且在举目四顾。 一看见这个半死半活的人,马上关切地走了上来,扶起他,从自己的瓶中倒了口水给他,看着他恢复了几分力气。 那陌生人边爬起边说:"你可知道我是谁吗?你知道你帮了谁吗?""不,"年轻人说,"我不认识你。""我是死神,我从不放过任何人,你也不例外。但为了表示我的感激之情,我向你保证我绝不出其不意地降临于你,我会在来取你性命之前派我的报信使者通知你。""好的,"年轻人说,"能知道自己的死期就足够了,至少在这以前我不用提心吊胆的。"然后他愉快地走了,无忧无虑地生活着。 但青春和健康不会长久,很快病痛与悲哀都来了,它们开始一天天地折磨他。 他自言自语道:"我不会死的,因为死神还没来,我真希望这病痛缠身的痛苦日子赶快结束。"后来他的病好了,他又过上了开心的日子。 有一天,有人拍了拍他的肩膀,他扭头一看,发现死神就站在他身后。 "跟我来,你和这个世界告别的时刻已经到了。""什么?"这人问道,"你怎能食言?你不是保证说你本人来之前会派信使来吗?""别作声!"死神说,"我不是接二连三地差信使到这里了吗?寒热不是来打你、推你、摔倒你了吗?晕眩不是弄得你头昏脑胀吗?痛风病不是折磨你四肢吗?耳鸣有过吗?牙痛时不曾使面颊发肿吗?而且,我的兄弟'睡神'不是每晚向你提起我吗?夜里,你难道不是像死人那样地躺在那吗?"

    这人无话可说,只得听天由命,跟着死神走了。

     8级    英语小说 
     单词标签: compassionately  draught  flask  tormented  wilt  smite  twitched 


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    1 compassionately [kəm'pæʃənətlɪ] 40731999c58c9ac729f47f5865d2514f   第9级
    adv.表示怜悯地,有同情心地
    参考例句:
    • The man at her feet looked up at Scarlett compassionately. 那个躺在思嘉脚边的人同情地仰望着她。 来自飘(部分)
    • Then almost compassionately he said,"You should be greatly rewarded." 接着他几乎带些怜悯似地说:“你是应当得到重重酬报的。” 来自辞典例句
    2 draught [drɑ:ft] 7uyzIH   第10级
    n.拉,牵引,拖;一网(饮,吸,阵);顿服药量,通风;v.起草,设计
    参考例句:
    • He emptied his glass at one draught. 他将杯中物一饮而尽。
    • It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught. 可惜这房间没北窗,没有过堂风。
    3 flask [flɑ:sk] Egxz8   第8级
    n.瓶,火药筒,砂箱
    参考例句:
    • There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask. 这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
    • He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag. 他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。
    4 tormented [ˈtɔ:mentid] b017cc8a8957c07bc6b20230800888d0   第7级
    饱受折磨的
    参考例句:
    • The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。
    • He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠,深受嫉妒的折磨。
    5 wilt [wɪlt] oMNz5   第10级
    vt. 使枯萎;使畏缩;使衰弱 vi. 枯萎;畏缩;衰弱 n. 枯萎;憔悴;衰弱
    参考例句:
    • Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered. 金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
    • Several sleepless nights made him wilt. 数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。
    6 smite [smaɪt] sE2zZ   第11级
    vt.&vi.重击;彻底击败;n.打;尝试;一点儿
    参考例句:
    • The wise know how to teach, the fool how to smite. 智者知道如何教导,愚者知道怎样破坏。
    • God will smite our enemies. 上帝将击溃我们的敌人。
    7 twitched [] bb3f705fc01629dc121d198d54fa0904   第9级
    vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式)
    参考例句:
    • Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
    • The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着,像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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