Part 3 Book 7 Chapter 2 The Lowest Depths

There disinterestedness¹ vanishes. The demon² is vaguely³ outlined; each one is for himself. The _I_ in the eyes howls, seeks, fumbles⁴, and gnaws⁵. The social Ugolino is in this gulf⁶.

The wild spectres who roam in this grave, almost beasts, almost phantoms⁷, are not occupied with universal progress; they are ignorant both of the idea and of the word; they take no thought for anything but the satisfaction of their individual desires. They are almost unconscious, and there exists within them a sort of terrible obliteration⁸. They have two mothers, both step-mothers, ignorance and misery⁹. They have a guide, necessity; and for all forms of satisfaction, appetite. They are brutally¹⁰ voracious¹¹, that is to say, ferocious¹², not after the fashion of the tyrant¹³, but after the fashion of the tiger. From suffering these spectres pass to crime; fatal affiliation¹⁴, dizzy creation, logic¹⁵ of darkness. That which crawls in the social third lower level is no longer complaint stifled¹⁶ by the absolute; it is the protest of matter.  Man there becomes a dragon. To be hungry, to be thirsty--that is the point of departure; to be Satan--that is the point reached. From that vault¹⁷ Lacenaire emerges.

We have just seen, in Book Fourth, one of the compartments¹⁸ of the upper mine, of the great political, revolutionary, and philosophical¹⁹ excavation²⁰. There, as we have just said, all is pure, noble, dignified²¹, honest. There, assuredly, one might be misled; but error is worthy²² of veneration²³ there, so thoroughly²⁴ does it imply heroism²⁵. The work there effected, taken as a whole has a name: Progress.

The moment has now come when we must take a look at other depths, hideous²⁶ depths. There exists beneath society, we insist upon this point, and there will exist, until that day when ignorance shall be dissipated, the great cavern²⁷ of evil.

This cavern is below all, and is the foe²⁸ of all. It is hatred²⁹, without exception. This cavern knows no philosophers; its dagger³⁰ has never cut a pen. Its blackness has no connection with the sublime³¹ blackness of the inkstand. Never have the fingers of night which contract beneath this stifling³² ceiling, turned the leaves of a book nor unfolded a newspaper. Babeuf is a speculator to Cartouche; Marat is an aristocrat³³ to Schinderhannes. This cavern has for its object the destruction of everything.

Of everything. Including the upper superior mines, which it execrates³⁴.   It not only undermines, in its hideous swarming³⁵, the actual social order; it undermines philosophy, it undermines human thought, it undermines civilization, it undermines revolution, it undermines progress.  Its name is simply theft, prostitution, murder, assassination³⁶.It is darkness, and it desires chaos³⁷. Its vault is formed of ignorance.

All the others, those above it, have but one object--to suppress it.   It is to this point that philosophy and progress tend, with all their organs simultaneously³⁸, by their amelioration of the real,as well as by their contemplation of the absolute. Destroy the cavern Ignorance and you destroy the lair³⁹ Crime.

Let us condense, in a few words, a part of what we have just written. The only social peril⁴⁰ is darkness.

Humanity is identity. All men are made of the same clay. There is no difference, here below, at least, in predestination.The same shadow in front, the same flesh in the present, the same ashes afterwards. But ignorance, mingled⁴¹ with the human paste, blackens it. This incurable⁴² blackness takes possession of the interior of a man and is there converted into evil.

在这里，忘我精神已经消失。魔鬼隐约初具形相，各自为己。没有眼睛的我在吼着，寻着，摸着，啃着。群居的乌戈林①便在这黑洞里。

①乌戈林（Ugolin），十三世纪比萨的暴君，大主教把他和他的两个儿子和两个孙子一同关在塔里，让他们饿死。乌戈林在试着吃他的儿孙以后才死去。

在这黑洞里游荡着的那些近似猛兽恶魔的狰狞鬼影是不管普遍的进步的，它们不理解思想和文字，它们所关心的只是个人满足。它们几乎没有善恶观念，内心空虚得骇人。它们有两个母亲，两个全是后娘：无知和穷困；一个向导：需要；唯一的满足形式：吃喝。它们粗鲁地大嚼大啖，这就是说，凶残到……不是象暴君那样，而是象猛虎。这些鬼怪从受苦走到犯罪，不可避免的传承，令人晕眩的接续，黑区的逻辑。匍匐在这社会第三地下层里的已不是对绝对真理发出那种受到窒息的要求，而是肉体的抗议。在这里，人成了毒龙。饥渴是起点，终点是成为撒旦。从这地窖里产生着拉色内尔。

我们刚才在第四卷里已经见过上层坑道的一角，那是政治、革命和哲学的大坑道。在那里，我们指出，一切都是高尚、纯洁、尊贵、诚实的。在那里，当然，人们可能走错路，而且是在错误的路上，但是那里的错误是可敬佩的，因为它含有牺牲精神。那里的工作，从全局看，有一个名称：进步。

现在是时候了，来看看另外一些深处，一些丑恶到极点的深处。

在社会的底下，让我们强调这一点，直到愚昧状态被清除的那一天，总还会有藏恶的大窟窖。

这个窟窖在一切窟窖之下，也是一切窟窖的敌人。那是普遍的恨。这窟窖不知道有哲学，它的尖刀从来没有削过一支笔。它的黑色和墨迹的卓越的黑色毫无关系。那些蜷曲在这毒气熏人的洞里的黑手指从不翻一页书，也从不打开一张报纸。对卡图什来说，巴贝夫是个剥削者，对施因德汉斯①来说，马拉还是个贵族。这窟窖的目的是推翻一切。

