It was a day of triumph to Bonner, and his heart swelled1 with pride and gratified vengeance2 as he marched along. The precincts of the cathedral were crowded with spectators, as indeed were all the streets traversed by the cortége on its way to Smithfield. The majority of the beholders being Romanists, they prostrated3 themselves devoutly4 as the host went by, while the priests accompanying the bishop5 sprinkled them with holy water.
However, there were many who refused to kneel, and who were only restrained by fear from giving utterance6 to their abhorrence7 of the ceremony. As the train was passing through Ludgate, a man called out in a stentorian8 voice, “So, my masters, at last we have got the Inquisition in England!” But scarcely had the words escaped him, when he was seized and dragged off.
Arrived at Newgate, where Prebend Rogers had been kept since his condemnation9, the cortége came to a halt, and, after a short delay, the prisoner was brought forth10. He was a man of middle age, tall of stature11, thin, but well-built, dark-complexioned, and possessing a grave, intelligent countenance12.
He looked perfectly13 composed, and remarked, as he noticed the extent of the cortége, “Ye make as great a show 266as if ye were about to conduct me to a festival, and not to the stake.”
While the sheriffs, who had charge of the doomed14 man, and who wore their robes and chains, were mounting their horses, a painful incident occurred. With loud cries, that ought to have moved every breast, a woman, having a young child in her arms, and with several other terrified children clinging to her, burst through the ranks of the halberdiers, exclaiming, “For Christ our Saviour’s sake, let me bid a last farewell to my husband!”
“Get hence, importunate15 and troublesome woman!” cried one of the sheriffs, named Woodrooffe, in loud and harsh tones. “This man is not thy husband.”
“I protest to you he is, Sir,” she rejoined, in extremity16 of anguish17, “my lawful18 husband, and these are our children.”
“Spawn of the devil!” shouted Woodrooffe. “Away with all thy brood of Satan, or the men shall drive you hence with their halberds. You ought to know that a priest cannot marry.”
“We have been married these fourteen years, Sir,” said Rogers. “I pray you suffer her to come to me. ’Twill be a comfort to her and to the children to say farewell, and receive my blessing19. Our parting will be short. If you are a husband and a father yourself, you will not be deaf to my appeal.”
“I am both, yet will I not suffer her or her base-born brats20 to come near thee,” roared Woodrooffe. “Push them away with your pikes if they will not retire peaceably,” he added to the guard.
“Heaven forgive you!” exclaimed Rogers, as his wife and children were thrust aside. “’Twas the sole consolation21 I asked, and that is denied me.”
Shortly after this interruption, the cortége moved forward again, the condemned22, closely attended by the sheriffs and their officers, following next after Bonner.
On either side of the doomed man walked a priest with a crucifix in his hand, one or other of whom was constantly dinning23 exhortations24 to repentance25 into his ears. To these he would not listen, but recited aloud the Miséréré. His firm deportment and serene26 countenance—for he speedily 267recovered his composure—produced a strong effect upon the beholders.
The bell of Saint Sepulchre’s tolled27 solemnly as the procession wended its way along Giltspur Street, and the bells of the two churches dedicated28 to Saint Bartholomew filled the air with the like dismal29 clangour, as the head of the cavalcade30 rode into Smithfield.
点击收听单词发音
1 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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2 vengeance | |
n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
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3 prostrated | |
v.使俯伏,使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 );(指疾病、天气等)使某人无能为力 | |
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4 devoutly | |
adv.虔诚地,虔敬地,衷心地 | |
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5 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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6 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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7 abhorrence | |
n.憎恶;可憎恶的事 | |
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8 stentorian | |
adj.大声的,响亮的 | |
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9 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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10 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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11 stature | |
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材 | |
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12 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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13 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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14 doomed | |
命定的 | |
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15 importunate | |
adj.强求的;纠缠不休的 | |
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16 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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17 anguish | |
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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18 lawful | |
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的 | |
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19 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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20 brats | |
n.调皮捣蛋的孩子( brat的名词复数 ) | |
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21 consolation | |
n.安慰,慰问 | |
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22 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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23 dinning | |
vt.喧闹(din的现在分词形式) | |
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24 exhortations | |
n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 );极力推荐;(正式的)演讲;(宗教仪式中的)劝诫 | |
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25 repentance | |
n.懊悔 | |
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26 serene | |
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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27 tolled | |
鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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28 dedicated | |
adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的 | |
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29 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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30 cavalcade | |
n.车队等的行列 | |
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