考研英语精读 55

　　Deems Tayl***

　　He was an undersiz*** ***ttle man， with a head ***o big f*** his body —— a s***kly ***ttle man. His ***rves were had. He had sk*** trouble. It was a***ny f*** him *** wear anyth***g ***xt *** his sk*** ***arser than silk. And he had seclusions of grand***r.

　　He was a monster of ***nceit. Never f*** o*** m***ute did he look at the w***ld *** at people， except *** relation *** himself. He was not o***y the most imp***tant person *** the w***ld， *** himself； *** his own eyes he was the o***y person who exist***. He be***ev*** himself *** be o*** of the greatest dramatists *** the w***ld， o*** of the greatest th***kers， and o*** of the greatest ***mposers. To hear him talk， he was Shakespeare， and Beethoven， and Pla***， roll*** ****** o***. And you would h**e had no diff***u***y *** hear***g him talk. He was o*** of the most exh***st***g ***nversationa***sts that ever ***v***. An even***g with him was an even***g spent *** ***sten***g *** a monologue. So***ti***s he was bril***ant； so***ti***s he was madden***gly tireso***. But whether he was be***g bril***ant *** dull， he had o*** sole ***p*** of ***nversation： himself. What he thought and what he did.

　　He had a mania f*** be***g *** the right. The s***ghtest h***t of disagree***nt， from anyo***， on the most tri***al po***t， was enough *** set him off on a harangue that might last f*** house， *** wh***h he prov*** himself right *** so many ways， and with such exh***st***g volubi***ty， that *** the end his hearer， stun***d and deafe***d， would agree with him， f*** the sake of peace.

　　It ***ver o***urr*** *** him that he and his do***g were not of the most ***tense and fasc***at***g ***terest *** anyo*** with whom he ca*** *** ***ntact. He had the***ies about almost any subject under the sun， ***clud***g vegetarianism， the drama， po***t***s， and mus***； and *** supp***t of these the***ies he wrote pamphlets， letters， books … thousands upon thousands of w***ds， hundr***s and hundr***s of pages. He not o***y wrote these th***gs， and pub***sh*** them —— usually at so***body else's expense —— but he would *** and read them aloud， f*** hours， *** his friends and his family.

　　He wrote operas， and no soo***r did he h**e the synopsis of a s***ry， but he would ******te —— *** rather summon —— a crow*** of his friends *** his house， and read it aloud *** them. Not f*** crit***ism. F*** appl***se. When the ***mplete poem was written， the friends had *** ****** aga***， and hear that read aloud. Then he would pub***sh the poem， so***ti***s years bef***e the mus*** that went with it was written. He play*** the piano ***ke a ***mposer， *** the w***st sense of what that imp***es， and he would *** down at the piano bef***e parties that ***clud*** so*** of the f***est pianists of his ti***， and play f*** them， by the hour， his own mus***， ******less *** say. He had a ***mposer's vo***e. And he would ******te em***ent voca***sts *** his house and s***g them his operas， tak***g all the parts.

　　He had the emotional stabi***ty of a six-year-old child. When he fe*** out of s***ts， he would r**e and stamp， *** s***k ****** su***idal gloom and talk darkly of ******g *** the East *** end his days as a Buddhist wonk. Ten m***utes later， when so***th***g pleas*** him， he would rush out of do***s and run around the garden， *** jump up and down on the sofa， *** stand on his head. He ***uld be grief-str***ken over the death of a pet dog， and he ***uld be callous and heartless *** a degree that would h**e made a Roman emper*** shudder.

　　He was almost ***nocent of any sense of responsibi***ty. Not o***y did he seem ***capable of supp***t***g himself， but it ***ver o***urr*** *** him that he was under ay ob***gation *** do so. He was ***n***nc*** that the w***ld ow*** him a ******ng. In supp***t of this be***ef， he b***row*** mo***y from everybody who was ***od f*** a loan —— ***n， wo***n， friends， *** strangers. He wrote begg***g letters by the s***re， so***ti***s grove***ng without sha***， at other loftily offer***g his ***tend*** be***fac***r the pri***lege of ***ntribut***g *** his supp***t， and be***g m***tally offend*** if the recipient dec******d the hon***. I h**e found no re***rd of his ever pay***g *** repay***g mo***y *** anyo*** who did not h**e a legal claim upon it.

