Qui donc t’a donne la mission s’annoncer au peuple que la divinite n’existe pas? Quel avantage trouves-tu a persuader a l’homme qu’une force aveugle preside a ses destinees et frappe au hasard le crime et la vertu?
Robespierre, “Discours,” Mai 7, 1794.
(Who then invested you with the mission to announce to the people that there is no God? What advantage find you in persuading man that nothing but blind force presides over his destinies, and strikes haphazard1 both crime and virtue2?)
It was some time before midnight when the stranger returned home. His apartments were situated3 in one of those vast abodes4 which may be called an epitome5 of Paris itself,— the cellars rented by mechanics, scarcely removed a step from paupers6, often by outcasts and fugitives7 from the law, often by some daring writer, who, after scattering8 amongst the people doctrines10 the most subversive11 of order, or the most libellous on the characters of priest, minister, and king, retired12 amongst the rats, to escape the persecution13 that attends the virtuous14; the ground-floor occupied by shops; the entresol by artists; the principal stories by nobles; and the garrets by journeymen or grisettes.
As the stranger passed up the stairs, a young man of a form and countenance15 singularly unprepossessing emerged from a door in the entresol, and brushed beside him. His glance was furtive16, sinister17, savage18, and yet timorous19; the man’s face was of an ashen20 paleness, and the features worked convulsively. The stranger paused, and observed him with thoughtful looks, as he hurried down the stairs. While he thus stood, he heard a groan21 from the room which the young man had just quitted; the latter had pulled to the door with hasty vehemence22, but some fragment, probably of fuel, had prevented its closing, and it now stood slightly ajar; the stranger pushed it open and entered. He passed a small anteroom, meanly furnished, and stood in a bedchamber of meagre and sordid24 discomfort25. Stretched on the bed, and writhing26 in pain, lay an old man; a single candle lit the room, and threw its feeble ray over the furrowed27 and death-like face of the sick person. No attendant was by; he seemed left alone, to breathe his last. “Water,” he moaned feebly,—“water:— I parch,— I burn!” The intruder approached the bed, bent28 over him, and took his hand. “Oh, bless thee, Jean, bless thee!” said the sufferer; “hast thou brought back the physician already? Sir, I am poor, but I can pay you well. I would not die yet, for that young man’s sake.” And he sat upright in his bed, and fixed29 his dim eyes anxiously on his visitor.
“What are your symptoms, your disease?”
“Fire, fire, fire in the heart, the entrails: I burn!”
“How long is it since you have taken food?”
“Food! only this broth30. There is the basin, all I have taken these six hours. I had scarce drunk it ere these pains began.”
The stranger looked at the basin; some portion of the contents was yet left there.
“Who administered this to you?”
“Who? Jean! Who else should? I have no servant,— none! I am poor, very poor, sir. But no! you physicians do not care for the poor. I AM RICH! can you cure me?”
“Yes, if Heaven permit. Wait but a few moments.”
The old man was fast sinking under the rapid effects of poison. The stranger repaired to his own apartments, and returned in a few moments with some preparation that had the instant result of an antidote31. The pain ceased, the blue and livid colour receded32 from the lips; the old man fell into a profound sleep. The stranger drew the curtains round the bed, took up the light, and inspected the apartment. The walls of both rooms were hung with drawings of masterly excellence33. A portfolio34 was filled with sketches35 of equal skill,— but these last were mostly subjects that appalled36 the eye and revolted the taste: they displayed the human figure in every variety of suffering,— the rack, the wheel, the gibbet; all that cruelty has invented to sharpen the pangs37 of death seemed yet more dreadful from the passionate38 gusto and earnest force of the designer. And some of the countenances39 of those thus delineated were sufficiently40 removed from the ideal to show that they were portraits; in a large, bold, irregular hand was written beneath these drawings, “The Future of the Aristocrats41.” In a corner of the room, and close by an old bureau, was a small bundle, over which, as if to hide it, a cloak was thrown carelessly. Several shelves were filled with books; these were almost entirely42 the works of the philosophers of the time,— the philosophers of the material school, especially the Encyclopedistes, whom Robespierre afterwards so singularly attacked when the coward deemed it unsafe to leave his reign43 without a God.
(“Cette secte (les Encyclopedistes) propagea avec beaucoup de zele l’opinion du materialisme, qui prevalut parmi les grands et parmi les beaux esprits; on lui doit en partie cette espece de philosophie pratique qui, reduisant l’Egoisme en systeme regarde la societe humaine comme une guerre de ruse46, le succes comme la regle du juste et de l’injuste, la probite comme une affaire de gout, ou de bienseance, le monde comme le patrimoine des fripons adroits.”—“Discours de Robespierre,” Mai 7, 1794. (This sect44 (the Encyclopaedists) propagate with much zeal47 the doctrine9 of materialism45, which prevails among the great and the wits; we owe to it partly that kind of practical philosophy which, reducing Egotism to a system, looks upon society as a war of cunning; success the rule of right and wrong, honesty as an affair of taste or decency48: and the world as the patrimony49 of clever scoundrels.))
