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鞋匠师傅 Master Pfriem
添加时间:2014-12-14 17:13:22 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • Master Pfriem was a short, thin, but lively man, who never rested a moment. His face, of which his turned-up nose was the only prominent feature, was marked with small-pox and pale as death, his hair was gray and shaggy, his eyes small, but they glanced perpetually about on all sides. He saw everything, criticised everything, knew everything best, and was always in the right. When he went into the streets, he moved his arms about as if he were rowing; and once he struck the pail of a girl, who was carrying water, so high in the air that he himself was wetted all over by it. "Stupid thing," cried he to her, while he was shaking himself, "couldst thou not see that I was coming behind thee?" By trade he was a shoemaker, and when he worked he pulled his thread out with such force that he drove his fist into every one who did not keep far enough off. No apprentice1 stayed more than a month with him, for he had always some fault to find with the very best work. At one time it was that the stitches were not even, at another that one shoe was too long, or one heel higher than the other, or the leather not cut large enough. "Wait," said he to his apprentice, "I will soon show thee how we make skins soft," and he brought a strap2 and gave him a couple of strokes across the back. He called them all sluggards. He himself did not turn much work out of his hands, for he never sat still for a quarter of an hour. If his wife got up very early in the morning and lighted the fire, he jumped out of bed, and ran bare-footed into the kitchen, crying, "Wilt3 thou burn my house down for me? That is a fire one could roast an ox by! Does wood cost nothing?" If the servants were standing4 by their wash-tubs and laughing, and telling each other all they knew, he scolded them, and said, "There stand the geese cackling, and forgetting their work, to gossip! And why fresh soap? Disgraceful extravagance and shameful5 idleness into the bargain! They want to save their hands, and not rub the things properly!" And out he would run and knock a pail full of soap and water over, so that the whole kitchen was flooded. Someone was building a new house, so he hurried to the window to look on. "There, they are using that red sand-stone again that never dries!" cried he. "No one will ever be healthy in that house! and just look how badly the fellows are laying the stones! Besides, the mortar6 is good for nothing! It ought to have gravel7 in it, not sand. I shall live to see that house tumble down on the people who are in it." He sat down, put a couple of stitches in, and then jumped up again, unfastened his leather-apron, and cried, "I will just go out, and appeal to those men's consciences." He stumbled on the carpenters. "What's this?" cried he, "you are not working by the line! Do you expect the beams to be straight?--one wrong will put all wrong." He snatched an axe8 out of a carpenter's hand and wanted to show him how he ought to cut; but as a cart loaded with clay came by, he threw the axe away, and hastened to the peasant who was walking by the side of it: "You are not in your right mind," said he, "who yokes9 young horses to a heavily-laden cart? The poor beasts will die on the spot." The peasant did not give him an answer, and Pfriem in a rage ran back into his workshop. When he was setting himself to work again, the apprentice reached him a shoe. "Well, what's that again?" screamed he, "Haven't I told you you ought not to cut shoes so broad? Who would buy a shoe like this, which is hardly anything else but a sole? I insist on my orders being followed exactly." Master," answered the apprentice, "you may easily be quite right about the shoe being a bad one, but it is the one which you yourself cut out, and yourself set to work at. When you jumped up a while since, you knocked it off the table, and I have only just picked it up. An angel from heaven, however, would never make you believe that."

