Having obtained an audience of the King an Ingenious Patriot1 pulled a paper from his pocket, saying:
“May it please your Majesty2, I have here a formula for constructing armour3-plating which no gun can pierce. If these plates are adopted in the Royal Navy our warships4 will be invulnerable, and therefore invincible5. Here, also, are reports of your Majesty’s Ministers, attesting6 the value of the invention. I will part with my right in it for a million tumtums.”
After examining the papers, the King put them away and promised him an order on the Lord High Treasurer7 of the Extortion Department for a million tumtums.
“And here,” said the Ingenious Patriot, pulling another paper from another pocket, “are the working plans of a gun that I have invented, which will pierce that armour. Your Majesty’s Royal Brother, the Emperor of Bang, is anxious to purchase it, but loyalty8 to your Majesty’s throne and person constrains9 me to offer it first to your Majesty. The price is one million tumtums.”
Having received the promise of another check, he thrust his hand into still another pocket, remarking:
“The price of the irresistible10 gun would have been much greater, your Majesty, but for the fact that its missiles can be so effectively averted11 by my peculiar12 method of treating the armour plates with a new —”
The King signed to the Great Head Factotum13 to approach.
“Search this man,” he said, “and report how many pockets he has.”
“Forty-three, Sire,” said the Great Head Factotum, completing the scrutiny14.
“May it please your Majesty,” cried the Ingenious Patriot, in terror, “one of them contains tobacco.”
“Hold him up by the ankles and shake him,” said the King; “then give him a check for forty-two million tumtums and put him to death. Let a decree issue declaring ingenuity15 a capital offence.”
1 patriot | |
n.爱国者,爱国主义者 | |
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2 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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3 armour | |
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队 | |
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4 warships | |
军舰,战舰( warship的名词复数 ); 舰只 | |
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5 invincible | |
adj.不可征服的,难以制服的 | |
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6 attesting | |
v.证明( attest的现在分词 );证实;声称…属实;使宣誓 | |
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7 treasurer | |
n.司库,财务主管 | |
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8 loyalty | |
n.忠诚,忠心 | |
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9 constrains | |
强迫( constrain的第三人称单数 ); 强使; 限制; 约束 | |
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10 irresistible | |
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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11 averted | |
防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移 | |
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12 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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13 factotum | |
n.杂役;听差 | |
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14 scrutiny | |
n.详细检查,仔细观察 | |
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15 ingenuity | |
n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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