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III ONCE THERE WAS A KING

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 "Once upon a time there was a king."
 
When we were children there was no need to know who the king in the fairy story was. It didn't matter whether he was called Shiladitya or Shaliban, whether he lived at Kashi or Kanauj. The thing that made a seven-year-old boy's heart go thump1, thump with delight was this one sovereign truth, this reality of all realities: "Once there was a king."
 
But the readers of this modern age are far more exact and exacting2. When they hear such an opening to a story, they are at once critical and suspicious. They apply the searchlight of science to its legendary3 haze4 and ask: "Which king?"
 
The story-tellers have become more precise in their turn. They are no longer content with the old indefinite, "There was a king," but assume instead a look of profound learning and begin: "Once there was a king named Ajatasatru."
 
The modern reader's curiosity, however, is not so [Pg 36] easily satisfied. He blinks at the author through his scientific spectacles and asks again: "Which Ajatasatru?"
 
When we were young, we understood all sweet things; and we could detect the sweets of a fairy story by an unerring science of our own. We never cared for such useless things as knowledge. We only cared for truth. And our unsophisticated little hearts knew well where the Crystal Palace of Truth lay and how to reach it. But to-day we are expected to write pages of facts, while the truth is simply this:
 
"There was a king."
 
I remember vividly5 that evening in Calcutta when the fairy story began. The rain and the storm had been incessant6. The whole of the city was flooded. The water was knee-deep in our lane. I had a straining hope, which was almost a certainty, that my tutor would be prevented from coming that evening. I sat on the stool in the far corner of the verandah looking down the lane, with a heart beating faster and faster. Every minute I kept my eye on the rain, and when it began to diminish I prayed with all my might: "Please, God, send some more rain till half-past seven is over." For I was quite ready to believe that there was no other need for rain except to protect one helpless boy one evening in one [Pg 37] corner of Calcutta from the deadly clutches of his tutor.

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1 thump sq2yM     
v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声
参考例句：
  • The thief hit him a thump on the head.贼在他的头上重击一下。
  • The excitement made her heart thump.她兴奋得心怦怦地跳。
2 exacting VtKz7e     
adj.苛求的，要求严格的
参考例句：
  • He must remember the letters and symbols with exacting precision.他必须以严格的精度记住每个字母和符号。
  • The public has been more exacting in its demands as time has passed.随着时间的推移，公众的要求更趋严格。
3 legendary u1Vxg     
adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）
参考例句：
  • Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
  • Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。
4 haze O5wyb     
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
  • I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
  • He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。
5 vividly tebzrE     
adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地
参考例句：
  • The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
  • The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。
6 incessant WcizU     
adj.不停的，连续的
参考例句：
  • We have had incessant snowfall since yesterday afternoon.从昨天下午开始就持续不断地下雪。
  • She is tired of his incessant demands for affection.她厌倦了他对感情的不断索取。
7 alas Rx8z1     
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。
8 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句：
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
9 immature Saaxj     
adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的
参考例句：
  • Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
  • The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。
10 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
11 tiresome Kgty9     
adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的
参考例句：
  • His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。
12 bolster ltOzK     
n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励
参考例句：
  • The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
  • He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。
13 extravagant M7zya     
adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
  • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
  • He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
14 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句：
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
15 entreat soexj     
v.恳求，恳请
参考例句：
  • Charles Darnay felt it hopeless entreat him further,and his pride was touched besides.查尔斯-达尔内感到再恳求他已是枉然，自尊心也受到了伤害。
  • I entreat you to contribute generously to the building fund.我恳求您慷慨捐助建设基金。
16 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
17 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
18 vehement EL4zy     
adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的
参考例句：
  • She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。
  • His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。
19 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
20 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。
21 devout Qlozt     
adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)
参考例句：
  • His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
  • The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。
22 resonant TBCzC     
adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的
参考例句：
  • She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。
  • He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。
23 credulous Oacy2     
adj.轻信的，易信的
参考例句：
  • You must be credulous if she fooled you with that story.连她那种话都能把你骗倒，你一定是太容易相信别人了。
  • Credulous attitude will only make you take anything for granted.轻信的态度只会使你想当然。
24 earrings 9ukzSs     
n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子
参考例句：
  • a pair of earrings 一对耳环
  • These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 bracelets 58df124ddcdc646ef29c1c5054d8043d     
n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 tinkled a75bf1120cb6e885f8214e330dbfc6b7     
（使）发出丁当声，（使）发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 )； 叮当响着发出，铃铃响着报出
参考例句：
  • The sheep's bell tinkled through the hills. 羊的铃铛叮当叮当地响彻整个山区。
  • A piano tinkled gently in the background. 背景音是悠扬的钢琴声。
27 secondly cjazXx     
adv.第二，其次
参考例句：
  • Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
  • Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。
28 hue qdszS     
n.色度；色调；样子
参考例句：
  • The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
  • The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
29 warrior YgPww     
n.勇士，武士，斗士
参考例句：
  • The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
  • A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。
30 throb aIrzV     
v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动
参考例句：
  • She felt her heart give a great throb.她感到自己的心怦地跳了一下。
  • The drums seemed to throb in his ears.阵阵鼓声彷佛在他耳边震响。
31 distress 3llzX     
n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛
参考例句：
  • Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
  • Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
32 disturbance BsNxk     
n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调
参考例句：
  • He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
  • You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。
33 fragrant z6Yym     
adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的
参考例句：
  • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
  • The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
34 adorned 1e50de930eb057fcf0ac85ca485114c8     
[计]被修饰的
参考例句：
  • The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
  • And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。
35 chamber wnky9     
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
  • For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
  • The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
36 mantle Y7tzs     
n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红
参考例句：
  • The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
  • The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。
37 outrageous MvFyH     
adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的
参考例句：
  • Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
  • Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。
38 slumber 8E7zT     
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
  • All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
  • Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。
39 eyelids 86ece0ca18a95664f58bda5de252f4e7     
n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色
参考例句：
  • She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
  • Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
40 quack f0JzI     
n.庸医；江湖医生；冒充内行的人；骗子
参考例句：
  • He describes himself as a doctor,but I feel he is a quack.他自称是医生，可是我感觉他是个江湖骗子。
  • The quack was stormed with questions.江湖骗子受到了猛烈的质问。
41 auspicious vu8zs     
adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的
参考例句：
  • The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
  • With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。
42 pretence pretence     
n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰
参考例句：
  • The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。
  • He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。
43 vagrant xKOzP     
n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的
参考例句：
  • A vagrant is everywhere at home.流浪者四海为家。
  • He lived on the street as a vagrant.他以在大街上乞讨为生。

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