THE LAST BARGAIN

 "COME and hire me," I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.

 

Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.

 

He held my hand and said, "I will hire you with my power."

 

But his power counted for nought¹, and he went away in his chariot.

 

In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.

 

I wandered along the crooked² lane.

 

An old man came out with his bag of gold.

 

He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money."

 

He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.

 

It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.

 

The fair maid came out and said, "I will hire you with a smile."

 

Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.

 

The sun glistened³ on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.

 

A child sat playing with shells.

 

He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, "I hire you with nothing."

 

From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.

1 nought   

n.／adj.无，零

参考例句：

• We must bring their schemes to nought.我们必须使他们的阴谋彻底破产。
• One minus one leaves nought.一减一等于零。

2 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

3 glistened   

v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》