He Contemplates1 Majesty2 and its Satellites in Eclipse.
This expedition being happily finished, General Macleaver put the whole army, navy, transports, and scene of action into a canvas bag, the prince unsaddled his nose, and Captain Minikin being admitted, our hero was introduced in form. Very gracious was the reception he met with from his majesty, who, with a most princely demeanour, welcomed him to court, and even seated him on his right hand, in token of particular regard. True it is, this presence-chamber was not so superb, nor the appearance of the king so magnificent, as to render such an honour intoxicating3 to any person of our hero’s coolness and discretion4. In lieu of tapestry5, the apartment was hung with halfpenny ballads6, a truckle-bed without curtains supplied the place of a canopy7, and instead of a crown his majesty wore a woollen night-cap. Yet, in spite of these disadvantages, there was an air of dignity in his deportment, and a nice physiognomist would have perceived something majestic8 in the features of his countenance9.
He was certainly a personage of very prepossessing mien10; his manners were engaging, his conversation agreeable, and any man whose heart was subject to the meltings of humanity would have deplored11 his distress12, and looked upon him as a most pathetic instance of that miserable13 reverse to which all human grandeur14 is exposed. His fall was even greater than that of Belisarius, who, after having obtained many glorious victories over the enemies of his country, is said to have been reduced to such extremity15 of indigence16, that, in his old age, when he was deprived of his eyesight, he sat upon the highway like a common mendicant17, imploring18 the charity of passengers in the piteous exclamation19 of Date obolum Belisario; that is, “Spare a farthing to your poor old soldier Belisarius.” I say, this general’s disgrace was not so remarkable20 as that of Theodore, because he was the servant of Justinian, consequently his fortune depended upon the nod of that emperor; whereas the other actually possessed21 the throne of sovereignty by the best of all titles, namely, the unanimous election of the people over whom he reigned22; and attracted the eyes of all Europe, by the efforts he made in breaking the bands of oppression, and vindicating23 that liberty which is the birthright of man.
The English of former days, alike renowned24 for generosity25 and valour, treated those hostile princes, whose fate it was to wear their chains, with such delicacy26 of benevolence27, as even dispelled28 the horrors of captivity29; but their posterity30 of this refined age feel no compunction at seeing an unfortunate monarch31, their former friend, ally, and partisan32, languish33 amidst the miseries34 of a loathsome35 jail, for a paltry36 debt contracted in their own service. But, moralising apart, our hero had not long conversed37 with this extraordinary debtor38, who in his present condition assumed no other title than that of Baron39, than he perceived in him a spirit of Quixotism, which all his experience, together with the vicissitudes40 of his fortune, had not been able to overcome. Not that his ideas soared to such a pitch of extravagant41 hope as that which took possession of his messmates, who frequently quarrelled one with another about the degrees of favour to which they should be entitled after the king’s restoration; but he firmly believed that affairs would speedily take such a turn in Italy, as would point out to the English court the expediency42 of employing him again; and his persuasion43 seemed to support him against every species of poverty and mortification44.
While they were busy in trimming the balance of power on the other side of the Alps, their deliberations were interrupted by the arrival of a scullion, who came to receive their orders touching45 the bill of fare for dinner, and his majesty found much more difficulty in settling this important concern, than in compromising all the differences between the Emperor and the Queen of Spain. At length, however, General Macleaver undertook the office of purveyor46 for his prince; Captain Minikin insisted upon treating the Count; and in a little time the table was covered with a cloth, which, for the sake of my delicate readers, I will not attempt to describe.
