Note about Post Structure (关于内容结构的说明）

After a systematic evolution, the structure of my note of NEKOPARA Extra is quite satisfactory from my perspective, for which I make no further addition to it. As a challenge set for myself, I will attempt to comprehend this novel with no Chinese translation as reference, which takes the usual section of Translation away from this note in the meantime. Also, though common in this novel, ecclesiastical terminologies are not of interest to me and therefore often skipped.

上一篇关于猫娘乐园外传的笔记在其前者的结构基础上做了大量升级，我对成果还是相当满意，因而打算在这篇笔记中直接沿袭之前的格式。但与此同时我打算挑战一下自己，在不依靠中文译本的情况下完成这部小说的阅读，所以我拿掉了原结构中的翻译板块。这里还要提一下在原作中大量出现的基督教相关术语，由于我个人不是很感兴趣，故大部分时候一并略过。

Chapter 1: A Strange Story (第一章：奇幻的故事)Words (单词)tale

cn. Story; an actual or fictitious narrative of an event. (（尤指包含离奇内容的）故事)

To you I can refuse nothing; but I should not relate such a tale to any less experienced mind.

party

cn. A person or group involved in an enterprise; a participant or accessory. (当事人，参与方)

Usage (用法): be a party to something

So strange were the circumstances of my story, that I can scarcely believe myself to have ever actually been a party to them.

diabolic

a. Appropriate to a devil, especially in degree of wickedness or cruelty. (恶魔般的)

For more than three years I remained the victim of a most singular and diabolical illusion.

English “diabolic” and French “diabolique” are derivative adjectives from French “diable”, Italian “diavolo” and Spanish “diablo”, which could together be traced back to Latin “diabolus“, which means “devil”. This word has a Greek upstream meaning “slanderer” and bears the fruit “devil” in Modern English. It also reminds me of Blizzard’s Diablo, with eponymous Diablo being the most famous hostile boss in this game.

和英语中的形容词“diabolic”，法语中的形容词“diabolique”同源的名词是法语的“diable”，意大利语的“diavolo”和西班牙语的“diablo”。这些词都来源于拉丁语中代表恶魔的“diabolus”，并可追溯至希腊语中的“诽谤者”一词。这条演化线也产生了现代英语中的“devil”。当然说到这些就不得不提暴雪的游戏“暗黑破坏神”（英文名 Diablo），其中最有名的反派 boss 迪亚波罗的英文名就是“diablo”。

lead

vt. To pass or go through; live. (过（生活）)

Usage (用法): lead a life of something

Poor country priest though I was, I led every night in a dream— would to God it had been all a dream!— a most worldly life, a damning life, a life of a Sardanapalus.

well-nigh

ad. Nearly; almost. (几乎，非常接近)

One single look too freely cast upon a woman well-nigh caused me to lose my soul; but finally by the grace of God and the assistance of my patron saint, I succeeded in casting out the evil spirit that possessed me.

connoisseur

cn. A person of informed and discriminating taste. (鉴赏家)

Usage (用法): a connoisseur of something

By day I was a priest of the Lord, occupied with prayer and sacred things; by night, from the instant that I closed my eyes I became a young nobleman, a fine connoisseur in women, dogs, and horses; gambling, drinking, and blaspheming; and when I awoke at early daybreak, it seemed to me, on the other hand, that I had been sleeping, and had only dreamed that I was a priest.

Though English word “connoisseur” was borrowed from French as was, Modern French modified it by using “connaisseur” instead at present. Most materials that I resorted to mention the usage as “a connoisseur of” instead of “a connoisseur in”. Therefore, the text might indicate that the hero, as a young nobleman, was amongst women, dogs and horses.

“Connoisseur”源于法语，但这个词的拼写在现代法语中已经变成了“connaisseur”。值得注意的是许多语料显示“某方面的行家”应该用介词“of”，这里的介词“in”似乎强调的是男主所过的群芳环绕，宝马雕车的贵族生活。

somnambulistic

a. Relating to the person who suffers from an act or an instance of walking or performing another activity associated with wakefulness while asleep or in a sleeplike state. (患梦游症般的)

Of this somnambulistic life there now remains to me only the recollection of certain scenes and words which I cannot banish from my memory; but although I never actually left the walls of my presbytery, one would think to hear me speak that I were a man who, weary of all worldly pleasures, had become a religious, seeking to end a tempestuous life in the service of God, rather than an humble seminarist who has grown old in this obscure curacy, situated in the depths of the woods and even isolated from the life of the century.

“Somn” from Latin “somnus” means “sleep” and “ambul” from Latin “ambulare” means “to walk”. “Somnambulist” is then a noble version of English “sleepwalker”. It is the same with the situation of “noctambulation”, where “noct” from Latin “nox” means “night”. By the way, well-known “ambulance” also contains “ambul”, which was a French term for a field hospital that can “walk” across the battlefield.

“Somnambulistic”一词中“somn”源于拉丁语“somnus”指睡眠，而“ambul”源于拉丁语“ambulare”指行走，故全词指“梦游症患者有关的”。“Somnambulist”就相当于血统更高贵的“sleepwalker”。“Noctambulation”（夜行）一词也是类似的模式，其中“noct”源于拉丁语“nox”指夜晚。当然，说到“ambul”就不得不提一嘴“ambulance”，它最开始是一个法语词汇，指可在战场上移动的野战医院。

think

vt. To call to mind; remember. (想起)

Usage (用法): think to do something

Of this somnambulistic life there now remains to me only the recollection of certain scenes and words which I cannot banish from my memory; but although I never actually left the walls of my presbytery, one would think to hear me speak that I were a man who, weary of all worldly pleasures, had become a religious, seeking to end a tempestuous life in the service of God, rather than an humble seminarist who has grown old in this obscure curacy, situated in the depths of the woods and even isolated from the life of the century.

insensate

a. Lacking sense or the power to reason. (失去判断力的，无理性的)

Yes, I have loved as none in the world ever loved—with an insensate and furious passion—so violent that I am astonished it did not cause my heart to burst asunder.

asunder

ad. Into separate parts or pieces. (破成碎块，散成碎片)

Yes, I have loved as none in the world ever loved—with an insensate and furious passion—so violent that I am astonished it did not cause my heart to burst asunder.

“Asunder” or “sunder” is cognate with German “sondern”.

副词“asunder”和动词“sunder”同源于德语“sondern”。

vocation

cn. A calling of an individual by God, especially for a religious career. (圣召，神召)

Collocations (搭配): find a vocation; pursue a vocation

Usages (用法): a vocation for something; a vocation to something

From my earliest childhood I had felt a vocation to the priesthood, so that all my studies were directed with that idea in view.

“Vocation” could implies the inclination or aptness for a certain kind of work, therefore referring in particular to that to the priesthood in theology.

“Vocation”可以指对某种职业的使命感，在神学中专指对神职的使命感，即所谓的“圣召”。

infirm

a. Weak in body or mind, especially from old age or disease. (（尤指因年迈而长期）病弱的)

Twice a year only I saw my infirm and aged mother, and in those visits were comprised my sole relations with the outer world.

It reminds me of “indecent” in academic writing, where we substitute “bad” with it to maintain the formal style. “Infirm” works alike from my perspective.

这里出现的“infirm”让我想起了在学术写作中常用于替换“bad”的“indecent”，两者有异曲同工之妙。

irrevocable

a. Impossible to retract or revoke. (不可改变的)

I regretted nothing; I felt not the least hesitation at taking the last irrevocable step; I was filled with joy and impatience.

“Irrevocable” is derived from “revoke” and is cognate with “voice”, which is from Latin “vocare” meaning “to call”.

“Irrevocable”衍生于“revoke”并和“voice”同源，这一系列的词均来源于拉丁语中表示“叫喊”的“vocare”。

betroth

vt. (archaic) To promise to give in marriage. (使订婚)

Never did a betrothed lover count the slow hours with more feverish ardor; I slept only to dream that I was saying mass; I believed there could be nothing in the world more delightful than to be a priest; I would have refused to be a king or a poet in preference.

Unusual letters “tro” in “betroth” sign its primary nature. Common word “true” initially means “faithful, steadfast”, which is cognate with “betroth” here and German “Treue”. It suggests that the core of marriage as “being faithful” in the early stage.

“Betroth”中出现了现代英语中不常见的字母组合“tro”，它保留了部分早期英语的特征。如今现代英语的常用词“true”最开始的含义是“忠诚坚定的”，而这个语义就来自于和“betroth”有关的流变，并于现代德语中表示忠诚的“Treue”同源。“Betroth”的词源学同时也告诉我们当时婚约的核心就是忠贞。

ardor

vt. Intensity of emotion, especially strong desire, enthusiasm, or devotion. (激情)

Never did a betrothed lover count the slow hours with more feverish ardor; I slept only to dream that I was saying mass; I believed there could be nothing in the world more delightful than to be a priest; I would have refused to be a king or a poet in preference.

conceive

vi. To form or hold an idea. (构想)

Collocations (搭配): broadly conceive; narrowly conceive

Usage (用法): conceive of something

My ambition could conceive of no loftier aim.

“Conceive” could also be used as transitive verb, with “conceive that+ clause” being an advanced version of “think that+ clause”.

“Conceive”也可以用作及物动词，比方说代替“think”去引导从句。

inexplicable

a. Difficult or impossible to explain or account for. (无法说明的)

I tell you this in order to show you that what happened to me could not have happened in the natural order of things, and to enable you to understand that I was the victim of an inexplicable fascination.

sustain

vt. To support from below; keep from falling or sinking. (支撑)

At last the great day came. I walked to the church with a step so light that I fancied myself sustained in air, or that I had wings upon my shoulders.

In most cases we use the derived meaning of “sustain”, with its original meaning “support” being taken less.

其实“支撑”才是“sustain”的本意，只不过在大多数情况下我们采用的是它的比喻义罢了。

venerable

a. Worthy of reverence, especially by religious or historical association. (德高望重的)

The bishop, a venerable old man, seemed to me God the Father leaning over his Eternity, and I beheld Heaven through the vault of the temple.

vault

cn. An arched structure, usually of masonry or concrete, serving to cover a space. (拱顶，穹顶)

The bishop, a venerable old man, seemed to me God the Father leaning over his Eternity, and I beheld Heaven through the vault of the temple.

imprudent

a. Unwise or indiscreet; not prudent. (轻率的)

Ah, truly spake Job when he declared that the imprudent man is one who hath not made a covenant with his eyes!

sanctuary

cn. The holiest part of a sacred place, as the part of a Christian church around the altar. (圣堂)

I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her—although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing—a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence.

In Blizzard’s Overwatch, a match in Nepal may consist of three maps, one of which is the indoor “Sanctuary”.

在暴雪的游戏 守望先锋 里，尼泊尔这张地图包括三张小图，其中“圣所”的英文就是“sanctuary”。

railing

cn. A structure made of a rail, often connecting a series of upright members, that is used as a guard or barrier or for support, as on a balcony or next to a staircase. (（通常指金属或木头的）栏杆，围栏)

I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her—although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing—a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence.

attire

vt. To dress or clothe, especially in fine or elaborate garments. (着装)

I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her—although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing—a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence.

taper

cn. A small or very slender candle. (细枝小蜡烛)

The bishop, so radiantly glorious but an instant before, suddenly vanished away, the tapers paled upon their golden candlesticks like stars in the dawn, and a vast darkness seemed to fill the whole church.

With “candlestick” being not “a stick of candle” but the object holding a candle, the “taper” means, however, a slender kind of candle here.

注意“candlestick”指的是烛台而非蜡烛，这里“taper”指的才是蜡烛，专指细长的小蜡烛。

revelation

un. A manifestation of divine will or truth. (启示)

The charming creature appeared in bright relief against the background of that darkness, like some angelic revelation.

On contrary to the “arrival” in our mind, angel without a material existence might concretize itself through “manifestation”, which is also named “revelation”, the noun of “reveal”.

说到“天使降临”我们可能会想到“arrival”这个词，但是天使的降临其实是形成一个新的物质实体的过程，这种具象化过程在神学中用“reveal”（指揭露）的名词形式“revelation”来表述。

prismatic

a. Brilliantly colored; iridescent. (灿烂耀眼的)

In another minute, nevertheless, I reopened my eyes, for through my eyelashes I still beheld her, all sparkling with prismatic colors, and surrounded with such a purple penumbra as one beholds in gazing at the sun.

thence

ad. From that place; from there. (从那里)

The greatest painters, who followed ideal beauty into heaven itself, and thence brought back to earth the true portrait of the Madonna, never in their delineations even approached that wildly beautiful reality which I saw before me.

bearing

sn. A person’s demeanor, including posture and gestures. (举止，风度)

She was rather tall, with a form and bearing of a goddess.

diadem

vt. To adorn with or as if with a crown. (加冕)

Her hair, of a soft blonde hue, was parted in the midst and flowed back over her temples in two rivers of rippling gold; she seemed a diademed queen.

“Diadem”, being cognate with French diadème, is from Latin “diadema” “cloth band worn around the head as a sign of royalty”, which is further originates from Greek. Herein, “dia-” means “cross” and “dema” from “dein” means “to bind”.

“Diadem”和法语“diadème”源于拉丁语“diadem”，指皇室成员在头上佩戴的衣带。追溯至希腊语它来自于“diadein”一词，其中“dia-”表示“穿过”，“dein”表示“连结”。

bluish

a. Somewhat blue. (略带蓝色的)

Her forehead, bluish-white in its transparency, extended its calm breadth above the arches of her eyebrows, which by a strange singularity were almost black, and admirably relieved the effect of sea-green eyes of unsustainable vivacity and brilliancy.

Color words like “bluish” are boring. I remember my senior laboratory colleague used “yellowish” to describe a novel compound in her paper, which incurred our discussion over its necessity.

像“bluish”这样的颜色词汇多少有点无趣，我记得我的师姐在论文里描绘化合物的颜色用了一个“yellowish”，我还和另一个师姐讨论过这个词的必要性。

Reference:\(\quad\)Anal. Chem. 2021, 93, 5267−5276（参考资料见左侧链接）

vivacity

un. The quality or condition of being vivacious; liveliness. (活泼)

Her forehead, bluish-white in its transparency, extended its calm breadth above the arches of her eyebrows, which by a strange singularity were almost black, and admirably relieved the effect of sea-green eyes of unsustainable vivacity and brilliancy.

limpidity

cn. Characterized by transparent clearness; pellucid. (清澈透明)

They had a life, a limpidity, an ardor, a humid light which I have never seen in human eyes; they shot forth rays like arrows, which I could distinctly see enter my heart.

English “limpid” and French “limpide” are both from Latin “limpidus” “clear” and further from “limpa” “water goddess”.

英语“limpid”和法语“limpide”同源，都来自表示“清澈”的拉丁语“limpidus”，而这可能来源于水之女神的名字“limpa”。

spring

vi. To develop or originate. (出现)

Usages (用法): spring from someone; spring from something

That woman was either an angel or a demon, perhaps both. Assuredly she never sprang from the flank of Eve, our common mother.

lustrous

a. Having a sheen or glow; gleaming. (光彩熠熠的)

Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks.

I thought of “lust” as its root at first and got confused in my first three times of reading this. After my consulting dictionary, I remembered “lustre” in French and got the key of it. Anyway, “lustrous” is quite different from “lustful”.

我一开始以为“lustrous”是“lust”来的，看了三遍也没看明白这个句子怎么理解。查了字典我才想起来“lustrous”和法语的“lustre”才是同源的，和“lustful”差别很大。

ruddy

a. Having a healthy, reddish color. (红润的)

Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks.

inflection

a. A change of curvature from convex to concave or vice versa. (弯曲)

Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks.

dimple

cn. A small natural indentation in the flesh on a part of the human body, especially in the cheek or on the chin. (（尤指人面部的）酒窝)

Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks.

satiny

a. Like satin; smooth; glossy. (缎子似的)

Teeth of the most lustrous pearl gleamed in her ruddy smile, and at every inflection of her lips little dimples appeared in the satiny rose of her adorable cheeks.

regal

a. Belonging to or befitting a monarch. (帝王的)

There was a delicacy and pride in the regal outline of her nostrils bespeaking noble blood.

nostril

cn. Either of the external openings of the nose; a naris. (鼻孔)

There was a delicacy and pride in the regal outline of her nostrils bespeaking noble blood.

bespeak

vt. To be or give a sign of; indicate. (暗示；表明)

There was a delicacy and pride in the regal outline of her nostrils bespeaking noble blood.

agate

cn. A fine-grained, fibrous variety of chalcedony with colored bands or irregular clouding. (玛瑙)

Agate gleams played over the smooth lustrous skin of her half-bare shoulders, and strings of great blonde pearls— almost equal to her neck in beauty of color—descended upon her bosom.

undulate

vi. To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion. (波动，起伏)

From time to time she elevated her head with the undulating grace of a startled serpent or peacock, thereby imparting a quivering motion to the high lace ruff which surrounded it like a silver trellis-work.

impart

vt. To pass on; transmit. (传播)

From time to time she elevated her head with the undulating grace of a startled serpent or peacock, thereby imparting a quivering motion to the high lace ruff which surrounded it like a silver trellis-work.

Perhaps I’m impacted or impaired by a recent perverted homonym, I somehow find myself somewhat confused about “impart”, “impact” and “impair”…

我突然发现我好像弄混了“impart”，“impact”和“impair”，不能排除这是受到最近网上垃圾谐音梗的影响。

ruff

cn. A stiffly starched frilled or pleated circular collar of lace, muslin, or other fine fabric, worn by men and women in the 1500s and 1600s. (（16及17世纪欧洲人衣服上的）轮状皱领)

From time to time she elevated her head with the undulating grace of a startled serpent or peacock, thereby imparting a quivering motion to the high lace ruff which surrounded it like a silver trellis-work.

trellis

cn. A structure of open latticework, especially one used as a support for vines and other climbing plants. (（植物生长攀爬的）棚，架)

From time to time she elevated her head with the undulating grace of a startled serpent or peacock, thereby imparting a quivering motion to the high lace ruff which surrounded it like a silver trellis-work.

ermine

un. White fur of a weasel (Mustela erminea) native to northern regions, having a black-tipped tail and dark brown fur that in winter changes to white. (白鼬毛皮)

She wore a robe of orange-red velvet, and from her wide ermine-lined sleeves there peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent that, like the fingers of Aurora, they permitted the light to shine through them.

Ermine is a fabric of great value in European society, which is commonly used as formal clothes decoration of kings, queens, etc.

在欧洲社会里，白鼬皮是一种珍贵的皮草，在正装上使用白鼬皮甚至是皇室的象征。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

line

vt. To fit a covering to the inside surface of. (衬)

She wore a robe of orange-red velvet, and from her wide ermine-lined sleeves there peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent that, like the fingers of Aurora, they permitted the light to shine through them.

patrician

cn. A member of an aristocracy; an aristocrat. (贵族)

She wore a robe of orange-red velvet, and from her wide ermine-lined sleeves there peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent that, like the fingers of Aurora, they permitted the light to shine through them.

“Patrician”, from Latin “patricius“, is quite an excellent example of etymology analysis, where “patri” from Latin “pater” means “father”.

“Patrician”这个词很值得从词源学的角度研究一下，它源于拉丁语“patricius”，指古罗马时代的贵族，其中“patri”来自于指父亲的“pater”。

escape

vt. To be outside the memory or understanding of; fail to be remembered or understood by. (被忘掉)

All these details I can recollect at this moment as plainly as though they were of yesterday, for notwithstanding I was greatly troubled at the time, nothing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, the velvety floss upon the brow, the quivering shadows of the eyelashes upon the cheeks—I could notice everything with astonishing lucidity of perception.

speck

cn. A small spot, mark, or discoloration. (斑点)

All these details I can recollect at this moment as plainly as though they were of yesterday, for notwithstanding I was greatly troubled at the time, nothing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, the velvety floss upon the brow, the quivering shadows of the eyelashes upon the cheeks—I could notice everything with astonishing lucidity of perception.

floss

un. Short or waste silk fibers, especially from the outer surface of the cocoon of a silkworm. (丝线)

All these details I can recollect at this moment as plainly as though they were of yesterday, for notwithstanding I was greatly troubled at the time, nothing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, the velvety floss upon the brow, the quivering shadows of the eyelashes upon the cheeks—I could notice everything with astonishing lucidity of perception.

lucidity

un. The quality, state, or art of clarity in thought and style. (（人）头脑清醒)

All these details I can recollect at this moment as plainly as though they were of yesterday, for notwithstanding I was greatly troubled at the time, nothing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, the velvety floss upon the brow, the quivering shadows of the eyelashes upon the cheeks—I could notice everything with astonishing lucidity of perception.

“Lucidity” is from Latin “lucere” meaning “to shine” and further “lux” meaning “light”. However, it’s meaning has shifted to focusing on some abstract “being clear”.

