How Friar John talks of rooting out the Furred Law-cats.
Virtue1 of the frock, quoth Friar John, what kind of voyage are we making? A shitten one, o’ my word; the devil of anything we do but fizzling, farting, funking, squattering, dozing2, raving3, and doing nothing. Ods-belly, ’tisn’t in my nature to lie idle; I mortally hate it. Unless I am doing some heroic feat4 every foot, I can’t sleep one wink5 o’ nights. Damn it, did you then take me along with you for your chaplain, to sing mass and shrive you? By Maundy Thursday, the first of ye all that comes to me on such an account shall be fitted; for the only penance6 I’ll enjoin7 shall be, that he immediately throw himself headlong overboard into the sea like a base cowhearted son of ten fathers. This in deduction8 of the pains of purgatory9.
What made Hercules such a famous fellow, d’ye think? Nothing but that while he travelled he still made it his business to rid the world of tyrannies, errors, dangers, and drudgeries; he still put to death all robbers, all monsters, all venomous serpents and hurtful creatures. Why then do we not follow his example, doing as he did in the countries through which we pass? He destroyed the Stymphalides, and Lernaean hydra10, Cacus, Antheus, the Centaurs11, and what not; I am no clericus, those that are such tell me so.
In imitation of that noble by-blow, let’s destroy and root out these wicked Furred Law-cats, that are a kind of ravenous12 devils; thus we shall remove all manner of tyranny out of the land. Mawmet’s tutor swallow me body and soul, tripes and guts13, if I would stay to ask your help or advice in the matter were I but as strong as he was. Come, he that would be thought a gentleman, let him storm a town; well, then, shall we go? I dare swear we’ll do their business for them with a wet finger; they’ll bear it, never fear; since they could swallow down more foul14 language that came from us than ten sows and their babies could swill15 hogwash. Damn ‘em, they don’t value all the ill words or dishonour16 in the world at a rush, so they but get the coin into their purses, though they were to have it in a shitten clout17. Come, we may chance to kill ‘em all, as Hercules would have done had they lived in his time. We only want to be set to work by another Eurystheus, and nothing else for the present, unless it be what I heartily18 wish them, that Jupiter may give ‘em a short visit, only some two or three hours long, and walk among their lordships in the same equipage that attended him when he came last to his Miss Semele, jolly Bacchus’s mother.
’Tis a very great mercy, quoth Panurge, that you have got out of their clutches. For my part, I have no stomach to go there again; I’m hardly come to myself yet, so scared and appalled19 I was. My hair still stands up an end when I think on’t; and most damnably troubled I was there, for three very weighty reasons. First, because I was troubled. Secondly20, because I was troubled. Thirdly and lastly, because I was troubled. Hearken to me a little on thy right side, Friar John, my left cod21, since thou’lt not hear at the other. Whenever the maggot bites thee to take a trip down to hell and visit the tribunal of Minos, Aeacus, Rhadamanthus, (and Dis,) do but tell me, and I’ll be sure to bear thee company, and never leave thee as long as my name’s Panurge, but will wade22 over Acheron, Styx, and Cocytus, drink whole bumpers23 of Lethe’s water — though I mortally hate that element — and even pay thy passage to that bawling25, cross-grained ferryman, Charon. But as for the damned wicket, if thou art so weary of thy life as to go thither26 again, thou mayst e’en look for somebody else to bear thee company, for I’ll not move one step that way; e’en rest satisfied with this positive answer. By my good will I’ll not stir a foot to go thither as long as I live, any more than Calpe will come over to Abyla [Here Motteux adds the following note: ‘Calpe is a mountain in Spain that faces another, called Abyla, in Mauritania, both said to have been severed27 by Hercules.’]. Was Ulysses so mad as to go back into the Cyclop’s cave to fetch his sword? No, marry was he not. Now I have left nothing behind me at the wicket through forgetfulness; why then should I think of going thither?
Well, quoth Friar John, as good sit still as rise up and fall; what cannot be cured must be endured. But, prithee, let’s hear one another speak. Come, wert thou not a wise doctor to fling away a whole purse of gold on those mangy scoundrels? Ha! A squinsy choke thee! we were too rich, were we? Had it not been enough to have thrown the hell-hounds a few cropped pieces of white cash?
How could I help it? returned Panurge. Did you not see how Gripe-men-all held his gaping28 velvet29 pouch30, and every moment roared and bellowed31, By gold, give me out of hand; by gold, give, give, give me presently? Now, thought I to myself, we shall never come off scot-free. I’ll e’en stop their mouths with gold, that the wicket may be opened, and we may get out; the sooner the better. And I judged that lousy silver would not do the business; for, d’ye see, velvet pouches32 do not use to gape33 for little paltry34 clipt silver and small cash; no, they are made for gold, my friend John; that they are, my dainty cod. Ah! when thou hast been larded, basted35, and roasted, as I was, thou wilt36 hardly talk at this rate, I doubt. But now what is to be done? We are enjoined37 by them to go forwards.
The scabby slabberdegullions still waited for us at the port, expecting to be greased in the fist as well as their masters. Now when they perceived that we were ready to put to sea, they came to Friar John and begged that we would not forget to gratify the apparitors before we went off, according to the assessment38 for the fees at our discharge. Hell and damnation! cried Friar John; are ye here still, ye bloodhounds, ye citing, scribbling39 imps40 of Satan? Rot you, am I not vexed41 enough already, but you must have the impudence42 to come and plague me, ye scurvy43 fly-catchers you? By cob’s-body, I’ll gratify your ruffianships as you deserve; I’ll apparitorize you presently with a wannion, that I will. With this, he lugged44 out his slashing45 cutlass, and in a mighty46 heat came out of the ship to cut the cozening varlets into steaks, but they scampered47 away and got out of sight in a trice.
