美国学生人类历史 第166期:中世纪的城市(10)

 Suppose that we let him have a hundred ducats and that he give us in return a written guarantee allowing us to fish all we want in all of his rivers. 如果我们借给他100元，作为回报，他给我们签署一张允许我们随意在他拥有的所有河流里钓鱼的保证书，这样做如何？

Then he gets the hundred which he needs, but we get the fish and it will be good business all around." 他得到了是他急需的100金币，而我们得到鱼，岂不是对大家都有利的交易？"

The day his Lordship accepted this proposition¹ (it seemed such an easy way of getting a hundred gold pieces) he signed the death-warrant of his own power. 公爵大人接受这项交易的那天（看起来倒是轻轻松松得到100金币的好法子），他不知不觉地签署了自己权力的死亡证书。

His clerk drew up the agreement. 他的文书拟好协议书，

His Lordship made his mark (for he could not sign his name) and departed² for the East. 公爵大人盖上自己的印章（因为他不会写自己的名字）。一切万事大吉，公爵怀着满腔的激情去东方对付穆斯林了。

Two years later he came back, dead broke. 两年后，他回到家里，已是囊空如洗。

The townspeople were fishing in the castle pond. 镇民们正在城堡的池塘里钓鱼，一排钓竿悠闲安然地此起彼伏于水边上。

The sight of this silent row of anglers annoyed his Lordship. 此情此景让公爵大为光火，

He told his equerry to go and chase³ the crowd away. 他吩咐管家去把众人赶走。

They went, but that night a delegation⁴ of merchants visited the castle. 他们很听话地走掉了，可当天晚上，一个商人代表团造访了城堡。

They were very polite. They congratulated his Lordship upon his safe return. 他们彬彬有礼，先是祝贺大人平安归来。

They were sorry his Lordship had been annoyed by the fishermen,  至于大人被钓鱼的人惹火的事情，他们也深感遗憾。

but as his Lordship might perhaps remember he had given them permission to do so himself, 可如果大人还记得的话，是大人亲自恩允他们到池塘垂钓的。

and the tailor produced the Charter⁵ which had been kept in the safe of the jeweller ever since the master had gone to the Holy Land. 接着，裁缝出示了那份有大人盖章的特许状，从大人出发去圣地那天起，它便被细心保管在珠宝商的保险箱里。

His Lordship was much annoyed. 这样一来，公爵大人不由得怒上加怒，火上加火。

But once more he was in dire⁶ need of some money. 不过，他突然想起自己又急需一笔钱的事情来。

In Italy he had signed his name to certain documents which were now in the possession of Salvestro dei Medici, the well-known banker. 在意大利，他往几张文件上签下了自己的大名，它们如今正稳稳呆在著名银行家瓦斯特洛·德梅迪奇手里。

These documents were "promissory notes" and they were due two months from date. 这些文件可是要命的"银行期票"，再有两个月就该到期了，

Their total amount came to three hundred and forty pounds, Flemish gold. 总数目是340磅佛兰芒金币。

1 proposition   

n.建议，命题，主张；vt.向...提议，向...调情

参考例句：

• The two teams prepared to debate the given proposition.两个队准备就所给定的命题展开辩论。
• It is clearly illogical to maintain such a proposition.坚持这种主张显然是没有道理的。

2 departed   

a.(委婉的说法)已死的

参考例句：

• your dear departed brother 你挚爱的亡兄
• He departed from the text to tell an anecdote. 他偏离课文讲起了一则轶事。

3 chase   

vt.追逐，追赶，追求；n.追赶

参考例句：

• The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
• Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了，你会来追吗？

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 charter   

n.特许状，执照，宪章；v.特许，发给特许执照

参考例句：

• This new law amounts to a tax evader's charter.这项新法律简直成了为逃税者开的许可证。
• We will charter a steamer to convey the goods.我们将租一艘船运送这批货物。

6 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。