    One night Master Pfriem dreamed he was dead, and on his way to heaven. When he got there, he knocked loudly at the door. "I wonder," said he to himself, "that they have no knocker on the door, -- one knocks one's knuckles10 sore." The apostle Peter opened the door, and wanted to see who demanded admission so noisily. "Ah, it's you, Master Pfriem;" said he, "well, I'll let you in, but I warn you that you must give up that habit of yours, and find fault with nothing you see in heaven, or you may fare ill." - "You might have spared your warning," answered Pfriem. "I know already what is seemly, and here, God be thanked, everything is perfect, and there is nothing to blame as there is on earth." So he went in, and walked up and down the wide expanses of heaven. He looked around him, to the left and to the right, but sometimes shook his head, or muttered something to himself. Then he saw two angels who were carrying away a beam. It was the beam which some one had had in his own eye whilst he was looking for the splinter in the eye of another. They did not, however, carry the beam lengthways, but obliquely11. "Did any one ever see such a piece of stupidity?" thought Master Pfriem; but he said nothing, and seemed satisfied with it. "It comes to the same thing after all, whichever way they carry the beam, straight or crooked12, if they only get along with it, and truly I do not see them knock against anything." Soon after this he saw two angels who were drawing water out of a well into a bucket, but at the same time he observed that the bucket was full of holes, and that the water was running out of it on every side. They were watering the earth with rain. "Hang it," he exclaimed; but happily recollected13 himself, and thought, "Perhaps it is only a pastime. If it is an amusement, then it seems they can do useless things of this kind even here in heaven, where people, as I have already noticed, do nothing but idle about." He went farther and saw a cart which had stuck fast in a deep hole. "It's no wonder," said he to the man who stood by it; "who would load so unreasonably14? what have you there?" - "Good wishes," replied the man, "I could not go along the right way with it, but still I have pushed it safely up here, and they won't leave me sticking here." In fact an angel did come and harnessed two horses to it. "That's quite right," thought Pfriem, "but two horses won't get that cart out, it must at least have four to it." Another angel came and brought two more horses; she did not, however, harness them in front of it, but behind. That was too much for Master Pfriem, "Clumsy creature," he burst out with, "what are you doing there? Has any one ever since the world began seen a cart drawn15 in that way? But you, in your conceited16 arrogance17, think that you know everything best." He was going to say more, but one of the inhabitants of heaven seized him by the throat and pushed him forth18 with irresistible19 strength. Beneath the gateway20 Master Pfriem turned his head round to take one more look at the cart, and saw that it was being raised into the air by four winged horses.

    At this moment Master Pfriem awoke. "Things are certainly arranged in heaven otherwise than they are on earth," said he to himself, "and that excuses much; but who can see horses harnessed both behind and before with patience; to be sure they had wings, but who could know that? It is, besides, great folly21 to fix a pair of wings to a horse that has four legs to run with already! But I must get up, or else they will make nothing but mistakes for me in my house. It is a lucky thing for me though, that I am not really dead."

    鞋匠师傅个子矮小、枯瘦如柴却又生性活泼,他可是一刻也闲不住。 他长着个突出的鼻子朝上翻起,有着一张灰色的麻脸,留着一头灰不溜秋的蓬松头发,和一双不停左右闪烁的小眯眼。 他什么都看在眼里,对什么都吹毛求疵;他对什么都清楚,而且总是他有理。 他走在大街上,总喜欢指手划脚,就像在划船一样。 一次他把人家女孩子提的桶子撞到了半空中,自己也成了落汤鸡。 他却边抖水,边对女孩吼道:"你这蠢货!没看见我就走在你后头吗?"他是个有手艺的鞋匠,干活时,拔起线来总是很用劲,站得离他不远的人准会挨拳头。 没有哪个学生能在他那儿干上一个月,因为他对最好的手艺也要挑剔找岔,不是说缝得不齐,就是说一只鞋长了;不是说一只鞋跟比另一只高,就是说皮子没锤够。 "慢着,"他对学徒说,"让我告诉你怎样把皮子锤软。"说着他就操起根皮带,在学徒的背上狠狠抽几鞭。 他把他们全叫作懒虫,而他自己也没干多少活,因为他不可能耐得住。 如果他妻子早上起来把火生上,他就会跳下床来,光着脚丫子冲进厨房,吼道:"你要把我的屋子给烧了吗?火这么大,可以考熟一头牛。你以为柴火不要钱的吗?"如果女仆站在洗衣桶旁说笑,他就骂她们,说:"你们这些呱呱叫的鹅,有活不干,只晓得搬弄事非!怎么,用的是新肥皂?真是可怕的浪费,可耻的懒惰!你们只想保养手,不肯好生地搓衣服。"他会跳上去踢倒装满肥皂水的桶,整个厨房可就闹水了。 如果有人造房子,他就赶紧跑到窗口去看看,"瞧,他们又在用永远干不了的红砂石!"他叫着,"住在里面不生病才怪!看看这些人砖砌得有多糟!另外,这砂浆也一点不顶用,里面不能放砂,应放砾石!等这屋子倒塌下来砸了人头,到时有好戏看了。"他坐了下来,上了几针线,又跳了起来,解开围裙,叫道,"我要出去,劝劝他们讲点良心。"他碰到了木匠们,"这是什么?"他喊道,"你们没按墨线干活!你想横梁会直吗?一下就会散架的!"他从一个木匠手里夺过斧子要给他作示范,可是,当一辆装满泥土的车子过来时,他扔下斧子,直奔站在车边的农民:"你是不是糊涂了?"他说,"谁会把小马套在这么重的车子上?可怜的小东西不当场压死才怪呢!"农民没理他,鞋匠师傅只得气鼓鼓地跑回他的作坊。 他刚坐下,学徒就递给他一只鞋。 "哎,这又是什么东西?"他一声尖叫,"难道我没教过你别把鞋底切得这么宽吗?谁愿意要这种鞋?除了鞋底什么都没有了。我重申一切都要按我的吩咐做!""师傅,"学徒回答说,"您说得很对,这只鞋是只坏的,可是,它是出自您之手,刚才您跳起来时把它碰到桌子底下,我只是把他拣起来,就是天上的神仙说,您也不会相信。"

