LESSON 88

THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS

手套和猛狮

James Henry Leigh Hunt, 1784-1859. Leigh Hunt, as he is commonly called, was prominent before the public for fifty years as “a writer of essays, poems, plays, novels, and criticisms.” He was born at Southgate, Middlesex, England. His mother was an American lady. He began to write for the public at a very early age. In 1808, In connection with his brother, he established “The Examiner,” a newspaper advocating liberal opinions in politics. For certain articles offensive to the government, the brothers were fined 500 Pounds each and condemned to two years’ imprisonment. Leigh fitted up his prison like a boudoir, received his friends here, and wrote several works during his confinement. Mr. Hunt was intimate with Byron, Shelley, Moore, and Keats, and was associated with Byron and Shelley in the publication of a political and literary journal. His last years were peacefully devoted to literature, and in 1847 he received a pension from the government.

King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport,

And one day, as his lions fought, sat looking on the court;

The nobles filled the benches round, the ladies by their side,

And ’mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed:

And truly ’t was a gallant thing to see that crowning show,

Valor and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below.

Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;

They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws;

With wallowing might and stifled roar, they rolled on one another:

Till all the pit, with sand and mane, was in a thunderous smother;

The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through the air:

Said Francis, then, “Faith, gentlemen, we’re better here than there.”

De Lorge’s love o’erheard the king,—a beauteous, lively dame,

With smiling lips, and sharp, bright eyes, which always seemed the same;

She thought, “The Count, my lover, is brave as brave call be,

He surely would do wondrous things to show his love for me;

King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;

I’ll drop my glove to prove his love; great glory will be mine.”

She dropped her glove to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled;

He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild;

The leap was quick, return was quick, he soon regained his place,

Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady’s face.

“In faith,” cried Francis, “rightly done!” and he rose from where he sat;

“No love,” quoth he, “but vanity, sets love a task like that.”

【中文阅读】

弗朗西斯国王是一位健壮的国王，喜爱王室娱乐活动，

一天，他养的猛狮搏斗时，他端坐目光投向院子；

达官贵人坐满长凳，贵妇们站在他们身旁，

在他们中间坐着德洛日伯爵，他为一个人悲叹：

看那无与伦比的演出，端的是壮观，

英勇和爱情，上面坐的是国王，下面就是王室的野兽。

狮子登上斜坡，咆哮狰狞，张着血盆大口；

它们瞪眼，爪子出击如闪电，还把那风声挂动；

肆意打滚，发出令人窒息的吼叫，滚到另一头狮子身上，

直到所有深坑，连着沙土和鬃毛，随着一声巨响填平；

栅栏上的血沫在空中旋动：

然后，弗朗西斯说，“忠诚，绅士们，我们最好留在这里。”

德洛日的示爱声传到国王耳畔——一位美丽动人的夫人，

笑靥绽放的双唇，明亮锐利的双眸，似乎总是那样迷人。

她心想，“伯爵，我的爱人，勇敢无畏，

他肯定会做向我表达他爱意的奇事；

国王，贵妇们，情人们，全都看着这一幕；这场合真是天赐；

我脱下手套来证明他的爱；那荣耀必将属于我。”

她脱下手套来证明他的爱，然后笑意盈盈把他看；

他弯了一下腰，刹那间纵身跳进狮群中间。

他跳如风，返回似电，又端坐在自己上，

他扔过手套，不是为了还爱，而是正中那女人的脸。

“确实，”弗朗西斯喊道，“做得对！”说着从座位起身；

“不是爱，”他说道，“虚荣才会让爱变得徒劳。”