“Lucidity”源于拉丁语中指“发光”的“lucere”，进而源于指“光”的“lux”。但在现代英语里“lucidity”更偏向于指一些抽象的“明亮”状态。

pincer

pn. A grasping tool having two parts hinged together to work in opposition. (钳子)

A frightful anguish commenced to torture my heart as with red-hot pincers.

but

ad. Merely; just; only. (仅仅)

A frightful anguish commenced to torture my heart as with red-hot pincers. Every successive minute seemed to me at once but a second and yet a century.

The most unacceptable disturbance in reading comprehension is subjectivity. I was trapped in finding a way to meet my pre-existing understanding of slow-motion time. However, it is a combination of “minute seemed ‘only’ a second” and “minute seemed a century” here, where “and yet” acts as “but”. It manifested a time-view in contradiction indeed.

做阅读理解切忌犯主观臆断的错误。我一看到这个句子就觉得是作“度日如年”解释，凑了很久也没有进展。但这里实际上是用表转折的“and yet”连接了“minute seemed ‘only’ a second”和“minute seemed a century”两个系表结构。

shred

pn. A long irregular strip that is cut or torn off. (细条，碎片)

Collocation (搭配): tattered shreds

Usage (用法): be in(to) shreds

Thus it is, doubtless, that so many poor novices take the veil, though they have resolved to tear it into shreds at the moment when called upon to utter the vows.

cope

cn. A long ecclesiastical vestment worn over an alb or surplice. (斗篷式祭衣，大圆衣)

All those eyes, all those wills seem to weigh down upon you like a cope of lead; and, moreover, measures have been so well
taken, everything has been so thoroughly arranged beforehand and after a fashion so evidently irrevocable, that the will yields to the weight of circumstances and utterly breaks down.

yield

vi. To give up, as in defeat; surrender or submit. (屈服)

All those eyes, all those wills seem to weigh down upon you like a cope of lead; and, moreover, measures have been so well
taken, everything has been so thoroughly arranged beforehand and after a fashion so evidently irrevocable, that the will yields to the weight of circumstances and utterly breaks down.

disdain

un. A feeling or show of contempt and aloofness; scorn. (轻视，蔑视，鄙视)

Collocations (搭配): glacial disdain; aristocratic disdain; haughty disdain

Usages (用法): be in disdain; disdain for someone; disdain for something

Her look had at first been one of caressing tenderness; it changed to an air of disdain and of mortification, as though at not having been able to make itself understood.

mortification

cn. Discipline of the body and the appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation, especially when undertaken for religious reasons. (禁欲)

Her look had at first been one of caressing tenderness; it changed to an air of disdain and of mortification, as though at not having been able to make itself understood.

“Mort” from Latin “mors” means “death” and “mortify” from Latin “mortificare” means “make dead”. From the very beginning, “mortification” implied the action of killing the flesh and suppressing bodily desires.

“mortification”一词中“mort”源于拉丁语“mors”指死亡，类似的“mortify”源于拉丁语“mortificare”指使死亡。这个词的本意就是指杀死肉体，也就是抑制肉体的种种欲望。

palate

cn. The roof of the mouth; taste. (腭)

With an effort of will sufficient to have uprooted a mountain, I strove to cry out that I would not be a priest, but I could not speak; my tongue seemed nailed to my palate, and I found it impossible to express my will by the least syllable of negation.

shriek

vi. To make a sound similar to a shriek. (尖叫)

Usage (用法): shriek at someone

Though fully awake, I felt like one under the influence of a nightmare, who vainly strives to shriek out the one word upon which life depends.

martyrdom

un. Extreme suffering of any kind. (极大的痛苦)

She seemed conscious of the martyrdom I was undergoing, and, as though to encourage me, she gave me a look replete with divinest promise.

“Martyrdom” means the death of a martyr. Its figurative meaning is used here.

“Martyrdom”的本义是殉道，这里用其比喻义。

replete

a. Abundantly supplied; abounding. (充满的)

She seemed conscious of the martyrdom I was undergoing, and, as though to encourage me, she gave me a look replete with divinest promise.

aught

pron. Anything whatever; any part. (任何事物)

I am Beauty, I am Youth, I am Life. Come to me! Together we shall be Love. Can Jehovah offer thee aught in exchange?

—Clarimonde

chalice

cn. A cup for the consecrated wine of the Eucharist. (（基督教仪式中用金或银装饰的）圣餐杯)

Fling forth the wine of that chalice, and thou art free.

—Clarimonde

pavilion

cn. An ornate tent. (华美的帐篷)

Thou shalt sleep in my bosom upon a bed of massy gold under a silver pavilion, for I love thee and would take thee away from thy God, before whom so many noble hearts pour forth floods of love which never reach even the steps of His throne!

—Clarimonde

sonorous

a. Having or producing sound. (有声的)

These words seemed to float to my ears in a rhythm of infinite sweetness, for her look was actually sonorous, and the utterances of her eyes were reechoed in the depths of my heart as though living lips had breathed them into my life.

renounce

vt. To decide or declare that one will no longer adhere to (a belief or position); reject. (弃绝)

I felt myself willing to renounce God, and yet my tongue mechanically fulfilled all the formalities of the ceremony.

“Renounce”, being cognate with French “renoncer”, from Latin “renuntiare” means “bring back word; protest against”. It is true that Modern English uses “re-” to express “again”. However, back to the age of Latin, “re-” also conveyed the meaning of “against”.

“Renounce”和法语中的“renoncer”同源，都来自拉丁语“renuntiare”指说反话或反对。要注意的是这里“re-”的前缀，现代英语中它大多数时候指“再一次”，但拉丁语中这个前缀可以表示“反对”之意。

beseech

vt. Pray, petition, beg eagerly for; implore urgently. (恳求，乞求)

The fair one gave me another look, so beseeching, so despairing the keen blades seemed to pierce my heart, and I felt my bosom transfixed by more swords than those of Our Lady of Sorrows.

transfix

vt. To pierce or impale with a pointed weapon or object. (（用长的、尖利的物体）刺穿)

The fair one gave me another look, so beseeching, so despairing the keen blades seemed to pierce my heart, and I felt my bosom transfixed by more swords than those of Our Lady of Sorrows.

I used to resort to “penetrate” for this meaning, which seems to focus more on the result than that sense of sharpness.

我原来在写到被利器“贯穿”这个意思的时候常用“penetrated”凑合，它更多表达的是被穿过的结果而体现不出刺穿动作的锋利感，“transfix”弥补了这个缺憾。

Phrases (短语)by the grace of god

ad. By the direction, blessings, or assistance of a higher power (e.g., God). (承蒙上帝的恩典)

One single look too freely cast upon a woman well-nigh caused me to lose my soul; but finally by the grace of God and the assistance of my patron saint, I succeeded in casting out the evil spirit that possessed me.

“Grace” here means an excellence or power granted by God.

这里“grace”一词指的是来自上帝的恩典，恩宠。

not in the least

ad. Not at all or in any way. (一点也不)

I regretted nothing; I felt not the least hesitation at taking the last irrevocable step; I was filled with joy and impatience.

Honestly I am uncertain about the expression here. In my opinion, “I didn’t feel the least hesitation”, “I felt no hesitation” or “I hesitated not in the least” seem more formal.

这里的表述很奇怪，我认为“I didn’t feel the least hesitation”，“I felt no hesitation”或者“I hesitated not in the least”都比这里的表述标准。

as though

conj. Similar to, likened to, or fashioned after something like it were the truth. (好像)

All these details I can recollect at this moment as plainly as though they were of yesterday, for notwithstanding I was greatly troubled at the time, nothing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, the velvety floss upon the brow, the quivering shadows of the eyelashes upon the cheeks—I could notice everything with astonishing lucidity of perception.

Expressions (其它表达)”disturb the ashes of memory”

My story is a strange and terrible one; and though I am sixty-six years of age, I scarcely dare even now to disturb the ashes of that memory.

“would to God”

Poor country priest though I was, I led every night in a dream— would to God it had been all a dream!— a most worldly life, a damning life, a life of a Sardanapalus.

“Would to God” seems to be an idiom traced back to Genesis, which means “wish” but is more emphatic.

“Would to God”似乎是一个可以追溯至《旧约·创世纪》的习惯表达，用于表达强烈的希望。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“a life of a Sardanapalus”

Poor country priest though I was, I led every night in a dream— would to God it had been all a dream!— a most worldly life, a damning life, a life of a Sardanapalus.

Sardanapalus (or Sardanapallus) is a legendary king (might be the last king) of Assyria, which alludes to tragic fate here. Also, some documents suggest that Sardanapalus led a sybaritic life while I’m not sure if it implies some sensual stories of the lovers here.

Sardanapalus（又作 Sardanapallus）是传说中亚述帝国的末代君王，在此被用于代指悲剧的命运。有一些资料显示 Sardanapalus 是一位骄奢淫逸的君主，从这个角度思考，或许作者用此典也是在暗示主角故事中的情欲成分。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“in a vague sort of way”

My world was confined by the walls of the college and the seminary. I knew in a vague sort of a way that there was something called Woman, but I never permitted my thoughts to dwell on such a subject, and I lived in a state of perfect innocence.

Sadly is not an entry to refer in my chosen dictionary while many materials suggest that it is somewhat a idiom to say “in a somehow sort of way”, which is probably an allosteric form of “in a sort of somehow way”.

虽然我没在词典里找到这个词条，但许多语料都显示“in a XX sort of way”是一个相对固定的说法，而其语义就相当于“in a sort of XX way”。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“were comprised”

Twice a year only I saw my infirm and aged mother, and in those visits were comprised my sole relations with the outer world.

The difference between Chinese and English should be noticed here, where we might directly say, in Chinese, “those visits” comprise “my relations with the outer world” while English works on maintaining the composition relation logical, resorting to passive voice for an objective narration.

这里我们可以关注一下英语和汉语在叙述上的区别：汉语可能直接会用“那些拜访（的经历）构成了我与外界的全部联系”这样的表述；但在英语中合乎逻辑的组成关系更为重要，由于“拜访”并不能直接构成“联系”，英语采用了被动语态的叙述去忽略“构成联系”的具体对象。

“a covenant with someone’s eyes”

Ah, truly spake Job when he declared that the imprudent man is one who hath not made a covenant with his eyes! I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her—although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing—a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence.

It is another allusion from the Old Testament. In Job, Job defensed his own integrity, avoiding lust by “making a covenant with his eyes” and no longer “gazing at a virgin”. “Covenant” here means agreement or pact and “spake”, “hath” are archaic forms of “spoke” and “has” respectively.

这里是用了另一个《圣经》中的典故，《旧约·约伯记》记载约伯为了排除色欲的诱惑，保存他自身的纯正而“与眼睛立约”，不再“恋恋瞻望处女”。这里“covenant”一词指“契约”，“spake”和“hath”分别是“spoke”和“has”的古写法。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

“scales fall from someone’s eyes”

I accidentally lifted my head, which until then I had kept down, and beheld before me, so close that it seemed that I could have touched her—although she was actually a considerable distance from me and on the further side of the sanctuary railing—a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence. It seemed as though scales had suddenly fallen from my eyes.

“pale like stars in the dawn”

The bishop, so radiantly glorious but an instant before, suddenly vanished away, the tapers paled upon their golden candlesticks like stars in the dawn, and a vast darkness seemed to fill the whole church.

“herself”

The charming creature appeared in bright relief against the background of that darkness, like some angelic revelation. She seemed herself radiant, and radiating light rather than receiving it.

It cost me a lot to find “seem” as a transitive verb in material and I failed. Later I was reminded that “herself” could be for emphasizing here. “She seemed herself radiant” might be an allosteric “she seemed radiant herself”.

我通过各种渠道想找“seem”的及物用法，但似乎这个词永远都是不及物来用。后来有前辈提醒我这里的“herself”可能起一种强调作用，也就是说原句相当于“she seemed radiant herself”的变构。

“behold through someone’s eyelashes”

I lowered my eyelids, firmly resolved not to again open them, that I might not be influenced by external objects, for distraction had gradually taken possession of me until I hardly knew what I was doing.
In another minute, nevertheless, I reopened my eyes, for through my eyelashes I still beheld her, all sparkling with prismatic colors, and surrounded with such a purple penumbra as one beholds in gazing at the sun.

“Eyelashes” are those short hairs fringing the edge of the eyelid. Here, the hero’s “beholding through his eyelashes” suggests that he remained his head low while couldn’t help to steal a glance at the beauty.

“Eyelash”指的是睫毛，显然当一个人“透过他的眉毛看面前的人”的时候他头的姿态是向下的。这里暗示男主即使低着头但还是忍不住去看女主的美貌。

“purple penumbra”

In another minute, nevertheless, I reopened my eyes, for through my eyelashes I still beheld her, all sparkling with prismatic colors, and surrounded with such a purple penumbra as one beholds in gazing at the sun.

“portrait of the Madonna”

Oh, how beautiful she was! The greatest painters, who followed ideal beauty into heaven itself, and thence brought back to earth the true portrait of the Madonna, never in their delineations even approached that wildly beautiful reality which I saw before me.

“Madonna” means the Virgin Mary, especially as depicted in art.

“Madonna”常用于特指艺术品描绘的圣母玛丽亚的形象。

“rippling gold”

Her hair, of a soft blonde hue, was parted in the midst and flowed back over her temples in two rivers of rippling gold; she seemed a diademed queen.

“fingers of Aurora”

She wore a robe of orange-red velvet, and from her wide ermine-lined sleeves there peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent that, like the fingers of Aurora, they permitted the light to shine through them.

Roman “Aurora” (or Greek “Eos”) is the goddess of dawn in Greek and Roman mythology. Homer used “rosy-fingered” in his The Odyssey to describe Dawn, which later became a famous epithet.

罗马神话里的欧若拉和希腊神话里的厄俄斯司掌黎明、曙光。荷马曾在《奥德赛》中用“rosy-fingered”（本意指“如玫瑰色手指一般的”）的表述去描写曙光女神将光明降于世间的情状，此后这演变为一个著名的别称。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

“Jehovah”

I am Beauty, I am Youth, I am Life. Come to me! Together we shall be Love. Can Jehovah offer thee aught in exchange?

—Clarimonde

“Jehovah” is the personal name of God in Old Testament, which was translated from Hebrew. It also has variants like “Jahveh” or “Yahweh”. It was not until I saw this entry that I understand the origin of “Jenova” in Final Fantasy Ⅶ. My friend told me that Japanese role-laying games (JRPGs) are always portraying anything ecclesiastical as nothing good.

“Jehovah”译作“耶和华”，它译自希伯来语，是《旧约》中上帝的名字。“Jahveh”和“Yahweh”也是相关联的一些变体。看到这些我才意识到 最终幻想Ⅶ 里那个“万恶之源”的 Jenova 拼写应该就是来源于此。听说日本的 RPG 游戏的确是有这种“教会都是坏东西”的烂梗。

“Our Lady of Sorrows”

The fair one gave me another look, so beseeching, so despairing the keen blades seemed to pierce my heart, and I felt my bosom transfixed by more swords than those of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Both “Our Lady of Sorrows” and “Mater Dolorosa” are the titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which refer to the sufferings she endured as the Mother of Jesus.

“Our Lady of Sorrows”和”Mater Dolorosa“都是给圣母玛丽亚的称号，这些称号侧重于表现她作为耶稣基督的母亲所受的各种苦难。

About Grammar (语法碎片)Second person pronouns in Early Modern English (早期现代英语中的第二人称代词)

If thou wilt be mine, I shall make thee happier than God Himself in His paradise. The angels themselves will be jealous of thee. Tear off that funeral shroud in which thou art about to wrap thyself. I am Beauty, I am Youth, I am Life. Come to me!

—Clarimonde

Shakespeare’s language launched the transition from Middle English to Early Modern English. Its pronouns were similar to what we use today, with the main difference lying in the second person pronouns like “thou“, “thee” and “thy” we abolish today. My German teacher often talks about the significance of table in German learning. It is, however, a universal strategy for language learning from my perspectives. The table of second person pronouns in Early Modern English goes vide infra:

NumberNominativeObliqueGenitivePossessiveReflexive
Singularthoutheethy / thinethinethyself
Pluralyeyouyouryoursyourselves

莎翁的写作标志着英语从中古英语开始转向早期现代英语，除了第二人称代词以外，这时它的人称代词和现代英语已经相差无几。这些我们现在已然不再使用的“thou”，“thee”，“thy”也随之成为了早期现代英语的一种鲜明标志。我的德语老师常常强调表格在德语学习中的重要性，但其实我认为表格对学习所有语言都一样重要，如下是早期现代英语中的第二人称代词表：

数主格宾格属格（形容词性物主代词）所有格（名词性物主代词）反身代词
单数thoutheethy / thinethinethyself
复数yeyouyouryoursyourselves

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

Chapter 2: Root Imperishable (第二章：不灭之根)Words (单词)consummate

vt. To bring to completion or fruition; conclude. (完结)

ALL was consummated: I had become a priest.

affiance

vt. (archaic) To bind in a pledge of marriage; betroth. (使订婚)

The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable.

This one is even more archaic than “betroth” that it is forgotten by the Cambridge Dictionary, while its etymology analysis is as interesting as the other. Being cognate with French “fiancer” and famous “fiancée”, “affiance” originates from Latin “fidare” meaning “to trust” and “fides” meaning “faith”.

看起来“affiance”比“betroth”还要过时，剑桥词典甚至没有收录这个词，但是它的词源学值得一提。和“betroth”有点类似的是“affiance”源于拉丁语中同样表示“忠实”的“fides”，现代法语中表示“订婚”，产生如今广泛使用的“未婚妻”“fiancée”一词的“fiancer”和与之同源。

threshold

cn. A piece of wood or stone placed beneath a door; a doorsill. (门槛)

The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable.

The origin of “threshold” still remains elusive. A spelling of “thresh-hold” also appears in this novel, which is in line with a theory that the former moiety of “threshold” was from “thresh”. Its original sense of “stamping, treading” was obsolete, but, through a specialization of “separating grains from husks by stamping”, the word itself survived to simply indicate “separating grains from husks”.

“Threshold”的词源学界尚未完全弄清，本书后文中另出现了一个“thresh-hold”的拼写，正支持了“threshold”前半部分来源于“thresh”的假说。“Thresh”一词最开始指“跺脚，踏脚”，后来具体化指“通过脚踏的方式给谷物脱粒”，现在它的原意被废用，只剩下指“脱粒”这一含义。

miser

cn. One who lives very meagerly in order to hoard money. (守财奴)

The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable.

“Miser” was from “miserable”, with its original sense being obsolete, and shifted to imply “money-hoarding person”. Money is the root of all evil, right?

“Miser”的确是源自表示“痛苦的”的“miserable”，但现在它的原意被废弃了，只用来指守财奴。这很好理解，毕竟“钱是万恶之源”嘛。

inconsolable

a. Impossible or difficult to console; despondent. (伤心欲绝的)

The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable.

livid

a. Ashen or pallid. (面色苍白的)

As for myself, I staggered toward the door of the church, livid as death, my forehead bathed with a sweat bloodier than that of Calvary; I felt as though I were being strangled; the vault seemed to have flattened down upon my shoulders, and it seemed to me that my head alone sustained the whole weight of the dome.

strangle

vt. To kill by squeezing the throat so as to choke or suffocate; throttle. (扼死，勒死)

Usage (用法): strangle with something

As for myself, I staggered toward the door of the church, livid as death, my forehead bathed with a sweat bloodier than that of Calvary; I felt as though I were being strangled; the vault seemed to have flattened down upon my shoulders, and it seemed to me that my head alone sustained the whole weight of the dome.

garb

vt. To clothe; dress. (穿（某种特定式样的）服装)

At the corner of a street, while the young priest’s attention was momentarily turned in another direction, a negro page, fantastically garbed, approached me, and without pausing on his way slipped into my hand a little pocket-book with gold-embroidered corners, at the same time giving me a sign to hide it.

embroider

vt. To ornament with needlework. (刺绣)

At the corner of a street, while the young priest’s attention was momentarily turned in another direction, a negro page, fantastically garbed, approached me, and without pausing on his way slipped into my hand a little pocket-book with gold-embroidered corners, at the same time giving me a sign to hide it.

clasp

cn. A fastening, such as a hook or buckle, used to hold two or more objects or parts together. (搭扣)

I concealed it in my sleeve, and there kept it until I found myself alone in my cell. Then I opened the clasp.

celebrate

vt. To make widely known; display. (使闻名)

So little acquainted was I at that time with the things of this world that I had never heard of Clarimonde, celebrated as she was, and I had no idea as to where die Concini Palace was situated.

hazard

vt. To venture (something). (冒险提出（尤指猜测、建议等）)

I hazarded a thousand conjectures, each more extravagant than the last; but, in truth, I cared little whether she were a great lady or a courtesan, so that I could but see her once more.

conjecture

cn. Opinion or judgment based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence; guesswork. (猜测)

Usages (用法): a conjecture about something; a conjecture as to something

I hazarded a thousand conjectures, each more extravagant than the last; but, in truth, I cared little whether she were a great lady or a courtesan, so that I could but see her once more.

courtesan

cn. A woman prostitute, especially one whose clients are members of a royal court or men of high social standing. (高级妓女)

I hazarded a thousand conjectures, each more extravagant than the last; but, in truth, I cared little whether she were a great lady or a courtesan, so that I could but see her once more.

