The Last Man.

1.

’Twas in the year two thousand and one,

A pleasant morning of May,

I sat on the gallows¹-tree, all alone,

A channting a merry lay —

To think how the pest had spared my life,

To sing with the larks³ that day!
2.

When up the heath came a jolly knave⁴,

Like a scarecrow, all in rags:

It made me crow to see his old duds

All abroad in the wind, like flags; —

So up he came to the timber’s foot

And pitch’d down his greasy⁵ bags. —
3.

Good Lord! how blythe the old beggar was!

At pulling out his scraps⁶ —

The very sight of his broken orts

Made a work in his wrinkled chaps:

“Come down,” says he, “you Newgate-bird,

And have a taste of my snaps!”—
4.

Then down the rope, like a tar⁷ from the mast,

I slided, and by him stood:

But I wish’d myself on the gallows again

When I smelt⁸ that beggar’s food —

A foul⁹ beef bone and a mouldy crust; —

“Oh!” quoth he, “the heavens are good!”
5.

Then after this grace he cast him down:

Says I, “You’ll get sweeter air

A pace or two off, on the windward side”—

For the felons’ bones lay there —

But he only laugh’d at the empty skulls¹⁰,

And offer’d them part of his fare.
6.

“I never harm’d them, and they won’t harm me:

Let the proud and the rich be cravens!”

I did not like that strange beggar man,

He look’d so up at the heavens —

Anon he shook out his empty old poke¹²; —

“There’s the crumbs,” saith he, “for the ravens¹¹!”
7.

It made me angry to see his face,

It had such a jesting look;

But while I made up my mind to speak,

A small case-bottle he took:

Quoth he, “Though I gather the green water-cress,

My drink is not of the brook¹³!”
8.

Full manners-like he tender’d the dram;

Oh it came of a dainty cask!

But, whenever it came to his turn to pull,

“Your leave, good sir, I must ask;

But I always wipe the brim with my sleeve,

When a hangman sups at my flask¹⁴!”
9.

And then he laugh’d so loudly and long,

The churl¹⁵ was quite out of breath;

I thought the very Old One was come

To mock me before my death,

And wish’d I had buried the dead men’s bones

That were lying about the heath!
10.

But the beggar gave me a jolly clap —

“Come, let us pledge each other,

For all the wide world is dead beside,

And we are brother and brother —

I’ve a yearning¹⁶ for thee in my heart,

As if we had come of one mother.”
11.

“I’ve a yearning for thee in my heart

That almost makes me weep,

For as I pass’d from town to town

The folks were all stone-asleep —

But when I saw thee sitting aloft,

It made me both laugh and leap!”
12.

Now a curse (I thought) be on his love,

And a curse upon his mirth —

An it were not for that beggar man

I’d be the King of the earth —

But I promis’d myself, an hour should come

To make him rue¹⁸ his birth! —
13.

So down we sat and bons’d again

Till the sun was in mid-sky,

When, just as the gentle west-wind came,

We hearken’d a dismal¹⁹ cry:

“Up, up, on the tree,” quoth the beggar man,

“Till those horrible dogs go by!”
14.

And, lo! from the forest’s far-off skirts,

They came all yelling for gore²⁰,

A hundred hounds pursuing at once,

And a panting hart before,

Till he sunk adown at the gallows’ foot,

And there his haunches they tore!
15.

His haunches they tore, without a horn

To tell when the chase was done;

And there was not a single scarlet²¹ coat

To flaunt²² it in the sun! —

I turn’d, and look’d at the beggar man,

And his tears dropt one by one!
16.

And with curses sore he chid²³ at the hounds,

Till the last dropt out of sight,

Anon saith he, “Let’s down again,

And ramble²⁴ for our delight,

For the world’s all free, and we may choose

A right cozie barn for to-night!”
17.

With that, he set up his staff on end,

And it fell with the point due West;

So we far’d that way to a city great,

Where the folks had died of the pest —

It was fine to enter in house and hall,

Wherever it liked me best! —
18.

For the porters all were stiff and cold,

And could not lift their heads;

And when we came where their masters lay,

The rats leapt out of the beds:—

The grandest palaces in the land

Were as free as workhouse sheds.
19.

But the beggar man made a mumping face,

And knocked at every gate:

It made me curse to hear how he whined²⁵,

So our fellowship turn’d to hate,

And I bade him walk the world by himself,

For I scorn’d so humble²⁶ a mate!
20.

