Four days after he was to return with the same arms and to explain the enigmas14 proposed by the magi. If he did not explain the enigmas he was not king; and the running at the lances was to be begun afresh till a man would be found who was conqueror in both these combats; for they were absolutely determined15 to have a king possessed of the greatest wisdom and the most invincible16 courage. The queen was all the while to be strictly17 guarded: she was only allowed to be present at the games, and even there she was to be covered with a veil; but was not permitted to speak to any of the competitors, that so they might neither receive favor, nor suffer injustice18.
These particulars Astarte communicated to her lover, hoping that in order to obtain her he would show himself possessed of greater courage and wisdom than any other person. Zadig set out on his journey, beseeching19 Venus to fortify20 his courage and enlighten his understanding. He arrived on the banks of the Euphrates on the eve of this great day. He caused his device to be inscribed21 among those of the combatants, concealing22 his face and his name, as the law ordained23; and then went to repose24 himself in the apartment that fell to him by lot. His friend Cador, who, after the fruitless search he had made for him in Egypt, was now returned to Babylon, sent to his tent a complete suit of armor, which was a present from the queen; as also, from himself, one of the finest horses in Persia. Zadig presently perceived that these presents were sent by Astarte; and from thence his courage derived25 fresh strength, and his love the most animating26 hopes.
Next day, the queen being seated under a canopy27 of jewels, and the amphitheaters filled with all the gentlemen and ladies of rank in Babylon, the combatants appeared in the circus. Each of them came and laid his device at the feet of the grand magi. They drew their devices by lot; and that of Zadig was the last. The first who advanced was a certain lord, named Itobad, very rich and very vain, but possessed of little courage, of less address, and hardly of any judgment28 at all. His servants had persuaded him that such a man as he ought to be king; he had said in reply, “Such a man as I ought to reign4”; and thus they had armed him cap-à-pie. He wore an armor of gold enameled29 with green, a plume30 of green feathers, and a lance adorned31 with green ribbons. It was instantly perceived by the manner in which Itobad managed his horse, that it was not for such a man as he that Heaven reserved the scepter of Babylon. The first knight11 that ran against him threw him out of his saddle; the second laid him flat on his horse’s buttocks, with his legs in the air, and his arms extended. Itobad recovered himself, but with so bad a grace that the whole amphitheater burst out a-laughing. The third knight disdained32 to make use of his lance; but, making a pass at him, took him by the right leg and, wheeling him half round, laid him prostrate33 on the sand. The squires34 of the game ran to him laughing, and replaced him in his saddle. The fourth combatant took him by the left leg, and tumbled him down on the other side. He was conducted back with scornful shouts to his tent, where, according to the law, he was to pass the night; and as he climbed along with great difficulty he said, “What an adventure for such a man as I!”
The other knights acquitted35 themselves with greater ability and success. Some of them conquered two combatants; a few of them vanquished36 three; but none but Prince Otamus conquered four. At last Zadig fought him in his turn. He successively threw four knights off their saddles with all the grace imaginable. It then remained to be seen who should be conqueror, Otamus or Zadig. The arms of the first were gold and blue, with a plume of the same color; those of the last were white. The wishes of all the spectators were divided between the knight in blue and the knight in white. The queen, whose heart was in a violent palpitation, offered prayers to Heaven for the success of the white color.
The two champions made their passes and vaults37 with so much agility38, they mutually gave and received such dexterous39 blows with their lances, and sat so firmly in their saddles, that everybody but the queen wished there might be two kings in Babylon. At length, their horses being tired and their lances broken, Zadig had recourse to this stratagem40: He passes behind the blue prince; springs upon the buttocks of his horse; seizes him by the middle; throws him on the earth; places himself in the saddle; and wheels around Otamus as he lay extended on the ground. All the amphitheater cried out, “Victory to the white knight!”
Otamus rises in a violent passion, and draws his sword; Zadig leaps from his horse with his saber in his hand. Both of them are now on the ground, engaged in a new combat, where strength and agility triumph by turns. The plumes41 of their helmets, the studs of their bracelets42, the rings of their armor, are driven to a great distance by the violence of a thousand furious blows. They strike with the point and the edge; to the right, to the left, on the head, on the breast; they retreat; they advance; they measure swords; they close; they seize each other; they bend like serpents; they attack like lions; and the fire every moment flashes from their blows.
At last Zadig, having recovered his spirits, stops; makes a feint; leaps upon Otamus; throws him on the ground and disarms43 him; and Otamus cries out, “It is thou alone, O white knight, that oughtest to reign over Babylon!” The queen was now at the height of her joy. The knight in blue armor and the knight in white were conducted each to his own apartment, as well as all the others, according to the intention of the law. Mutes came to wait upon them and to serve them at table. It may be easily supposed that the queen’s little mute waited upon Zadig. They were then left to themselves to enjoy the sweets of repose till next morning, at which time the conqueror was to bring his device to the grand magi, to compare it with that which he had left, and make himself known.
