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SECOND DAY
MATINS
In which a few hours of mystic happiness are interrupted by a most bloody1 occurrence.
Symbol sometimes of the Devil, sometimes of the Risen Christ, no animal is more untrustworthy than the cock. Our order knew some slothful ones who never crowed at sunrise. On the other hand, especially in winter, the office of matins takes place when night is still total and all nature is asleep, for the monk2 must rise in darkness and pray at length in darkness, waiting for day and illuminating3 the shadows with the flame of devotion. Therefore, custom wisely provided for some wakers, who were not to go to bed when their brothers did, but would spend the night reciting in cadence4 the exact number of psalms5 that would allow them to measure the time passed, so that, at the conclusion of the hours of sleep granted the others, they would give the signal to wake.
So that night we were waked by those who moved through the dormitory and the pilgrims’ house ringing a bell, as one monk went from cell to cell shouting, “Benedicamus Domino,” to which each answered, “Deo gratias.”
William and I followed the Benedictine custom: in less than half an hour we prepared to greet the new day, then we went down into the choir7, where the monks8, prostrate9 on the floor, reciting the first fifteen psalms, were waiting until the novices10 entered led by their master. Then each sat in his regular stall and the choir chanted, “Domine labia mea aperies et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.” The cry rose toward the vaulted11
收听单词发音
1
bloody
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染
2
monk
n.和尚,僧侣,修道士
3
illuminating
a.富于启发性的,有助阐明的
4
cadence
n.(说话声调的)抑扬顿挫
5
psalms
n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 );圣诗;圣歌;(中的)
6
psalm
n.赞美诗,圣诗
7
choir
n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱
8
monks
n.修道士,僧侣( monk的名词复数 )
9
prostrate
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的
10
novices
n.新手( novice的名词复数 );初学修士(或修女);(修会等的)初学生;尚未赢过大赛的赛马
11
vaulted
adj.拱状的
12
illuminated
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
13
almighty
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的
14
concealed
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
15
illicit
adj.非法的,禁止的,不正当的
16
dwelling
n.住宅,住所,寓所
17
virtue
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
18
vessel
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管
19
prudence
n.谨慎,精明,节俭
20
domain
n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围
21
meekness
n.温顺,柔和
22
scripture
n.经文,圣书,手稿;Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》,《圣经》中的一段
23
dozed
v.打盹儿,打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )
24
succumbed
不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的过去式和过去分词 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死
25
drowsiness
n.睡意;嗜睡
26
penance
n.(赎罪的)惩罪
27
omen
n.征兆,预兆;vt.预示
28
meditation
n.熟虑,(尤指宗教的)默想,沉思,(pl.)冥想录
29
ardor
n.热情,狂热
30
devout
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness)
31
foments
v.激起,煽动(麻烦等)( foment的第三人称单数 )
32
hostilities
n.战争;敌意(hostility的复数);敌对状态;战事
33
dispersed
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的
34
lauds
v.称赞,赞美( laud的第三人称单数 )
35
ornaments
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )
36
cloister
n.修道院;v.隐退,使与世隔绝
37
plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降
38
transgression
n.违背;犯规;罪过
39
iniquity
n.邪恶;不公正
40
pangs
突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 ); 悲痛
41
doorway
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径
42
carvings
n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 );雕刻术;雕刻品;雕刻物
43
hymn
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌
44
panes
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 )
45
splendor
n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌
46
herald
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎
47
penumbra
n.(日蚀)半影部
48
nave
n.教堂的中部;本堂
49
scented
adj.有香味的;洒香水的;有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词)
50
vaults
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴
51
ineffable
adj.无法表达的,不可言喻的
52
herds
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众
53
luminous
adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的
54
protruded
v.(使某物)伸出,(使某物)突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 )
55
corpse
n.尸体,死尸
56
clotted
adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 )
57
solidify
v.(使)凝固,(使)固化,(使)团结
58
remains
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
59
bent
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
60
beseech
v.祈求,恳求
61
amazement
n.惊奇,惊讶
62
briefly
adv.简单地,简短地
63
dealing
n.经商方法,待人态度
64
cleanse
vt.使清洁,使纯洁,清洗
65
swollen
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀
66
bruise
n.青肿,挫伤;伤痕;vt.打青;挫伤
67
bruises
n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 )
68
deserted
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
69
macabre
adj.骇人的,可怖的
70
ration
n.定量(pl.)给养,口粮;vt.定量供应
71
bustle
v.喧扰地忙乱,匆忙,奔忙;n.忙碌;喧闹
72
fiber
n.纤维,纤维质
73
discretion
n.谨慎;随意处理
74
infusion
n.灌输
75
earthenware
n.土器,陶器
76
jugs
(有柄及小口的)水壶( jug的名词复数 )
77
prod
vt.戳,刺;刺激,激励
78
flora
n.(某一地区的)植物群
79
ailing
v.生病
80
miscarriage
n.失败,未达到预期的结果;流产
81
cadavers
n.尸体( cadaver的名词复数 )
82
miraculous
adj.像奇迹一样的,不可思议的
83
touching
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
84
therapeutic
adj.治疗的,起治疗作用的;对身心健康有益的
85
virtues
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处
86
delicacy
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴
87
abrupt
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的
88
metallic
adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的
89
abruptly
adv.突然地,出其不意地