A reviewer of an early manuscript of this note wondered the exact difference between “courtesan” and “prostitute”. From a view of etymology, “courtesan” from Italian “cortigiana” is an euphemism literally meaning “woman of the court”. It might therefore mean prostitute but for different clients anyway while I, having heard of the extreme difficulty for a woman to be involved with history, do not really take it. Recently I read a little about Cleopatra and noticed that some historians also evaluated her as “a queenly courtesan”, which made me reaffirm my perspective that “courtesan” could somewhat be a title sometimes.

本笔记草稿的审稿者日前就“courtesan”一词提问，好奇它和普通妓女相比“具体是在哪里高级”。从词源学的角度分析，“courtesan”一词源于意大利语的“cortigiana”，字面意义指“宫廷中的女人”，但这可能只是一种委婉表达而已。虽然说这样看起来“courtesan”也就是只是服务对象高端一点的妓女罢了，但我并不完全这么认为，毕竟说实话，能载入史册的女性绝非等闲之辈。我最近读了一点关于埃及艳后的材料，看到有的史学家将其评价为“女王身份的 courtesan”。这么说来我觉得“courtesan”的含金量又提高了。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

suffice

vi. To be equal to a specified task; be capable. (足够)

Usage (用法): suffice to do something

That woman had completely taken possession of me. One look from her had sufficed to change my very nature.

“Suffice” is to “sufficient” what “differ” is to “different”.

类比“differ”和“different”的关系，“suffice”可以用来替换“sufficient”相关的表达。

reiterate

vt. To say or do again or repeatedly. (反复地说)

I only needed to close my eyes in order to see her distinctly as though she were actually present; and I reiterated to myself the words she had uttered in my ear at the church porch: “Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done?”

funereal

a. Mournful; gloomy; dismal. (哀悼的)

I comprehended at last the full horror of my situation, and the funereal and awful restraints of the state into which I had just entered became clearly revealed to me.

I am not sure about the source, but “funeral” and “funereal” are absolutely different words, where adjective “funeral” means “related to noun ‘funeral'” while “funereal” means “suitable for noun ‘funeral'”.

我没太查明白词源，但毫无疑问“funeral”和“funereal”是两个单词。前者作形容词表示“与葬礼有关的”，而后者则表示“适于葬礼的”。

chaste

a. Abstaining from sexual relations that are not sanctioned by certain religious laws or moral principles. (贞洁的)

To be a priest!—that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one’s own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one’s self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.

cloister

cn. A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion. (修道院)

To be a priest!—that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one’s own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one’s self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.

“Cloister” originally means the covered walk around a quadrangle in a religious institution and implies the institution itself here.

“Cloister”一开始指的是宗教建筑中的回廊，在文学作品中也代指宗教建筑，

about

ad. All around; on every side. (到处)

To be a priest!—that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one’s own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one’s self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.

From my perspective, “about” may mean “everywhere”, according to the “ever” ahead.

我认为这里的“about”是和前文时间角度的“ever”对应，表达空间角度的“到处”之意。

pall

cn. A cover for a coffin, bier, or tomb, often made of black, purple, or white velvet. (棺罩，墓布)

To be a priest!—that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one’s own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one’s self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.

subterranean

a. Situated or operating beneath the earth’s surface; underground. (地下的)

And I felt life rising within me like a subterranean lake, expanding and overflowing; my blood leaped fiercely through my arteries; my long-restrained youth suddenly burst into active being, like the aloe which blooms but once in a hundred years, and then bursts into blossom with a clap of thunder.

aloe

cn. Succulent plants having rosettes of leaves usually with fiber like hemp and spikes of showy flowers; found chiefly in Africa. (芦荟)

And I felt life rising within me like a subterranean lake, expanding and overflowing; my blood leaped fiercely through my arteries; my long-restrained youth suddenly burst into active being, like the aloe which blooms but once in a hundred years, and then bursts into blossom with a clap of thunder.

It is true that Aloe vera can bloom and much more frequently than once a hundred years, but, strictly restricted by temperature and humidity, it is still rare to see.

事实上芦荟（Aloe vera）是会开花的， 而且肯定不是说一百年才一次。但开花需要严苛的温湿度条件，即使在现代园艺看来也有一定难度。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

clap

cn. A sudden, loud, explosive sound. (霹雳声)

And I felt life rising within me like a subterranean lake, expanding and overflowing; my blood leaped fiercely through my arteries; my long-restrained youth suddenly burst into active being, like the aloe which blooms but once in a hundred years, and then bursts into blossom with a clap of thunder.

pretext

cn. A reason or excuse given to hide the real reason for something. (借口)

What could I do in order to see Clarimonde once more? I had no pretext to offer for desiring to leave the seminary, not knowing any person in the city.

Though “pre-text” makes sense, “text” from Latin “texere” means “to weave” originally.

虽然就按照“pre-text”分割单词理解成“预先的文字”似乎就讲得通，但我们应该把“text”追溯回拉丁语的“texere”，那时它指“编织”。

inextricable

a. So intricate or entangled as to make escape impossible. (错综复杂的)

I tried to remove the bars of the window; but it was at a fearful height from the ground, and I found that as I had no ladder it would be useless to think of escaping thus. And, furthermore, I could descend thence only by night in any event, and afterward how should I be able to find my way through the inextricable labyrinth of streets?

spouse

cn. A person’s partner in marriage. (配偶)

Were I not a priest I could have seen her every day; I might have been her lover, her spouse. Instead of being wrapped in this dismal shroud of mine I would have had garments of silk and velvet, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonored by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed mustache; I would be a gallant.

—Romuald

dismal

a. Causing gloom or depression; dreary. (忧郁的)

Were I not a priest I could have seen her every day; I might have been her lover, her spouse. Instead of being wrapped in this dismal shroud of mine I would have had garments of silk and velvet, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonored by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed mustache; I would be a gallant.

—Romuald

plume

cn. A large feather, cluster of feathers, or similar ornament worn on a helmet, hat, or horse’s harness. (羽饰)

Were I not a priest I could have seen her every day; I might have been her lover, her spouse. Instead of being wrapped in this dismal shroud of mine I would have had garments of silk and velvet, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonored by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed mustache; I would be a gallant.

—Romuald

tonsure

cn. The act of shaving the head or part of the head, especially as a preliminary to becoming a priest or a member of a monastic order. (削发，剃度)

Were I not a priest I could have seen her every day; I might have been her lover, her spouse. Instead of being wrapped in this dismal shroud of mine I would have had garments of silk and velvet, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonored by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed mustache; I would be a gallant.

—Romuald

articulate

vt. To utter (a speech sound) by making the necessary movements of the speech organs. (清晰吐字)

Collocations (搭配): carefully articulate; well articulate; poorly articulate

But one hour passed before an altar, a few hastily articulated words, had forever cut me off from the number of the living, and I had myself sealed down the stone of my own tomb; I had with my own hand bolted the gate of my prison!

don

vt. To put on (clothing or an ornament, for example). (穿戴上)

The sky was beautifully blue; the trees had donned their spring robes; nature seemed to be making parade of an ironical joy.

beau

cn. A male companion or friend with whom one has a sexual or romantic relationship. (情郎)

The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs—it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gayety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude.

“Beau” from French means “beautiful”, which is a singular masculine adjective with its plural being “beaux”. Seems that English has taken it all.

“Beau”是一个阳性单数的法语形容词，指“美丽的”，它的复数形式是“beaux”。显然英语把这些屈折变化都照单全收了。

saunter

vi. To walk at a leisurely pace; stroll. (散步)

Collocation (搭配): casually saunter

Usages (用法): saunter along something; saunter through something

The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs—it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gayety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude.

troll

vt. To sing heartily. (尽情唱歌)

The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs—it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gayety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude.

“Trolling” also implies the deliberate provoking action on the Internet.

“Troll”也可以指在网络上“引战”。

refrain

cn. A phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated at intervals throughout a song or poem, especially at the end of each stanza. (（尤指不同的节之间的）副歌，叠歌)

Collocations (搭配): a constant refrain; a familiar refrain; take up a refrain

The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs—it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gayety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude.

gaiety

un. A state of joyful exuberance or merriment; vivacity. (快乐)

The Place was filled with people, some going, others coming; young beaux and young beauties were sauntering in couples toward the groves and gardens; merry youths passed by, cheerily trolling refrains of drinking songs—it was all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gayety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude.

“Gay” has a long history of implying “happy”, with “homosexual” being a 20c. meaning. The etymology dictionary suggests a semantic flipflop among kids for “sad”. Emmm… I should surf the Internet more often, probably.

其实直到 20 世纪“gay”才开始指和“同性恋”有关的意思，长久以来它就是指“快乐的”。一个有趣的事情是词源词典说现在年轻人中这个词发生了词义反转，开始指“悲伤的”。我没有见过，或许是我冲浪不够多的缘故？

puerile

a. Immature, especially in being silly or trivial; childish. (幼稚的，傻气的)

On the steps of the gate sat a young mother playing with her child. She kissed its little rosy mouth still im-pearled with drops of milk, and performed, in order to amuse it, a thousand divine little puerilities such as only mothers know how to invent.

This one is from French “puéril” meaning “childish” and further Latin “puer” meaning “child, boy”.

“Puerile”来自法语中指“幼稚的”的“puéril”，源于拉丁语中指“儿童”的“puer”。

fling

vt. To throw with violence. (猛扔)

I could not endure that spectacle. I closed the window with violence, and flung myself on my bed, my heart filled with frightful hate and jealousy, and gnawed my fingers and my bedcovers like a tiger that has passed ten days without food.

writhe

vi. To make twisting bodily movements, as in pain or struggle. (痛苦地蠕动)

I know not how long I remained in this condition, but at last, while writhing on the bed in a fit of spasmodic fury, I suddenly perceived the Abbe Serapion, who was standing erect in the centre of the room, watching me attentively.

fit

cn. A sudden outburst of emotion. (情感爆发)

Collocations (搭配): have a fit; burst into a fit; collapse in(to) a fit; erupt in(to) a fit; fall into a fit

Usages (用法): a fit of something; be in a fit

I know not how long I remained in this condition, but at last, while writhing on the bed in a fit of spasmodic fury, I suddenly perceived the Abbe Serapion, who was standing erect in the centre of the room, watching me attentively.

Anyway, it is interesting to see that “fit” can imply both “healthy” and “an epileptic seizure”.

尽管从词源学的角度是可以解释的，但是“fit”既可以指“健康的”又可以指“癫痫发作”还是很有意思。

spasmodic

a. Happening intermittently; fitful. (间歇性的)

I know not how long I remained in this condition, but at last, while writhing on the bed in a fit of spasmodic fury, I suddenly perceived the Abbe Serapion, who was standing erect in the centre of the room, watching me attentively.

transpire

vi. To come about; happen or occur. (发生)

“Romuald, my friend, something very extraordinary is transpiring within you,” observed Serapion, after a few
moments’ silence.

pious

a. Earnestly compliant in the observance of religion; reverent or devout. (虔诚的)

Your conduct is altogether inexplicable. You—always so quiet, so pious, so gentle—you to rage in your cell like a wild beast!

—Abbe Serapion

heed

un. Close attention; notice. (注意)

Take heed, brother—do not listen to the suggestions of the devil.

—Abbe Serapion

consecrate

vt. To dedicate solemnly to a service or goal. (（尤指为宗教而）奉献，献身)

The Evil Spirit, furious that you have consecrated yourself forever to the Lord, is prowling around you like a ravening wolf and making a last effort to obtain possession of you.

—Abbe Serapion

A more common meaning of it is “sanctify”, as in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, like “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.“.

该词更常见的意思其实是“圣化”，亚伯拉罕·林肯《葛底斯堡演讲》中“但是，从更广泛的意义上来说，这块土地我们不能够奉献，我们不能够圣化，我们不能够神化。曾经在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和去世的，已经把这块土地神圣化了，这远不是我们微薄的力量所能增减的。”的“圣化”对应的就是“consecrate”一词。（采张培基先生译文）

prowl

vi. To rove furtively or with predatory intent. (（为打猎而）潜行游荡)

The Evil Spirit, furious that you have consecrated yourself forever to the Lord, is prowling around you like a ravening wolf and making a last effort to obtain possession of you.

—Abbe Serapion

raven

vi. To seek or seize prey or plunder. (掠食)

The Evil Spirit, furious that you have consecrated yourself forever to the Lord, is prowling around you like a ravening wolf and making a last effort to obtain possession of you.

—Abbe Serapion

cuirass

cn. A piece of armor for protecting the breast and back, often consisting of two pieces fastened together. (胸甲)

Instead of allowing yourself to be conquered, my dear Romuald, make to yourself a cuirass of prayers, a buckler of mortifications, and combat the enemy like a valiant man; you will then assuredly overcome him.

—Abbe Serapion

buckler

cn. A small, round shield either carried or worn on the arm. (圆盾)

Instead of allowing yourself to be conquered, my dear Romuald, make to yourself a cuirass of prayers, a buckler of mortifications, and combat the enemy like a valiant man; you will then assuredly overcome him.

—Abbe Serapion

install

vt. To induct into an office, rank, or position. (正式就职)

The priest who had charge of it has just died, and Monseigneur the Bishop has ordered me to have you installed there at once.

—Abbe Serapion

retire

vi. To move away or withdraw, as for rest or seclusion. (离开)

I responded with an inclination of the head, and the Abbe retired.

interpose

vt. To insert or introduce between parts. (插入)

To leave to-morrow without having been able to see her again, to add yet another barrier to the many already interposed between us, to lose forever all hope of being able to meet her, except, indeed, through a miracle!

unbosom

vt. To confide (one’s thoughts or feelings). (吐露（心事）)

Even to write her, alas! would be impossible, for by whom could I despatch my letter? With my sacred character of priest, to whom could I dare unbosom myself, in whom could I confide?

confide

vi. To disclose private matters in confidence. (吐露，倾诉（秘密）)

Even to write her, alas! would be impossible, for by whom could I despatch my letter? With my sacred character of priest, to whom could I dare unbosom myself, in whom could I confide?

artifice

cn. Deception or trickery. (诡计)

Then suddenly recurred to me the words of the Abbe Serapion regarding the artifices of the devil; and the strange character of the adventure, the supernatural beauty of Clarimonde, the phosphoric light of her eyes, the burning imprint of her hand, the agony into which she had thrown me, the sudden change wrought within me when all my piety vanished in a single instant—these and other things clearly testified to the work of the Evil One, and perhaps that satiny hand was but the glove which concealed his claws.

Phrases (短语)in succession

ad. Coming one after another. (接连)

I kissed the place upon my hand which she had touched, and I repeated her name over and over again for hours in succession.

When it comes to “in succession”, we have to compare “continuous”, “constant”, “continual”, “consecutive” and “successive”. All of they are seemingly implying “keep going”, but “continuous” suggests “an uninterrupted entire” while “continual”, “consecutive” and “successive” suggest “many repeated units”. In another figurative sort of way, we may play the flute “continuously” but may only play the dram “continual”. “Constant”, in the middle, may convey these two types of meaning together.

提到“in succession”就不得不说一下“continuous”、“constant”、“continual”、“consecutive”和“successive”这四个词的辨析。它们都表达类似于“一直的”这么一个意思，但又有所不同。“Continuous”强调事物是没有中断的整体；“continual”、“consecutive”和“successive”用于一个“小事件”不断重复发生的情况；而“constant”同时涵盖这两种表意。换句话说，不停吹笛子是一个“continuous”的行为，而不停打鼓似乎是一个“continual”的行为。

in any event

ad. Regardless; whatever happens; in any case. (无论如何)

I tried to remove the bars of the window; but it was at a fearful height from the ground, and I found that as I had no ladder it would be useless to think of escaping thus. And, furthermore, I could descend thence only by night in any event, and afterward how should I be able to find my way through the inextricable labyrinth of streets?

Expressions (其它表达)”never deeper anguish”

Never was deeper anguish painted on human face than upon hers. The maiden who beholds her affianced lover suddenly fall dead at her side, the mother bending over the empty cradle of her child, Eve seated at the threshold of the gate of Paradise, the miser who finds a stone substituted for his stolen treasure, the poet who accidentally permits the only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable. All the blood had abandoned her charming face, leaving it whiter than marble; her beautiful arms hung lifelessly on either side of her body as though their muscles had suddenly relaxed, and she sought the support of a pillar, for her yielding limbs almost betrayed her.

“a sweat bloodier than that of Calvary”

As for myself, I staggered toward the door of the church, livid as death, my forehead bathed with a sweat bloodier than that of Calvary; I felt as though I were being strangled; the vault seemed to have flattened down upon my shoulders, and it seemed to me that my head alone sustained the whole weight of the dome.

It is quite elusive for me. “Bloody” could be implying 1) the color of blood, but there should not be a comparative then; 2) an intensive, but there should not be a comparative then either; 3) the situation of being covered or stained with blood, resulting like “my sweating is more appalling than a Calvary’s bleeding”, which also seems strange but better than the former two. I am not sure.

这里的“bloody”还蛮难理解的，如果作为“血色的”讲或者认为它是表达强调语气的标志都很难解释后面的这个比较。相比而言“bloody”似乎更有可能指的是流血的状态，表达“我流汗看起来比一名流血的骑士更触目惊心”。

“breath will into someone’s life”

That woman had completely taken possession of me. One look from her had sufficed to change my very nature. She had breathed her will into my life, and I no longer lived in myself, but in her and for her.

“to be a priest”

To be a priest!—that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distinction of sex or age, to turn from the sight of all beauty, to put out one’s own eyes, to hide forever crouching in the chill shadows of some church or cloister, to visit none but the dying, to watch by unknown corpses, and ever bear about with one the black soutane as a garb of mourning for one’s self, so that your very dress might serve as a pall for your coffin.

Chapter 3: Sea-green Eyes (第三章：海蓝色的眼睛)Words (单词)mule

cn. The sterile hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, characterized by long ears and a short mane. (骡子)

Two mules freighted with our miserable valises awaited us at the gate.

valise

cn. A small piece of hand luggage. (旅行包)

Two mules freighted with our miserable valises awaited us at the gate.

blind

cn. Something, such as a window shade or a Venetian blind, that hinders vision or shuts out light. (百叶窗；窗帘)

As we passed along the streets of the city, I gazed attentively at all the windows and balconies in the hope of seeing Clarimonde, but it was yet early in the morning, and the city had hardly opened its eyes. Mine sought to penetrate the blinds and window-curtains of all the palaces before which we were passing.

edifice

cn. A building, especially one of imposing appearance or size. (宏伟建筑)

By a singular optical effect one edifice, which surpassed in height all the neighboring buildings that were still dimly veiled by the vapors, towered up, fair and lustrous with the gilding of a solitary beam of sunlight— although actually more than a league away it seemed quite near.

English “edifice” is from French “édifice”, further from Latin “aedificare” “to erect a building” and “aedes” “temple, sanctuary”.

英语的“edifice”来自法语的“édifice”，源于拉丁语名词“aedes”和派生的动词“aedificare”。前者表示“寺庙，圣所”，后者表示“建造建筑”。

league

cn. A unit of distance equal to 3.0 statute miles (4.8 kilometers). (里格（长度单位，等于三英里）)

By a singular optical effect one edifice, which surpassed in height all the neighboring buildings that were still dimly veiled by the vapors, towered up, fair and lustrous with the gilding of a solitary beam of sunlight— although actually more than a league away it seemed quite near.

turret

cn. A small tower or tower-shaped projection on a building. (角楼)

The smallest details of its architecture were plainly distinguishable—the turrets, the platforms, the window-casements, and even the swallow-tailed weather-vanes.

casement

cn. A window sash that opens outward by means of hinges. (门式窗)

The smallest details of its architecture were plainly distinguishable—the turrets, the platforms, the window-casements, and even the swallow-tailed weather-vanes.

weathervane

cn. A device that pivots on a vertical spindle to indicate wind direction. (风向标)

The smallest details of its architecture were plainly distinguishable—the turrets, the platforms, the window-casements, and even the swallow-tailed weather-vanes.

It is a compound from “weather” and “vane”, i.e., “blade in a wheel moved by air”, which is also an example of many compound having lost their hyphens in development.