So he turn’d right and I turn’d left,

As if we had never met;

And I chose a fair stone house for myself,

For the city was all to let;

And for three brave holydays drank my fill

Of the choicest that I could get.
21.

And because my jerking was coarse and worn,

I got me a properer vest;

It was purple velvet²⁷, stitch’d o’er with gold,

And a shining star at the breast —

’Twas enough to fetch old Joan from her grave

To see me so purely²⁸ drest! —
22.

But Joan was dead and under the mould,

And every buxom²⁹ lass;

In vain I watch’d, at the window pane³⁰,

For a Christian³¹ soul to pass; —

But sheep and kine wander’d up the street,

And brows’d on the new-come grass. —
23.

When lo! I spied the old beggar man,

And lustily he did sing! —

His rags were lapp’d in a scarlet cloak,

And a crown he had like a King;

So he stept right up before my gate

And danc’d me a saucy³² fling!
24.

Heaven mend us all! — but, within my mind,

I had kill’d him then and there;

To see him lording so braggart-like

That was born to his beggar’s fare,

And how he had stolen the royal crown

His betters were meant to wear.
25.

But God forbid that a thief should die

Without his share of the laws!

So I nimbly whipt my tackle out,

And soon tied up his claws —

I was judge, myself, and jury, and all,

And solemnly tried the cause.
26.

But the beggar man would not plead, but cried

Like a babe without its corals,

For he knew how hard it is apt to go

When the law and a thief have quarrels,

There was not a Christian soul alive

To speak a word for his morals.
27.

Oh, how gaily³³ I doff’d my costly³⁴ gear,

And put on my work-day clothes; —

I was tired of such a long Sunday life,

And never was one of the sloths³⁵;

But the beggar man grumbled³⁶ a weary deal,

And made many crooked³⁷ mouths.
28.

So I haul’d him off to the gallows’ foot.

And blinded him in his bags;

’Twas a weary job to heave him up,

For a doom’d man always lags;

But by ten of the clock he was off his legs

In the wind and airing his rags!
29.

So there he hung, and there I stood

The LAST MAN left alive,

To have my own will of all the earth:

Quoth I, now I shall thrive!

But when was ever honey made

With one bee in a hive!
30.

My conscience began to gnaw³⁸ my heart

Before the day was done,

For other men’s lives had all gone out,

Like candles in the sun! —

But it seem’d as if I had broke, at last,

A thousand necks in one!
31.

So I went and cut his body down

To bury it decentlie; —

God send there were any good soul alive

To do the like by me!

But the wild dogs came with terrible speed,

And bay’d me up the tree!
32.

My sight was like a drunkard’s sight,

And my head began to swim,

To see their jaws³⁹ all white with foam⁴⁰,

Like the ravenous⁴¹ ocean-brim; —

But when the wild dogs trotted⁴² away

Their jaws were bloody⁴³ and grim!
33.

Their jaws were bloody and grim, good Lord!

But the beggar man, where was he? —

There was nought⁴⁴ of him but some ribbons of rags

Below the gallows’ tree! —

I know the Devil, when I am dead,

Will send his hounds for me! —
34.

I’ve buried my babies one by one,

And dug the deep hole for Joan,

And cover’d the faces of kith and kin¹⁷,

And felt the old churchyard stone

Go cold to my heart, full many a time,

But I never felt so lone²!
35.

For the lion and Adam were company,

And the tiger him beguil’d;

But the simple kine are foes⁴⁵ to my life,

And the household brutes⁴⁶ are wild.

If the veriest cur would lick my hand,

I could love it like a child!
36.

And the beggar man’s ghost besets⁴⁷ my dreams,

At night to make me madder —

And my wretched conscience, within my breast,

Is like a stinging adder⁴⁸; —

I sigh when I pass the gallows’ foot,

And look at the rope and ladder! —
37.

For hanging looks sweet — but, alas⁴⁹! in vain,

My desperate fancy begs —

I must turn my cup of sorrows quite up,

And drink it to the dregs —

For there is not another man alive,

In the world, to pull my legs!

