-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
CHAPTER 8
Monseigneur in the Country
A BEAUTIFUL landscape, with the corn bright in it, but not abundant. Patches of poor rye where corn should have been, patches of poor peas and beans, patches of most coarse vegetable substitutes for wheat. On inanimate nature, as on the men and women who cultivated it, a prevalent tendency towards an appearance of vegetating1 unwillingly--dejected disposition2 to give up, and wither3 away.
Monsieur the Marquis in his travelling carriage (which might have been lighter), conducted by four post-horses and two postilions, fagged up a steep hill. A blush on the countenance4 of Monsieur the Marquis was no impeachment5 of his high breeding; it was not from within; it was occasioned by an external circumstance beyond his control--the setting sun give up, and wither away give up, and wither away.
The sunset struck so brilliantly into the travelling carriage when it gained the hill-top, that its occupant was steeped in crimson6. `It will die out,' said Monsieur the Marquis, glancing at his hands, `directly.'
In effect, the sun was so low that it dipped at the moment. When the heavy drag had been adjusted to the wheel, and the carriage slid down hill, with a cinderous smell, in a cloud of dust, the red glow departed quickly; the sun and the Marquis going down together, there was no glow left when the drag was taken off.
But, there remained a broken country, bold and open, a little village at the bottom of the hill, a broad sweep and rise beyond it, a church-tower, a windmill, a forest for the chase, and a crag with a fortress8 on it used as a prison. Round upon all these darkening objects as the night drew on, the Marquis looked, with the air of one who was coming near home.
The village had its one poor street, with its poor brewery9, poor tannery, poor tavern10, poor stable-yard for relay of post+horses, poor fountain, all usual poor appointments. It had its poor people too. All its people were poor, and many of them were sitting at their doors, shredding11 spare onions and the like for supper, while many were at the fountain, washing leaves, and grasses, and any such small yieldings of the earth that could be eaten. Expressive12 signs of what made them poor, were not wanting; the tax for the state, the tax for the church, the tax for the lord, tax local and tax general, were to be paid here and to be paid there, according to solemn inscription13 in the little village, until the wonder was, that there was any village left unswallowed.
Few children were to be seen, and no dogs. As to the men and women, their choice on earth was stated in the prospect--Life on the lowest terms that could sustain it, down in the little village under die mill; or captivity14 and Death in the dominant15 prison on the crag.
Heralded16 by a courier in advance, and by the cracking of his postilions' whips, which twined snake-like about their heads in the evening air, as if he came attended by the Furies, Monsieur the Marquis drew up in his travelling carriage at the posting-house gate. It was hard by the fountain, and the peasants suspended their operations to look at him. He looked at them, and saw in them, without knowing it, the slow sure filing down of misery-worn face and figure, that was to make the meagerness of Frenchmen an English superstition17 which should survive the truth through the best part of a hundred years.
Monsieur the Marquis cast his eyes over the submissive faces that drooped18 before him, as the like of himself had drooped before Monseigneur of the Court--only the difference was, that these faces drooped merely to suffer and not to propitiate--when a grizzled mender of the roads joined the group.
`Bring me hither that fellow!' said the Marquis to the courier.
The fellow was brought, cap in hand, and the other fellows closed round to look and listen, in the manner of the people at the Paris fountain.
`I passed you on the road?'
`Monseigneur, it is true. I had the honour of being passed on the road.'
`Coming up the hill, and at the top of the hill, both?'
`Monseigneur, it is true.
`What did you look at, so fixedly19?'
`Monseigneur, I looked at the man.'
He stooped a little, and with his tattered20 blue cap pointed21 under the carriage. All his fellows stooped to look under the carriage.
`Mat man, pig? And why look there?'
`Pardon, Monseigneur; he swung by the chain of the shoe the drag.'
`Who?' demanded the traveller.
`Monseigneur, the man.'
`May the Devil carry away these idiots! How do you call the man? You know all the men of this part of the country. Who was he?'
`Your clemency22, Monseigneur! He was not of this part of the country. Of all the days of my life, I never saw him.'
`Swinging by the chain? To be suffocated23?'
`With your gracious permission, that was the wonder of it, Monseigneur. His head hanging over--like this!'
He turned himself sideways to the carriage, and leaned back, with his face thrown up to the sky, and his head hanging down; then recovered himself, fumbled24 with his cap, and made a bow.
`what was he like?'
`Monseigneur, he was whiter than the miller25. All covered with dust, white as a spectre, tall as a spectre!'
The picture produced an immense sensation in the little crowd; but all eyes, without comparing notes with other eyes, looked at Monsieur the Marquis. Perhaps, to observe whether he had any spectre on his conscience.
`Truly, you did well,' said the Marquis, felicitously26 sensible that such vermin were not to ruffle27 him, `to see a thief accompanying my carriage, and not open that great mouth of yours. Bah! Put him aside, Monsieur Gabelle!'
Monsieur Gabelle was the Postmaster, and some other taxing functionary28 united; he had come out with great obsequiousness29 to assist at this examination, and had held the examined by the drapery of his arm in an official manner.
`Bah! Go aside!' said Monsieur Gabelle.
`Lay hands on this stranger if he seeks to lodge30 in your village to-night, and be sure that his business is honest, Gabelle.'
`Monseigneur, I am flattered to devote myself to your orders.'
`Did he run away, fellow?--here is that Accursed?'
The accursed was already under the carriage with some half-dozen particular friends, pointing out the chain with his blue cap. Some half-dozen other particular friends promptly31 hauled him out, and presented him breathless to Monsieur the Marquis.
`Did the man run away, Dolt32, when we stopped for the drag?'
