Are in the Prophets' Paradise to stand,
Alack, I doubt the Prophets' Paradise,
Were empty as the hollow of one's hand."
THE STUDIO
He smiled, saying, "Seek her throughout the world."
I said, "Why tell me of the world? My world is here, between these walls and the sheet of glass above; here among gilded2 flagons and dull jewelled arms, tarnished3 frames and canvasses4, black chests and high-backed chairs, quaintly5 carved and stained in blue and gold."
"For whom do you wait?" he said, and I answered, "When she comes I shall know her."
On my hearth6 a tongue of flame whispered secrets to the whitening ashes. In the street below I heard footsteps, a voice, and a song.
"For whom then do you wait?" he said, and I answered, "I shall know her."
Footsteps, a voice, and a song in the street below, and I knew the song but neither the steps nor the voice.
"Fool!" he cried, "the song is the same, the voice and steps have but changed with years!"
On the hearth a tongue of flame whispered above the whitening ashes: "Wait no more; they have passed, the steps and the voice in the street below."
Then he smiled, saying, "For whom do you wait? Seek her throughout the world!"
I answered, "My world is here, between these walls and the sheet of glass above; here among gilded flagons and dull jewelled arms, tarnished frames and canvasses, black chests and high-backed chairs, quaintly carved and stained in blue and gold."
The Phantom of the Past would go no further.
"If it is true," she sighed, "that you find in me a friend, let us turn back together. You will forget, here, under the summer sky."
"If it is true," she sighed, "that you find in me a friend, let us turn back together."
The Phantom of the Past would go no further.
THE SACRIFICE
Far afield a woman cried, "I have killed him I loved!" and from a jar she poured blood upon the flowers whose petals are whiter than snow and whose hearts are pure gold.
Far afield I followed, and on the jar I read a thousand names, while from within the fresh blood bubbled to the brim.
"I have killed him I loved!" she cried. "The world's athirst; now let it drink!" She passed, and far afield I watched her pouring blood upon the flowers whose petals are whiter than snow and whose hearts are pure gold.
DESTINY
I came to the bridge which few may pass.
"Pass!" cried the keeper, but I laughed, saying, "There is time;" and he smiled and shut the gates.
To the bridge which few may pass came young and old. All were refused. Idly I stood and counted them, until, wearied of their noise and lamentations, I came again to the bridge which few may pass.
Those in the throng10 about the gates shrieked11 out, "He comes too late!" But I laughed, saying, "There is time."
"Pass!" cried the keeper as I entered; then smiled and shut the gates.
THE THRONG
There, where the throng was thickest in the street, I stood with Pierrot. All eyes were turned on me.
"What are they laughing at?" I asked, but he grinned, dusting the chalk from my black cloak. "I cannot see; it must be something droll12, perhaps an honest thief!"
All eyes were turned on me.
"He has robbed you of your purse!" they laughed.
"My purse!" I cried; "Pierrot—help! it is a thief!"
They laughed: "He has robbed you of your purse!"
Then Truth stepped out, holding a mirror. "If he is an honest thief," cried Truth, "Pierrot shall find him with this mirror!" but he only grinned, dusting the chalk from my black cloak.
"You see," he said, "Truth is an honest thief, she brings you back your mirror."
All eyes were turned on me.
"Arrest Truth!" I cried, forgetting it was not a mirror but a purse I lost, standing13 with Pierrot, there, where the throng was thickest in the street.
THE JESTER
"Stabbed," he tittered. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril16, the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year after year, through hostile lands, yearning17 for kith and kin18, yearning for her!"
"Stabbed," he tittered, listening to the bells jingling on his cap.
"She kissed him at the gate," he tittered, "but in the hall his brother's welcome touched his heart."
"Was she fair?" I asked.
"Stabbed," he chuckled. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril, the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year after year through hostile lands, yearning for kith and kin, yearning for her!"
"She kissed him at the gate, but in the hall his brother's welcome touched his heart."
"Was she fair?" I asked; but he only snarled, listening to the bells jingling in his cap.
THE GREEN ROOM
The Clown turned his powdered face to the mirror.
"If to be fair is to be beautiful," he said, "who can compare with me in my white mask?"
"Who can compare with him in his white mask?" I asked of Death beside me.
"Who can compare with me?" said Death, "for I am paler still."
"You are very beautiful," sighed the Clown, turning his powdered face from the mirror.
THE LOVE TEST
"If it is true that you love," said Love, "then wait no longer. Give her these jewels which would dishonour20 her and so dishonour you in loving one dishonoured21. If it is true that you love," said Love, "then wait no longer."
I took the jewels and went to her, but she trod upon them, sobbing22: "Teach me to wait—I love you!"
"Then wait, if it is true," said Love.
点击收听单词发音
1 abjuring | |
v.发誓放弃( abjure的现在分词 );郑重放弃(意见);宣布撤回(声明等);避免 | |
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2 gilded | |
a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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3 tarnished | |
(通常指金属)(使)失去光泽,(使)变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 ); 玷污,败坏 | |
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4 canvasses | |
n.检票员,游说者,推销员( canvass的名词复数 )v.(在政治方面)游说( canvass的第三人称单数 );调查(如选举前选民的)意见;为讨论而提出(意见等);详细检查 | |
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5 quaintly | |
adv.古怪离奇地 | |
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6 hearth | |
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 | |
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7 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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8 caressing | |
爱抚的,表现爱情的,亲切的 | |
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9 petals | |
n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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10 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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11 shrieked | |
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 droll | |
adj.古怪的,好笑的 | |
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13 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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14 chuckled | |
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15 jingling | |
叮当声 | |
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16 peril | |
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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17 yearning | |
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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18 kin | |
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的 | |
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19 snarled | |
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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20 dishonour | |
n./vt.拒付(支票、汇票、票据等);vt.凌辱,使丢脸;n.不名誉,耻辱,不光彩 | |
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21 dishonoured | |
a.不光彩的,不名誉的 | |
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22 sobbing | |
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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