In the ancient city of Speyer, there were in olden times two great bells. Neither one of these was ever rung by human hands, but it is said that an angel came down from Heaven at night to ring one of these bells whenever a person died.

One of the bells was of iron. It was rung whenever the soul of a sinful person took its flight. The other bell was of pure silver. It had been placed in the tower by a baron¹. He had erected² it with the understanding that it should never be rung until there came a person who really loved his fellow men.

When this bell was erected it was muffled³ by many bands, so that it could give forth⁴ no sound until it had been placed carefully in the tower.

It was agreed also, that if no person[58] who truly loved his fellow men should be found within the space of thirty-three years, the bell should forever remain silent. It was to be a witness against the unkindness of men.

The thirty-three years were now almost completed, and no one had been found in the whole country of whom it could be said that he unselfishly loved his fellows. Many kind deeds had been done; many brave and noble services had been performed; but when examined closely, there always seemed to be some selfish motive⁵ behind them.

The people of the valley had looked longingly⁶ day after day at this bell, and had hoped and prayed that some one might appear for whom the bell could be rung. All longed to hear its silver sound. It was said to give forth the most enchanting⁷ music. But the summers and winters came and went.

The young people who had seen the bell placed in the tower had grown old. They[59] had waited and waited, and hope began to sink in their hearts. They began to think that they should never hear the sound of the silver bell.

An awful pestilence8

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1 baron
n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王
参考例句：
Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。 The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

2 ERECTED
adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立
参考例句：
A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。 A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

3 muffled
adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）
参考例句：
muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音 There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

6 longingly
adv. 渴望地 热望地
参考例句：
He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。 Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情，一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。

7 enchanting
a.讨人喜欢的
参考例句：
His smile, at once enchanting and melancholy, is just his father's. 他那种既迷人又有些忧郁的微笑，活脱儿象他父亲。 Its interior was an enchanting place that both lured and frightened me. 它的里头是个吸引人的地方，我又向往又害怕。

8 pestilence
n.瘟疫
参考例句：
They were crazed by the famine and pestilence of that bitter winter.他们因那年严冬的饥饿与瘟疫而折磨得发狂。 A pestilence was raging in that area. 瘟疫正在那一地区流行。

9 labored
adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句：
I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句 They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

10 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 labors
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转
参考例句：
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。 来自辞典例句 Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句

12 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

13 besought
v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词)
参考例句：
The prisoner besought the judge for mercy/to be merciful. 囚犯恳求法官宽恕[乞求宽大]。 来自辞典例句 They besought him to speak the truth. 他们恳求他说实话. 来自辞典例句

14 bestowed
赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。 He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

15 bounties
（由政府提供的）奖金( bounty的名词复数 )； 赏金； 慷慨； 大方
参考例句：
They paid bounties for people to give up their weapons. 他们向放下武器的人发放赏金。 This foundation provided bounties of more than 5 million last year. 去年该基金会赠款达五百万元以上。

16 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

17 blessings
n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福
参考例句：
Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

19 quaffing
v.痛饮( quaff的现在分词 )；畅饮；大口大口将…喝干；一饮而尽
参考例句：
He is quaffing his beer by the pint. 他论品脱地大喝啤酒。 来自互联网 Its easy-quaffing quality makes it an aperitif wine. 此酒极易入口，所以一刻作为开胃酒单独饮用。 来自互联网

20 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

21 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。

22 astonishment
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。 I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

23 peal
n.钟声；v.鸣响
参考例句：
The bells of the cathedral rang out their loud peal.大教堂响起了响亮的钟声。 A sudden peal of thunder leaves no time to cover the ears.迅雷不及掩耳。

24 enraptured
v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He was enraptured that she had smiled at him. 她对他的微笑使他心荡神驰。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They were enraptured to meet the great singer. 他们和大名鼎鼎的歌手见面，欣喜若狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 splendors
n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫
参考例句：
The sun rose presently and sent its unobstructed splendors over the land. 没多大工夫，太阳就出来了，毫无阻碍，把它的光华异彩散布在大地之上。 来自辞典例句 Her mortal frame could not endure the splendors of the immortal radiance. 她那世人的肉身禁不住炽热的神光。 来自辞典例句

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