Chapter 31

Prisoner, tell me, who was it that bound you?’
 
‘It was my master,’ said the prisoner. ‘I thought I could outdo everybody in the world in wealth and power, and I amassed¹ in my own treasure-hose the money due to my king. When sleep overcame me I lay upon the bad that was for my lord, and on waking up I found I was a prisoner in my own treasure-house.’
 
‘Prisoner, tell me, who was it that wrought² this unbreakable chain?’
 
‘It was I,’ said the prisoner, ‘who forged this chain very carefully. I thought my invincible³ power would hold the world captive leaving me in a freedom undisturbed. Thus night and day I worked at the chain with huge fires and cruel hard strokes. When at last the work was done and the links were complete and unbreakable, I found that it held me in its grip.’
 
＂囚人，告诉我，谁把你捆起来的？＂
 
＂是我的主人，＂囚人说．＂我以为我的财富与权力胜过世界上一切的人，我把我的国王的钱财聚敛在自己的宝库里．我昏困不过，睡在我主的床上，一觉醒来，我发现我在自己的宝库里做了囚人．＂
 
＂囚人，告诉我，是谁铸的这条坚牢的锁链？＂
 
＂是我，＂囚人说，＂是我自己用心铸造的．我以为我的无敌的权力会征服世界，使我有无碍的自由．我日夜用烈火重锤打造了这条铁链．等到工作完成，铁链坚牢完善，我发现这铁链把我捆住了．＂

1 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 wrought   

v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的

参考例句：

• Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
• It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

3 invincible   

adj.不可征服的，难以制服的

参考例句：

• This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
• The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致，他们就是不可战胜的。