At this period they were joined by Sir Mungo Barebones, who, having found means to purchase a couple of mutton chops, had cooked a mess of broth47, which he now brought in a saucepan to the general rendezvous48. This was the most remarkable object which had hitherto presented itself to the eyes of Fathom49. Being naturally of a meagre habit, he was, by indigence and hard study, wore almost to the bone, and so bended towards the earth, that in walking his body described at least 150 degrees of a circle. The want of stockings and shoes he supplied with a jockey straight boot and an half jack50. His thighs51 and middle were cased in a monstrous52 pair of brown trunk breeches, which the keeper bought for his use from the executor of a Dutch seaman53 who had lately died in the jail. His shirt retained no signs of its original colour, his body was shrouded54 in an old greasy55 tattered56 plaid nightgown; a blue and white handkerchief surrounded his head, and his looks betokened57 that immense load of care which he had voluntarily incurred58 for the eternal salvation59 of sinners. Yet this figure, uncouth60 as it was, made his compliments to our adventurer in terms of the most elegant address, and, in the course of conversation, disclosed a great fund of valuable knowledge. He had appeared in the great world, and borne divers61 offices of dignity and trust with universal applause. His courage was undoubted, his morals were unimpeached, and his person held in great veneration62 and esteem63; when his evil genius engaged him in the study of Hebrew, and the mysteries of the Jewish religion, which fairly disordered his brain, and rendered him incapable64 of managing his temporal affairs. When he ought to have been employed in the functions of his post, he was always wrapt in visionary conferences with Moses on the Mount; rather than regulate the economy of his household, he chose to exert his endeavours in settling the precise meaning of the word Elohim; and having discovered that now the period was come, when the Jews and Gentiles would be converted, he postponed65 every other consideration, in order to facilitate that great and glorious event.
By this time Ferdinand had seen every member of the club, except the French chevalier, who seemed to be quite neglected by the society; for his name was not once mentioned during this communication, and they sat down to dinner, without asking whether he was dead or alive. The king regaled himself with a plate of ox-cheek; the major, who complained that his appetite had forsaken66 him, amused himself with some forty hard eggs, malaxed with salt butter; the knight68 indulged upon his soup and bouilli, and the captain entertained our adventurer with a neck of veal69 roasted with potatoes; but before Fathom could make use of his knife and fork, he was summoned to the door, where he found the chevalier in great agitation70, his eyes sparkling like coals of fire.
Our hero was not a little surprised at this apparition71, who, having asked pardon for the freedom he had used, observed, that, understanding the Count was a foreigner, he could not dispense72 with appealing to him concerning an outrage73 he had suffered from the keeper, who, without any regard to his rank or misfortunes, had been base enough to refuse him credit for a few necessaries, until he could have a remittance74 from his steward75 in France; he therefore conjured76 Count Fathom, as a stranger and nobleman like himself, to be the messenger of defiance77, which he resolved to send to that brutal78 jailor, that, for the future, he might learn to make proper distinctions in the exercise of his function.
Fathom, who had no inclination79 to offend this choleric80 Frenchman, assured him that he might depend upon his friendship; and, in the meantime, prevailed upon him to accept of a small supply, in consequence of which he procured81 a pound of sausages, and joined the rest of the company without delay; making a very suitable addition to such an assemblage of rarities. Though his age did not exceed thirty years, his beard, which was of a brindled82 hue83, flowed down, like Aaron’s, to his middle. Upon his legs he wore red stockings rolled up over the joint84 of the knee, his breeches were of blue drab, with vellum button-holes, and garters of gold lace, his waistcoat of scarlet85, his coat of rusty86 black cloth, his hair, twisted into a ramilie, hung down to his rump, of the colour of jet, and his hat was adorned87 with a white feather.
This original had formed many ingenious schemes to increase the glory and grandeur of France, but was discouraged by Cardinal88 Fleury, who, in all appearance, jealous of his great talents, not only rejected his projects, but even sent him to prison, on pretence89 of being offended at his impertinence. Perceiving that, like the prophet, he had no honour in his own country, he no sooner obtained his release, than he retired90 to England, where he was prompted by his philanthropy to propose an expedient91 to our ministry92, which would have saved a vast effusion of blood and treasure; this was an agreement between the Queen of Hungary and the late Emperor, to decide their pretensions93 by a single combat; in which case he offered himself as the Bavarian champion; but in this endeavour he also proved unsuccessful. Then turning his attention to the delights of poetry, he became so enamoured of the muse67, that he neglected every other consideration, and she as usual gradually conducted him to the author’s never-failing goal — a place of rest appointed for all those sinners whom the profane94 love of poesy hath led astray.
