It seems that his love of wide dominion6 sometimes led the otherwise sagacious Bello into the most extravagant7 actions. If the chance accumulation of soil and drift-wood about any detached shelf of coral in the lagoon8 held forth9 the remotest possibility of the eventual10 existence of an islet there, with all haste he dispatched canoes to the spot, to take prospective11 possession of the as yet nearly submarine territory; and if possible, eject the zoophytes.
During an unusually low tide, here and there baring the outer reef of the Archipelago, Bello caused his royal spear to be planted upon every place thus exposed, in token of his supreme12 claim thereto.
Another anecdote13 was this: that to Dominora there came a rumor14, that in a distant island dwelt a man with an uncommonly15 large nose; of most portentous16 dimensions, indeed; by the soothsayers supposed to foreshadow some dreadful calamity17. But disregarding these superstitious18 conceits19, Bello forthwith dispatched an agent, to discover whether this huge promontory20 of a nose was geographically21 available; if so, to secure the same, by bringing the proprietor22 back.
Now, by sapient23 old Mohi, it was esteemed24 a very happy thing for Mardi at large, that the subjects whom Bello sent to populate his foreign acquisitions, were but too apt to throw off their vassalage25, so soon as they deemed themselves able to cope with him.
Indeed, a fine country in the western part of Mardi, in this very manner, became a sovereign—nay, a republican state. It was the nation to which Mohi had previously26 alluded—Vivenza. But in the flush and pride of having recently attained27 their national majority, the men of Vivenza were perhaps too much inclined to carry a vauntful crest28. And because intrenched in their fastnesses, after much protracted29 fighting, they had eventually succeeded in repelling30 the warriors31 dispatched by Bello to crush their insurrection, they were unanimous in the opinion, that the hump-backed king had never before been so signally chastised32. Whereas, they had not so much vanquished33 Bello, as defended their shores; even as a young lion will protect its den3 against legions of unicorns34, though, away from home, he might be torn to pieces. In truth, Braid-Beard declared, that at the time of this war, Dominora couched ten long spears for every short javelin35 Vivenza could dart36; though the javelins37 were stoutly38 hurled39 as the spears.
But, superior in men and arms, why, at last, gave over King Bello the hope of reducing those truculent40 men of Vivenza? One reason was, as Mohi said, that many of his fighting men were abundantly occupied in other quarters of Mardi; nor was he long in discovering that fight he never so valiantly41, Vivenza—not yet its inhabitants—was wholly unconquerable. Thought Bello, Mountains are sturdy foes42; fate hard to dam.
Yet, the men of Vivenza were no dastards; not to lie, coming from lion-like loins, they were a lion-loined race. Did not their bards43 pronounce them a fresh start in the Mardian species; requiring a new world for their full development? For be it known, that the great land of Kolumbo, no inconsiderable part of which was embraced by Vivenza, was the last island discovered in the Archipelago.
In good round truth, and as if an impartialist from Arcturus spoke44 it, Vivenza was a noble land. Like a young tropic tree she stood, laden45 down with greenness, myriad46 blossoms, and the ripened47 fruit thick- hanging from one bough48. She was promising49 as the morning.
Or Vivenza might be likened to St. John, feeding on locusts50 and wild honey, and with prophetic voice, crying to the nations from the wilderness51. Or, child-like, standing52 among the old robed kings and emperors of the Archipelago, Vivenza seemed a young Messiah, to whose discourse53 the bearded Rabbis bowed.
So seemed Vivenza in its better aspect. Nevertheless, Vivenza was a braggadocio54 in Mardi; the only brave one ever known. As an army of spurred and crested55 roosters, her people chanticleered at the resplendent rising of their sun. For shame, Vivenza! Whence thy undoubted valor56? Did ye not bring it with ye from the bold old shores of Dominora, where there is a fullness of it left? What isle4 but Dominora could have supplied thee with that stiff spine57 of thine?— That heart of boldest beat? Oh, Vivenza! know that true grandeur58 is too big for a boast; and nations, as well as men, may be too clever to be great.
But what more of King Bello? Notwithstanding his territorial59 acquisitiveness, and aversion to relinquishing60 stolen nations, he was yet a glorious old king; rather choleric—a word and a blow—but of a right royal heart. Rail at him as they might, at bottom, all the isles were proud of him. And almost in spite of his rapacity61, upon the whole, perhaps, they were the better for his deeds. For if sometimes he did evil with no very virtuous62 intentions, he had fifty, ways of accomplishing good with the best; and a thousand ways of doing good without meaning it. According to an ancient oracle63, the hump-backed monarch64 was but one of the most conspicuous65 pieces on a board, where the gods played for their own entertainment.
But here it must not be omitted, that of late, King Bello had somewhat abated66 his efforts to extend his dominions67. Various causes were assigned. Some thought it arose from the fact that already he found his territories too extensive for one scepter to rule; that his more remote colonies largely contributed to his tribulations68, without correspondingly contributing to his revenues. Others affirmed that his hump was getting too mighty69 for him to carry; others still, that the nations were waving too strong for him. With prophetic solemnity, head-shaking sages70 averred71 that he was growing older and older had passed his grand climacteric; and though it was a hale old age with him, yet it was not his lusty youth; that though he was daily getting rounder, and rounder in girth, and more florid of face, that these, howbeit, were rather the symptoms of a morbid72 obesity73, than of a healthful robustness74. These wise ones predicted that very soon poor Bello would go off in an apoplexy.