“Weathervane”是由“天气”和“轮叶”两个词合成而来的，它在诞生之初仍包含一个连字符。连字符使用频率下降也是现代英语单词发展的一个趋势。

rugged

a. Having a rough irregular surface. (崎岖的)

Oh, did she know that at that very hour, all feverish and restless—from the height of the rugged road which separated me from her and which, alas!

gable

cn. The generally triangular section of wall at the end of a pitched roof, occupying the space between the two slopes of the roof. (三角墙)

The shadow gained the palace, and the scene became to the eye only a motionless ocean of roofs and gables, amid which one mountainous undulation was distinctly visible.

gait

cn. A particular way or manner of moving on foot. (步态)

Collocations (搭配): a rolling gait; a strolling gait; a stumbling gait; a wabbling gait

Usage (用法): with a gait

Serapion urged his mule forward, my own at once followed at the same gait, and a sharp angle in the road at last hid the city of S—— forever from my eyes, as I was destined never to return thither.

thither

ad. To or toward that place; in that direction; there. (到那儿)

Serapion urged his mule forward, my own at once followed at the same gait, and a sharp angle in the road at last hid the city of S—— forever from my eyes, as I was destined never to return thither.

cock

cn. A weathervane shaped like a rooster; a weathercock. (风信鸡)

At the close of a weary three-days’ journey through dismal country fields, we caught sight of the cock upon the steeple of the church which I was to take charge of, peeping above the trees, and after having followed some winding roads fringed with thatched cottages and little gardens, we found ourselves in front of the facade, which certainly possessed few features of magnificence.

thatch

un. Plant stalks or foliage, such as reeds or palm fronds, used for roofing. (茅草)

vt. To cover with or as if with thatch. (用茅草覆盖屋顶)

At the close of a weary three-days’ journey through dismal country fields, we caught sight of the cock upon the steeple of the church which I was to take charge of, peeping above the trees, and after having followed some winding roads fringed with thatched cottages and little gardens, we found ourselves in front of the facade, which certainly possessed few features of magnificence.

molding (moulding)

cn. An embellishment in strip form, made of wood or other structural material, that is used to decorate or finish a surface, such as the wall of a room or building or the surface of a door or piece of furniture. (装饰线条)

A porch ornamented with some mouldings, and two or three pillars rudely hewn from sandstone; a tiled roof with counterforts of the same sandstone as the pillars—that was all.

hew

vt. To make or shape with or as if with an axe. (劈刻)

A porch ornamented with some mouldings, and two or three pillars rudely hewn from sandstone; a tiled roof with counterforts of the same sandstone as the pillars—that was all.

frigid

a. Stiff and formal in manner. (古板的)

It was a house of the most extreme simplicity and frigid cleanliness.

Commonly meaning “cold”, this “blue blood” word is from Latin “frigidus” cold, chill, cool”.

“Frigid”的常见意思还是“寒冷的”，它直接来自表示“寒冷的”的拉丁语“frigidus”，可谓血统纯正。

habit

cn. A distinctive set of clothing or style of dressing, especially of a religious order. (（修道士或修女穿的）长袍)

A few chickens were picking up some oats scattered upon the ground; accustomed, seemingly, to the black habit of ecclesiastics, they showed no fear of our presence and scarcely troubled themselves to get out of our way.

wheeze

vi. To breathe with difficulty, producing a hoarse whistling sound. (（因呼吸困难而）发出粗重的呼吸声)

A hoarse, wheezy barking fell upon our ears, and we saw an aged dog running toward us.

blear

vt. To blur or redden (the eyes). (使眼花)

It was my predecessor’s dog. He had dull bleared eyes, grizzled hair, and every mark of the greatest age to which a dog can possibly attain.

grizzle

vt. To make or become gray. (使变灰)

It was my predecessor’s dog. He had dull bleared eyes, grizzled hair, and every mark of the greatest age to which a dog can possibly attain.

parlor

cn. A room in a private home set apart for the entertainment of visitors. (客厅)

A very old woman, who had been the housekeeper of the former cure, also came to meet us, and after having invited me into a little back parlor, asked whether I in-tended to retain her.

“Parlor” is French-origin. “Parler” in French means “to speak”, which contributes to “parloir” meaning “visiting room”.

法语中从指“说话”的“parler”产生了指“会客厅”的“parloir”，后者被英语吸收产生了“parlor”。

bequeath

vt. To leave or give (personal property) by will. (遗赠给)

A very old woman, who had been the housekeeper of the former cure, also came to meet us, and after having invited me into a little back parlor, asked whether I in-tended to retain her. I replied that I would take care of her, and the dog, and the chickens, and all the furniture her master had bequeathed her at his death.

transport

vt. To cause to feel strong emotion, especially joy; carry away; enrapture. (使欣喜若狂)

I replied that I would take care of her, and the dog, and the chickens, and all the furniture her master had bequeathed her at his death. At this she became fairly transported with joy, and the Abbe Serapion at once paid her the price which she asked for her little property.

This interesting sense might from a metaphor of “carry away with strong feelings”.

“Transport”的这个语义可能可以类比汉语的“魂不守舍”，但绝大多数是指欣喜激动使人失去自制力。

promenade

vi. To go on a leisurely walk. (散步)

One evening while promenading in my little garden along the walks bordered with box-plants, I fancied that I saw through the elm-trees the figure of a woman, who followed my every movement, and that I beheld two sea-green eyes gleaming through the foliage; but it was only an illusion, and on going round to the other side of the garden, I could find nothing except a footprint on the sanded walk—a footprint so small that it seemed to have been made by the foot of a child.

It was borrowed from French “promenade”, originating from Latin “prominare” “to drive (animals) onward” where “pro-” meant “forth” and “minare” from “minari” meant “to threat”.

英语“promenade”直接来源于法语，其发源可追溯至拉丁语中表示“驱赶动物”的“prominare”一词。其中“pro-”前缀指“向前”，而“minare”源于“minari”指“胁迫”。

elm

cn. Any of various deciduous trees of the genus Ulmus, characteristically having arching or curving branches, serrate leaves with asymmetric bases, and small winged fruit. (榆树)

One evening while promenading in my little garden along the walks bordered with box-plants, I fancied that I saw through the elm-trees the figure of a woman, who followed my every movement, and that I beheld two sea-green eyes gleaming through the foliage; but it was only an illusion, and on going round to the other side of the garden, I could find nothing except a footprint on the sanded walk—a footprint so small that it seemed to have been made by the foot of a child.

foliage

un. A cluster of leaves. (枝叶)

One evening while promenading in my little garden along the walks bordered with box-plants, I fancied that I saw through the elm-trees the figure of a woman, who followed my every movement, and that I beheld two sea-green eyes gleaming through the foliage; but it was only an illusion, and on going round to the other side of the garden, I could find nothing except a footprint on the sanded walk—a footprint so small that it seemed to have been made by the foot of a child.

nook

cn. A hidden or secluded spot. (隐蔽处)

The garden was enclosed by very high walls. I searched every nook and corner of it, but could discover no one there.

scrupulous

a. Conscientious and exact; painstaking. (审慎认真的)

For a whole year I lived thus, filling all the duties of my calling with the most scrupulous exactitude, praying and fasting, exhorting and lending ghostly aid to the sick, and bestowing alms even to the extent of frequently depriving myself of the very necessaries of life.

“Scrupulous” is derived from “scruple” meaning “pang of conscience”. Cognate with French “scrupule”, it was from Latin “scrupulus” “uneasiness, anxiety, pricking of conscience”, which is literally a diminutive of “scrupus” “sharp stone or pebble”. This semantic extension was allegedly due to an analogy of having a pebble in one’s shoe from Cicero.

“Scrupulous”的原名词是“scruple”，指“道德顾虑”。他和法语的“scrupule”都来自拉丁语的“scrupulus”，这是“scrupus”（小石子）的小化词。传说这个引申义源自西塞罗的一个比喻，他说这个道德顾虑的不安好比有小石子进了鞋子。

exhort

vi. To make an urgent appeal. (规劝)

For a whole year I lived thus, filling all the duties of my calling with the most scrupulous exactitude, praying and fasting, exhorting and lending ghostly aid to the sick, and bestowing alms even to the extent of frequently depriving myself of the very necessaries of life.

ghostly

a. Of or relating to the soul or spirit; spiritual. (灵魂的)

For a whole year I lived thus, filling all the duties of my calling with the most scrupulous exactitude, praying and fasting, exhorting and lending ghostly aid to the sick, and bestowing alms even to the extent of frequently depriving myself of the very necessaries of life.

arid

a. Lacking interest or feeling; lifeless and dull. (枯燥的)

But I felt a great aridness within me, and the sources of grace seemed closed against me.

refrain

cn. A repeated utterance or theme. (常说的话)

I never found that happiness which should spring from the fulfillment of a holy mission: my thoughts were far away, and the words of Clarimonde were ever upon my lips like an involuntary refrain.

We talked about this earlier in Chapter 2, where it was a musical jargon. Here it remains similar sense.

在第二章里这个词作为音乐术语出现过一次，这一次出现大同小异。

venial

a. Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable. (（错误）轻微的)

Through having but once lifted my eyes to look upon a woman, through one fault apparently so venial, I have for years remained a victim to the most miserable agonies, and the happiness of my life has been destroyed forever.

inward

a. Of, relating to, or existing in the thoughts or mind. (内心的)

I will not longer dwell upon those defeats, or on those inward victories invariably followed by yet more terrible falls, but will at once proceed to the facts of my story.

poniard

cn. A dagger typically having a slender three- or four-sided blade. (三角刃匕首)

One night my doorbell was long and violently rung. The aged housekeeper arose and opened to the stranger, and the figure of a man, whose complexion was deeply bronzed, and who was richly clad in a foreign costume, with a poniard at his girdle, appeared under the rays of Barbara’s lantern.

girdle

cn. A belt or sash worn around the waist. (腰带)

One night my doorbell was long and violently rung. The aged housekeeper arose and opened to the stranger, and the figure of a man, whose complexion was deeply bronzed, and who was richly clad in a foreign costume, with a poniard at his girdle, appeared under the rays of Barbara’s lantern.

without

prep. At, on, to, or toward the outside or exterior of. (在……的外侧)

Two horses black as the night itself stood without the gate, pawing the ground with impatience, and veiling their chests with long streams of smoky vapor exhaled from their nostrils.

stirrup

cn. A flat-based loop or ring hung from either side of a horse’s saddle to support the rider’s foot in mounting and riding; a stirrup iron. (马镫)

Collocation (搭配): stand (up) in stirrup

Usage (用法): in a stirrup

Two horses black as the night itself stood without the gate, pawing the ground with impatience, and veiling their chests with long streams of smoky vapor exhaled from their nostrils. He held the stirrup and aided me to mount upon one; then, merely laying his hand upon the pummel of the saddle, he vaulted on the other, pressed the animal’s sides with Ms knees, and loosened rein.

rein

cn. Either of two long narrow straps attached to each end of the bit of a bridle and used by a rider or driver to control a horse or other animal. (缰绳)

Usage (用法): on a rein

Two horses black as the night itself stood without the gate, pawing the ground with impatience, and veiling their chests with long streams of smoky vapor exhaled from their nostrils. He held the stirrup and aided me to mount upon one; then, merely laying his hand upon the pummel of the saddle, he vaulted on the other, pressed the animal’s sides with Ms knees, and loosened rein.

bridle

cn. A harness, consisting of a headstall, bit, and reins, fitted about a horse’s head and used to restrain or guide the animal. (马笼头)

The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion.

gallop

cn. A gait of a horse, faster than a canter, in which all four feet are off the ground at the same time during each stride. (（马）飞跑，疾驰)

Collocations (搭配): break into a gallop

Usages (用法): at a gallop; at full gallop

The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion.

Confused about the word “gait” in the entry, I searched the Internet and realized that “gait of horse” is a crucial concept in equestrian. Five main gaits of horse in descending order of velocity are gallop, canter, trot, walk and back.

一开始我看到词条里“gait”（步态）这个词还很诧异，一查才发现这里面大有名堂。马的步态是马术里面一个至关重要的概念，从快到慢分为“袭步”、“跑步”、“快步”和“慢步”，它们在英文中分别对应四个不同的名词。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

streak

vt. To spread in streaks. (使成条状)

The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion. We devoured the road. The ground flowed backward beneath us in a long streaked line of pale gray, and the black silhouettes of the trees seemed fleeing by us on either side like an army in rout.

rout

cn. A disorderly retreat or flight following defeat. (溃退)

Collocations (搭配): a total rout; end in rout; turn into rout

The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion. We devoured the road. The ground flowed backward beneath us in a long streaked line of pale gray, and the black silhouettes of the trees seemed fleeing by us on either side like an army in rout.

wake

cn. The visible track of turbulence left by something moving through water. (尾迹)

The showers of bright sparks which flew from the stony road under the irons both feet of our horses remained glowing in our wake like a fiery trail; and had any one at that hour of the night beheld us both— my guide and myself—he must have taken us for two spectres riding upon nightmares.

fiery

a. Burning or glowing. (火一般的)

The showers of bright sparks which flew from the stony road under the irons both feet of our horses remained glowing in our wake like a fiery trail; and had any one at that hour of the night beheld us both— my guide and myself—he must have taken us for two spectres riding upon nightmares.

The spelling seems interesting. In English, the spelling of “fire” underwent three steps, that is, “fyr” in Old English, “fier” in Middle English and “fire” in Modern English. “Fiery” is exactly a sign of the incompleteness of the last conversion.

这里的拼写值得一说，“fire”其实经历了从古英语的“fyr”到中古英语的“fier”再到现代英语的变化。其中后一步变化并不是完全的，“fiery”这个词恰恰就是这种不完全的标志。

flit

vi. To move about rapidly and nimbly. (轻快地飞（或移动）)

Witch-fires ever and anon flitted across the road before us, and the night-birds shrieked fearsomely in the depth of the woods beyond, where we beheld at intervals glow the phosphorescent eyes of wildcats.

mane

cn. The long hair along the top and sides of the neck of certain mammals, such as a horse or a male lion. (鬃毛)

Collocations (搭配): a flowing mane; a shaggy mane; a tousled mane; a think mane; a luxuriant mane; shake someone’s mane; toss someone’s mane; braid someone’s mane

The manes of the horses became more and more dishevelled, the sweat streamed over their flanks, and their breath came through their nostrils hard and fast.

unearthly

a. Unnaturally strange and frightening. (恐怖的)

The manes of the horses became more and more dishevelled, the sweat streamed over their flanks, and their breath came through their nostrils hard and fast. But when he found them slacking pace, the guide reanimated them by uttering a strange, guttural, unearthly cry, and the gallop recommenced with fury.

hoof

cn. The horny sheath covering the toes or lower part of the foot of a mammal of the orders Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla, such as a horse, ox, or deer. (蹄)

At last the whirlwind race ceased; a huge black mass pierced through with many bright points of light suddenly rose before us, the hoofs of our horses echoed louder upon a great vaulted archway which darkly yawned between two enormous towers.

It might mean the sound of horse hoof here, while I found no directly matching entry in the dictionary.

这个“hoof”应该是指的马蹄声，但是词典里没有完全一致的义项。

yawn

vi. To open wide; gape. (大开)

At last the whirlwind race ceased; a huge black mass pierced through with many bright points of light suddenly rose before us, the hoofs of our horses echoed louder upon a great vaulted archway which darkly yawned between two enormous towers.

landing

cn. An intermediate platform on a flight of stairs. (楼梯间的平台)

Servants with torches were crossing the courtyard in every direction, and above, lights were ascending and descending from landing to landing.

arcade

cn. A series of arches supported by columns, piers, or pillars, either freestanding or attached to a wall to form a gallery. (拱廊)

I obtained a confused glimpse of vast masses of architecture—columns, arcades, flights of steps, stairways—a royal voluptuousness and elfin magnificence of construction worthy of fairyland.

I, a game player, have known this word as “arcade game”, but it was initially a architecture terminology related to arch, later the shopping arcade with arcades above and finally the arcade game center in such an arcade.

作为一个游戏玩家我首先了解到的是“arcade”指“街机游戏”的义项，但这个义项是其实是最后发展出来的。它最初是指建筑学中的拱廊，由于商业街往往采用这种拱廊建筑形式而兼指商业街。所谓街机游戏（arcade (game)），指的其实是像这样商业街里常见的街机厅（arcade (game center)）里的游戏。

voluptuous

a. Relating to, providing, or arising from sensual pleasure. (满足感官的)

I obtained a confused glimpse of vast masses of architecture—columns, arcades, flights of steps, stairways—a royal voluptuousness and elfin magnificence of construction worthy of fairyland.

elfin

a. Having a magical quality or charm; fairylike. (有魔力的)

I obtained a confused glimpse of vast masses of architecture—columns, arcades, flights of steps, stairways—a royal voluptuousness and elfin magnificence of construction worthy of fairyland.

Literally, “elfin” was from “elf”, meaning “Relating to or suggestive of an elf”.

从词形就能看出“elfin”这个词是来自“elf（精灵）”，它的本意是指有关精灵的。

tablet

cn. A set of thin sheets or leaves used as a writing surface fastened together, as in a book. (便笺本)

A negro page—the same who had before brought me the tablet from Clarimonde, and whom I instantly recognized—approached to aid me in dismounting, and the major-domo, attired in black velvet with a gold chain about his neck, advanced to meet me, supporting himself upon an ivory cane.

major-domo

cn. The head steward or butler in the household of a sovereign or great noble. (大管家)

A negro page—the same who had before brought me the tablet from Clarimonde, and whom I instantly recognized—approached to aid me in dismounting, and the major-domo, attired in black velvet with a gold chain about his neck, advanced to meet me, supporting himself upon an ivory cane.

wan

a. Unnaturally pale, as from physical or emotional distress. (苍白的)

A prie-dieu stood at the foot of the bed,; a bluish flame flickering in a bonze patera filled all the room with a wan, deceptive light, here and there bringing out in the darkness at intervals some projection of furniture or cornice.

cornice

cn. A horizontal molded projection that crowns or completes a building or wall. (飞檐)

A prie-dieu stood at the foot of the bed,; a bluish flame flickering in a bonze patera filled all the room with a wan, deceptive light, here and there bringing out in the darkness at intervals some projection of furniture or cornice.

sumptuous

a. Of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish. (奢华的)

A broken black mask, a fan, and disguises of every variety, which were lying on the arm-chairs, bore witness that death had entered suddenly and unannounced into that sumptuous dwelling.

“Sum” in “sumptuous” is identical to that in “consume”, which was from Latin “sumere” “to borrow, buy, spend, eat, drink, consume, employ, take, take up”. A house consuming a lot is sumptuous and therefore lavish.

该词里的“sum”和“consume”里的是相同的含义，同样来自表示“吃、喝、消耗”的拉丁语“sumere”。一个家庭日常消耗多其实也就等价于生活奢侈。

reverie

cn. A state of abstracted musing; daydreaming. (白日梦)

But my fervor gradually weakened, and I fell insensibly into a reverie.

This one was from French “rêverie” “daydream”.

英语“reverie”来自法语表示“白日梦”的“rêverie”。

fetid

a. Having an offensive odor. (恶臭的)

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

cadaverous

a. Suggestive of death; corpselike. (死尸的)

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

From “cadaverous” meaning “corpselike”, we can grasp that “cadaver” means “corpse”, which was from Latin “cadere” “fall”. Something fallen could be a metaphor for the dead.

既然“cadaverous”指的是“死尸般的”，那我们不难猜到前一半“cadaver”指的是“死尸”。从字面意义来看，拉丁语“cadare”的本意是“倒下”，而“倒下的东西”用来暗示“死者”也顺理成章。

vigil

cn. A watch kept during normal sleeping hours. (守夜)

Collocations (搭配): a all-night vigil; a constant vigil; a bedside vigil; keep vigil; maintain vigil

Usage (用法): a vigil over someone

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

languor

un. Lack of physical or mental energy; listlessness. (慵懒)

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

tepid

a. Moderately warm; lukewarm. (温热的)

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

contrived

a. Obviously planned or calculated; not spontaneous or natural; labored. (人造的)

Collocations (搭配): highly contrived; somewhat contrived; carefully contrived; cleverly contrived; deliberately contrived

That pale light seemed rather a twilight gloom contrived for voluptuous pleasure than a substitute for the yellow-flickering watch tapers which shine by the side of corpses.

damask

un. A rich patterned fabric of cotton, linen, silk, or wool. (缎子)

The red damask curtains, decorated with large flowers worked in embroidery, and looped up with gold bullion, permitted me to behold the fair dead, lying at full length, with hands joined upon her bosom.

“Damask” means “cloth from Damascus”.

