“I now revisited England, and was born at London. My father was one of the magistrates1 of that city. He had eleven children, of whom I was the eldest2. He had great success in trade, and grew extremely rich, but the largeness of his family rendered it impossible for him to leave me a fortune sufficient to live well on independent of business. I was accordingly brought up to be a fishmonger, in which capacity I myself afterwards acquired very considerable wealth.
“The same disposition3 of mind which in princes is called ambition is in subjects named faction4. To this temper I was greatly addicted5 from my youth. I was, while a boy, a great partisan6 of prince John’s against his brother Richard, during the latter’s absence in the holy war and in his captivity7. I was no more than one-and-twenty when I first began to make political speeches in public, and to endeavor to foment8 disquietude and discontent in the city. As I was pretty well qualified9 for this office, by a great fluency10 of words, an harmonious11 accent, a graceful12 delivery, and above all an invincible13 assurance, I had soon acquired some reputation among the younger citizens, and some of the weaker and more inconsiderate of a riper age. This, cooperating with my own natural vanity, made me extravagantly14 proud and supercilious16. I soon began to esteem17 myself a man of some consequence, and to overlook persons every way my superiors.
“The famous Robin18 Hood19, and his companion Little John, at this time made a considerable figure in Yorkshire. I took upon me to write a letter to the former, in the name of the city, inviting20 him to come to London, where I assured him of very good reception, signifying to him my own great weight and consequence, and how much I had disposed the citizens in his favor. Whether he received this letter or no I am not certain; but he never gave me any answer to it.
“A little afterwards one William Fitz–Osborn, or, as he was nicknamed, William Long–Beard, began to make a figure in the city. He was a bold and an impudent21 fellow, and had raised himself to great popularity with the rabble22, by pretending to espouse23 their cause against the rich. I took this man’s part, and made a public oration24 in his favor, setting him forth25 as a patriot26, and one who had embarked27 in the cause of liberty: for which service he did not receive me with the acknowledgments I expected. However, as I thought I should easily gain the ascendant over this fellow, I continued still firm on his side, till the archbishop of Canterbury, with an armed force, put an end to his progress: for he was seized in Bowchurch, where he had taken refuge, and with nine of his accomplices28 hanged in chains.
“I escaped narrowly myself; for I was seized in the same church with the rest, and, as I had been very considerably29 engaged in the enterprise, the archbishop was inclined to make me an example; but my father’s merit, who had advanced a considerable sum to queen Eleanor towards the king’s ransom30, preserved me.
“The consternation31 my danger had occasioned kept me some time quiet, and I applied32 myself very assiduously to my trade. I invented all manner of methods to enhance the price of fish, and made use of my utmost endeavors to engross34 as much of the business as possible in my own hands. By these means I acquired a substance which raised me to some little consequence in the city, but far from elevating me to that degree which I had formerly35 flattered myself with possessing at a time when I was totally insignificant36; for, in a trading society, money must at least lay the foundation of all power and interest.
“But as it hath been remarked that the same ambition which sent Alexander into Asia brings the wrestler37 on the green; and as this same ambition is as incapable38 as quicksilver of lying still; so I, who was possessed39 perhaps of a share equal to what hath fired the blood of any of the heroes of antiquity40, was no less restless and discontented with ease and quiet. My first endeavors were to make myself head of my company, which Richard I had just published, and soon afterwards I procured42 myself to be chosen alderman.
“Opposition43 is the only state which can give a subject an opportunity of exerting the disposition I was possessed of. Accordingly, king John was no sooner seated on his throne than I began to oppose his measures, whether right or wrong. It is true that monarch44 had faults enow. He was so abandoned to lust45 and luxury, that he addicted himself to the most extravagant15 excesses in both, while he indolently suffered the king of France to rob him of almost all his foreign dominions47: my opposition therefore was justifiable48 enough, and if my motive49 from within had been as good as the occasion from without I should have had little to excuse; but, in truth, I sought nothing but my own preferment, by making myself formidable to the king, and then selling to him the interest of that party by whose means I had become so. Indeed, had the public good been my care, however zealously50 I might have opposed the beginning of his reign46, I should not have scrupled51 to lend him my utmost assistance in this struggle between him and pope Innocent the third, in which he was so manifestly in the right; nor have suffered the insolence52 of that pope, and the power of the king of France, to have compelled him in the issue, basely to resign his crown into the hands of the former, and receive it again as a vassal53; by means of which acknowledgment the pope afterwards claimed this kingdom as a tributary54 fief to be held of the papal chair; a claim which occasioned great uneasiness to many subsequent princes, and brought numberless calamities55 on the nation.
“As the king had, among other concessions56, stipulated57 to pay an immediate58 sum of money to Pandulph, which he had great difficulty to raise, it was absolutely necessary for him to apply to the city, where my interest and popularity were so high that he had no hopes without my assistance. As I knew this, I took care to sell myself and country as high as possible. The terms I demanded, therefore, were a place, a pension, and a knighthood. All those were immediately consented to. I was forthwith knighted, and promised the other two.