1 contemplates | |
深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的第三人称单数 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 | |
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2 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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3 intoxicating | |
a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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4 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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5 tapestry | |
n.挂毯,丰富多采的画面 | |
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6 ballads | |
民歌,民谣,特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 ); 讴 | |
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7 canopy | |
n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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8 majestic | |
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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9 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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10 mien | |
n.风采;态度 | |
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11 deplored | |
v.悲叹,痛惜,强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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13 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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14 grandeur | |
n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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15 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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16 indigence | |
n.贫穷 | |
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17 mendicant | |
n.乞丐;adj.行乞的 | |
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18 imploring | |
恳求的,哀求的 | |
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19 exclamation | |
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
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20 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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21 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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22 reigned | |
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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23 vindicating | |
v.澄清(某人/某事物)受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的现在分词 );表明或证明(所争辩的事物)属实、正当、有效等;维护 | |
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24 renowned | |
adj.著名的,有名望的,声誉鹊起的 | |
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25 generosity | |
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为 | |
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26 delicacy | |
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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27 benevolence | |
n.慈悲,捐助 | |
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28 dispelled | |
v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29 captivity | |
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
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30 posterity | |
n.后裔,子孙,后代 | |
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31 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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32 partisan | |
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒 | |
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33 languish | |
vi.变得衰弱无力,失去活力,(植物等)凋萎 | |
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34 miseries | |
n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 );痛苦的事;穷困;常发牢骚的人 | |
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35 loathsome | |
adj.讨厌的,令人厌恶的 | |
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36 paltry | |
adj.无价值的,微不足道的 | |
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37 conversed | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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38 debtor | |
n.借方,债务人 | |
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39 baron | |
n.男爵;(商业界等)巨头,大王 | |
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40 vicissitudes | |
n.变迁,世事变化;变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 );盛衰兴废 | |
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41 extravagant | |
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的 | |
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42 expediency | |
n.适宜;方便;合算;利己 | |
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43 persuasion | |
n.劝说;说服;持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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44 mortification | |
n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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45 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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46 purveyor | |
n.承办商,伙食承办商 | |
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47 broth | |
n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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48 rendezvous | |
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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49 fathom | |
v.领悟,彻底了解 | |
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50 jack | |
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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51 thighs | |
n.股,大腿( thigh的名词复数 );食用的鸡(等的)腿 | |
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52 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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53 seaman | |
n.海员,水手,水兵 | |
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54 shrouded | |
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 );保密 | |
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55 greasy | |
adj. 多脂的,油脂的 | |
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56 tattered | |
adj.破旧的,衣衫破的 | |
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57 betokened | |
v.预示,表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 incurred | |
[医]招致的,遭受的; incur的过去式 | |
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59 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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60 uncouth | |
adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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61 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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62 veneration | |
n.尊敬,崇拜 | |
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63 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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64 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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65 postponed | |
vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发) | |
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66 Forsaken | |
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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67 muse | |
n.缪斯(希腊神话中的女神),创作灵感 | |
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68 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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69 veal | |
n.小牛肉 | |
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70 agitation | |
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 | |
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71 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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72 dispense | |
vt.分配,分发;配(药),发(药);实施 | |
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73 outrage | |
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒 | |
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74 remittance | |
n.汇款,寄款,汇兑 | |
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75 steward | |
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员 | |
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76 conjured | |
用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
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77 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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78 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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79 inclination | |
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好 | |
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80 choleric | |
adj.易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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81 procured | |
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 );拉皮条 | |
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82 brindled | |
adj.有斑纹的 | |
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83 hue | |
n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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84 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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85 scarlet | |
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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86 rusty | |
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的 | |
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87 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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88 cardinal | |
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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89 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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90 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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91 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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92 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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93 pretensions | |
自称( pretension的名词复数 ); 自命不凡; 要求; 权力 | |
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94 profane | |
adj.亵神的,亵渎的;vt.亵渎,玷污 | |
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