“Damask”的字面意义是“来自大马士革的布”。

bullion

un. Gold or silver considered with respect to quantity rather than value. (大量金银)

The red damask curtains, decorated with large flowers worked in embroidery, and looped up with gold bullion, permitted me to behold the fair dead, lying at full length, with hands joined upon her bosom.

hanging

np. Something, such as a tapestry, that is hung. (帷幕)

She was covered with a linen wrapping of dazzling whiteness, which formed a strong contrast with the gloomy purple of the hangings, and was of so fine a texture that it concealed nothing of her body’s charming form, and allowed the eye to follow those beautiful outlines— undulating like the neck of a swan— which even death had not robbed of their supple grace.

supple

a. Moving and bending with agility; limber. (柔韧的)

She was covered with a linen wrapping of dazzling whiteness, which formed a strong contrast with the gloomy purple of the hangings, and was of so fine a texture that it concealed nothing of her body’s charming form, and allowed the eye to follow those beautiful outlines— undulating like the neck of a swan— which even death had not robbed of their supple grace.

alabaster

un. A dense, translucent, white or tinted fine-grained gypsum. (雪花石膏)

She seemed an alabaster statue executed by some skilful sculptor to place upon the tomb of a queen, or rather, perhaps, like a slumbering maiden over whom the silent snow had woven a spotless veil.

alcove

cn. A recess or partly enclosed extension connected to or forming part of a room. (凹室)

The air of the alcove intoxicated me, that febrile perfume of half-faded roses penetrated my very brain, and I commenced to pace restlessly up and down the chamber, pausing at each turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud.

febrile

a. Of, relating to, or characterized by fever; feverish. (狂热的)

The air of the alcove intoxicated me, that febrile perfume of half-faded roses penetrated my very brain, and I commenced to pace restlessly up and down the chamber, pausing at each turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud.

Latin “fabris” “fever” descended to both Modern French “fièvre” and Modern German “Fieber”. The phoneme substitution in French also contributed to “fever” in Modern English, while “febrile” and most Germanic languages inherited letter “b”.

相比于“fever”，其实“febrile”更能体现拉丁词源“fabris（发热）”的痕迹，这也和日耳曼语族的大多数成员一致（如德语的“Fieber”）。而“fever”中出现的换音实际上是受到法语“fièvre”的影响。

bier

cn. A stand on which a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse is placed before burial. (停尸架)

The air of the alcove intoxicated me, that febrile perfume of half-faded roses penetrated my very brain, and I commenced to pace restlessly up and down the chamber, pausing at each turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud.

contemplate

vt. A stand on which a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse is placed before burial. (审视)

The air of the alcove intoxicated me, that febrile perfume of half-faded roses penetrated my very brain, and I commenced to pace restlessly up and down the chamber, pausing at each turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud.

throng

vt. To crowd into; fill. (蜂拥向)

Wild fancies came thronging to my brain. I thought to myself that she might not, perhaps, be really dead; that she might only have feigned death for the purpose of bringing me to her castle, and then declaring her love.

feign

vt. To give a false appearance of. (装作)

Wild fancies came thronging to my brain. I thought to myself that she might not, perhaps, be really dead; that she might only have feigned death for the purpose of bringing me to her castle, and then declaring her love.

afflict

vt. To cause grievous physical or mental suffering to. (折磨)

Usage (用法): be afflicted with something

And then I asked myself: “Is this indeed Clarimonde? What proof have I that it is she? Might not that black page have passed into the service of some other lady? Surely, I must be going mad to torture and afflict myself thus!”

repose

n. The act of resting or the state of being at rest. (憩眠)

That exquisite perfection of bodily form, although purified and made sacred by the shadow of death, affected me more voluptuously than it should have done, and that repose so closely resembled slumber that one might well have mistaken it for such.

coy

a. Affectedly and often flirtatiously shy or modest. (（尤指女性）害羞的)

I forgot that I had come there to perform a funeral ceremony; I fancied myself a young bridegroom entering the chamber of the bride, who all modestly hides her fair face, and through coyness seeks to keep herself wholly veiled.

“Quiet” and “coy” are the same to some extent, both of them originated from Latin “quietus” “resting, at rest” but diverged in French. While Old French kept “quiet” and passed it to Modern English, it also transformed it into “quei” and later “coi”, which could be found today in phrase like “rester coi” and brought about English “coy”.

从词源学的角度来说，“quiet”和“coy”是一个词，它们都来自拉丁语“quietus（休息）”，在法语中才发生了分化。古法语一方面保留了“quiet”的拼写，另一方面也将其词形变化为“quei”和“coi”，其中后者如今仍在少量使用（如表示张口结舌的俗语“rester coi”），而这也是英语“coy”的直接来源。

shudder

vi. To shiver convulsively, as from fear or revulsion. (战栗)

Heartbroken with grief, yet wild with hope, shuddering at once with fear and pleasure, I bent over her and grasped the corner of the sheet.

slab

cn. A broad, flat, thick piece, as of stone or cheese. (厚片)

Heartbroken with grief, yet wild with hope, shuddering at once with fear and pleasure, I bent over her and grasped the corner of the sheet. I lifted it back, holding my breath all the while through fear of waking her. My arteries throbbed with such violence that I felt them hiss through my temples, and the sweat poured from my forehead in streams, as though I had lifted a mighty slab of marble.

coquetry

un. Dalliance; flirtation. (调情)

There, indeed, lay Clarimonde, even as I had seen her at the church on the day of my ordination. She was not less charming than then. With her, death seemed but a last coquetry.

It is quite easy to anticipate its French descent, not for the “qu” combination but for its intrinsic French style. Modern French does have a “coqueter” indeed.

虽然说字形里有“qu”的字母组合这种明显标志，但就是只看解释应该也能猜出这个词是法语源的（笑死）。的确如此，其在现代法语中的对应是“coqueter”一词。

pallor

un. Extreme or unnatural paleness. (苍白)

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

melancholy

a. Feeling, showing, or expressing depression of the spirits; sad or dejected. (忧郁的)

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

We have to expound this for its profound nature. “Melancholy” could also act as a noun meaning “depression”. Literally, “melan” means “black” and “choly” means “bile”. “Black bile” is one of the four cardinal humors of human according to ancient Greek Humorism of Hippocrates, which held that variant mixtures of blood, phlegm, choler (yellow bile), and melancholy (black bile) in different people determined their physical conditions. Galen later developed this theory by connecting four humors with four main dispositions, creating the concepts of sanguine (passionate), phlegmatic (apathetic), choleric (bad-tempered) and melancholic (depressed). Such theory ruled the European Middle Ages for thousands of years throughout the development of all Indo-European languages, leaving marks in a diversity of languages from German “Melancholie” to Spanish “melancolia” and French “mélancolie”.

这个地方很值得一说。“Melancholy”也可以作名词表示“忧郁”。从字面来看“melancholy”指的是“黑胆汁”，而这是古希腊时期 Hippocrates 在体液学说中提出的四大体液之一。他认为人体由血液，粘液，黄胆汁和黑胆汁四种液体构成，这四种液体的不同比例导致了人外在的不同生理状态。古罗马的 Galen 后来发展了这种学说，将这四种体液和人的四种主要气质联系起来，认为多血质表现为乐观，粘液质表现为冷静，胆汁质表现为易怒，抑郁质表现为忧郁。这一套理论统领西方医学直至文艺复兴时期，并随着同时进行的印欧语系语言发展在各种语言中留下了痕迹。以本词为例。你可以在德语中找到“Melancholie”，在西班牙语中找到“melancolia”，在法语中找到“mélancolie”等等。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

ringlet

np. A long, spirally curled lock of hair. (长卷发)

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

diaphanous

a. Sufficiently thin or airy as to be translucent. (（尤指布料）又透又薄的，薄如蝉翼的)

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

polish

un. Smoothness or shininess of surface or finish. (光洁)

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

Originally “polish” was a verb, but it can also act as a noun for describing the appearance of a polished surface.

“Polish”一开始是作为动词使用，但是它也可以作为名词，指被打磨表面的光洁的质地。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

breathe

vi. To exhale air or another gas. (呼气)

Vainly did I wish that I could have gathered all my life into one mass that I might give it all to her, and breathe into her chill remains the flame which devoured me.

Not only can “breathe” convey the sense of “respiring” (both inhaling and exhaling), it can also imply a one-way action either inhaling or exhaling.

“Breathe”不仅可以指“呼吸”，也可以指单纯的吸气或者呼气。

mingle

vt. To mix or bring together in combination. (（使）相混)

Collocation (搭配): freely mingle

Usage (用法): mingle something with something

The night advanced, and feeling the moment of eternal separation approach, I could not deny myself the last sad sweet pleasure of imprinting a kiss upon the dead lips of her who had been my only love. . . . Oh, miracle! A faint breath mingled itself with my breath, and the mouth of Clarimonde responded to the passionate pressure of mine.

ineffable

a. Incapable of being expressed; indescribable or unutterable. (不可言喻的)

Her eyes unclosed, and lighted up with something of their former brilliancy; she uttered a long sigh, and uncrossing her arms, passed them around my neck with a look of ineffable delight.

You might have found “fable” in “ineffable”. Also cognate with “affable” and “fabulous”, these words containing “fab” were descended from Latin “fari” “to speak” through French.

你可能从“ineffable”中找到了“fable”这个单词，事实上它们确实有亲缘关系。包括“affable”和“fabulous”在内的这些词中的“fab”字母组合都源于拉丁语表示“说”的“fari”，它们经由法语传入英语。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

languish

vi. To become downcast or pine away in longing. (变憔悴)

“Ah, it is thou, Romuald!” she murmured in a voice languishingly sweet as the last vibrations of a harp.

harp

cn. A musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame formed by a soundbox, a pillar, and a curved neck, and having strings stretched between the soundbox and the neck that are plucked with the fingers. (竖琴)

“Ah, it is thou, Romuald!” she murmured in a voice languishingly sweet as the last vibrations of a harp.

ail

vt. To cause physical or mental pain or uneasiness to; trouble. (使处境困难)

What ailed thee, dearest? I waited so long for thee that I am dead; but we are now betrothed; I can see thee and visit thee.

—Clarimonde

extremity

cn. The outermost or farthest point or portion. (末端)

The last remaining leaf of the white rose for a moment palpitated at the extremity of the stalk like a butterfly’s wing, then it detached itself and flew forth through the open casement, bearing with it the soul of Clarimonde.

Phrases (短语)ever and anon

ad. (archaic) Occasionally; now and then. (有时)

Witch-fires ever and anon flitted across the road before us, and the night-birds shrieked fearsomely in the depth of the woods beyond, where we beheld at intervals glow the phosphorescent eyes of wildcats.

Like “then” in “now and then”, “anon” basically means “later, soon”.

这里的“anon”指的是“不久后”，这和同样表示“有时”的“now and then”不谋而合。

in lieu of

prep. Instead of something; in place of something. (取代)

That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the fetid and cadaverous odors which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapor of Oriental perfume— I know not what amorous odor of woman—softly floated through the tepid air.

“Lieu” is an archaic word means “place”.

该词组中“lieu”一词指的就是“位置”，等价于“place”，但其本身现已废弃不用。

Expressions (其它表达)”city opens its eyes”

As we passed along the streets of the city, I gazed attentively at all the windows and balconies in the hope of seeing Clarimonde, but it was yet early in the morning, and the city had hardly opened its eyes.

“half-tint”

The shadow of a great cloud hung, over all the city; the contrasting colors of its blue and red roofs were lost in the uniform half-tint, through which here and there floated upward, like white flakes of foam, the smoke of freshly kindled fires. By a
singular optical effect one edifice, which surpassed in height all the neighboring buildings that were still dimly veiled by the vapors, towered up, fair and lustrous with the gilding of a solitary beam of sunlight— although actually more than a league away it seemed quite near.

Here, “half-tint” is obviously a metaphor for the later “vapor”.

这里的“half-tint”呼应了下文里描述建筑被雾气覆盖的情况。

“devour the road”

The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion. We devoured the road. The ground flowed backward beneath us in a long streaked line of pale gray, and the black silhouettes of the trees seemed fleeing by us on either side like an army in rout.

“odorous tear”

A prie-dieu stood at the foot of the bed,; a bluish flame flickering in a bonze patera filled all the room with a wan, deceptive light, here and there bringing out in the darkness at intervals some projection of furniture or cornice. In a chiselled urn upon the table there was a faded white rose, whose leaves—excepting one that still held—had all fallen, like odorous tears, to the foot of the vase.

“dazzling whiteness”

She was covered with a linen wrapping of dazzling whiteness, which formed a strong contrast with the gloomy purple of the hangings, and was of so fine a texture that it concealed nothing of her body’s charming form, and allowed the eye to follow those beautiful outlines— undulating like the neck of a swan— which even death had not robbed of their supple grace. She seemed an alabaster statue executed by some skilful sculptor to place upon the tomb of a queen, or rather, perhaps, like a slumbering maiden over whom the silent snow had woven a spotless veil.

“sacred by the shadow of death”

That exquisite perfection of bodily form, although purified and made sacred by the shadow of death, affected me more voluptuously than it should have done, and that repose so closely resembled slumber that one might well have mistaken it for such.

“a last coquetry”

There, indeed, lay Clarimonde, even as I had seen her at the church on the day of my ordination. She was not less charming than then. With her, death seemed but a last coquetry.

“counteract”

The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and metal suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring—even after death —in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed.

I thought a lot when reading this, wondering why Romuald regarded Clarimonde’s pious gesture as a counteraction to her allurement while many netizens might find it provocative in similar situation. I later conceived of an explanation that they are just adopting different thinking routes. For many netizens searching “seasonings” on the Internet, they are expecting naughty contents as results anyway, e.g., when they were checking a story-containing picture set of a nun coser, they assured that it would end with corruption-like hot scenes; as for our hero, mainly because of his religious chastity, he was admiring Clarimonde with a view of aesthetic. The Internet having its Rule 34, I would like to re-definite a “porncorology (porncore-logy)” basing on such concept.

这段内容让我思考良久，我主要想不通在很多网友看来显然让 Clarimonde “更色”的姿势在 Romuald 眼中怎么就真能冲淡她的美色。我觉得这个问题还是在于大家的思考进路是不一样的：许多人就是冲着看所谓“福利”去的，他们会自动去补全从眼见内容到色情内容之间的发展。举个例子说，如果这有一组演绎情节的修女角色扮演套图，大家可能会猜这个后面有没有堕落桥段；但是我们男主受这个宗教影响颇深，他看 Clarimonde 单纯是一种审美体验。其实这个现象也不是什么新鲜东西，多年以前就有人提出了所谓的“网络守则第34条”，我最近打算用“色核学（关于色核视角的研究）”来描述这种事情。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“dew of my tears”

I resumed my position, bending my face above her, and bathing her cheeks with the warm dew of my tears.

“last vibration of a harp”

“Ah, it is thou, Romuald!” she murmured in a voice languishingly sweet as the last vibrations of a harp.

“adieu”

Adieu, Romuald, adieu! I love thee. That is all I wished to tell thee, and I give thee back the life which thy kiss for a moment recalled. We shall soon meet again.

—Clarimonde

“Adieu” is a French word for farewell from Old French as a contraction of “A Dieu (vous) commant” “I commend (you) to God”. It was a similar process to generate Spanish “adiós” from “A Dios encomiendo tu alma”.

“Adieu”是法语中的道别语，其源自古法语，是“A Dieu (vous) commant（把你托付给上帝）”的缩略语。西班牙语的“adiós”与之类似，是由同义的“A Dios encomiendo tu alma”缩略而来。

“palpitate”

A furious whirlwind suddenly burst in the window, and entered the chamber. The last remaining leaf of the white rose for a moment palpitated at the extremity of the stalk like a butterfly’s wing, then it detached itself and flew forth through the open casement, bearing with it the soul of Clarimonde.

Chapter 4: A Victim (第四章：受害者)Words (单词)yelp

vi. To utter a short, sharp bark or cry. (（因疼痛而）尖叫)

On seeing me open my eyes, the old woman uttered a cry of joy, the dog yelped and wagged his tail, but I was still so weak that I could not speak a single word or make the slightest motion.

wag

vt. To move (a body part) rapidly from side to side or up and down, as in playfulness, agreement, or admonition. (（使）（尤指尾巴或手指）摆动，摇)

Collocation (搭配): furiously wag

On seeing me open my eyes, the old woman uttered a cry of joy, the dog yelped and wagged his tail, but I was still so weak that I could not speak a single word or make the slightest motion.

whither

ad. To what place, result, or condition. (去哪儿)

Those three days do not reckon in my life, nor could I ever imagine whither my spirit had departed during those three days; I have no recollection of aught relating to them.

litter

cn. An enclosed or curtained couch mounted on shafts and used to carry a single passenger. (轿子)

Barbara told me that the same coppery-complexioned man who came to seek me on the night of my departure from the presbytery, had brought me back the next morning in a close litter, and departed immediately afterward.

ere

prep. Previous to; before. (在……之前)

At first I thought I had been the victim of some magical illusion, but ere long the recollection of other circumstances, real and palpable in themselves, came to forbid that supposition.

“Ere long” is similar to “before long”, meaning “soon”.

“Ere”相当于“before”，“ere long”相当于“before long”，指“不久后”。

palpable

a. Capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible. (可感知的，易察觉的)

At first I thought I had been the victim of some magical illusion, but ere long the recollection of other circumstances, real and palpable in themselves, came to forbid that supposition.

It was from Latin “palpare” “to touch gently, stroke”.

该词直接源于拉丁语，其原动词是表示“抚摸”的“palpare”。

apparel

un. Clothing, especially outer garments; attire. (服装)

I could not believe that I had been dreaming, since Barbara as well as myself had seen the strange man with his two black horses, and described with exactness every detail of his figure and apparel.

testify

vi. To serve as evidence. (证明)

Usage (用法): testify to something; testify against something

One morning I found the Abbe Serapion in my room. Barbara had advised him that I was ill, and he had come with all speed to see me. Although this haste on his part testified to an affectionate interest in me, yet his visit did not cause me the pleasure which it should have done.

inquisitorial

a. Extremely inquisitive or prying. (寻根究底的)

The Abbe Serapion had something penetrating and inquisitorial in his gaze which made me feel very ill at ease.

Compare to “inquisitive”, “inquisitorial” detoured through “inquisitor” “official of the ecclesiastical court of the Inquisition”, which made this word cold with granite.

试与“inquisitive”比较，从”inquisitor“衍生而来的“inquisitorial”会让人联想到冷酷的宗教裁判官，程度更深。

clairvoyance

un. Acute intuitive insight or perceptiveness. (洞察力)

At the first glance he divined my interior trouble, and I hated him for his clairvoyance.

It is a French-origin word from “clairvoyant” “clear-seeing”, which could also imply all kinds of paranormal perceptions.

该词来源于形容词性的“clairvoyant”是在法语中产生的，“clair”指“清楚”而“voyant”是“看”的现在分词形式。该词也可以用于指各种超自然的感知能力。

hypocritical

a. Falsely claiming feelings; being deceptive. (虚伪的)

While he inquired after my health in hypocritically honeyed accents, he constantly kept his two great yellow lion-eyes fixed upon me, and plunged his look into my soul like a sounding lead.

premonition

cn. A warning in advance; a forewarning. (预警)

Usages (用法): a premonition about something; a premonition of something

At last, without any premonition, but as though repeating a piece of news which he had recalled on the instant, and feared might otherwise be forgotten subsequently, he suddenly said, in a clear vibrant voice, which rang in my ears like the trumpets of the Last Judgment:

banquet

cn. An elaborate, sumptuous meal; a feast. (宴会)

Collocations (搭配): a grand banquet; a lavish banquet; a lavish banquet; a sumptuous banquet; hold a banquet; arrange a banquet

Usages (用法): at a banquet; at the banquet; a banquet for someone

The great courtesan Clarimonde died a few days ago, at the close of an orgie which lasted eight days and eight nights. It was something infernally splendid. The abominations of the banquets of Belshazzar and Cleopatra were reenacted there.

swarthy

a. Having a dark complexion or color. (（肤色）黝黑的)

The guests were served by swarthy slaves who spoke an unknown tongue, and who seemed to me to be veritable demons.

—Abbe Serapion

veritable

a. Being truly so called; real or genuine. (不折不扣的)

The guests were served by swarthy slaves who spoke an unknown tongue, and who seemed to me to be veritable demons.

—Abbe Serapion

livery

cn. A distinctive uniform worn by the male servants of a household. (（仆人的）制服)

The livery of the very least among them would have served for the gala-dress of an emperor.

—Abbe Serapion

violent

a. Caused by unexpected force or injury rather than by natural causes. (死于非命的)

There have always been very strange stories told of this Clarimonde, and all her lovers came to a violent or miserable end.

—Abbe Serapion

refrain

vi. To hold oneself back; forbear from doing something. (忍住)

Collocation (搭配): deliberately refrain

Usage (用法): refrain from something

I could not refrain from starting when I heard him utter the name of Clarimonde, and this news of her death, in addition to the pain it caused me by reason of its coincidence with the nocturnal scenes I had witnessed, filled me with an agony and terror which my face betrayed, despite my utmost endeavors to appear composed.

It is the third time for “refrain” to show up, with its sense being the most common one.