1 gallows   

n.绞刑架，绞台

参考例句：

• The murderer was sent to the gallows for his crimes.谋杀犯由于罪大恶极被处以绞刑。
• Now I was to expiate all my offences at the gallows.现在我将在绞刑架上赎我一切的罪过。

2 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

3 larks   

n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了

参考例句：

• Maybe if she heard the larks sing she'd write. 玛丽听到云雀的歌声也许会写信的。 来自名作英译部分
• But sure there are no larks in big cities. 可大城市里哪有云雀呢。” 来自名作英译部分

4 knave   

n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克

参考例句：

• Better be a fool than a knave.宁做傻瓜，不做无赖。
• Once a knave,ever a knave.一次成无赖，永远是无赖。

5 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

6 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

7 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

8 smelt   

v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼

参考例句：

• Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。
• Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

9 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

10 skulls   

颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜

参考例句：

• One of the women's skulls found exceeds in capacity that of the average man of today. 现已发现的女性颅骨中，其中有一个的脑容量超过了今天的普通男子。
• We could make a whole plain white with skulls in the moonlight! 我们便能令月光下的平原变白，遍布白色的骷髅！

11 ravens   

n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wheresoever the carcase is,there will the ravens be gathered together. 哪里有死尸，哪里就有乌鸦麇集。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A couple of ravens croaked above our boat. 两只乌鸦在我们小船的上空嘎嘎叫着。 来自辞典例句

12 poke   

n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
• Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

13 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

14 flask   

n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱

参考例句：

• There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
• He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

15 churl   

n.吝啬之人；粗鄙之人

参考例句：

• The vile person shall be no more called liberal,nor the churl said to be bountiful.愚顽人不再称为高明、吝啬人不再称为大方。
• He must have had some ups and downs in life to make him such a churl.他一生一定经历过一些坎坷，才使他变成这么一个粗暴的人。

16 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

17 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

18 rue   

n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔

参考例句：

• You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
• You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。

19 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

20 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

21 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

22 flaunt   

vt.夸耀，夸饰

参考例句：

• His behavior was an outrageous flaunt.他的行为是一种无耻的炫耀。
• Why would you flaunt that on a public forum?为什么你们会在公共论坛大肆炫耀？

23 chid   

v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The nurse chid the little girl for soiling her dress. 保姆温和地责怪了那个小女孩，因为她把自己的衣裙弄脏了。 来自《用法词典》
• My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconvenience, and I was frequently chid for my singularity. 我不吃肉，带来种种不便，于是常因这种怪癖受到责备。 来自辞典例句

24 ramble   

v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延

参考例句：

• This is the best season for a ramble in the suburbs.这是去郊区漫游的最好季节。
• I like to ramble about the street after work.我下班后在街上漫步。

25 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

26 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

27 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

28 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

29 buxom   

adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的

参考例句：

• Jane is a buxom blond.简是一个丰满的金发女郎.
• He still pictured her as buxom,high-colored,lively and a little blowsy.他心中仍旧认为她身材丰满、面色红润、生气勃勃、还有点邋遢。

30 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

31 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

32 saucy   

adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的

参考例句：

• He was saucy and mischievous when he was working.他工作时总爱调皮捣蛋。
• It was saucy of you to contradict your father.你顶撞父亲，真是无礼。

33 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

34 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

35 sloths   

懒散( sloth的名词复数 )； 懒惰； 树獭； （经济）停滞。

参考例句：

• Mummies of pleistocene ground sloths, with original skin, hair, tendons and claws have been found. 还发现了保存原有皮肤，毛发，腱和爪的更新世时期地面树懒的木乃伊。
• He was inspired by fossils of armadillos and sloths. 犰狳和树懒化石让他获得了灵感。

36 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

37 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

38 gnaw   

v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨

参考例句：

• Dogs like to gnaw on a bone.狗爱啃骨头。
• A rat can gnaw a hole through wood.老鼠能啃穿木头。

39 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

40 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

41 ravenous   

adj.极饿的，贪婪的

参考例句：

• The ravenous children ate everything on the table.饿极了的孩子把桌上所有东西吃掉了。
• Most infants have a ravenous appetite.大多数婴儿胃口极好。

42 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

43 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

44 nought   

n.／adj.无，零

参考例句：

• We must bring their schemes to nought.我们必须使他们的阴谋彻底破产。
• One minus one leaves nought.一减一等于零。

45 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

46 brutes   

兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性

参考例句：

• They're not like dogs; they're hideous brutes. 它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。
• Suddenly the foul musty odour of the brutes struck his nostrils. 突然，他的鼻尖闻到了老鼠的霉臭味。 来自英汉文学

47 besets   

v.困扰( beset的第三人称单数 )；不断围攻；镶；嵌

参考例句：

48 adder   

n.蝰蛇；小毒蛇

参考例句：

• The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.蝰蛇是英国唯一的一种毒蛇。
• An adder attacked my father.一条小毒蛇攻击了我父亲。

49 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。