However, there was somewhat more to do, for some of our sailors, having got leave of Pantagruel to go ashore48 while we were had before Gripe-men-all, had been at a tavern49 near the haven50 to make much of themselves, and roar it, as seamen51 will do when they come into some port. Now I don’t know whether they had paid their reckoning to the full or no, but, however it was, an old fat hostess, meeting Friar John on the quay52, was making a woeful complaint before a sergeant53, son-in-law to one of the furred law-cats, and a brace54 of bums55, his assistants.
The friar, who did not much care to be tired with their impertinent prating56, said to them, Harkee me, ye lubberly gnat-snappers! do ye presume to say that our seamen are not honest men? I’ll maintain they are, ye dotterels, and will prove it to your brazen57 faces, by justice — I mean, this trusty piece of cold iron by my side. With this he lugged it out and flourished with it. The forlorn lobcocks soon showed him their backs, betaking themselves to their heels; but the old fusty landlady58 kept her ground, swearing like any butter-whore that the tarpaulins59 were very honest cods60, but that they only forgot to pay for the bed on which they had lain after dinner, and she asked fivepence, French money, for the said bed. May I never sup, said the friar, if it be not dog-cheap; they are sorry guests and unkind customers, that they are; they do not know when they have a pennyworth, and will not always meet with such bargains. Come, I myself will pay you the money, but I would willingly see it first.
The hostess immediately took him home with her, and showed him the bed, and having praised it for all its good qualifications, said that she thought as times went she was not out of the way in asking fivepence for it. Friar John then gave her the fivepence; and she no sooner turned her back but he presently began to rip up the ticking of the feather-bed and bolster61, and threw all the feathers out at the window. In the meantime the old hag came down and roared out for help, crying out murder to set all the neighbourhood in an uproar62. Yet she also fell to gathering63 the feathers that flew up and down in the air, being scattered64 by the wind. Friar John let her bawl24 on, and, without any further ado, marched off with the blanker, quilt, and both the sheets, which he brought aboard undiscovered, for the air was darkened with the feathers, as it uses sometimes to be with snow. He gave them away to the sailors; then said to Pantagruel that beds were much cheaper at that place than in Chinnonois, though we have there the famous geese of Pautile; for the old beldam had asked him but fivepence for a bed which in Chinnonois had been worth about twelve francs. (As soon as Friar John and the rest of the company were embarked65, Pantagruel set sail. But there arose a south-east wind, which blew so vehemently66 they lost their way, and in a manner going back to the country of the Furred Law-cats, they entered into a huge gulf67, where the sea ran so high and terrible that the shipboy on the top of the mast cried out he again saw the habitation of Gripe-men-all; upon which Panurge, frightened almost out of his wits, roared out, Dear master, in spite of the wind and waves, change your course, and turn the ship’s head about. O my friend, let us come no more into that cursed country where I left my purse. So the wind carried them near an island, where however they did not dare at first to land, but entered about a mile off. [Motteux omitted this passage altogether in the edition of 1694. It was restored by Ozell in the edition of 1738.]
收听单词发音 |
1
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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enjoin
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| v.命令；吩咐；禁止 | |
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deduction
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| n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎 | |
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purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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hydra
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| n.水螅；难于根除的祸患 | |
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centaurs
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| n.（希腊神话中）半人半马怪物( centaur的名词复数 ) | |
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ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 | |
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14
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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15
swill
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| v.冲洗；痛饮；n.泔脚饲料；猪食；（谈话或写作中的）无意义的话 | |
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16
dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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17
clout
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| n.用手猛击；权力，影响力 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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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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20
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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cod
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| n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗 | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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bumpers
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| （汽车上的）保险杠，缓冲器( bumper的名词复数 ) | |
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bawl
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| v.大喊大叫，大声地喊，咆哮 | |
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bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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29
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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31
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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32
pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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33
gape
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| v.张口，打呵欠，目瞪口呆地凝视 | |
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34
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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35
basted
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| v.打( baste的过去式和过去分词 )；粗缝；痛斥；（烤肉等时）往上抹[浇]油 | |
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36
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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37
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
assessment
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| n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额 | |
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39
scribbling
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| n.乱涂[写]胡[乱]写的文章[作品]v.潦草的书写( scribble的现在分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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40
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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41
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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42
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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43
scurvy
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| adj.下流的，卑鄙的，无礼的；n.坏血病 | |
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44
lugged
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| vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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45
slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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46
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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47
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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49
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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50
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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51
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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54
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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55
bums
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| n. 游荡者，流浪汉，懒鬼，闹饮，屁股 adj. 没有价值的，不灵光的，不合理的 vt. 令人失望，乞讨 vi. 混日子，以乞讨为生 | |
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56
prating
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| v.（古时用语）唠叨，啰唆( prate的现在分词 ) | |
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57
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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58
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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tarpaulins
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| n.防水帆布，防水帆布罩( tarpaulin的名词复数 ) | |
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60
cods
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| n.鳕鱼（cod的复数形式）v.哄骗，愚弄（cod的第三人称单数形式） | |
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61
bolster
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| n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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62
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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63
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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64
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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65
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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