But in Vivenza there were certain blusterers, who often thus prated75: "The Hump-back's hour is come; at last the old teamster will be gored76 by the nations he's yoked77; his game is done,—let him show his hand and throw up his scepter; he cumbers Mardi,—let him be cut down and burned; he stands in the way of his betters,—let him sheer to one side; he has shut up many eyes, and now himself grows blind; he hath committed horrible atrocities78 during his long career, the old sinner! —now, let him quickly say his prayers and be beheaded."
Howbeit, Bello lived on; enjoying his dinners, and taking his jorums as of yore. Ah, I have yet a jolly long lease of life, thought he over his wine; and like unto some obstinate79 old uncle, he persisted in flourishing, in spite of the prognostications of the nephew nations, which at his demise80, perhaps hoped to fall heir to odd parts of his possessions: Three streaks81 of fat valleys to one of lean mountains!
点击收听单词发音
1 gliding | |
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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2 narrated | |
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 den | |
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室 | |
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4 isle | |
n.小岛,岛 | |
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5 isles | |
岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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6 dominion | |
n.统治,管辖,支配权;领土,版图 | |
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7 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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8 lagoon | |
n.泻湖,咸水湖 | |
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9 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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10 eventual | |
adj.最后的,结局的,最终的 | |
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11 prospective | |
adj.预期的,未来的,前瞻性的 | |
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12 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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13 anecdote | |
n.轶事,趣闻,短故事 | |
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14 rumor | |
n.谣言,谣传,传说 | |
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15 uncommonly | |
adv. 稀罕(极,非常) | |
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16 portentous | |
adj.不祥的,可怕的,装腔作势的 | |
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17 calamity | |
n.灾害,祸患,不幸事件 | |
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18 superstitious | |
adj.迷信的 | |
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19 conceits | |
高傲( conceit的名词复数 ); 自以为; 巧妙的词语; 别出心裁的比喻 | |
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20 promontory | |
n.海角;岬 | |
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21 geographically | |
adv.地理学上,在地理上,地理方面 | |
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22 proprietor | |
n.所有人;业主;经营者 | |
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23 sapient | |
adj.有见识的,有智慧的 | |
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24 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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25 vassalage | |
n.家臣身份,隶属 | |
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26 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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27 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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28 crest | |
n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖 | |
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29 protracted | |
adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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30 repelling | |
v.击退( repel的现在分词 );使厌恶;排斥;推开 | |
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31 warriors | |
武士,勇士,战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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32 chastised | |
v.严惩(某人)(尤指责打)( chastise的过去式 ) | |
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33 vanquished | |
v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 );战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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34 unicorns | |
n.(传说中身体似马的)独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 );一角鲸;独角兽标记 | |
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35 javelin | |
n.标枪,投枪 | |
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36 dart | |
v.猛冲,投掷;n.飞镖,猛冲 | |
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37 javelins | |
n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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38 stoutly | |
adv.牢固地,粗壮的 | |
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39 hurled | |
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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40 truculent | |
adj.野蛮的,粗野的 | |
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41 valiantly | |
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳 | |
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42 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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43 bards | |
n.诗人( bard的名词复数 ) | |
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44 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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45 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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46 myriad | |
adj.无数的;n.无数,极大数量 | |
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47 ripened | |
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48 bough | |
n.大树枝,主枝 | |
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49 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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50 locusts | |
n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 );贪吃的人;破坏者;槐树 | |
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51 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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52 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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53 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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54 braggadocio | |
n.吹牛大王 | |
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55 crested | |
adj.有顶饰的,有纹章的,有冠毛的v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的过去式和过去分词 );到达洪峰,达到顶点 | |
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56 valor | |
n.勇气,英勇 | |
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57 spine | |
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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58 grandeur | |
n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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59 territorial | |
adj.领土的,领地的 | |
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60 relinquishing | |
交出,让给( relinquish的现在分词 ); 放弃 | |
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61 rapacity | |
n.贪婪,贪心,劫掠的欲望 | |
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62 virtuous | |
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
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63 oracle | |
n.神谕,神谕处,预言 | |
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64 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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65 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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66 abated | |
减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 ); 减去; 降价; 撤消(诉讼) | |
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67 dominions | |
统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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68 tribulations | |
n.苦难( tribulation的名词复数 );艰难;苦难的缘由;痛苦 | |
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69 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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70 sages | |
n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料) | |
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71 averred | |
v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 );证实;证明…属实;作为事实提出 | |
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72 morbid | |
adj.病的;致病的;病态的;可怕的 | |
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73 obesity | |
n.肥胖,肥大 | |
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74 robustness | |
坚固性,健壮性;鲁棒性 | |
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75 prated | |
v.(古时用语)唠叨,啰唆( prate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76 gored | |
v.(动物)用角撞伤,用牙刺破( gore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77 yoked | |
结合(yoke的过去式形式) | |
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78 atrocities | |
n.邪恶,暴行( atrocity的名词复数 );滔天大罪 | |
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79 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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80 demise | |
n.死亡;v.让渡,遗赠,转让 | |
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81 streaks | |
n.(与周围有所不同的)条纹( streak的名词复数 );(通常指不好的)特征(倾向);(不断经历成功或失败的)一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 );使布满条纹 | |
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