①施因德汉斯（Schindehannes），原名约翰·毕克列尔（JohannBuHckler，约1780?803），德国强盗，莱茵区匪帮的魁首，绰号“施因德汉斯”（意即“屠夫汉斯”）。在德国文学中，施因德汉斯作为侠盗、打抱不平的斗士和穷人的保护者的形象而久负盛名。

一切。包括它所唾弃的那些上层坑道。在它那极为丑恶的蠕动当中，它不仅只是要钻垮现在的社会秩序，它还要钻垮哲学，钻垮科学，钻垮法律，钻垮人类的思想，钻垮文明，钻垮革命，钻垮进步。它的名字，简简单单地说，叫做偷盗，邪淫，谋害，暗杀。它代表黑暗，它要的是漆黑一团。这窟窖的顶是无知构成的。

在它上面的那些地窖全都只有一个愿望，把它消灭掉。这便是哲学和进步同时运用它们的全部人力物力，通过现实的改善和对绝对真理的向往，全力奔赴的目标。摧毁这个无知窟窖，那罪恶渊薮也就毁灭掉了。

让我们把刚才所说的一部分用几个字概括起来，社会的唯一危害是黑暗。

人类，便是同类。所有的人都是同一块粘土。在前定的命运里毫无区别，至少在下界是这样的。从前，同样的一个影子；现在，同样的一个肉体；将来，同样的一撮灰。但是，在做人的面糊里搀上无知，它便变成黑的。这种无法挽救的黑色透入人心，便成为恶。

1 disinterestedness   

参考例句：

• Because it requires detachment, disinterestedness, it is the finest flower and test of a liberal civilization. 科学方法要求人们超然独立、公正无私，因而它是自由文明的最美之花和最佳试金石。 来自哲学部分
• His chief equipment seems to be disinterestedness. He moves in a void, without audience. 他主要的本事似乎是超然不群；生活在虚无缥缈中，没有听众。 来自辞典例句

2 demon   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
• He has been possessed by the demon of disease for years.他多年来病魔缠身。

3 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

4 fumbles   

摸索，笨拙的处理( fumble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Van der Meyde boots the ball to safety after Toldo fumbles a right cross. 因为托尔多在右侧漏球，范得美德把球护到安全的地方。
• The placement shot fumbles the primary cause which into this competition Chinese army loses the game. 定位球失球成为本场比赛汉军输球的主要原因。

5 gnaws   

咬( gnaw的第三人称单数 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物

参考例句：

• Time, whose tooth gnaws away everything else, is powerless against truth. 时间，它的利齿可咬碎万物，但对真理却无能为力。
• The water gnaws at the shoreline. 海水侵蚀海岸线。

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 phantoms   

n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They vanished down the stairs like two phantoms. 他们像两个幽灵似的消失在了楼下。 来自辞典例句
• The horrible night that he had passed had left phantoms behind it. 他刚才度过的恐布之夜留下了种种错觉。 来自辞典例句

8 obliteration   

n.涂去，删除；管腔闭合

参考例句：

• The policy is obliteration, openly acknowledged. 政策是彻底毁灭，公开承认的政策。 来自演讲部分
• "Obliteration is not a justifiable act of war" “彻底消灭并不是有理的战争行为” 来自演讲部分

9 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

10 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

11 voracious   

adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的

参考例句：

• She's a voracious reader of all kinds of love stories.什么样的爱情故事她都百看不厌。
• Joseph Smith was a voracious book collector.约瑟夫·史密斯是个如饥似渴的藏书家。

12 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

13 tyrant   

n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

14 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

15 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

16 stifled   

（使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵

参考例句：

• The gas stifled them. 煤气使他们窒息。
• The rebellion was stifled. 叛乱被镇压了。

17 vault   

n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室

参考例句：

• The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

18 compartments   

n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层

参考例句：

• Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

20 excavation   

n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地

参考例句：

• The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
• The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

21 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

22 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

23 veneration   

n.尊敬，崇拜

参考例句：

• I acquired lasting respect for tradition and veneration for the past.我开始对传统和历史产生了持久的敬慕。
• My father venerated General Eisenhower.我父亲十分敬仰艾森豪威尔将军。

24 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

25 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

26 hideous   

adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的

参考例句：

• The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
• They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

27 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

28 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

29 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

30 dagger   

n.匕首，短剑，剑号

参考例句：

• The bad news is a dagger to his heart.这条坏消息刺痛了他的心。
• The murderer thrust a dagger into her heart.凶手将匕首刺进她的心脏。

31 sublime   

adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的

参考例句：

• We should take some time to enjoy the sublime beauty of nature.我们应该花些时间去欣赏大自然的壮丽景象。
• Olympic games play as an important arena to exhibit the sublime idea.奥运会，就是展示此崇高理念的重要舞台。

32 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

33 aristocrat   

n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物

参考例句：

• He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
• He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。

34 execrates   

v.憎恶( execrate的第三人称单数 )；厌恶；诅咒；咒骂

参考例句：

35 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

36 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

37 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

38 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

39 lair   

n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处

参考例句：

• How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair?不入虎穴，焉得虎子？
• I retired to my lair,and wrote some letters.我回到自己的躲藏处，写了几封信。

40 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

41 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

42 incurable   

adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人

参考例句：

• All three babies were born with an incurable heart condition.三个婴儿都有不可治瘉的先天性心脏病。
• He has an incurable and widespread nepotism.他们有不可救药的，到处蔓延的裙带主义。