    一天晚上,鞋匠师傅梦见自己死了,正向天堂走去。 到了天堂,他使劲地敲门,"真奇怪!"他自言自语说,"他们的门上连个门环也没有,叫人敲得指关节痛。"使徒彼得打开了门,想看是谁这么急着要进来。

    "啊,是你呀,鞋匠师傅,"他说,"好吧,我让你进来,可你得改掉你这坏毛病,不要找天堂里任何东西的岔子,不然你会倒霉的。""用不着你警告我,"鞋匠师傅说,"我知道好歹,再说,这儿的一切,谢天谢地,都是完美的。这与尘世不同,无可挑剔。"于是他踏了进去,在广阔的天堂里四处游荡。 他环顾四周,左瞧瞧,右瞅瞅,时不时地摇摇头,口里嘀咕着什么。 这时,他瞧见了两个天使抬起了一根木梁,他们不是竖着抬梁木,而是横着扛着。 "世上没见过这么蠢的事!"鞋匠师傅想,可他并没有说什么,表面上露出了满意的模样。 "反正结果一样,不管他们横着拿还是竖着拿,只要他们觉得合适就行,话又说回来,我的确没看见他们撞倒什么东西。"不一会儿,他又瞧见两个天使在用桶从井里打水,不过他也注意到那桶是漏的,水从四面八方流了出来。 原来他们是在给大地浇灌雨水。 "得了吧,"他突然喊道,但幸亏他改了口没骂出来,心想,"或许这只是好玩吧,但如果只为了消遣,那天堂里他们什么也不必做,只是闲逛。"他又继续往前走,看到了一辆深陷在泥里的推车。 "难怪,"他对站在车旁的人说,"谁会这样装东西?你放了些什么在上面?""良好的愿望,"那人说,"我没法把它们拉到正道上,但幸亏我还是把车拉了上来,在这个地方他们不会叫我陷落的。"果然来了个天使,在他车前套了两匹马。 "那就对了,"鞋匠师傅想,"但两匹还不够,至少要四匹才能把车拉出来。"这时另一个天使又牵来了两匹马,可是他并没有把马套在前头,而是套在车后面。 这下鞋匠师傅再也忍不住了,"蠢货!"他大发雷霆,"瞧你们干了什么事?自从开天辟地以来有谁见过那样拉车子的?可是你们,傲慢无知,自欺欺人,还以为什么都懂!"他还想一个劲地说下去,一位天堂居民堵住了他的喉咙,用一种不可抗拒的力量把他推出了天门。 在天门下,鞋匠师傅回过头朝那辆车望去,看见它被四匹长着翅膀的马拉了上来。 就在这时,鞋匠师傅醒了。 "天堂和人间就是不一样,"他自言自语道,"那儿有许多事情是情有可原的。但是谁有耐心看着四匹马一前一后地套在车子上而不发火呢?再说,给长有四条腿的马装上一对翅膀本来就是画蛇添足,愚蠢之至。我得起身了,不然他们会把屋子弄得一团糟的。我没有当真死去,真幸运!"

