Chapter 3

 One evening in summer the bookbinder was enjoying the fresh airbefore his door when a big man with a red nose, past middle age andwearing a scarlet¹ waistcoat stained with grease-spots, appeared,bowing politely and confidentially², and addressed him in a sing-songvoice in which even Monsieur Servien could detect an Italianaccent:

"Sir, I have translated the _Gerusalemme Liberata_, the immortalmasterpiece of Torquato Tasso"--and a bulging³ packet of manuscriptunder his arm confirmed the statement.

"Yes, sir, I have devoted⁴ sleepless⁵ nights to this glorious andungrateful task. Without family or fatherland, I have written mytranslation in dark, ice-cold garrets, on chandlers' wrappers,snuff papers, the backs of playing cards! Such has been the exile'stask! You, sir, you live in your own land, in the bosom⁶ of ahappy family--at least I hope so."This speech, which impressed him by its magniloquence and itsstrangeness, set the bookbinder dreaming of the dead woman hehad loved, and he saw her in his mind's eye coiling her beautifulhair as in the early days of their married life.

The big man proceeded:

"Man is like a plant which perishes when the storms uproot⁷ it.

"Here is your son, is it not so? He is like you"--and layinghis hand on Jean's head, who clung to his father's coat-tailsin wonder at the red waistcoat and the sing-song voice, he askedif the child learned his lessons well, if he was growing up tobe a clever man, if he would not soon be beginning Latin.

"That noble language," he added, "whose inimitable monuments haveoften made me forget my misfortunes.

"Yes, sir, I have often breakfasted on a page of Tacitus and suppedon a satire⁸ of Juvenal."As he said the words, a look of sadness over-spread his shiningred face, and dropping his voice:

"Forgive me, sir, if I hold out to you the casque of Belisarius.

I am the Marquis Tudesco, of Venice. When I have received fromthe bookseller the price of my labour, I will not forget thatyou succoured me with a small coin in the time of my sharpesttrial."The bookbinder, case-hardened as he was against beggars, whoon winter evenings drifted into his shop with the east wind,nevertheless experienced a certain sympathy and respect for theMarquis Tudesco. He slipped a franc-piece into his hand.

Thereupon the old Italian, like a man inspired, exclaimed:

"One Nation there is that is unhappy--Italy, one generousPeople--France; and one bond that unites the twain--humanity.

Ah! chiefest of the virtues⁹, humanity, humanity!"Meantime the bookbinder was pondering his wife's last words: "Iwish my Jean to learn Latin." He hesitated, till seeing MonsieurTudesco bowing and smiling to go:

"Sir," he said, "if you are ready, two or three times a week,to give the boy lessons in French and Latin, we might come toterms."The Marquis Tudesco expressed no surprise. He smiled and said:

"Certainly, sir, as you wish it, I shall find it a delightfultask to initiate¹⁰ your son in the mysteries of the Latin rudiments¹¹.

"We will make a man of him and a good citizen, and God knowswhat heights my pupil will scale in this noble land of freedomand generosity¹². He may one day be ambassador, my dear sir. Isay it: knowledge is power.""You will know the shop again," said the bookbinder; "there ismy name on the signboard."The Marquis Tudesco, after tweaking the son's ear amicably¹³ andbowing to the father with a dignified¹⁴ familiarity, walked awaywith a step that was still jaunty¹⁵.

1 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

2 confidentially   

ad.秘密地，悄悄地

参考例句：

• She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
• Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。

3 bulging   

膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱

参考例句：

• Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
• Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

4 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

5 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

6 bosom   

n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的

参考例句：

• She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
• A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

7 uproot   

v.连根拔起，拔除；根除，灭绝；赶出家园，被迫移开

参考例句：

• The family decided to uproot themselves and emigrate to Australia.他们全家决定离开故土，移居澳大利亚。
• The trunk of an elephant is powerful enough to uproot trees.大象的长鼻强壮得足以将树木连根拔起。

8 satire   

n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品

参考例句：

• The movie is a clever satire on the advertising industry.那部影片是关于广告业的一部巧妙的讽刺作品。
• Satire is often a form of protest against injustice.讽刺往往是一种对不公正的抗议形式。

9 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

10 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

11 rudiments   

n.基础知识，入门

参考例句：

• He has just learned the rudiments of Chinese. 他学汉语刚刚入门。
• You do not seem to know the first rudiments of agriculture. 你似乎连农业上的一点最起码的常识也没有。

12 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

13 amicably   

adv.友善地

参考例句：

• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The couple parted amicably. 这对夫妻客气地分手了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

15 jaunty   

adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。
• The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。