CHAPTER XXXV

 The trumpet¹ lies in the dust.

 

The wind is weary, the light is dead.

 

Ah, the evil day!

 

Come, fighters, carrying your flags, and singers, with your war-songs!

 

Come, pilgrims of the march, hurrying on your journey!

 

The trumpet lies in the dust waiting for us.

 

I was on my way to the temple with my evening offerings, seeking for a place of rest after the day’s dusty toil²: hoping my hurts would be healed and the stains in my garment washed white, when I found thy trumpet lying in the dust.

 

Was it not the hour for me to light my evening lamp?

 

Had not the night sung its lullaby to the stars?

 

O thou blood-red rose, my poppies of sleep have paled and faded!

 

I was certain my wanderings were over and my debts all paid when suddenly I came upon thy trumpet lying in the dust.

 

Strike my drowsy³ heart with thy spell of youth!

 

Let my joy in life blaze up in fire. Let the shafts⁴ of awakening⁵ fly through the heart of night, and a thrill of dread⁶ shake blindness and palsy.

 

I have come to raise thy trumpet from the dust.

 

Sleep is no more for me—my walk shall be through showers of arrows.

 

Some shall run out of their houses and come to my side—some shall weep.

 

Some in their beds shall toss and groan⁷ in dire⁸ dreams.

 

For to-night thy trumpet shall be sounded.

 

From thee I have asked peace only to find shame.

 

Now I stand before thee—help me to put on my armour⁹!

 

Let hard blows of trouble strike fire into my life.

 

Let my heart beat in pain, the drum of thy victory.

 

My hands shall be utterly¹⁰ emptied to take up thy trumpet.

1 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

2 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

3 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

4 shafts   

n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等）

参考例句：

• He deliberately jerked the shafts to rock him a bit. 他故意的上下颠动车把，摇这个老猴子几下。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• Shafts were sunk, with tunnels dug laterally. 竖井已经打下，并且挖有横向矿道。 来自辞典例句

5 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

6 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

7 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

8 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

9 armour   

（=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队

参考例句：

• His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
• Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。

10 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。