A volume lay on a table,— it was one of Voltaire, and the page was opened at his argumentative assertion of the existence of the Supreme50 Being. (“Histoire de Jenni.”) The margin51 was covered with pencilled notes, in the stiff but tremulous hand of old age; all in attempt to refute or to ridicule52 the logic53 of the sage54 of Ferney: Voltaire did not go far enough for the annotator55! The clock struck two, when the sound of steps was heard without. The stranger silently seated himself on the farther side of the bed, and its drapery screened him, as he sat, from the eyes of a man who now entered on tiptoe; it was the same person who had passed him on the stairs. The new-comer took up the candle and approached the bed. The old man’s face was turned to the pillow; but he lay so still, and his breathing was so inaudible, that his sleep might well, by that hasty, shrinking, guilty glance, be mistaken for the repose56 of death. The new-comer drew back, and a grim smile passed over his face: he replaced the candle on the table, opened the bureau with a key which he took from his pocket, and loaded himself with several rouleaus of gold that he found in the drawers. At this time the old man began to wake. He stirred, he looked up; he turned his eyes towards the light now waning57 in its socket58; he saw the robber at his work; he sat erect59 for an instant, as if transfixed, more even by astonishment60 than terror. At last he sprang from his bed.
“Just Heaven! do I dream! Thou — thou — thou, for whom I toiled61 and starved!— THOU!”
The robber started; the gold fell from his hand, and rolled on the floor.
“What!” he said, “art thou not dead yet? Has the poison failed?”
“Poison, boy! Ah!” shrieked62 the old man, and covered his face with his hands; then, with sudden energy, he exclaimed, “Jean! Jean! recall that word. Rob, plunder63 me if thou wilt64, but do not say thou couldst murder one who only lived for thee! There, there, take the gold; I hoarded65 it but for thee. Go! go!” and the old man, who in his passion had quitted his bed, fell at the feet of the foiled assassin, and writhed66 on the ground,— the mental agony more intolerable than that of the body, which he had so lately undergone. The robber looked at him with a hard disdain67. “What have I ever done to thee, wretch68?” cried the old man,—“what but loved and cherished thee? Thou wert an orphan,— an outcast. I nurtured69, nursed, adopted thee as my son. If men call me a miser70, it was but that none might despise thee, my heir, because Nature has stunted71 and deformed72 thee, when I was no more. Thou wouldst have had all when I was dead. Couldst thou not spare me a few months or days,— nothing to thy youth, all that is left to my age? What have I done to thee?”
“Thou hast continued to live, and thou wouldst make no will.”
“Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!”
“TON DIEU! Thy God! Fool! Hast thou not told me, from my childhood, that there is NO God? Hast thou not fed me on philosophy? Hast thou not said, ‘Be virtuous, be good, be just, for the sake of mankind: but there is no life after this life’? Mankind! why should I love mankind? Hideous73 and misshapen, mankind jeer74 at me as I pass the streets. What hast thou done to me? Thou hast taken away from me, who am the scoff75 of this world, the hopes of another! Is there no other life? Well, then, I want thy gold, that at least I may hasten to make the best of this!”
“Monster! Curses light on thy ingratitude76, thy —”
“And who hears thy curses? Thou knowest there is no God! Mark me; I have prepared all to fly. See,— I have my passport; my horses wait without; relays are ordered. I have thy gold.” (And the wretch, as he spoke77, continued coldly to load his person with the rouleaus). “And now, if I spare thy life, how shall I be sure that thou wilt not inform against mine?” He advanced with a gloomy scowl78 and a menacing gesture as he spoke.
The old man’s anger changed to fear. He cowered79 before the savage. “Let me live! let me live!— that — that —”
“That — what?”
“I may pardon thee! Yes, thou hast nothing to fear from me. I swear it!”
“Swear! But by whom and what, old man? I cannot believe thee, if thou believest not in any God! Ha, ha! behold80 the result of thy lessons.”
Another moment and those murderous fingers would have strangled their prey81. But between the assassin and his victim rose a form that seemed almost to both a visitor from the world that both denied,— stately with majestic82 strength, glorious with awful beauty.
The ruffian recoiled83, looked, trembled, and then turned and fled from the chamber23. The old man fell again to the ground insensible.
收听单词发音 |
1
haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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epitome
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| n.典型，梗概 | |
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paupers
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| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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8
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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9
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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subversive
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| adj.颠覆性的，破坏性的；n.破坏份子，危险份子 | |
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12
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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13
persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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14
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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15
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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16
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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18
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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19
timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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27
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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29
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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30
broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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31
antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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32
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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33
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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34
portfolio
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| n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位 | |
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35
sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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38
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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41
aristocrats
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| n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 ) | |
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42
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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43
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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44
sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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45
materialism
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| n.［哲］唯物主义，唯物论；物质至上 | |
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46
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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48
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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patrimony
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| n.世袭财产，继承物 | |
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50
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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51
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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52
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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55
annotator
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| n.注释者 | |
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56
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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57
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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58
socket
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| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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61
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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hoarded
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| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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nurtured
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| 养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长 | |
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miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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jeer
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| vi.嘲弄，揶揄；vt.奚落；n.嘲笑，讥评 | |
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scoff
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| n.嘲笑，笑柄，愚弄；v.嘲笑，嘲弄，愚弄，狼吞虎咽 | |
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ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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82
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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