“Refrain”已经是第三次出现在本篇笔记中了，这次它是终于是以常见的动词形式出现。

start

vi. To move one’s body or a part of it suddenly or involuntarily. (吓一跳)

I could not refrain from starting when I heard him utter the name of Clarimonde, and this news of her death, in addition to the pain it caused me by reason of its coincidence with the nocturnal scenes I had witnessed, filled me with an agony and terror which my face betrayed, despite my utmost endeavors to appear composed.

utmost

a. Of the highest or greatest degree, amount, or intensity; most extreme. (极度的)

I could not refrain from starting when I heard him utter the name of Clarimonde, and this news of her death, in addition to the pain it caused me by reason of its coincidence with the nocturnal scenes I had witnessed, filled me with an agony and terror which my face betrayed, despite my utmost endeavors to appear composed.

It IS a native English word from “utmest“, double superlative of Old English “ut” “out”.

这是一个英语原生的词汇，来自古英语中表示“外部的”的“ut”，它的双重最高级（double superlative）是“utmest”。

lest

conj. So that someone or something not; in case someone or something might. (以免)

My son, I must warn you that you are standing with foot raised upon the brink of an abyss; take heed lest you fall therein.

—Abbe Serapion

scanty

a. Small or insufficient in amount, size, or extent. (少量的)

Her only garment was the linen winding-sheet which had shrouded her when lying upon the bed of death. She sought to gather its folds over her bosom as though ashamed of being so scantily clad, but her little hand was not equal to the task.

“Scantily clad” seems to be a fixed usage similar to “half-clothed” or “underclothed”.

这里的“scantily clad”似乎是一个表达“穿着暴露”的习惯表达，等价于常用的“half-clothed”。

drapery

un. Cloth or clothing gracefully arranged in loose folds. (布料)

She was so white that the color of the drapery blended with that of her flesh under the pallid rays of the lamp.

betray

vt. To make known unintentionally. (（无意）泄露)

Enveloped with this subtle tissue which betrayed all the contours of her body, she seemed rather the marble statue of some fair antique bather than a woman endowed with life.

This one is… magnificent, which choked all descriptions within my imagination for such a scene. It shows the vagueness without using violent “translucent”, surprisingly highlighting the secret allurement of a curvaceous contour in the meantime.

这个词震撼到了我，以至于我现在想在评价里客观叙述这个场景都感到词穷。一方面它在不使用僵硬的“translucent”的情况下很好地表达了那种若隐若现之感；另一方面，使用“betray”暗指了女性身体曲线那种不宜直说的诱惑力。

contour

cn. The outline of a figure, body, or mass. (轮廓，曲线)

Enveloped with this subtle tissue which betrayed all the contours of her body, she seemed rather the marble statue of some fair antique bather than a woman endowed with life.

It was from French and originated from Latin “contornare” “to go around”. “Tour” in Modern French still covers the meaning of “circumference”.

这也是一个法语词，词源在拉丁语表示“环绕”的“contornare”。直到今天，现代法语中“tour”一词仍包含“周长”这一义项。

save

prep. With the exception of; except. (除……以外)

She placed the lamp on the table and seated herself at the foot of my bed; then bending toward me, she said, in that voice at once silvery clear and yet velvety in its sweet softness, such as I never heard from any lips save hers:

afar

ad. From, at, or to a great distance. (从远处)

I have kept thee long in waiting, dear Romuald, and it must have seemed to thee that I had forgotten thee. But I come from afar off, very far off, and from a land whence no other has ever yet returned.

—Clarimonde

The entry alone seems elusive, so I searched some materials and conceived that “afar off”, “afar” and “from afar” are frequently used adverb structure, which carry similar meanings to “at a distance”, “in the distance” and “at a distance” respectively. Do not be that serious for the “from afar off” here, which whatsoever means something related to “far”.

只看这个解释可能没什么头绪，我查了一些语料，除了单独出现以外“afar”还可以构成“afar off”和“from afar”的结构作状语。其中“afar”单独多作“在远处”讲，而后两者多作“从远处”讲。这里原文的“from afar off”也没啥好纠结的，反正 Clarimonde 就是从很远的远方来的。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

whence

conj. Out of which place; from or out of which. (从那里)

I have kept thee long in waiting, dear Romuald, and it must have seemed to thee that I had forgotten thee. But I come from afar off, very far off, and from a land whence no other has ever yet returned.

—Clarimonde

hither

ad. To or toward this place. (到这里)

Oh what sad faces and fearful things I have seen on my way hither!

—Clarimonde

reinstate

vt. To restore to a previous condition or position. (（使）恢复原处)

What difficulty my soul, returned to earth through the power of will alone, has had in finding its body and reinstating itself therein!

—Clarimonde

ponderous

a. Difficult to maneuver or control because of great bulk or weight. (沉重的)

What terrible efforts I had to make ere I could lift the ponderous slab with which they had covered me!

—Clarimonde

wherewith

pron. The thing or things with which. (用那个)

I confess to my shame that I had entirely forgotten the advice of the Abbe Serapion and the sacred office wherewith I had been invested

tremor

cn. A state or feeling of nervousness, worry, or excitement. (哆嗦)

Collocations (搭配): a faint tremor; an icy tremor; an icy tremor; send a tremor; control the tremor

Usages (用法): with a tremor; a tremor of something

The fresh coolness of Clarimonde skin penetrated my own, and I felt voluptuous tremors pass over my whole body.

It is cognate with “tremble”.

该词和“tremble”同源。

negligent

a. Careless or nonchalant. (随意的)

She had drawn her feet up beneath her, and squatted down on the edge of the couch in an attitude full of negligent coquetry.

become

vt. To show to advantage; look good with. (使好看)

From time to time she passed her little hand through my hair and twisted it into curls, as though trying how a new style of wearing it would become my face.

prattle

un. Idle or meaningless chatter; babble. (闲扯)

From time to time she passed her little hand through my hair and twisted it into curls, as though trying how a new style of wearing it would become my face. I abandoned myself to her hands with the most guilty pleasure, while she accompanied her gentle play with the prettiest prattle.

delirium

un. A state of uncontrolled excitement or emotion. (亢奋)

Ah, the fair, unspeakably happy existence, the beautiful golden life we shall live together! And when shall we depart, my fair sir?

—Clarimonde

“To-morrow! To-morrow!” I cried in my delirium.

It was directly descended from Latin “deliriare” “be crazy, rave”.

该词直接来自表示“发狂”的“deliriare”一词。

toilet

cn. Dress; attire; costume. (服装)

In the meanwhile I shall have opportunity to change my toilet, for this is a little too light and in nowise suited for a voyage.

—Clarimonde

forthwith

ad. At once; immediately. (立刻)

I must also forthwith notify all my friends who believe me dead, and mourn for me as deeply as they are capable of doing.

—Clarimonde

leaden

a. Lacking liveliness or sparkle; dull. (沉闷的)

The lamp went out, the curtains closed again, and all became dark; a leaden, dreamless sleep fell on me and held me unconscious until the morning following.

Phrases (短语)on (someone’s) part

ad. As far as is related to, regards, or concerns someone; to the degree that someone is involved or a part (of something). (关于某人)

One morning I found the Abbe Serapion in my room. Barbara had advised him that I was ill, and he had come with all speed to see me. Although this haste on his part testified to an affectionate interest in me, yet his visit did not cause me the pleasure which it should have done.

inquire after someone

vi. To ask how one is doing, especially regarding their health. (询问（健康状况）)

While he inquired after my health in hypocritically honeyed accents, he constantly kept his two great yellow lion-eyes fixed upon me, and plunged his look into my soul like a sounding lead.

Though it is not standard “someone” here, the sense remains the same that “inquiring after” is “asking about well-being”.

这里“after”后并没有按照词典上的标准形式接“人”，但是“inquire after”本身仍是表达对健康状况的询问。

in truth

ad. In reality; actually; truthfully. (事实上)

All her words were accompanied with the most impassioned caresses, which bewildered my sense and my reason to such an extent, that I did not fear to utter a frightful blasphemy for the sake of consoling her, and to declare that I loved her as much as God.

Her eyes rekindled and shone like chrysoprases. “In truth?—in very truth?—as much as God!” she cried, flinging her beautiful arms around me.

Expressions (其它表达)”sounding lead”

While he inquired after my health in hypocritically honeyed accents, he constantly kept his two great yellow lion-eyes fixed upon me, and plunged his look into my soul like a sounding lead.

“Sound” is a kind of water body, from which derived the verb “sounding” “depth measuring”. Traditionally it was conducted with a long rope and lead weight, generating “sounding line”, “sounding lead”, etc. Moreover, “sound out” means “question about someone’s opinion” basing on such concept.

首先“sound”在水文学里好像是一种水体的名词，从这衍生出其作动词指“测量水深”。测量水深的传统方式是利用铅垂线，从此诞生了“sounding line”，“sounding lead”等一系列名词。还有值得一提的是“sound out”这个词组指“询问某人的看法”，其中“sound”也是这个意思。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“trumpets of the Last Judgment”

cn. A warning in advance; a forewarning. (预警)

At last, without any premonition, but as though repeating a piece of news which he had recalled on the instant, and feared might otherwise be forgotten subsequently, he suddenly said, in a clear vibrant voice, which rang in my ears like the trumpets of the Last Judgment:

It is an allusion from the New Testament. In Revelation, God releasing His wrath on the sinful earth, with seven angels blowing seven trumpets in sequence. The last trumpet means therefore the final woe.

这里用了一个《圣经》中的典故，《新约·启示录》记载上帝审判有罪者，七名天使依次吹号将忿怒降在地上。此处的“last trumpet”因此意味着最终的灾祸。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

“banquet of Belshazzar and Cleopatra”

The great courtesan Clarimonde died a few days ago, at the close of an orgie which lasted eight days and eight nights. It was something infernally splendid. The abominations of the banquets of Belshazzar and Cleopatra were reenacted there.

—Abbe Serapion

There are two separate feast stories about these two historical figures. Belshazzar’s story was from the Old Testament. In Daniel, Belshazzar, the last king of ancient Babylon, made a great feast and drank with the golden vessels from the house of God in Jerusalem, praising the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. God made fingers of a human appear and write on the wall to announce the ending of ancient Babylon. The historians also supported that the fall of ancient Babylon was related to a read sumptuous feast in history. For another, the one of Cleopatra is not so directly relevant to the fall of ancient Egypt but seemed more legendary. Probably as part of her diplomacy, she allegedly bet with Mark Antony to hold a most sumptuous banquet and dissolved a pearl into vinegar for drinking, which astonished Antony.

这里提到的两位历史名人归属于两个截然不同的盛宴故事。古巴比伦的最后一位国王 Belshazzar 的故事出自《旧约·但以理书》，他设摆盛筵，用从耶路撒冷殿中所掠的金银器皿饮酒，赞美金、银、铜、铁、木、石所造的神。上帝显出人的指头，在墙上写下文字宣告古巴比伦帝国的灭亡。据当今的历史学家考证，这么一场盛筵真实存在（虽然没有神迹），并且确实导致了都城的陷落。埃及艳后 Cleopatra 的故事则并不直接与灭国有关。或许是作为她外交手腕的一部分，据传她和 Mark Antony 立下赌约置办世间最奢华的宴会。在她的宴会上她将一枚珍珠投入醋中溶解一饮而尽，令 Antony 呆立当场。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three\(\quad\)four（参考资料见左侧链接）

“Beelzebub”

There have always been very strange stories told of this Clarimonde, and all her lovers came to a violent or miserable end. They used to say that she was a ghoul, a female vampire; but I believe she was none other than Beelzebub himself.

—Abbe Serapion

Beelzebub with his characteristic wings has sometimes been called “lord of the files”, but he is one of Hell’s most powerful demons, taking second place only to Satan or even usurping him to become “prince of the devils”. Whatsoever, it is clear that he is always convincing men to worship false gods, which lines with the implication here.

Beelzebub 以标志性的翅膀而获得了“苍蝇王”的别号，但其实他是地狱中最强大的恶魔之一，其地位仅次于 Satan，在一些神学研究者看来甚至超越 Satan 而有“恶魔王子”的称号。无论如何，学界公认的是 Beelzebub 始终在诱使人类信仰伪神，这里 Abbe Serapion 用的也是此意。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“a rosy transparency”

She bore in her hand a little lamp, shaped like those which are placed in tombs, and its light lent her fingers a rosy transparency, which extended itself by lessening degrees even to the opaque and milky whiteness of her bare arm.

They second clause here describes that even the are of Clarimonde seemed transparent to lamp light due to lack of blood, with the light on her fingers seeming to flow under her skin along her limb.

这里的第二个从句意在体现 Clarimonde 肉体由于缺少血液而表现出的透明感。照亮她手指上的光似乎是在她的手臂之中向躯干方向流去。

“still the same”

But dead or living, statue or woman, shadow or body, her beauty was still the same, only that the green light pf her eyes was less brilliant, and her mouth, once so warmly crimson, was only tinted with a faint tender rosy-ness, like that of her cheeks.

“that voice”

She placed the lamp on the table and seated herself at the foot of my bed; then bending toward me, she said, in that voice at once silvery clear and yet velvety in its sweet softness, such as I never heard from any lips save hers:

“afar off”

I have kept thee long in waiting, dear Romuald, and it must have seemed to thee that I had forgotten thee. But I come from afar off, very far off, and from a land whence no other has ever yet returned. There is neither sun nor moon in that land whence I come: all is but space and shadow; there is neither road nor pathway: no earth for the foot, no air for the wing; and nevertheless behold me here, for Love is stronger than Death and must conquer him in the end.

—Clarimonde

Narration from Clarimonde reminds me of a more direct experiment of the realm of the dead from the Dark Lady in Edge of Night, that it was “the grand landscape of all the world’s suffering and all the evils of the infinite” and “the endless void, the dark, unknown realm of anguish“.

Clarimonde 在此处对死者之国的描述让我想起了《夜幕的边际》一书中黑暗女士更直接的体验，她称其“汇集了世上所有的苦难和万古所有的邪恶”，是“无穷无尽的黑暗虚空，无人涉足的苦痛之国”。（个人翻译）

“fatal moment”

I loved thee long ere I saw thee, dear Romuald, and sought thee everywhere. Thou wast my dream, and I first saw thee in the church at the fatal moment.

—Clarimonde

“woe is me”

Woe is me, unhappy one that I am! I can never have thy heart all to myself, I whom thou didst recall to life with a kiss—dead Clarimonde, who for thy sake bursts asunder the gates of the tomb, and comes to consecrate to thee a life which she has resumed only to make thee happy!

—Clarimonde

It is initially an idiom from the Bible, but also famous for its appearance in Hemlet. It was basically an exclamation of lamentation for one’s misfortune but only a humorous way to say that one is sad or upset about something now.

这是一个出自《圣经》的俗语，莎翁在《哈姆雷特》里也用过该句。其本意是表达对悲惨命运的喟叹，但如今多作为一种戏谑的幽默说法。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

About Grammar (语法碎片)some “old-fashioned” words (一些“过时”的词)

Since it is so, thou wilt come with me; thou wilt follow me whithersoever I desire. Thou wilt cast away thy ugly black habit. Thou shalt be the proudest and most envied of cavaliers; thou shalt be my lover!

—Clarimonde

Just for the record, this is not about grammar but a tentative analysis of some words that are actually not old-fashioned, either. I mean… I had always been refraining from writing this for fear of making mistakes, while it was the passion of Clarimonde made me put pen to paper. We have talked about words like “thence”, “hither” and “whence” in this note, which were strange but interestingly relative. Their senses are arranged as the table vide infra:

…here…there…where
from…hencethencewhence
to…hitherthitherwhither

As you can see, common “hence” is actually one of them and some others may appear in formal literatures sometimes. Limited to my own competence, I am not sure about their exact etymology, but I can tell that they testify to English’s belonging to Germanic languages. In this sentence, these six are further involved with the contraction format of “whatsoever”, which could generate six more longer words.

有话在先，其实这部分并不是关于语法的，而只是一点词汇分析；分析的词也并不是什么真就过时了的词。我其实一早就很想写这个部分但是又没什么把握，直到看到这里 Clarimonde 又一次饱含深情地使用相关的词，我才觉得这下不得不写了。其实这篇笔记里像“thence”、“hither”和“whence”这样的词已经出现了多次，这些词虽然看起来有点怪异，但也很容易看出其中有所关联。具体的词按照含义整理如下表：

……这里……那里……哪儿
从……hencethencewhence
到……hitherthitherwhither

从表中我们可以看到几乎属于常用词的“hence”，而其他部分词在一些正式文献中也有所使用。遗憾的是我自己语言学水平连入门都不到，我并没有把握讲清楚这组词的词源学，但它们的源头和日耳曼语族密切关联，这也是英语这门语言血统分类的重要证明。在这句话里“whither”一词进一步按照“whatsoever”的形式构成缩略词，按照这种方式又会诞生六个更长的词了。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

Chapter 5: Serapion’s Mattock (第五章：Serapion 的鹤嘴锄)Words (单词)presentiment

cn. A sense that something is about to occur; a premonition. (（不祥的）预感)

I finally persuaded myself that it was a mere vapor of my ‘heated imagination. Nevertheless its sensations had been so vivid that it was difficult to persuade myself that they were not real, and it was not without some presentiment of what was going to happen that I got into bed at last, after having prayed God to drive far from me all thoughts of evil, and to protect the chastity of my slumber.

sprightly

a. Full of spirit and vitality; lively; brisk. (精力充沛的)

The curtains again parted, and I beheld Clarimonde, not as on the former occasion, pale in her pale winding-sheet, with the violets of death upon her cheeks, but gay, sprightly, jaunty, in a superb traveling dress of green velvet, trimmed with gold lace, and looped up on either side to allow a glimpse of satin petticoat.

“Spright” in “sprightly” is a variant of “sprite” meaning “pixie”, with “sprightly” implying the brisk state of sprites.

“Sprightly”中的“spright”是“sprite”的一个变体，指“小精灵”。该词的本意因而指如“小精灵一般活泼的”。

jaunty

a. Sprightly; lively. (轻松活泼的)

The curtains again parted, and I beheld Clarimonde, not as on the former occasion, pale in her pale winding-sheet, with the violets of death upon her cheeks, but gay, sprightly, jaunty, in a superb traveling dress of green velvet, trimmed with gold lace, and looped up on either side to allow a glimpse of satin petticoat.

Seems that “jaunty” was from an attempt of rendering French “gentil” “nice, kind” into English according to its pronunciation.

该词好像来自把法语中表示“友善的”的“gentil”依据读音转入英语的尝试。

petticoat

cn. A girl’s or woman’s undergarment, worn under a dress or skirt, that is often full and trimmed with ruffles or lace. (女士衬裙)

The curtains again parted, and I beheld Clarimonde, not as on the former occasion, pale in her pale winding-sheet, with the violets of death upon her cheeks, but gay, sprightly, jaunty, in a superb traveling dress of green velvet, trimmed with gold lace, and looped up on either side to allow a glimpse of satin petticoat.

It was originally a padded of men to wear under their armors, but soon prevailed the European clothing in mid-15c., becoming a typical feminine garment and even a metaphor for women.

Petticoat 一开始是战士们穿在盔甲下方作为衬垫的一种着装，但在其十五世纪中叶被引入日常装束后风靡欧洲，以至于一度成为女性的代表着装和女性身份的代名词。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

felt

un. A fabric of matted, compressed animal fibers, such as wool or fur, sometimes mixed with vegetable or synthetic fibers. (毛毡)

Her blonde hair escaped in thick ringlets from beneath a broad black felt hat, decorated with white feathers whimsically twisted into various shapes.

whimsy

un. An unusual, unexpected, or fanciful idea; a whim. (异想天开)

Her blonde hair escaped in thick ringlets from beneath a broad black felt hat, decorated with white feathers whimsically twisted into various shapes.

champ

vt. To bite or chew upon noisily. (大声咀嚼)

The horses are becoming impatient of delay and champing their bits at the door. We ought to have been by this time at least ten leagues distant from here.

—Clarimonde

Later “bit” means the metal mouthpiece of bridle, it was an objective description here with transitive “champ”. However, “champ at the bit” with intransitive “champ” is now an idiom for one’s eager or impatient to do something.

此句后面出现的“bit”指的是马的嚼铁，原句是客观描述马在咬嚼铁的情况，用的是“champ”的及物用法。但现在包含不及物“champ”的“champ at the bit”本身成为了一个俗语，用于指做某事前急不可耐的状态。

daub

cn. A crude, amateurish painting or picture. (拙劣的画作)

I was no longer the same person, and I could not even recognize myself. I resembled my former self no more than a finished statue resembles a block of stone. My old face seemed but a coarse daub of the one reflected in the mirror.

coxcomb

cn. A conceited dandy; a fop. (纨绔公子)

The spirit of my costume penetrated my very skin, and within ten minutes more I had become something of a coxcomb.

“Coxcomb” was derived from “cockscomb” “the fleshy crest (comb) on head of a rooster”, perhaps for its being showy.

