THE comet came，shone with its core of fire，andthreatened with its rod；they looked at it from the richpalace，and the poor cottage；the crowd on the streetlooked at it，and the lonely one who went his way over thepathless heath；every one had his thoughts about it．

"Come and look at the sign in the heavens！come andlook at the splendid sight，"they said，and an hastened tolook．

But in the room there sat a little boy with his mother；the tallow candle was burning，and the mother thought thatthere was a shroud¹ in the candle；the tallow stood up in apoint and curled over；that meant，she believed，that thelittle boy must soon die，the shroud turned towards him．Itwas an old superstition，and she believed it．

The little boy was really destined² to live many yearson the earth，to live and see the comet，when it reappearedmore than sixty years later．

He did not see the shroud in the candle，and had nothought for the comet，which for the first time in his lifeshone from the heavens．He sat with a mended slop－basinin front of him；in it were some soap－suds，and he dippedthe head of a clay-pipe down into it，put the stem in hismouth and blew soap-bubbles，great and small；theyswayed and floated with the most lovely colours，whichchanged from yellow to red，lilac and blue，and then be－came green，like the leaves of the forest when the sunshines through them．

"God grant thee as many years here on the earth asthe bubbles thou blowest！"

"So many，so many，"said the little one，"the soap-suds can never be all used up！"and the little one blewbubble after bubble．

"There flies a year！there flies a year！see how theyfly！"said he，with every bubble which got free and flewoff．One or two went right into his eyes；they smarted andburned，and the tears came into his eyes．In every bubblehe saw a vision of the future，shining and glittering．

"Now you can see the comet！"cried the neighbours．"Come out；don't sit inside there！"

And the mother took the little boy by the hand；hewas obliged to lay aside the clay－pipe，and stop playingwith the soap－bubbles；—the comet was there．

And the little boy saw the shining ball of fire，withthe radiant tail；some people said that it was three yardslong，others that it was millions of yards long；people seeso differently．"Children and grandchildren may be deadbefore it appears again！"people said．

Most of those who said it were really dead and gonebefore it reappeared；but the little boy for whom theshroud stood in the candle，and of whom the motherthought"He will die soon！"still lived，old and white－haired．"White hair is the flower of age！"the proverbsays，and he had many of the flowers；he was now an oldschoolmaster．The school-children said he was very wise，and knew so much；knew history，and geography，andeverything that is known about the heavenly bodies．

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1 shroud
n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏
参考例句：
His past was enveloped in a shroud of mystery.他的过去被裹上一层神秘色彩。 How can I do under shroud of a dark sky?在黑暗的天空的笼罩下，我该怎么做呢？

2 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。

3 avenge
v.为...复仇，为...报仇
参考例句：
He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。 He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

4 oars
n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。 The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dilute
vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的
参考例句：
The water will dilute the wine.水能使酒变淡。 Zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids.锌置换了稀酸中的氢。

6 pendulum
n.摆，钟摆
参考例句：
The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。 He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

7 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

8 joyful
adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的
参考例句：
She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。 They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

9 psalm
n.赞美诗，圣诗
参考例句：
The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。 The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

10 glided
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔
参考例句：
The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。 They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 misty
adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的
参考例句：
He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。 The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

12 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。