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第17章 The Glitter of This World尘世的诱惑

早安心语

So do you want to take a leap of faith or become an old man,filled with regret waiting to die alone?

那么,你愿意放手一搏,还是要等到年华老去,心中充满遗憾,孤单地迈向黄泉路?——《盗梦空间》

Once upon a time there was a White Knight looking for adventure.He came to a village where legends told of a terrible ogre in a pit.Bravely the White Knight took up the challenge.He would do battle with the terrible ogre in the pit.The people remembered several courageous men who had climbed down into the pit,but no one could ever remember one of those champions returning.

The White Knight stood looking at the deep dark hole.The opening was so narrow that he stripped himself of armor and all unnecessary clothing.He took only a long dagger,which he tied around his neck with a leather strap.After securing a rope at the opening and testing its strength,he gripped it firmly and began lowering himself,hand under hand,letting the rope slip between his feet.Soon he felt the smooth cool floor of the chamber.It took several minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness,but soon he focused on a large mound.Then he realized it was the bones of his predecessors,along with their assorted weapons.A little way off,he spotted another mound,but he wasn't sure what it was.

Suddenly he was surprised by the inhabitant of the pit…surprised because he didn't anticipate the ogre would be only as tall as a rabbit.The ogre raised its arms and screeched with its squeaky voice,trying to appear fierce as possible.The White Knight picked up a sword from the floor and prepared to do battle,but quick as a rat,the ogre ran into a hole near the second mound.

The White Knight followed and the second mound became clearer and again he was surprised.Before his eyes glittered balls of gold as big as grapefruit and diamonds as big as plums.With only a small part of that treasure even a commoner would be a prince for life.

But the Knight had a problem.How would he carry it out of the hole?He had no pockets.Who would believe him if he didn't bring back at least a piece?

He suddenly had an idea.He would take one of the diamonds in his mouth and carry it that way until he climbed out of the hole.He could always come back later for the rest.Hurriedly he chose one of the larger diamonds.It fit comfortably into his mouth and he began the arduous climb out of the pit,hand over hand,gripping the rope with his feet.Higher and higher he climbed until the heavy exertion began to render him breathless.He would have to breathe through his mouth in order to get enough air.As he took a large gulp of air,the diamond slipped and stuck in his throat.The White Knight choked on his treasure,lost consciousness,and fell to his death on the mound of bones below.

The terrible ogre in the pit was not the little troll.The ogre in the pit was greed…greed in the hearts of men who desire easy treasure and the hope of unearned gain.

林芬 译

从前,有一个白衣骑士,他一直在寻求冒险奇遇。他来到一个村庄,村里流传了很多关于可怕的食人魔传说,食人魔就住在一个洞里。白衣骑士勇敢地接受了挑战,他要去和那只住在洞里的可怕的食人魔决斗。村民记得有几位勇士向下爬进洞中,但是没有人记得他们之中有谁凯旋过。

白衣骑士站在那儿看了看那个幽深的黑洞。洞口是如此狭窄,于是他脱下自己的盔甲和所有不必要的衣服,只拿了一把匕首,并用皮带将匕首挂在脖子上。他在洞口处固定好绳子之后,试了试它的承受力,然后紧紧地抓着绳子把自己放下去,双手交替向下,并让绳子在两只脚之间滑动。很快他就触到洞内光滑而冰凉的地面,花了几分钟他的眼睛才适应洞内的黑暗,他很快就注意到一个巨大的堆积物。

他意识到那些是之前几位前辈的骨骸,沿路还有他们遗留下来的各式各样的武器。

他从一条小道走开,然后又看见一个土堆,但是他不确定那是什么。

突然,他对那个住在坑洞里的居住者感到惊讶,他感到意外是因为他没有料到那只食人魔只有兔子般大小。食人魔举起双臂,咯吱咯吱地尖叫起来,试图让自己看起来尽可能凶悍。白衣骑士从地上捡起一把剑,准备作战,但是很快这只食人魔像一只老鼠一样快速地溜进第二个土堆附近的洞里。

白衣骑士跟在它后面,走近第二个土堆时,他又大吃了一惊。西柚般大的金球和李子般大的钻石在眼前发出耀眼的光芒。只需要宝藏中的一小部分就可以让一个平民过上贵族生活。

但是,骑士有一个问题——他要怎样才能将宝贝运出洞呢?他的衣服没有口袋。如果他没有带回去,哪怕是一块,有谁会相信他呢?

突然他想到一个办法。他把其中一块钻石放进自己的嘴里,含着它直到爬出洞为止,他可以稍后来拿剩下的钻石。他匆忙挑了一块稍大点的钻石,正适合放进嘴里,然后他就开始努力地往上爬,双手交替往上,双腿紧紧夹住绳子。他越爬越高,直到他体力大量消耗,导致无法呼吸。

他打算用嘴来呼吸到充足的空气。当他吸入一大口空气时,钻石滑了下去,卡在喉咙里。白衣骑士被他的珍宝卡得窒息,失去了意识,摔死在下面那堆白骨之中。

住在洞里可怕的食人魔并不是那个小怪物,而是贪婪,是那些渴望轻而易举找到宝藏、希望不劳而获的贪婪之心。

轻英语

交流最常用的口语

I'all yours.我全听你的。

Take my word for it.相信我。

You did it.你做到了。

I'l fix it.我去搞定。

I mean it.我是认真的。

Hold it.打住。

Here ye!说得对!

Take a seat!请坐!

What is your major?你学什么专业?

Your are welcome.你太客气了。

I'l be seeing you.再见。

When You Are Old

William Butler Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire,take down this book,

And slowly read,and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once,and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur,a little sadly,how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

当你老了

叶芝 著 袁可嘉 译

当你老了,头白了,睡意昏沉,

炉火旁打盹,请取下这部诗歌,

慢慢读,回想你过去眼神的柔和,

回想它们昔日浓重的阴影;

多少人爱你青春欢畅的时辰,

爱慕你的美丽,假意或真心,

只有一个人爱你那朝圣者的灵魂,

爱你衰老了的脸上痛苦的皱纹;

垂下头来,在红光闪耀的炉子旁,

凄然地轻轻诉说那爱情的消逝,

在头顶的山上它缓缓踱着步子,

在一群星星中间隐藏着脸庞。

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