“Coxcomb”来自同音的“cockscomb（鸡冠子）”一词，我认为可能是因为公鸡天然给人一种很张扬的感觉。

fecundate

vt. To impregnate; fertilize. (使受孕)

Those horses must have been Spanish genets born of mares fecundated by a zephyr, for they were fleet as the wind itself, and the moon, which had just risen at our departure to light us on the way, rolled over the sky like a wheel detached from her own chariot.

To be specific about this hybridization, “genet” is a variant of “jennet” “a small Spanish saddle horse” and “mare” means “female horse”. Its father is zephyr, whose expansion quod vide Words => zephyr.

此处对这个马的杂交作一点说明，这里的“genet”是西班牙小马“jennet”的另一种拼写，用其母马（mare）作为母本，而父本是风（参见 单词 => zephyr）。

zephyr

cn. A gentle breeze. (微风)

Those horses must have been Spanish genets born of mares fecundated by a zephyr, for they were fleet as the wind itself, and the moon, which had just risen at our departure to light us on the way, rolled over the sky like a wheel detached from her own chariot.

I thought of Zephyrus at once, but it is “a zephyr” here, which means the breeze itself… Nevertheless, word “zephyr” was from Zephyrus, whose name could be spelled as Zephyros or Zephyr in fact (but must be capitalized). He was the god of the west wind in Greek mythology, where four cardinal directions were corresponding to four gods of wind respectively. They were Eurus (East Wind), Notus (South Wind), Zephyrus (West Wind) and Boreas (North Wind), or Anemoi altogether. Anemoi could be in the guise of horses to drew the chariot of Zeus, with their offspring drew some other chariots of god. I trying hard to comprehend it, my mind wobbled for three times when it occurred to me that 1) it might be hard for a god to copulate with a mare; 2) but Zephyrus could transform into a horse; 3) it was “a zephyr” in the text. In the meantime, a friend of mine told me that the copulation between gods and animals were common. Well… that’s cool.

我看到这段话当时想到的就是 Zephyrus，但这里实际上是可数名词“a zephyr”，也就是说让母马受孕的就是风……但是呢，“zephyr”这个词来自 Zephyrus 的名字不假，他是希腊神话里的西风之神，名字其实也可以拼写作 Zephyros 或 Zephyr，但必须大写。希腊神话里四方各有一位风神，它们是东风之神 Eurus，南风之神 Notus，西风之神 Zephyrus 和北风之神 Boreas，这四位风神合称 Anemoi。Anemoi 可以以马的姿态出现，他们为 Zeus 拉车，他们的后代为其他一些神拉车。我一边查资料一遍理解这段文字，事实上不断推翻理解总计三次。我开始想是不是神不太好和马交配，接着查到资料发现 Zephyrus 可以变成马，最后又终于意识到原文是“a zephyr”。与此同时，我的一个朋友还提醒我说希腊神话里“神和动物交配还蛮常见的”……确实是我孤陋寡闻了……

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

hard

ad. Near in space or time; close. (靠近)

Soon we came upon a level plain where, hard by a clump of trees, a carriage with four vigorous horses awaited us.

exert

vt. To bring to bear; exercise. (施加影响)

In that hour I had forgotten everything, and I no more remembered having ever been a priest than I remembered what I had been doing in my mother’s womb, so great was the fascination which the evil spirit exerted upon me.

libertine

cn. One who acts without moral restraint; a dissolute person. (放荡鬼)

The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. Two spirals entangled and confounded the one with the other, yet never touching, would afford a fair representation of this bucolic life which I lived.

It was directly from Latin “libertinus” “condition of a freedman”, with “liber” could be found nowadays in French “liber” or English “liberal”.

该词源于拉丁语“libertinus”，原指“被解放的奴隶”。“Liber”这一词根如今可在法语“liber”和英语“liberal”中找到。

rail

vt. To express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh, or abusive language. (怒斥)

The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. Two spirals entangled and confounded the one with the other, yet never touching, would afford a fair representation of this bucolic life which I lived.

loathe

vt. To dislike (someone or something) greatly; abhor. (憎恶)

The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. Two spirals entangled and confounded the one with the other, yet never touching, would afford a fair representation of this bucolic life which I lived.

dissolute

a. Lacking moral restraint; indulging in sensual pleasures or vices. (放荡的)

The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. Two spirals entangled and confounded the one with the other, yet never touching, would afford a fair representation of this bucolic life which I lived.

bucolic

a. Of or characteristic of the countryside or its people; rustic. (田园的)

The exquisite young lord and libertine railed at the priest, the priest loathed the dissolute habits of the young lord. Two spirals entangled and confounded the one with the other, yet never touching, would afford a fair representation of this bucolic life which I lived.

anomaly

cn. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify. (异常事物)

It was an anomaly for which I could not account—whether I believed myself to be the cure of the little village of C——, or II Signor Romualdo, the titled lover of Clarimonde.

gondola

cn. A lightweight narrow barge with ends that curve up into a point, propelled with a single oar from the stern and used on the canals of Venice. (贡多拉)

It was a palace well worthy of a king. We had each our gondola, our barcarolli in family livery, our music hall, and our special poet.

I do not know Italian at all, with relevant resource on the Internet being unfortunately limited, and am not sure about it. There is no doubt that “gondola” is the Venice-specific oar, which is accepted by English, while “barcarolli” here seemed controversial. On the one hand it seems an Italian plural form of “barcarolle” while its parallel structures used singular noun; on the other, English accepts “barcarolle” as the song of Venetian gondolier while it does not make sense in the context. Putting it directly into the Italian-English dictionary returned no result of interest but a similar “barcarola” “the song of Venetian gondolier”, which was mentioned in the origin of English “barcarolle”. According to the context, it is likely that “barcarolli” here means the gondoliers themselves so that they can be “in family livery“, but I found only an ambiguous reference from Britannica for it.

我一点都不懂意大利语，网上的资源也很有限，这里我属实没太看明白。“Gondola”一词已经被收入了英语，就指威尼斯特有的小船贡多拉；但是这里后面“barcarolli”一词却让人一头雾水。从这个结尾的字母“i”来看它可能是意大利语的一个复数名词，但是我在意大利语词典里却并没有找到它按规则反推的单数形式。另一边，令人诧异的是英语词典收录了似乎是其单数的“barcarolle”，指贡多拉船工的特色船歌，但这在句子里讲不通。“Barcarolle”的百科页面同时提到了它来自意大利语“barcarola”，我查了一下这个词找得到并是指船歌。以我个人的观点，这里只有可能指“船工”才能契合下文的“in family livery”（家族制服），《不列颠百科全书》提到意大利语“barcarola”能指船工，但意大利语词典似乎并不这么说。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

retinue

sn. The retainers or attendants accompanying a high-ranking person. (扈从)

As for me, I had the retinue of a prince’s son, and I was regarded with as much reverential respect as though I had been of the family of one of the twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists of the Most Serene Republic.、

reverence

un. A feeling of profound awe and respect and often love. (崇敬)

As for me, I had the retinue of a prince’s son, and I was regarded with as much reverential respect as though I had been of the family of one of the twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists of the Most Serene Republic.

insolent

a. (archaic) Presumptuous and insulting in manner or speech; arrogant. (侮慢的)

I would not have turned aside to allow even the Doge to pass, and I do not believe that since Satan fell from heaven, any creature was ever prouder or more insolent than I.

ruin

vt. To reduce to poverty or bankruptcy. (（遭受）破产)

I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society—the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers.

knave

cn. A dishonest man; rogue. (恶棍)

I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society—the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers.

hector

vi. To behave like a bully; swagger. (威吓)

I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society—the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers.

Hector from Homer’s Iliad is the eponym of verb “hector”, who was the leader of Trojan and always encouraged his fellows to fight.

动词“hector”源于荷马史诗 Illad 中 Trojan 一方的领袖 Hector，他在战场上能激励本方的战士英勇奋战。

smashbuckler

cn. A flamboyant swordsman or adventurer. (舞刀弄剑者)

I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society—the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers.

dissipation

un. Wasteful expenditure or consumption. (放荡)

But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde.

excite

vt. To elicit or arouse (a reaction or emotion, for example). (激发（情感）)

But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde. I loved her wildly. She would have excited satiety itself, and chained inconstancy.

A more basic meaning of “excite” is about “arousing” feelings.

“Excite”本意其实是指激发情感。

satiety

un. The condition of being full or gratified beyond the point of satisfaction; surfeit. (满足)

But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde. I loved her wildly. She would have excited satiety itself, and chained inconstancy.

sooth

un. (archaic) Truth; reality. (事实)

Usage (用法): in sooth

To have Clarimonde was to have twenty mistresses; aye, to possess all women; so mobile, so varied of aspect, so fresh in new charms was she all in herself— a very chameleon of a woman, in sooth.

don

vt. To put on (clothing or an ornament, for example). (穿上)

She made you commit with her the infidelity you would have committed with another, by donning to perfection the character, the attraction, the style of beauty of the woman who appeared to please you.

It is quite subtle but amusing. It seems that Clarimonde might be well acquainted with the story of “Yu the Great taming the floods”.

虽然实际上很难说，但这句看起来还蛮逗的。想必 Clarimonde 是对大禹治水的故事有所研究。

espouse

vt. To take in marriage; marry. (嫁娶)

A Foscari even went so far as to offer to espouse her.

overture

Collocations (搭配): friendly overtures; diplomatic overtures; sexual overtures; make overtures; reject overtures; spurn overtures

Usages (用法): overtures of something

pn. An act, offer, or proposal that indicates readiness to undertake a course of action or open a relationship. (友好姿态)

A Foscari even went so far as to offer to espouse her. She rejected all his overtures.

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

penance

un. An act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing. (悔罪)

Collocations (搭配): do penance; perform penance

Usages (用法): as a penance; in penance; penance for

I would have been perfectly happy but for a cursed nightmare which recurred every night, and in which I believed myself to be a poor village cure, practicing mortification and penance for my excesses during the day.

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

malady

cn. A disease, disorder, or ailment. (疾病)

The physicians who were summoned could not comprehend the nature of her malady and knew not how to treat it.

Obviously it is cognate with French “malade”, where “mal-” carries the meaning of “bad”.

该词和法语的“malade”是同源词，其中“mal-”这个前缀包含了“不好的”之意。

gash

cn. A long deep cut. (深长的伤口)

Collocations (搭配): a deep gash; a nasty gash; get a gash

Usages (用法): a gash on something

In the act of cutting some fruit I accidentally inflicted rather a deep gash on my finger.

I have to say it was kind of funny to inflict “a gash on finger” when cutting fruit.

能在切水果的时候在手指上写出一道用“gash”来描述的伤口多少也是有点搞笑。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

gush

vi. To flow forth suddenly in great volume. (涌出)

The blood immediately gushed forth in a little purple jet, and a few drops spurted upon Clarimonde.

spurt

vi. To gush forth suddenly in a jet. (喷出)

The blood immediately gushed forth in a little purple jet, and a few drops spurted upon Clarimonde.

“Gush”, “jet”, “spurt”, together with the aforementioned “gash” are excellent descriptions for a terribly bleeding wound. Perhaps I should not, but the bloodbath scene they compose and the nature of an accident from cutting fruit conflicted so dramatically that I can hardly doubt Romuald’s intention of cutting artery to feed his beloved. Oh my gosh it was touching, XD.

除了前文的“gash”这里又连续出现了“gush”，“jet”，“spurt”等词，在描述出血严重的伤口上可谓无所不用其极。但是说实话这种“惨烈”的场面和“切水果伤到手”这件事多少有点不搭，让我有点想笑。我很难不理解成 Romuald 是故意切开手指动脉给他的爱人献血的，大概这就是爱吧。

oblong

a. Deviating from a square, circular, or spherical form by being elongated in one direction. (变狭长的)

Gradually her eyelids half closed, and the pupils of her green eyes became oblong instead of round.

It was not her eyes’ squinting but her pupils’ becoming oblong, which is actually abnormal for human.

注意这里并不是说 Clarimonde 眯起了眼睛，而是她的瞳孔发生了变形，对人类来说这完全是一种异常性状。

Reference:\(\quad\)J. Neurosurg. 1983, 58, 566–568（参考资料见左侧链接）

coax

vt. To obtain by persistent persuasion. (诱哄以得到)

Usages (用法): coax something out of someone; coax something from someone

From time to time she paused in order to kiss my hand, then she would recommence to press her lips to the lips of the wound in order to coax forth a few more ruddy drops.

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

plight

sn. A situation, especially a bad or unfortunate one. (困境)

Collocations (搭配): a desperate plight; a tragic plight

Usages (用法): recognize a plight; alleviate a plight; ignore a plight

Wretched young man, into how terrible a plight have you fallen.

—Abbe Serapion

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

repast

cn. A meal or the food eaten or provided at a meal. (餐)

At last one evening, while looking into a mirror whose traitorous position she had not taken into account, I saw Clarimonde in the act of emptying a powder into the cup of spiced wine which she had long been in the habit of preparing after our repasts.

It is cognate with Modern French “repas”, with both of them originating from Latin “repastus” “meal”.

该词和现代法语的“repas”同源，两者均来自拉丁语中表示“餐”的“repastus”。

unguent

cn. A salve for soothing or healing; an ointment. (药膏)

Although she swallowed only a few drops, the fear of weakening me soon seized her, and she carefully tied a little band around my arm, afterward rubbing the wound with an unguent which immediately cicatrized it.

cicatrize

vt. To heal or become healed by the formation of scar tissue. (使形成疤痕)

Although she swallowed only a few drops, the fear of weakening me soon seized her, and she carefully tied a little band around my arm, afterward rubbing the wound with an unguent which immediately cicatrized it.

factitious

a. Produced artificially rather than by a natural process. (虚假的)

The Abbe Serapion was right. Notwithstanding this positive knowledge, however, I could not cease to love Clarimonde, and I would gladly of my own accord have, given her all the blood she required to sustain her factitious life.

It was from Latin “facticius” “artificial”, which is the past participle adjective of “facere” “to do”. “Faire” in Modern French witnessed such an evolution in the same time. On the other side of Germanic languages, we have “tun” “to do” in Modern German and “do” in Modern English. These two branches shared a common PIE root “*dhe-” “to put, to set, to do” despite their appearances diverged a lot nowadays.

该词直接来源于拉丁语中表示“人造的”的“facticius”一词，后者是动词“facere”（做）的过去分词派生的形容词。同属罗曼语族的现代法语用“faire”表示“做”，两者的亲缘性十分直观；日耳曼语族中则有一些外观迥异的词表示“做”，比如现代德语的“tun”和现代英语的“do”。追溯到原始印欧语，语言学家推定他们来源于共同的词根“*dhe-”。

plead

vi. To appeal earnestly; beg. (恳求)

Usages (用法): plead with someone; plead for something

The woman seemed to plead with me for the vampire, and what I had already heard and seen sufficed to reassure me completely.

With the word being common, it is noteworthy that an intransitive usage with preposition “with” is popular.

虽然这是一个简单的单词，但是它配合介词“with”表达“恳求某人”的不及物用法仍值得注意。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

narcotic

a. Of or relating to narcotics, their effects, or their use. (麻醉剂般的，毒品般的)

I carefully avoided ever making the least reference to the narcotic drink she had prepared for me, or to the incident of the pin, and we lived in the most perfect harmony.

Most of the drugs are anesthetics in nature, which affects the nervous system and alters consciousness, bringing out euphoria and devastating addiction. Modern English “narcotic”, Modern French “narcotique” and Modern German “narkotisch” are cognate, which could be traced back to word meaning “make numb” in Greek.

我们常说的毒品中大多数的药学本质都是麻醉剂，它们直接作用于人的神经系统，影响人的意识从而产生欣快感，但同时伴随着可怕的成瘾性。你可以在现代法语和现代德语中分别找到“narcotique”和“narkotisch”，它们都是这里的“narcotic”的同源词，这组词可以追溯至希腊语，其词源的含义就是“使麻木”。

subdue

vt. To subjugate (a region or people, for example) by military force. (压制)

Yet my priestly scruples commenced to torment me more than ever, and I was at a loss to imagine what new penance I could invent in order to mortify and subdue my flesh.

defile

vt. To debase the pureness or excellence of; corrupt. (玷污)

Although these visions were involuntary, and though I did not actually participate in anything relating to them, I could not dare to touch the body of Christ with hands so impure and a mind defiled by such debauches whether real or imaginary.

debauch

cn. The act or a period of debauchery. (淫逸)

Although these visions were involuntary, and though I did not actually participate in anything relating to them, I could not dare to touch the body of Christ with hands so impure and a mind defiled by such debauches whether real or imaginary.

drowsy

a. Produced or characterized by sleepiness. (睡意朦胧的)

I held my eyelids open with my fingers, and stood for hours together leaning upright against the wall, fighting sleep with all my might; but the dust of drowsiness invariably gathered upon my eyes at last, and finding all resistance useless, I would have to let my arms fall in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores.

perfidy

un. Deliberate breach of faith; calculated violation of trust; treachery. (背信弃义)

I held my eyelids open with my fingers, and stood for hours together leaning upright against the wall, fighting sleep with all my might; but the dust of drowsiness invariably gathered upon my eyes at last, and finding all resistance useless, I would have to let my arms fall in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores.

vehement

a. Characterized by forcefulness of expression or intensity of emotion or conviction; fervid. (（感情）强烈的)

Serapion addressed me with the most vehement exhortations, severely reproaching me for my softness and want of fervor.

Origin of this word is still ambiguous, a plausible explanation goes that it was from “vehe-” “lacking” and “mens” “mind”.

该词的词源仍未有定论，一种可能的解释将其拆开为两部分，其中“vehe-”指“缺乏”，而“mens”指“心智”。

reproach

vt. To express disapproval of, criticism of, or disappointment in (someone). (责备)

Serapion addressed me with the most vehement exhortations, severely reproaching me for my softness and want of fervor.

disinter

vt. To dig up or remove from a grave or tomb; exhume. (掘尸)

It is necessary that we shall disinter her remains, and that you shall behold in how pitiable a state the object of your love is.

—Abbe Serapion

delude

vt. To cause to hold a false belief; deceive thoroughly. (蒙骗)

For my part, I was so tired of this double life that I at once consented, desiring to ascertain beyond a doubt whether a priest or a gentleman had been the victim of delusion.

wend

vt. To proceed on or along; go. (走)

The Abbe Serapion provided himself with a mattock, a lever, and a lantern, and at midnight we wended our way to the cemetery of ——, the location and place of which were perfectly familiar to him.

epitaph

cn. An inscription on a tombstone in memory of the one buried there. (墓志铭)

Collocations (搭配): a fitting epitaph; stand as an epitaph

Usages (用法): an epitaph for someone; an epitaph on someone; an epitaph to something

After having directed the rays of the dark lantern upon the inscriptions of several tombs, we came at last upon a great slab, half concealed by huge weeds and devoured by mosses and parasitic plants, whereupon we deciphered the opening lines of the epitaph:

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

toil

un. Exhausting labor or effort. (苦工)

Collocations (搭配): relentless toil; unremitting toil

Darker and more silent than the night itself, I stood by and watched him do it, while he, bending over his dismal toil, streamed with sweat, panted, and his hard-coming breath seemed to have the harsh tone of a death rattle.

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

wretch

cn. A person regarded as base, mean, or despicable. (恶棍)

It was a weird scene, and had any persons from without beheld us, they would assuredly have taken us rather for profane wretches and shroud-stealers than for priests of God.

grim

a. Repellent or horrifying. (令人不快的)

There was something grim and fierce in Serapion’s zeal which lent him the air of a demon rather than of an apostle or an angel, and his great aquiline face, with all its stern features brought out in strong relief by the lantern-light, had something fearsome in it which enhanced the unpleasant fancy.

It is a pure Germanic word, cognate with Modern German “Grimm” “fury”.

该词具有纯粹的日耳曼血统，现代德语表示“怒火”的“Grimm”与之同源。

aquiline

a. Curved or hooked like an eagle’s beak. (鹰钩状的)

There was something grim and fierce in Serapion’s zeal which lent him the air of a demon rather than of an apostle or an angel, and his great aquiline face, with all its stern features brought out in strong relief by the lantern-light, had something fearsome in it which enhanced the unpleasant fancy.

hideous

a. Causing great harm or fear; terrible. (极坏的)

I felt an icy sweat come out upon my forehead in huge beads, and my hair stood up with a hideous fear.

Though seemingly relative to “hide”, it is actually cognate with Modern French “hideux” “gruesome, abhorrent”.

即使看起来很像“hide”，该词和“hide”并没有亲缘关系，反倒是现代法语中的“hideux”和其同源。

austere

a. Strict or severe in discipline; ascetic. (苦行僧的)

Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Serapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.

sacrilege

cn. Desecration, profanation, misuse, or theft of something regarded as sacred. (亵渎行为)

Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Serapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.

