He waited an hour in the first ante-chamber. Being quite artless he attacked with questions a domestic who was very fond of telling all he knew about his master. “He must be pretty rich,” said Ornik, “to have such a swarm4 of pages and footmen running in and out of the house.” “I don’t know,” answered the other, “what his income is, but I hear Joli and the Abbé Charier say that he is two millions in debt.” “But who is that lady who came out of a cabinet and is passing by?” “That is Madame de Pomèreu, one of his mistresses.” “She is really very pretty, but I have not read that the apostles had such company in their bedchambers in a morning.” “Ah! that, I believe, is monsieur, about to give audience.” “Say sa grandeur5, monseigneur.” “Well, with all my heart. . . . .” Ornik saluted6 sa grandeur, presented his books, and was received with a most gracious smile. Sa grandeur said three words to him, and stepped into his carriage, escorted by fifty horsemen. In stepping in, monseigneur dropped a sheath and Ornik was astonished that monseigneur should carry so large an inkhorn. “Do you not see,” said the talker, “that it is his dagger7? every one that goes to parliament wears his dagger?” Ornik uttered an exclamation8 of astonishment9, and departed.
He went through France and was edified10 by town after town. From thence he passed into Italy. In the papal territories he met a bishop3 with an income of only a thousand crowns, who went on foot. Ornik, being naturally kind, offered him a place in his cambiatura. “Signor, you are no doubt going to comfort the sick?” “Sir, I am going to my master.” “Your master? He, no doubt, is Jesus Christ.” “Sir, he is Cardinal11 Azolino; I am his almoner. He gives me a very poor salary, but he has promised to place me with Donna Olimpia, the favorite sister-in-law of nostro signore.” “What! are you in the pay of a cardinal? But do you not know that there were no cardinals12 in the time of Jesus Christ and St. John?” “Is it possible!” exclaimed the Italian prelate. “Nothing is more true; you have read it in the Gospel.” “I have never read it,” replied the bishop; “I know only the office of Our Lady.” “I tell you there were neither cardinals nor bishops13, and when there were bishops the priests were almost their equals, as St. Jerome, in several places, assures us.” “Holy Virgin14!” said the Italian, “I knew nothing about it; and what of the popes?” “There were no popes either.” The good bishop crossed himself, thinking he was with the evil one, and leaped from the side of his companion.
点击收听单词发音
1 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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2 testament | |
n.遗嘱;证明 | |
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3 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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4 swarm | |
n.(昆虫)等一大群;vi.成群飞舞;蜂拥而入 | |
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5 grandeur | |
n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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6 saluted | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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7 dagger | |
n.匕首,短剑,剑号 | |
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8 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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9 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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10 edified | |
v.开导,启发( edify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 cardinal | |
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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12 cardinals | |
红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 ); 红衣凤头鸟(见于北美,雄鸟为鲜红色); 基数 | |
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13 bishops | |
(基督教某些教派管辖大教区的)主教( bishop的名词复数 ); (国际象棋的)象 | |
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14 virgin | |
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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