　　What mo***y he ***uld lay his hands on he spent ***ke an Indian rajah. The ***re prospect of a perf***mance of o*** of his operas was enough *** set him *** runn***g up bills amount***g *** ten ti***s the amount of his prospective roya***ies. No o*** will ever know —— certa***ly he ***ver k***w —— how much mo***y he ow***. We do know that his greatest be***fac***r g**e him $6，000 *** pay the most press***g of his debts *** o*** city， and a year later had *** give him $16，000 *** enable him *** ***ve *** another city without be***g thrown ****** jail f*** debt.

　　He was equally unscrupulous *** other ways. An endless procession of wo***n march*** through his ***fe. His first wife spent twenty years endur***g and f***gi***ng his ***fide***ties. His se***nd wife had been the wife of his most devot*** friend and admirer， from whom he s***le her. And even while he was try***g *** persuade her *** le**e her first husband he was writ***g *** a friend *** ***quire whether he ***uld suggest so*** wea***hy woman —— any wea***hy woman —— whom he ***uld marry f*** her mo***y.

　　He was ***mpletely selfish *** his other personal relationships. His ***k***g f*** his friends was ***asur*** solely by the ***mplete***ss of their devotion *** him， *** by their useful***ss *** him， whether f***ancial *** artist***. The m***ute they fail*** him —— even by so much as refus***g d******r ******tation —— *** began *** lessen *** useful***ss， he cast them off without a se***nd thought. At the end of his ***fe he had exactly o*** friend left whom he had known even *** middle age.

　　The na*** of this monster was R***hard Wag***r. Everyth***g that I h**e said about him you can f***d on re***rd —— *** ***wspapers， *** po***ce rep***ts， *** the testimony of people who k***w him， *** his own letters， between the ******s of his ******biography. And the curious th***g about this re***rd is that it doesn't matter *** the least.

　　Bec***se this undersiz***， s***kly， disagreeable， fasc***at***g ***ttle man was right all the ti***. The joke was on us. He was o*** of the w***ld's greatest dramatists； he was a great th***ker； he was o*** of the most stupendous mus***al geniuses that， up *** now， the w***ld has ever seen. The w***ld did owe him a ******ng.

　　When you ***nsider what he wrote —— thirteen operas and mus*** dramas， eleven of them still hold***g the stage， eight of them unquestionably w***th rank***g among the w***ld's great mus***o-dramat*** masterpieces —— when you ***sten *** what he wrote， the debts and heartaches that people had *** endure from him don't seem much of a pr***e. Th***k of the luxury with wh***h f*** a ti***， at least， fate reward*** Napoleon， the man who ru****** France and loot*** Europe； and then perhaps you will agree that a few thousand dollars' w***th of debts were not ***o he**y a pr***e *** pay f*** the R***g trilogy.

　　What if he was faithless *** his friends and *** his wives？ He had o*** mistress *** whom he was faithful *** the day of his death： Mus***. Not f*** a s***gle mo***nt did he ever ***mpromise with what he be***ev***， with what be drea***d. There is not a ****** of his mus*** that ***uld h**e been ***nceiv*** by a ***ttle m***d. Even when he is dull， *** downright bad， he is dull *** the grand man***r. There is great***ss about his w***st mistakes. Listen***g *** his mus***， o*** does not f***give him f*** what he may *** may not h**e been. It is not a matter of f***give***ss. It is a matter of be***g dumb with wonder that his po*** bra*** and body didn't burst under the ***r***nt of the demon of creative e***rgy that ***v*** ***side him， strugg***ng， claw***g， scratch***g *** be releas***； tear***g， shriek***g at him *** write the mus*** that was *** him. The miracle is that what he did *** the ***ttle space of seventy years ***uld h**e been do*** at all， even by a great genius. Is it any wonder that he had no ti*** *** be a man？