It is not hard to find “sacr” as “sacre” in “sacrilege”, but why the whole word contributes to the opposite meaning? Dating back to Latin, it was a contraction of phrase “sacrum legere” “to steal sacred things”.

“Sacrilege”一词中的“sacr”显然和“sacre”有关，那为什么全词会表达一个恰恰相反的意思呢？实际上“sacrilege”来自拉丁短语“sacrum legere”的缩略，而后者的意思是“窃取圣物”。

entrails

pn. Internal parts. (内部)

Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Serapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.

reduce

vt. To turn into powder; pulverize. (彻底摧毁)

Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Serapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.

cinder

cn. A small piece of burned or partly burned substance, such as coal, that is not reduced to ashes but is incapable of further combustion. (灰烬)

Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Serapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders.

Remember Cinderella? In Chinese we translated it to “灰姑娘”, where “姑娘” means “girl, maiden” while “灰” remains ambiguous. I have been taking it for granted till today that it was an adjective meaning “gray”. Though the ashes are gray for sure, I have never made a guess that it could be the noun “ashes” itself. The opening lyrics from the original film Cinderella went that “Cinderella, you’re as lovely as your name, […] Though you’re dressed in rags, you wear an air of queenly grace“, which proved that name “Cinderella” means “little ashes” by its nature.

还记得迪士尼童话里的灰姑娘（Cinderella）吗，这么翻译其实大有讲究。直到今天我都以为这里的“灰”指的是形容词“灰色的”，但是它其实指的是灰色的“灰烬”。原版电影 Cinderella 的开场词说“Cinderella，你像你的名字一样可爱。【……】即使你穿的破烂，仍然是优美的女皇”，这无疑道出了“灰姑娘”一名的用意所在。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

cypress

cn. Any of various evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Cupressus, native to Eurasia and North America and having opposite, scalelike leaves and globose woody cones. (柏树)

The owls which had been nestling in the cypress-trees, startled by the gleam of the lantern, flew against it from time to time, striking their dusty wings against its panes, and uttering plaintive cries of lamentation;

plaintive

a. Expressing sorrow; mournful or melancholy. (伤感的)

The owls which had been nestling in the cypress-trees, startled by the gleam of the lantern, flew against it from time to time, striking their dusty wings against its panes, and uttering plaintive cries of lamentation;

“Plaintive” was not “plain-tive” but “plaint-ive”. Though we sometimes emphasize the existence of “-tive” or “-sive” in English, the suffix is actually “-ive” from Latin “-ivus“. Regarding that most Roman words bypass French to join English, we should also compare it with masculine suffix “-if” and feminine suffix “-ive” in French.

切不可看到“plain”就望文生义，该词的实际构成是“plaint-ive”。尽管我们在英语中有时强调“-tive”或者“-sive”结尾的单词，但这里真正的后缀是来自拉丁语“-ivus”的“-ive”。由于许多罗曼语族的单词都是经由法语进入英语中的，我们也应当关注一下法语中的同源词缀以期比较，它们是阳性后缀“-if”和阴性后缀“-ive”。

sinister

a. Suggesting or threatening harm or evil. (不祥的)

wild foxes yelped in the far darkness, and a thousand sinister noises detached themselves from the silence.

plank

cn. A piece of lumber cut thicker than a board. (木板)

At last Serapion’s mattock struck the coffin itself, making its planks reecho with a deep sonorous sound, with that terrible sound nothingness utters when stricken.

sonorous

a. Having or producing a full, deep, or rich sound. (浑厚的)

At last Serapion’s mattock struck the coffin itself, making its planks reecho with a deep sonorous sound, with that terrible sound nothingness utters when stricken.

nothingness

un. The condition or quality of being nothing; nonexistence. (虚无)

At last Serapion’s mattock struck the coffin itself, making its planks reecho with a deep sonorous sound, with that terrible sound nothingness utters when stricken.

winding-sheet

cn. Shroud. (裹尸布)

her white winding-sheet made but one fold from her head to her feet.

calcine

vt. To heat (a substance) to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point, causing loss of moisture, reduction or oxidation, and the decomposition of carbonates and other compounds. (焙烧)

Poor Clarimonde had no sooner been touched by the blessed spray than her beautiful body crumbled into dust, and became only a shapeless and frightful mass of cinders and half-calcined bones.

inexorable

a. Impossible to stop, alter, or resist; inevitable. (不可阻挡的)

“Behold your mistress, my Lord Romuald!” cried the inexorable priest, as he pointed to these sad remains.

wherefore

ad. For what purpose or reason; why. (为什么)

Wherefore have hearkened to that imbecile priest?

—Clarimonde

hearken

vi. (archaic) To listen attentively; give heed. (倾听)

Wherefore have hearkened to that imbecile priest?

—Clarimonde

imbecile

cn. A person who is considered foolish or stupid. (蠢人)

Wherefore have hearkened to that imbecile priest?

—Clarimonde

Modern English “imbecile” and Modern French “imbécile” were from Latin “imbecillus” “(body) weak, feeble”, with its sense shifting to “mentally weak” later in mid-18c..

现代英语中的“imbecile”和现代法语中的“imbécile”都源于拉丁语“imbecillus”，其本指身体上的孱弱。到十八世纪中叶该词的含义迁移至同时指“思想孱弱”（也就是愚蠢），这才有了今天该词的粗俗表意。

regret

vt. To remember with a feeling of loss or sorrow; mourn. (悼念)

Adieu! Thou wilt yet regret me!

—Clarimonde

Phrases (短语)to perfection

ad. Extremely well. (完美地)

She made you commit with her the infidelity you would have committed with another, by donning to perfection the character, the attraction, the style of beauty of the woman who appeared to please you.

of (one’s) own accord

ad. Voluntarily; of one’s own free will. (自愿的)

The Abbe Serapion was right. Notwithstanding this positive knowledge, however, I could not cease to love Clarimonde, and I would gladly of my own accord have, given her all the blood she required to sustain her factitious life.

lay bare (something)

vt. To divulge, explain, or reveal something not previously known publicly. (公开)

And what harm had I ever done thee that thou shouldst violate my poor tomb, and lay bare the miseries of my nothingness?

—Clarimonde

Expressions (其它表达)”Venetian crystal”

She hurriedly arranged my hair, and this done, held up before me a little pocket mirror of Venetian crystal, rimmed with silver filigree-work, and playfully asked: “How dost find thyself now? Wilt engage me for thy valet de chambre?”

“Crystal” here is glass rather than natural rock crystal. Venice has always been the most famous origin of world-class glass since 13c., at the latest. In 15c., craftsman was able to make Cristallo, i.e., clear glass that approximated rock crystal in appearance.

这里的“crystal”指的并非是天然水晶，而是玻璃。威尼斯自十三世纪甚至更早就开始生产世界顶尖水平的玻璃制品，并在十五世纪的时候制出了透明度可以媲美天然水晶的玻璃，称之为 Cristallo。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“valet de chambre”

She hurriedly arranged my hair, and this done, held up before me a little pocket mirror of Venetian crystal, rimmed with silver filigree-work, and playfully asked: “How dost find thyself now? Wilt engage me for thy valet de chambre?”

French “valet de chambre” literally means “bedroom servant”, while you can also use French-origin “chamber valet”, lol. Seems that English also borrowed this phrase from French.

“Valet de chambre”是法语，字面意思是指贴身仆人，当然由于这里两个名词都被引入了英语，你可以直接说“chamber valet”而非“bedroom servant”。当然，现在整个词组也是英语了（笑死）。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“no longer the same person”

I was no longer the same person, and I could not even recognize myself. I resembled my former self no more than a finished statue resembles a block of stone. My old face seemed but a coarse daub of the one reflected in the mirror.

“moon chariot”

Those horses must have been Spanish genets born of mares fecundated by a zephyr, for they were fleet as the wind itself, and the moon, which had just risen at our departure to light us on the way, rolled over the sky like a wheel detached from her own chariot.

In Greek mythology, the moon you see in the sky is actually a chariot of the goddess of the moon. However, there were more than one goddesses of the moon, among which Selene was more likely the one deserved “the owner of moon chariot” while Artemis, a later owner of it, was more likely the one occurred to your mind as a result of her frequent being mentions in literatures.

希腊神话认为我们所看到的月亮其实是月之女神驾驶的月之战车，但由于月之女神不止一位，战车的主人也没有标准答案。一般来说我们提到月之战车的主人说的还是 Selene，但是一般人提到月之女神想到的可能是 Artemis，毕竟后者在文学作品中出现更频繁。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

“fleet as the wind”

Those horses must have been Spanish genets born of mares fecundated by a zephyr, for they were fleet as the wind itself, and the moon, which had just risen at our departure to light us on the way, rolled over the sky like a wheel detached from her own chariot. We beheld her on the right leaping from tree to tree, and putting herself out of breath in the effort to keep up with us.

“dream”

From that night my nature seemed in some sort to have become halved, and there were two men within me, neither of whom knew the other. At one moment I believed my-self a priest who dreamed nightly that he was a gentleman, at another that I was a gentleman who dreamed he was a priest. I could no longer distinguish the dream from the reality, nor could I discover where the reality began or where ended the dream.

It reminds me of the saying from Inception that “you never really remember the beginning of a dream“.

这让我想起《盗梦空间》里提到的“你永远想不起梦的开头”。

“II Signor Romualdo”

It was an anomaly for which I could not account—whether I believed myself to be the cure of the little village of C——, or II Signor Romualdo, the titled lover of Clarimonde.

The uppercase “i” and lowercase “L” deceived me into believing that it was Roman numeral “Ⅱ”, which also reminded me of famous “Barcode God of War” in some FPS game. After some deviation of searching “number/order in Italian name”, it occurred to me that it might be a capitalized “il”, which is a definite article in Italian. Also, an Italian name for men is always ends with letter “o”, with Italian “II Signor Romualdo” being equivalent to English “The Mister Romuald”.

众所周知小写“L”和大写“i”不好分辨（所以才有 FPS 游戏里的“条形码战神”），我下意识把原文当作了罗马数字“Ⅱ”，查了半天意大利语名字里是否会有数字序号。后来我突然意识到这个可能是首字母大写的“il”，一查发现它在意大利语里是定冠词。另一点要说的是男主的名字变成了“Romualdo”，这是因为意大利语里男性的名字往往都是以字母“o”结尾。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

“Titians”

We dwelt in a great palace on the Canaleio, filled with frescoes and statues, and containing two Titians in the noblest style of the great master, which were hung in Clarimonde’s chamber.

Tiziano Vecelli(o) (or Titian) is the greatest Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school, who hardly left the city of Venice during his lifetime. Though without concreted evidence, I assume that “Titians” means “some works of Titian” here. In accord with the context, he produced several famous frescoes, which are painted on fresh, moist plaster with pigments dissolved in water, during his early years.

Tiziano Vecelli(o) 又称 Titian（提香），他是意大利文艺复兴时期威尼斯画派的代表画家，他一生极少离开这座城市。此处原文”Titians“我猜测指的就是 Titian 的作品，很遗憾我没有在网上找到这样用法的例子，但文本中提到了”fresco“，这指的是湿壁画，而 Titian 在生涯早期的确创作过不少优秀的湿壁画作品。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists”

As for me, I had the retinue of a prince’s son, and I was regarded with as much reverential respect as though I had been of the family of one of the twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists of the Most Serene Republic.

These two are from the Bible. “Apostle” means “one who is sent out”, Jesus Christ had twelve apostles as the first messengers of the gospel, among which Judas Iscariot was notorious for betraying Jesus; An “evangelist” is someone who proclaims good news and, therefore, a preacher of the gospel. It were the four evangelist who wrote the four Gospels. Here, the hero was with divine right that surpassed the authority of local administration.

这两个词都来源于《圣经》，“apostle”指“使徒”而“evangelist”指“传福音的人”。耶稣基督的十二使徒是福音的第一批信使，其中最著名的大概就是背叛耶稣的加略人犹大；“传福音的人”特指四福音书的人类作者，他们也四处传讲福音。这里作者用典是想说明男主当时具有一种宗教权威，这种权势甚至压过了地方行政长官。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

“the Most Serene Republic”

As for me, I had the retinue of a prince’s son, and I was regarded with as much reverential respect as though I had been of the family of one of the twelve Apostles or the four Evangelists of the Most Serene Republic.

“Most Serene” (Italian “Serenissima”) is a Byzantine title bestowed upon the Doge and the Signoria at first as an indicator of sovereignty, it then extended to the entire Republic of Venice. It is still available at present in names of some micronations like San Marino, which also has a long-form name Most Serene Republic of San Marino.

这里的“Most Serene”对应着意大利语“Serenissima”，字面意义指“最安宁的”，它一开始其实是拜占庭帝国给威尼斯地方掌权者的头衔，是一种权力的象征。后来该头衔推广到指当时的威尼斯共和国。今天我们仍能在一些小国的国名中见到这种头衔，比如圣马力诺，其全名就包含了“Most Serene”这一头衔。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three\(\quad\)four\(\quad\)five（参考资料见左侧链接）

“insolent”

I would not have turned aside to allow even the Doge to pass, and I do not believe that since Satan fell from heaven, any creature was ever prouder or more insolent than I.

“Doge” here is a Venetian dialect for Italian “duce”, which means “duke” in English. The famous dog occurred to my mind at my seeing this word, and it is more amusing that someone did make a meme about it.

这里“doge”这个词源于意大利语威尼斯方言对“duce”（公爵）一词的拼写。我看到这个词就想起了那只著名的狗，一搜发现网友还真的做了这个表情包。

Reference:\(\quad\)here（参考资料见左侧链接）

“the Ridotto”

I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society—the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers.

Besides the waterways and gondola, Venice is also famous for its casinos and Carnival celebrations. You may have heard of “The Venetian” as grand casino in Macao, China and that it is, which is, according to a friend of mine, said to have Venice-like decoration within. Both cognate “casinò” and “ridotto” here mean casino in Italian; As a tradition of Venetian Carnival, people wear characteristic masks to hide their appearance for great fun. It is noteworthy that there is something common underlying, which allows a pursuit of pleasure regardless of the social identity.

除了标志性的水路和贡多拉，威尼斯的赌场和狂欢节也举世闻名。你可能听说过中国澳门的“威尼斯人”赌场，我一个朋友说其装潢的确是模仿了威尼斯的标志性风光。事实上赌场（casino）一词就是源于意大利语“casinò”，而这里的“ridotto”也表达“赌场”之意；另一方面，威尼斯狂欢节以参加者戴上面具纵情狂欢的传统而闻名。在这两种文化背后的精神是共通的，即人们可以抛下社会地位的差距去一同享受快乐。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

“chain inconstancy”

But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde. I loved her wildly. She would have excited satiety itself, and chained inconstancy.

“the Ancients of the Council of Ten”

She returned my love a hundred-fold, and it was in vain that the young patricians and even the Ancients of the Council of Ten made her the most magnificent proposals.

Here, “the Council of Ten” is mentioned as a group of superior patricians, which was established to police the patrician order and was granted with the power of secret police, espionage, and counterespionage. The history then emphasized the importance of military power for politics once again that it soon exerted a strong influence on financial and diplomatic administration.

我们不难看出这里提到“十人委员会”指的是一群贵族中的贵族。该组织设立之初只是掌管着威尼斯的秘密警察和间谍与反间谍事务，但正如历史无数次证明的那样，这个掌握军事力量的组织迅速攫取了强大的政治影响力，并在经济和外交等方面深刻影响了威尼斯。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

“A Foscari”

A Foscari even went so far as to offer to espouse her.

It is common to indicate a member of certain family with “a [family name]”. In Tomb Raider Series, Lara Croft follows in her father’s footsteps to be an archaeologist and is sometimes called as “a young Croft”. Here, Foscari implies the family of doge Francesco Foscari, under whom Venice first undertook conquests on the Italian mainland.

英语里可以用不定冠词加姓的方式去指该家族的成员。在《古墓丽影》系列中，Lara Croft 是跟随其父亲的脚步而成为一名考古学家的，她在游戏中有时也被以这种方式称呼。此处 Foscari 指的应该是威尼斯总督 Francesco Foscari 的家族，他领导下的威尼斯发动了对米兰的战争并首次占领了意大利本土的领土。

References: one\(\quad\)two（参考资料见左侧链接）

“a wine from Xeres or Syracuse”

She swallowed the blood in little mouthfuls, slowly and carefully, like a connoisseur tasting a wine from Xeres or Syracuse.

It not hard to guess that both “Xeres” and “Syracuse” are wine production regions. “Xeres” is transliterated from Spanish “Jerez” and is often further transliterated into famous “Sherry”, which produced eponymous amber-like white wine; “Syracuse” is meanwhile from Italian “Siracusa” on famous Sicily (Sicilia in Italian).

首先不难看出这里的“Xeres”和“Syracuse”都是葡萄酒产区。其中前者来自西班牙语“Jerez”的音译，在英语中又往往写作“Sherry”，这里出产的白葡萄酒因特殊工艺而可呈现琥珀般的颜色，这就是享誉世界的雪莉酒；后者指的则是西西里岛上的锡拉库萨（意大利语写作 Siracusa）。

References: one\(\quad\)two\(\quad\)three（参考资料见左侧链接）

“my blood”

Drink, and may my love infiltrate itself throughout thy body together with my blood!

—Romuald

If I were Romuald… I mean… How can I bargain about my poor circulation medium for even a little when beloved Clarimonde is intriguing nothing but to spoil me more? It is definitely fine by me.

我觉得这太对了，就是说如果 Clarimonde 是不遗余力为我付出，我凭什么能吝啬自己循环系统里那点破液体呢？

“dust of drowsiness”

I held my eyelids open with my fingers, and stood for hours together leaning upright against the wall, fighting sleep with all my might; but the dust of drowsiness invariably gathered upon my eyes at last, and finding all resistance useless, I would have to let my arms fall in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores.

“current of slumber”

I held my eyelids open with my fingers, and stood for hours together leaning upright against the wall, fighting sleep with all my might; but the dust of drowsiness invariably gathered upon my eyes at last, and finding all resistance useless, I would have to let my arms fall in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores.

“bend over”

Darker and more silent than the night itself, I stood by and watched him do it, while he, bending over his dismal toil, streamed with sweat, panted, and his hard-coming breath seemed to have the harsh tone of a death rattle.

I found no direct result in The Free Dictionary while it seems to be a brief version of “bend one’s head over something”, which means “bury oneself in something”.

直接在 The Free Dictionary 里搜没有结果，但是我感觉这个是“bend one’s head over something”的缩略形式，大意还是指“专心致志于某事”。

“lamentation”

The owls which had been nestling in the cypress-trees, startled by the gleam of the lantern, flew against it from time to time, striking their dusty wings against its panes, and uttering plaintive cries of lamentation; wild foxes yelped in the far darkness, and a thousand sinister noises detached themselves from the silence.

“nothingness utters”

At last Serapion’s mattock struck the coffin itself, making its planks reecho with a deep sonorous sound, with that terrible sound nothingness utters when stricken.

Acknowledgements （致谢）

I sincerely thanks Prof. Lan He from Hunan University for her generous help and contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 1 => Words => but
  • Chapter 1 => Phrases => think to
  • Chapter 1 => Expressions => “herself”

Mme Yi-Chun Yu from Hunan University for her generous help and contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 1 => About Grammar => Second person pronouns in Early Modern English

M. Zheng-Peng Zeng from Hunan University for his generous help and contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 2 => Words => courtesan
  • Chapter 2 => Phrases => in succession

And I thanks M. Xing Ni from Wuhan University of Science and Technology for his contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 1 => Expressions => “Jehovah”

M. Tian-Qi Yang from China University of Geosciences for his contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 4 => Expressions => “sounding lead”

M. Ming-rui Xiao from Wuhan University of Technology for his contribution to the entries vide infra:

  • Chapter 5 => Words => zephyr

我由衷感谢湖南大学何岚教授对以下条目的慷慨帮助：

  • 第一章 => 单词 => but
  • 第一章 => 短语 => think to
  • 第一章 => 其它表达 => “herself”

湖南大学余意纯老师对以下条目的慷慨帮助：

  • 第一章 => 语法碎片 => 早期现代英语中的第二人称代词

湖南大学曾正鹏先生对以下条目的慷慨帮助:

  • 第二章 => 单词 => courtesan
  • 第二章 => 短语 => in succession

此外，我感谢武汉科技大学倪行先生对以下条目的贡献：

  • 第一章 => 其它表达 => “Jehovah”

中国地质大学（武汉）杨天奇先生对以下条目的贡献：

  • 第四章 => 其它表达 => “sounding lead”

武汉理工大学肖明睿先生对以下条目的贡献：

  • 第五章 => 单词 => zephyr

Portal to Catalog of More Notes （链接：英语写作学习笔记目录）

Portal: here （点左侧链接直达页面）

by Syl & Sylvia @ 2023-03-26 19:23:55 @ Changsha, Yuelu District
originally post @ https://www.cnblogs.com @ 2023-03-26