     9级    英语故事 


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    1 apprentice [əˈprentɪs] 0vFzq   第8级
    n.学徒,徒弟
    参考例句:
    • My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop. 我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。
    • The apprentice is not yet out of his time. 这徒工还没有出徒。
    2 strap [stræp] 5GhzK   第7级
    n.皮带,带子;vt.用带扣住,束牢;用绷带包扎;vi.精力旺盛地工作;受束缚
    参考例句:
    • She held onto a strap to steady herself. 她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
    • The nurse will strap up your wound. 护士会绑扎你的伤口。
    3 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。
    4 standing [ˈstændɪŋ] 2hCzgo   第8级
    n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
    参考例句:
    • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing. 地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
    • They're standing out against any change in the law. 他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
    5 shameful [ˈʃeɪmfl] DzzwR   第8级
    adj.可耻的,不道德的
    参考例句:
    • It is very shameful of him to show off. 他向人炫耀自己,真不害臊。
    • We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers. 我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。
    6 mortar [ˈmɔ:tə(r)] 9EsxR   第9级
    n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;vt.把…用灰浆涂接合
    参考例句:
    • The mason flushed the joint with mortar. 泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
    • The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in. 迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。
    7 gravel [ˈgrævl] s6hyT   第7级
    n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
    参考例句:
    • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path. 我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
    • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive. 需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
    8 axe [æks] 2oVyI   第7级
    n.斧子;vt.用斧头砍,削减
    参考例句:
    • Be careful with that sharp axe. 那把斧子很锋利,你要当心。
    • The edge of this axe has turned. 这把斧子卷了刃了。
    9 yokes ['jəʊks] 9bbcb3e1c7e5afae095e4b1d5856e02b   第9级
    轭( yoke的名词复数 ); 奴役; 轭形扁担; 上衣抵肩
    参考例句:
    • The rhombic drive mechanism has two "yokes". 菱形驱动机构有两个“轭”。
    • Contact pressure increase by 1.5 –5 with same stems and yokes. 即使采用相同的阀杆和轭架,接触压力也能够增加1.5至5倍。
    10 knuckles [ˈnʌklz] c726698620762d88f738be4a294fae79   第10级
    n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝
    参考例句:
    • He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘,握得指关节都变白了。
    • Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    11 obliquely [ə'bli:klɪ] ad073d5d92dfca025ebd4a198e291bdc   第10级
    adv.斜; 倾斜; 间接; 不光明正大
    参考例句:
    • From the gateway two paths led obliquely across the court. 从门口那儿,有两条小路斜越过院子。 来自辞典例句
    • He was receding obliquely with a curious hurrying gait. 他歪着身子,古怪而急促地迈着步子,往后退去。 来自辞典例句
    12 crooked [ˈkrʊkɪd] xvazAv   第7级
    adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的;v.弯成钩形(crook的过去式和过去分词)
    参考例句:
    • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him. 他弯了弯手指,示意我们到他那儿去。
    • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads. 在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
    13 recollected [ˌrekə'lektɪd] 38b448634cd20e21c8e5752d2b820002   第7级
    adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • I recollected that she had red hair. 我记得她有一头红发。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • His efforts, the Duke recollected many years later, were distinctly half-hearted. 据公爵许多年之后的回忆,他当时明显只是敷衍了事。 来自辞典例句
    14 unreasonably [ʌn'ri:znəblɪ] 7b139a7b80379aa34c95638d4a789e5f   第8级
    adv. 不合理地
    参考例句:
    • He was also petty, unreasonably querulous, and mean. 他还是个气量狭窄,无事生非,平庸刻薄的人。
    • Food in that restaurant is unreasonably priced. 那家饭店价格不公道。
    15 drawn [drɔ:n] MuXzIi   第11级
    v.(draw的过去式)拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
    参考例句:
    • All the characters in the story are drawn from life. 故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
    • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside. 她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
    16 conceited [kənˈsi:tɪd] Cv0zxi   第8级
    adj.自负的,骄傲自满的
    参考例句:
    • He could not bear that they should be so conceited. 他们这样自高自大他受不了。
    • I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think. 我不像很多人认为的那么自负。
    17 arrogance [ˈærəgəns] pNpyD   第8级
    n.傲慢,自大
    参考例句:
    • His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes. 他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
    • Arrogance arrested his progress. 骄傲阻碍了他的进步。
    18 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。
    19 irresistible [ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbl] n4CxX   第7级
    adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的
    参考例句:
    • The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force. 历史车轮滚滚向前,势不可挡。
    • She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window. 她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。
    20 gateway [ˈgeɪtweɪ] GhFxY   第8级
    n.大门口,出入口,途径,方法
    参考例句:
    • Hard work is the gateway to success. 努力工作是通往成功之路。
    • A man collected tolls at the gateway. 一个人在大门口收通行费。
    21 folly [ˈfɒli] QgOzL   第8级
    n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话
    参考例句:
    • Learn wisdom by the folly of others. 从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
    • Events proved the folly of such calculations. 事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

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