Child Life In Town And Country
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
THE FANCY-DRESS BALL

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。


 HERE we have little boys who are conquering heroes and little girls who are heroines. Here we have shepherdesses in hoops1 and wreaths of roses and shepherds in satin coats, who carry crooks2 tied with knots of riband. Oh! what white, pretty sheep they must be these shepherds tend! Here are Alexander the Great and Zaire, and Pyrrhus and Merope, Mahomet, Harlequin, Pierrot, Scapin, Blaise and Babette. They have come from all parts, from Greece and Rome and the lands of Fa?ry, to dance together. What a fine thing a fancy ball is, and how delicious to be a great King for an hour or a famous Princess! There is nothing to spoil the pleasure. No need to act up to your costume, nor even to talk in character.
It would be poor fun, mind you, to wear heroes’ clothes if you had to have a hero’s heart as well. Heroes’ hearts are torn with all sorts of sorrows. They are most of them famous for their calamities3. If they had lived happy, we should never have heard of them. Merope had no wish to dance. Pyrrhus was cruelly slain4 by Orestes just when he was going to wed5, and the innocent Zaire perished by the hand of her lover the Turk, philosophical6 Turk though he was. As for Blaise and Babette, the song says they suffer fond regrets that go on forever.
Why speak of Pierrot and Scapin? You know as well as I do they were scamps, and got their ears pulled more than once. No! glory costs too dear, even Harlequin’s. On the contrary, it is very agreeable to be little boys and girls, and have the look of being great personages. That is why there is no pleasure to compare with a fancy ball, when the dresses are splendid enough. Only to wear them makes you feel brave. Then think how proud and pretty all your little friends are with their feathers and mantles7; how gallant8 and gay and noble they look, and how like the fine folks of olden times.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 hoops 528662bd801600a928e199785550b059     
n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓
参考例句：
  • a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
  • Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎，这个季节的裙圈比较宽大，裙裾却短一些。 来自飘（部分）
2 crooks 31060be9089be1fcdd3ac8530c248b55     
n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 calamities 16254f2ca47292404778d1804949fef6     
n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事
参考例句：
  • They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • One moment's false security can bring a century of calamities. 图一时之苟安，贻百年之大患。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4 slain slain     
杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)
参考例句：
  • The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
  • His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。
5 wed MgFwc     
v.娶，嫁，与…结婚
参考例句：
  • The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
  • The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。
6 philosophical rN5xh     
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。
7 mantles 9741b34fd2d63bd42e715ae97e62a5ce     
vt.&vi.覆盖（mantle的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
  • The ivy mantles the building. 长春藤覆盖了建筑物。 来自互联网
8 gallant 66Myb     
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
  • Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
  • These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。
9 tuning 8700ed4820c703ee62c092f05901ecfc     
n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调
参考例句：
  • They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
10 fiddles 47dc3b39866d5205ed4aab2cf788cbbf     
n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动
参考例句：
  • He fiddles with his papers on the table. 他抚弄着桌子上那些报纸。 来自辞典例句
  • The annual Smithsonian Festival of American Folk Life celebrates hands-hands plucking guitars and playing fiddles. 一年一度的美国民间的“史密斯索尼安节”是赞美人的双手的节日--弹拔吉他的手，演奏小提琴的手。 来自辞典例句

分享到：


返回目录
上一章: CHAPTER 4
下一章: THE SCHOOL

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010