Chapter 121

YOUR GRACE! Stephen knelt to kiss the ruby¹ ring of Barthelme, bishop² of Bord, even though he thought him the most air-filled, well-fed functionary³ in France. So good of you to join me on such short notice. Please, sit here by me.

Bishop Barthelme was a corpulent, owl-eyed man with a sagging⁴ jowl that seemed to sink almost undetectably into his massive purple robe. Stephen wondered how such a man could take a step, or climb a stair, or even perform his sacraments. He knew the bishop did not like being summoned. He thought he was too good for this diocese and longed for a larger position. In Paris, or even Rome.

You have taken me from my sext for this? the bishop wheezed⁵.

At Stephen's nod, a young page filled two silver cups with ale.

It's called alembic. Stephen raised his goblet⁶. It is brewed⁷ by monks⁸ near Flanders.

The bishop managed a smile. If it's God's work, then I feel I have not strayed too far.

They both took a deep draft. Aaah. The cleric licked his lips. It is most sweet. Tastes of apples and mead⁹. Yet I feel you did not call me to hear my opinion of your ale.

I have asked you here today, Stephen said, because there is a hole torn in my soul which you can help mend.

Barthelme nodded and listened.

Stephen leaned close. You have heard of this uprising in the south, where a jester has led a rabble¹⁰ of peasants.

Barthelme smirked¹¹. I know a stupider man does not exist than Baldwin, so it is not so far-fetched that he was outfoxed by a fool. Yet reports say this man wasyour fool once, your lordship?

Stephen put down his cup and glared through the bishop's haughty¹² smile. Let me get to the point, Your Grace. Do you know what this jester carries with him, that is the source of his appeal?

The message of a better life. The freedom from bondage¹³, the bishop said.

It is not hismessage that I speak of, but hisstaff.

The cleric nodded. I have heard that he parades around with a spear purported¹⁴ to be the holy lance. But these petty prophets are always claiming this or that... holy water from the baptism of Saint John, burial shrouds¹⁵ of the Virgin¹⁶ Mary.

So this does not concern you? Stephen asked. That a trumped-up country boy uses the name of our Lord to incite¹⁷ rebellion?

These local prophets. The bishop sighed. They come and go like the frost, every year.

Stephen leaned forward. And it does not concern you that this peasant marches around with the word of Christ, inciting¹⁸ the rabble to overthrow¹⁹ their lieges?

It sounds like you are the one who is worried, Stephen. Besides, I have heard it is not grace this lad is seeking, but grain.

A smile etched onto the cleric's face, the smile of a gambling²⁰ man with knowledge of the outcome. What do you want, Stephen, for the church to fight your battles? Shall we contact Rome and declare a holy crusade against a fool?

What I want, Your Grace, is to strike these ignorant puppets where they most ache. More than their bellies²¹ or their desires, or their silly dreams of this precious freedom they long to taste.

Barthelme waited for him, quizzically.

Theirsouls , Your Grace. I want tocrush their souls. And you are the man who can do it for me.

The bishop put down his drink. His expression shifted from amusement to concern. Just what is it you want me to do?

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

3 functionary   

n.官员；公职人员

参考例句：

• No functionary may support or cover up unfair competition acts.国家官员不得支持、包庇不正当竞争行为。
• " Emigrant," said the functionary,"I am going to send you on to Paris,under an escort."“ 外逃分子，”那官员说，“我要把你送到巴黎去，还派人护送。”

4 sagging   

下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。
• We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

5 wheezed   

v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The old organ wheezed out a tune. 那架老风琴呜呜地奏出曲子。 来自辞典例句
• He wheezed out a curse. 他喘着气诅咒。 来自辞典例句

6 goblet   

n.高脚酒杯

参考例句：

• He poured some wine into the goblet.他向高脚酒杯里倒了一些葡萄酒。
• He swirled the brandy around in the huge goblet.他摇晃着高脚大玻璃杯使里面的白兰地酒旋动起来。

7 brewed   

调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡）

参考例句：

• The beer is brewed in the Czech Republic. 这种啤酒是在捷克共和国酿造的。
• The boy brewed a cup of coffee for his mother. 这男孩给他妈妈冲了一杯咖啡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 mead   

n.蜂蜜酒

参考例句：

• He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
• He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。

10 rabble   

n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人

参考例句：

• They formed an army out of rabble.他们用乌合之众组成一支军队。
• Poverty in itself does not make men into a rabble.贫困自身并不能使人成为贱民。

11 smirked   

v.傻笑( smirk的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He smirked at Tu Wei-yueh. 他对屠维岳狞笑。 来自子夜部分
• He smirked in acknowledgement of their uncouth greetings, and sat down. 他皮笑肉不笑地接受了他的粗鲁的招呼，坐了下来。 来自辞典例句

12 haughty   

adj.傲慢的，高傲的

参考例句：

• He gave me a haughty look and walked away.他向我摆出傲慢的表情后走开。
• They were displeased with her haughty airs.他们讨厌她高傲的派头。

13 bondage   

n.奴役，束缚

参考例句：

• Masters sometimes allowed their slaves to buy their way out of bondage.奴隶主们有时允许奴隶为自己赎身。
• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。

14 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 shrouds   

n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密

参考例句：

• 'For instance,' returned Madame Defarge, composedly,'shrouds.' “比如说，”德伐日太太平静地回答，“裹尸布。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Figure 3-10 illustrates the result of a study or conical shrouds. 图3-10表明了对锥形外壳的研究结果。 来自辞典例句

16 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

17 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

18 inciting   

刺激的，煽动的

参考例句：

• What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
• He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。

19 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

20 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

21 bellies   

n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• starving children with huge distended bellies 鼓着浮肿肚子的挨饿儿童