IN the German land of Würtemberg，where the acacias bloom by the high road，and the apple trees and pear trees bend in autumn under their burden of ripe fruit，lies the little town of Marbach．Although this place can only be ranked among the smaller towns，it is charmingly situated¹ on the Neckar stream，that flows on and on，hurrying past villages and old castles and green vineyards，to pour its waters into the proud Rhine．

It was late in autumn．The leaves still clung to the grape-vine，but they were already tinged，with red．Rain showers fell，and the cold wind increased．It was no pleasant time for poor folk．

The days became dark，and it was darker still in the little old-fashioned houses．One of these houses was built with its gable end towards the street，with low windows，humble² and poor enough in appearance；the family was poor，too，that inhabited the little house，but good and industrious，and rich in piety，in the treasury³ of the heart．And they expected that God would soon give them another child：the hour had come，and the mother lay in pain and sorrow．Then from the church tower the deep rich sound of the bell came to her．It was a solemn hour，and the sound of the bell filled the heart of the praying woman with trustfulness and faith；the thought of her in-most heart soared upward towards the Almighty，and in the same hour she gave birth to a son．Then she was filled with a great joy，and the bell in the tower seemed to be ringing to spread the news of her happiness over town and country．The clear child-eyes looked at her and the infant's hair gleamed like gold．Thus was the little one ushered⁴ into the world with the ringing of the church bell on the dark November day．The mother and father kissed it，and wrote in their Bible：“ On the 10th of November，1759，God gave us a son；”and soon afterwards the fact was added that the child had been baptized under the name of“Johann Christoph Friedrich”．

And what became of the little fellow，the poor boy from the little town of Marbach？Ah，at that time no one knew what would become not even the old church bell that had sung at his birth，hanging so high in the tower，over him who was one day himself to sing the beautiful “Lay of the Bell”．

Well，the boy grew older，and the world grew older with him．His parents removed to another town，but they had left dear friends in little Marbach；and therefore it was that mother and son one day went there on a visit．The lad was only six years old，but he already knew many things out of the Bible，and many a

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1 situated
adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的
参考例句：
The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。 She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

2 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。

3 treasury
n.宝库；国库，金库；文库
参考例句：
The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。 This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

4 ushered
v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。 A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 pious
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。 Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 fables
n.寓言( fable的名词复数 )；神话，传说
参考例句：
Some of Aesop's Fables are satires. 《伊索寓言》中有一些是讽刺作品。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Little Mexican boys also breathe the American fables. 墨西哥族的小孩子对美国神话也都耳濡目染。 来自辞典例句

7 redeem
v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）
参考例句：
He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。 The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

8 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

10 rusty
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。 I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

11 freckled
adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

12 cramped
a.狭窄的
参考例句：
The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。 working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

13 deafening
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The noise of the siren was deafening her. 汽笛声震得她耳朵都快聋了。 The noise of the machine was deafening. 机器的轰鸣声震耳欲聋。

14 destined
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 splendor
n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌
参考例句：
Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。 All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

16 brawled
打架，争吵( brawl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The river brawled over the rapids. 河水哗哗地流过湍滩。 Two gangs of youths brawled on the dance floor of the ferry. 两伙青年在渡轮的舞池里打起来了。

17 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

18 beech
n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的
参考例句：
Autumn is the time to see the beech woods in all their glory.秋天是观赏山毛榉林的最佳时期。 Exasperated,he leaped the stream,and strode towards beech clump.他满腔恼怒，跳过小河，大踏步向毛榉林子走去。

19 inscribed
v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接
参考例句：
His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。 The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 bust
vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部
参考例句：
I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。 She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

21 immortal
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。 The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

22 liberator
解放者
参考例句：
The best integrated turf quality was recorded in Ram I、Midnight、America、Connie、Liberator, which could be adopted in Shanxi. RamI、Midnight、America、Connie、Liberator综合质量表现均衡且分值较高，是山西省推广应用的重点品种。 It is the story of a new world that became a friend and liberator of the old. 这是一部新世界的发展史，是一部后浪推前浪的历史。

23 virtues
美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处
参考例句：
Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。 She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。