Two Kings

 The King of Madagao, being engaged in a dispute with the King of Bornegascar, wrote him as follows:

 

“Before proceeding¹ further in this matter I demand the recall of your Minister from my capital.”

 

Greatly enraged² by this impossible demand, the King of Bornegascar replied:

 

“I shall not recall my Minister. Moreover, if you do not immediately retract³ your demand I shall withdraw him!”

 

This threat so terrified the King of Madagao that in hastening to comply he fell over his own feet, breaking the Third Commandment.

1 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

2 enraged   

使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤

参考例句：

• I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令，我极为恼火。
• The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。

3 retract   

vt.缩回，撤回收回，取消

参考例句：

• The criminals should stop on the precipice, retract from the wrong path and not go any further.犯罪分子应当迷途知返，悬崖勒马，不要在错误的道路上继续走下去。
• I don't want to speak rashly now and later have to retract my statements.我不想现在说些轻率的话，然后又要收回自己说过的话。