　　New W***ds

　　monster

　　n.　a person ***o w***k*** *** be ***nsider*** human； an animal *** plant that is very u***ike those usually found *** nature

　　undersiz***

　　a.　smaller than usual； ***o small

　　s***kly

　　a.　weak， unhea***hy and often ill

　　a***ny

　　n.　very great pa*** *** suffer***g of m***d *** body

　　***arse

　　a.　not f***e *** smooth； rough

　　delusion

　　n.　a false be***ef

　　grand***r

　　n.　great***ss， nobi***ty

　　delusion of grand***r

　　夸张妄图

　　dramatist

　　n.　a writer of plays， esp. serious o***s； playwright

　　***mposer

　　n.　o*** who writes mus***al w***ks

　　***mpose vt.

　　***nversationa***st

　　n.　a person who enjoys and is skill*** at ***nversation

　　monologue

　　n.　a long speech by o*** person； a spoken part *** a play *** film f*** a s***gle person 独白

　　madden***gly

　　ad. annoy***gly

　　tireso***

　　a.　irritat***g *** b******g

　　mania

　　n.　a desire so strong than it seems mad； an unusual *** unreasonable fond***ss 狂热；嗜好

　　h***t

　　n.　a state***nt *** action that gives a small *** ***direct suggestion

　　tri***al

　　a.　of ***ttle *** no imp***tance

　　harangue

　　n.　a long， loud speech， esp. o*** wh***h bla***s those ***sten***g *** it

　　volubi***ty

　　n.　fond***ss f*** talk***g； talkative***ss

　　deafen

　　vt. make deaf， esp. f*** a ***rt ti***； stun with noise

　　vegetarianism

　　n.　the pract***e *** pr***ciple of eat***g o***y vegetable foods and refra******g from eat***g ***at， fish *** other animal products

　　pamphlet

　　n.　a small book with paper ***vers wh***h deals usu. with so*** matter of pub***c ***terest； booklet 小册子

　　expense

　　n.　***st *** mo***y， ti***， *** eff***t

　　opera

　　n.　a mus***al play

　　summon

　　vt. ***der（sb.） *** ******

　　appl***se

　　n.　loud praise f*** a perf******r *** perf***mance， esp. by strik***g the hands ***gether

　　******less

　　a.　un***cessary

　　em***ent

　　a.　（of people） famous and admir***

　　voca***st

　　n.　s***ger

　　vocal

　　a.　of the vo***e

　　r**e

　　***. talk wildly

　　su***idal

　　a.　wish***g *** kill o***self， wh***h leads *** will lead *** death *** destruction

　　su***ide

　　n.

　　gloom

　　n.　a fee***ng of unhapp***ess *** despair

　　gloomy

　　a.

　　darkly

　　ad. with a dark， gloomy， *** ***nac***g look *** man***r

　　Buddhist

　　a.， n.　h*****g *** do with Buddhism； a be***ever *** Buddhism 释教的；释教徒

　　monk

　　n.　a ***mber of an all-male re***gious group who has made solemn promises， esp. not *** marry and not *** h**e any possessions， ******ng *** a monastery 僧侣

　　Buddhist monk

　　僧，僧人

　　grief

　　n.　a fee***ng of extre*** sad***ss

　　grief-str***ken

　　a.　fill*** with great s***row

　　grieve

　　v.

　　pet

　　n.　an animal kept *** the ho*** as a ***mpanion

　　callous

　　a.　without fee***ng f*** the suffer***g of other people； unk***d

　　emper***

　　n.　the ruler of an empire

　　shudder

　　***. shake un***ntrollably f*** a mo***nt， esp. from fear， ***ld， *** strong dis***ke； tremble

　　***capable

　　a.　not h*****g the power *** abi***ty *** do sth. *** ***w a qua***ty

　　grovel

　　***. be sha***fully bumble *** eager *** please； ask *** beg with ***o great humi***ty 不屈不挠，卑躬屈膝

　　loftily

　　ad. proudly； h***ghtily

　　lofty

　　a.　very high； ***wer***g； noble

　　be***fac***r

　　n.　a person who gives friendly help， often *** the f***m of mo***y

　　m***tally

　　ad. bitterly， extre***ly

　　m***tal

　　a.　c***s***g death； certa*** *** die so***day

　　offend

　　vt. hurt the fee***ng of； upset

　　offensive

　　a.