`Monseigneur, he precipitated33 himself over the hill-side, head first, as a person plunges34 into the river.'
`See to it, Gabelle. Go on!'
The half-dozen who were peering at the chain were still among the wheels, like sheep; the wheels turned so suddenly that they were lucky to save their skins and bones; they had very little else to save, or they might not have been so fortunate.
The burst with which the carriage started out of the village and up the rise beyond, was soon checked by the steepness of the hill. Gradually, it subsided35 to a foot pace, swinging and lumbering36 upward among the many sweet scents37 of a summer night. The postilions, with a thousand gossamer38 gnats39 circling about them in lieu of the Furies, quietly mended the points to the lashes40 of their whips; the valet walked by the horses; the courier was audible, trotting42 on ahead into the dim distance.
At the steepest point of the hill there was a little burial ground, with a Cross and a new large figure of Our Saviour43 on it; it was a poor figure in wood, done by some inexperienced rustic44 carver, but he had studied the figure from the life--is own life, maybe--or it was dreadfully spare and thin.
To this distressful46 emblem47 of a great distress45 that had long been growing worse, and was not at its worst, a woman was kneeling. She turned her head as the carriage came up to her, rose quickly, and presented herself at the carriage-door.
`It is you, Monseigneur! Monseigneur, a petition.'
With an exclamation48 of impatience49, but with his Un+changeable face, Monseigneur looked out.
`How, then! What is it? Always petitions!'
`Monseigneur. For the love of the great God! My husband, the forester.'
`What of your husband, the forester? Always the same with you people. He cannot pay something?'
`He has paid all, Monseigneur. He is dead.'
`Well! He is quiet. Can I restore him to you?'
`Alas, no, Monseigneur! But he lies yonder, under a little heap of poor grass.'
`Well?'
`Monseigneur,, there are so many little heaps of par7 grass?'
`Again, well?'
She looked an old woman, but was young. Her manner was one of passionate50 grief; by turns she clasped her veinous and knotted hands together with wild energy, and laid one of them on the carriage-door--tenderly, caressingly51, as if it had been a human breast, and could be expected to feel the appealing touch.
`Monseigneur, hear me! Monseigneur, hear my petition! My husband died of want; so many die of want; so many more will die of want.'
`Again, well? Can I feed them?'
`Monseigneur, the good God knows; but I don't ask it. My petition is, that a morsel52 of stone or wood, with my husband's name, may be placed over him to show where he lies. Otherwise, the place will be quickly forgotten, it will never be found when I am dead of the same malady53, I shall be laid under some other heap of poor grass. Monseigneur, they are so many, they increase so fast, there is so much want. Monseigneur! Monseigneur!'
The valet had put her away from the door, the carriage had broken into a brisk trot41, the postilions had quickened the pace, she was left far behind, and Monseigneur, again escorted by the Furies, was rapidly diminishing the league or two of distance that remained between him and his ch?teau.
The sweet scents of the summer night rose all around him, and rose, as the rain falls, impartially54, on the dusty, ragged55, and toil-worn group at the fountain not far away; to whom the mender of roads, with the aid of the blue cap without which he was nothing, still enlarged upon his man like a spectre, as long as they could bear it. By degrees, as they could bear no more, they dropped off one by one, and lights twinkled in little casements56; which lights, as the casements darkened, and more stars came out, seemed to have shot up into the sky instead of having been extinguished.
The shadow of a large high-roofed house, and of many overhanging trees, was upon Monsieur the Marquis by that time; and the shadow was exchanged for the light of a flambeau, as his carriage stopped, and the great door of his ch?teau was opened to him.
`Monsieur Charles, whom I expect: is he arrived from England?'
`Monseigneur, not yet.'
收听单词发音 |
1
vegetating
|
|
| v.过单调呆板的生活( vegetate的现在分词 )；植物似地生长；（瘤、疣等）长大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
wither
|
|
| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
impeachment
|
|
| n.弹劾；控告；怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
par
|
|
| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
fortress
|
|
| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
brewery
|
|
| n.啤酒厂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
tavern
|
|
| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
shredding
|
|
| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的现在分词 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
expressive
|
|
| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
inscription
|
|
| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
captivity
|
|
| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
dominant
|
|
| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
heralded
|
|
| v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
superstition
|
|
| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
drooped
|
|
| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
fixedly
|
|
| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
tattered
|
|
| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
clemency
|
|
| n.温和，仁慈，宽厚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
suffocated
|
|
| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
fumbled
|
|
| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
miller
|
|
| n.磨坊主 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
felicitously
|
|
| adv.恰当地，适切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ruffle
|
|
| v.弄皱，弄乱；激怒，扰乱；n.褶裥饰边 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
functionary
|
|
| n.官员；公职人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
obsequiousness
|
|
| 媚骨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
lodge
|
|
| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
dolt
|
|
| n.傻瓜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
precipitated
|
|
| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
plunges
|
|
| n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
subsided
|
|
| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
lumbering
|
|
| n.采伐林木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
scents
|
|
| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
gossamer
|
|
| n.薄纱，游丝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
gnats
|
|
| n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
lashes
|
|
| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
trot
|
|
| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
trotting
|
|
| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
saviour
|
|
| n.拯救者，救星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
distressful
|
|
| adj.苦难重重的，不幸的，使苦恼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
emblem
|
|
| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
impatience
|
|
| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
passionate
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
caressingly
|
|
| 爱抚地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
morsel
|
|
| n.一口，一点点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
malady
|
|
| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
impartially
|
|
| adv.公平地，无私地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
ragged
|
|
| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
casements
|
|
| n.窗扉( casement的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
购买
在百度中搜索