Zadig though deeply in love, was so much fatigued44 that he could not help sleeping. Itobad, who lay near him, never closed his eyes. He arose in the night, entered his apartment, took the white arms and the device of Zadig, and put his green armor in their place. At break of day he went boldly to the grand magi to declare that so great a man as he was conqueror. This was little expected; however, he was proclaimed while Zadig was still asleep. Astarte, surprised and filled with despair, returned to Babylon. The amphitheater was almost empty when Zadig awoke; he sought for his arms, but could find none but the green armor. With this he was obliged to cover himself, having nothing else near him. Astonished and enraged45, he put it on in a furious passion, and advanced in this equipage.
The people that still remained in the amphitheater and the circus received him with hoots46 and hisses47. They surrounded him and insulted him to his face. Never did man suffer such cruel mortifications. He lost his patience; with his saber he dispersed48 such of the populace as dared to affront49 him; but he knew not what course to take. He could not see the queen; he could not claim the white armor she had sent him without exposing her; and thus, while she was plunged50 in grief, he was filled with fury and distraction51. He walked on the banks of the Euphrates, fully52 persuaded that his star had destined53 him to inevitable54 misery55, and resolving in his own mind all his misfortunes, from the adventure of the woman who hated one-eyed men to that of his armor. “This,” said he, “is the consequence of my having slept too long. Had I slept less, I should now have been King of Babylon and in possession of Astarte. Knowledge, virtue56, and courage have hitherto served only to make me miserable57.” He then let fall some secret murmurings against Providence58, and was tempted59 to believe that the world was governed by a cruel destiny, which oppressed the good and prospered60 knights in green armor. One of his greatest mortifications was his being obliged to wear that green armor which had exposed him to such contumelious treatment. A merchant happening to pass by, he sold it to him for a trifle and bought a gown and a long bonnet61. In this garb62 he proceeded along the banks of the Euphrates, filled with despair, and secretly accusing Providence, which thus continued to persecute63 him with unremitting severity.
点击收听单词发音
1 calamities | |
n.灾祸,灾难( calamity的名词复数 );不幸之事 | |
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2 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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3 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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4 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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5 cabals | |
n.(政治)阴谋小集团,(尤指政治上的)阴谋( cabal的名词复数 ) | |
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6 intrigues | |
n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 );神秘气氛;引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 );激起…的好奇心 | |
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7 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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8 valor | |
n.勇气,英勇 | |
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9 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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10 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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11 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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12 knights | |
骑士; (中古时代的)武士( knight的名词复数 ); 骑士; 爵士; (国际象棋中)马 | |
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13 conqueror | |
n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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14 enigmas | |
n.难于理解的问题、人、物、情况等,奥秘( enigma的名词复数 ) | |
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15 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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16 invincible | |
adj.不可征服的,难以制服的 | |
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17 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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18 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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19 beseeching | |
adj.恳求似的v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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20 fortify | |
v.强化防御,为…设防;加强,强化 | |
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21 inscribed | |
v.写,刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 );内接 | |
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22 concealing | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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23 ordained | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
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24 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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25 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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26 animating | |
v.使有生气( animate的现在分词 );驱动;使栩栩如生地动作;赋予…以生命 | |
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27 canopy | |
n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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28 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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29 enameled | |
涂瓷釉于,给…上瓷漆,给…上彩饰( enamel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30 plume | |
n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
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31 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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32 disdained | |
鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 ); 不屑于做,不愿意做 | |
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33 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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34 squires | |
n.地主,乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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35 acquitted | |
宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(自己)作出某种表现 | |
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36 vanquished | |
v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 );战胜;克服;抑制 | |
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37 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
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38 agility | |
n.敏捷,活泼 | |
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39 dexterous | |
adj.灵敏的;灵巧的 | |
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40 stratagem | |
n.诡计,计谋 | |
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41 plumes | |
羽毛( plume的名词复数 ); 羽毛饰; 羽毛状物; 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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42 bracelets | |
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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43 disarms | |
v.裁军( disarm的第三人称单数 );使息怒 | |
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44 fatigued | |
adj. 疲乏的 | |
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45 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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46 hoots | |
咄,啐 | |
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47 hisses | |
嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 ) | |
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48 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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49 affront | |
n./v.侮辱,触怒 | |
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50 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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51 distraction | |
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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52 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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53 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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54 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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55 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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56 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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57 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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58 providence | |
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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59 tempted | |
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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60 prospered | |
成功,兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 bonnet | |
n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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62 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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63 persecute | |
vt.迫害,虐待;纠缠,骚扰 | |
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