　　recipient

　　n.　a person who receives sth.

　　legal

　　a.　of *** us***g the law

　　rajah

　　n.　an Indian ruler

　　prospective

　　a.　expect*** *** ***tend***； ***kely *** be *** be******

　　roya***y

　　n.　a part of the pr***e of a book， paid *** the writer on each ***py sold； a pay***nt made *** the writer of a play *** piece of mus*** when it is perf******d 版税

　　press***g

　　a.　urgent

　　jail

　　n.　prison

　　unscrupulous

　　a.　not car***g about ho***sty and fair***ss *** gett***g what o*** wants； ***mpletely without pr***ciples

　　endless

　　a.　h*****g *** seem***g *** h**e no end； ***ver f***ish***g

　　***fide***ty

　　n.　an act of disloya***y； lack of faithful***ss， esp. *** husband *** wife

　　admirer

　　n.　a person who admires， esp. a man who is attract*** *** a part***ular woman

　　wea***hy

　　a.　r***h， abundant

　　selfish

　　a.　***ncer***d about o***self without th***k***g of others

　　devotion

　　n.　loya***y

　　lessen

　　v.　make *** be****** less

　　******biography

　　n.　the s***ry of a person's ***fe written by himself/herself

　　disagreeable

　　a.　bad-temper*** and unfriendly； unpleasant

　　stupendous

　　a.　amaz***g， marvelous 庞大的，骇人的

　　mus***al

　　a.　of *** f*** mus***

　　genius

　　n.　a person who has very great natural abi***ty *** th***k and create

　　unquestionably

　　ad. beyond dispute *** doubt； certa***ly

　　rank

　　v.　h**e *** regard as h*****g a certa*** rank *** relative po***ion

　　mus***o-dramat***

　　a.　of *** ***ncern***g both mus*** and the drama

　　masterpiece

　　n.　an outstand***g w***k 佳构

　　headache

　　n.　a pa*** *** the head； a diff***u*** *** w***ry***g problem

　　loot

　　vt. rob， plunder

　　trilogy

　　n.　a group of three relat*** books， plays， etc. ***n***ct*** by ***mmon subject matter， but each ***mplete *** itself （**、戏曲等的）3部曲

　　faithless

　　a.　not deser***ng trust； disloyal

　　***mpromise

　　***. surrender o***'s pr***ciples， etc. di***n***ably； reach an agree***nt by h*****g each side give up certa*** demands 背弃；折中

　　downright

　　ad. th***oughly； ***mpletely

　　grand

　　a.　dignifi***， stately

　　f***give

　　v.　s***p be***g angry （at）

　　f***give***ss

　　n.　the act of f***gi***ng *** the wil***ng***ss *** f***give； pardon

　　scratch

　　v.　dig， scrape， *** ***jure with sth. sharp， such as f***gernails， claws *** a ***ol

　　shriek

　　***. make a loud， shrill cry

　　miracle

　　n.　sth. that is amaz***g and unusual 事业

　　Phrases & Expressions

　　*** relation ***

　　*** ***n***ction with； with regard ***； about

　　*** o***'s eyes

　　*** o***'s op***ion

　　*** supp***t of

　　supp***t***g

　　at sb.'s expense

　　with sb. pay***g the ***st

　　******less *** say

　　of ***urse； as was *** be expect***

　　out of s***ts

　　*** an angry *** unhappy mood； *** a bad temper

　　under ob***gation （*** do）

　　h*****g the duty （*** do）

　　***od f***

　　able *** pay *** ***ntribute； useful *** suitable f***

　　lay o***'s hands on

　　f***d； ga*** possession of

　　run up

　　allow （sth. such as debt） *** ***crease

　　on re***rd

　　written down *** a re***rd