“I now mounted the hustings59, and, without any regard to decency60 or modesty61, made as emphatical a speech in favor of the king as before I had done against him. In this speech I justified62 all those measures which I had before condemned63, and pleaded as earnestly with my fellow-citizens to open their purses, as I had formerly done to prevail with them to keep them shut. But, alas64! my rhetoric65 had not the effect I proposed. The consequence of my arguments was only contempt to myself. The people at first stared on one another, and afterwards began unanimously to express their dislike. An impudent fellow among them, reflecting on my trade, cried out, ‘Stinking fish;’ which was immediately reiterated66 through the whole crowd. I was then forced to slink away home; but I was not able to accomplish my retreat without being attended by the mob, who huzza’d me along the street with the repeated cries of ‘Stinking fish.’
“I now proceeded to court, to inform his majesty67 of my faithful service, and how much I had suffered in his cause. I found by my first reception he had already heard of my success. Instead of thanking me for my speech, he said the city should repent68 of their obstinacy69, for that he would show them who he was: and so saying, he immediately turned that part to me to which the toe of man hath so wonderful an affection, that it is very difficult, whenever it presents itself conveniently, to keep our toes from the most violent and ardent70 salutation of it.
“I was a little nettled71 at this behavior, and with some earnestness claimed the king’s fulfilling his promise; but he retired72 without answering me. I then applied to some of the courtiers, who had lately professed73 great friendship to me, had eat at my house, and invited me to theirs: but not one would return me any answer, all running away from me as if I had been seized with some contagious74 distemper. I now found by experience, that as none can be so civil, so none can be ruder than a courtier.
“A few moments after the king’s retiring I was left alone in the room to consider what I should do or whither I should turn myself. My reception in the city promised itself to be equal at least with what I found at court. However, there was my home, and thither75 it was necessary I should retreat for the present.
“But, indeed, bad as I apprehended76 my treatment in the city would be, it exceeded my expectation. I rode home on an ambling77 pad through crowds who expressed every kind of disregard and contempt; pelting78 me not only with the most abusive language, but with dirt. However, with much difficulty I arrived at last at my own house, with my bones whole, but covered over with filth79.
“When I was got within my doors, and had shut them against the mob, who had pretty well vented33 their spleen, and seemed now contented41 to retire, my wife, whom I found crying over her children, and from whom I had hoped some comfort in my afflictions, fell upon me in the most outrageous80 manner. She asked me why I would venture on such a step, without consulting her; she said her advice might have been civilly asked, if I was resolved not to have been guided by it. That, whatever opinion I might have conceived of her understanding, the rest of the world thought better of it. That I had never failed when I had asked her counsel, nor ever succeeded without it; — with much more of the same kind, too tedious to mention; concluding that it was a monstrous81 behavior to desert my party and come over to the court.
“An abuse which I took worse than all the rest, as she had been constantly for several years assiduous in railing at the opposition, in siding with the court-party, and begging me to come over to it; and especially after my mentioning the offer of knighthood to her, since which time she had continually interrupted my repose82 with dinning83 in my ears the folly84 of refusing honors and of adhering to a party and to principles by which I was certain of procuring85 no advantage to myself and my family.
“I had now entirely86 lost my trade, so that I had not the least temptation to stay longer in a city where I was certain of receiving daily affronts87 and rebukes88. I therefore made up my affairs with the utmost expedition, and, scraping together all I could, retired into the country, where I spent the remainder of my days in universal contempt, being shunned89 by everybody, perpetually abused by my wife, and not much respected by my children.
“Minos told me, though I had been a very vile90 fellow, he thought my sufferings made some atonement, and so bid me take the other trial.”
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1
magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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faction
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| n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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7
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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foment
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| v.煽动，助长 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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fluency
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| n.流畅，雄辩，善辩 | |
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harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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12
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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13
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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14
extravagantly
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| adv.挥霍无度地 | |
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15
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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16
supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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17
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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18
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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19
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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20
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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23
espouse
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| v.支持，赞成，嫁娶 | |
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oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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28
accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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29
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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30
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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31
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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32
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
engross
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| v.使全神贯注 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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36
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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wrestler
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| n.摔角选手，扭 | |
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38
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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39
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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40
antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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41
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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42
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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43
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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44
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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45
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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46
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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47
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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48
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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49
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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50
zealously
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| adv.热心地；热情地；积极地；狂热地 | |
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51
scrupled
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| v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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53
vassal
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| n.附庸的；属下；adj.奴仆的 | |
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54
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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55
calamities
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| n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事 | |
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56
concessions
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| n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权 | |
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57
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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59
hustings
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| n.竞选活动 | |
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60
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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61
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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condemned
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| 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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64
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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rhetoric
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| n.修辞学，浮夸之言语 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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68
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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71
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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73
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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ambling
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的现在分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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80
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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dinning
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| vt.喧闹（din的现在分词形式） | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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85
procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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86
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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87
affronts
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| n.（当众）侮辱，（故意）冒犯( affront的名词复数 )v.勇敢地面对( affront的第三人称单数 )；相遇 | |
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rebukes
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的第三人称单数 ) | |
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89
shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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