下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
historians, writers of history. crafty, cunning.
enthusiasm, strong zeal. ruddy, red.
generous, kind-hearted. Saracens, unbelievers.
urging, pressing; begging.
dukedom, land ruled over by him as duke.
1. William the Second was called Rufus because he had a ruddy countenance.As he was crafty and cruel, he was not liked by the people, and a plot was formed to set his brother Robert on the throne. Robert, though wild and careless, was generous, and the people were fond of him. But William was on his guard, and defeated their plans.
THE CRUSADERS IN SIGHT OF JKRUSALKM.
2. After this, William made war on Robert, and took away part of his dukedom of Normandy. Soon afterwards he obtained the whole; for Robert, wishing to go to the Crusades,
pledged his lands to William for a large sum.
3. In those days it was a custom with many Christians to make a journey to the Holy Land. But Jerusalem, where the tomb of Christ was, was then in the hands of the Saracens. They were not Christians, and wished to prevent the pilgrims from visiting the city.
4. So Peter the Hermit, who had been a pilgrim, went through all Europe preaching a Crusade. That is to say, he urged the princes and nobles to sell their lands, and take all the men they could to Jerusalem, to drive out the Saracens.Many thousands soon set out; and Robert of Normandy was one of their leaders. When they came near Jerusalem, Peter the Hermit stood on the brow of a hill and pointed out the Holy City to the knights around him. The army was seized with enthusiasm, and at once marched forward to the gates of the city. After a siege of a few weeks they stood victorious within its walls.
5. William was priding himself on having become a very powerful King, when death put an end to his greatness. One day, while he was hunting in the New Forest, Sir Walter Tyrrel, shooting at a deer, missed his mark, and his arrow,glancing from a tree, pierced the King to the heart. Tyrrel escaped to France.
6. Some historians say that this was a murder, planned by the enemies of Rufus; but the truth is not known. This greedy and heartless King was so little cared for, that his body was carried in a cart to Winchester, then the capital of England, and was buried like that of a common man.
中文阅读
1. 威廉二世之所以叫鲁弗斯
，是因为他长了一脸红毛。由于其人狡猾残忍，因此不受大众爱戴。有人还为此制定了政变计划，准备让他的哥哥罗伯特来继承王位。罗伯特虽然也鲁莽乖张，但毕竟慷慨大方，因此人们更喜欢他些。不过威廉很快凭借兵力优势，挫败了这个阴谋。
2. 随后，威廉向罗伯特开战，并最终夺取了部分他在诺曼底的领地。到了公元1096年他更是占有了整个诺曼底，因为这时的罗伯特已经决定参加十字军东征
，把他的土地全部抵押给了威廉。
3. 按照当时风俗，基督徒们一般都会去一次“圣城”作朝拜。圣城即耶路撒冷，基督耶稣的灵柩就安置于此，但当时这座城市却在撒拉逊人手中。更关键的是，他们不仅不是基督徒，还极力阻止朝圣者造访此城。
4. 这时有一个特别的朝圣者，就是隐者彼得。他遍访欧洲各国，一路鼓吹十字军东征。也就是说，他向各国王公贵族建议，让他们变卖土地，带上人马，打到耶路撒冷去，赶走那帮撒拉逊人。成千上万的人很快积聚起来，诺曼底的罗伯特就是其中的首领之一。当大军开到耶路撒冷城外之时，隐者彼得站在山崖上，用手指指着圣城的方向，让骑士们奋勇前进。全军队伍怀着极大的战斗热情，立即涌向城门。经过几周的围攻，终于破城而入。
5. 威廉这时很自豪，因为自己终于成了一个强有力的国王，但死亡很快就给这一切画上了句号。一天，他正在新森林公园打猎，同游的法国友臣沃尔特·泰勒先生举箭射鹿，但鹿突然消失，他的箭头从一棵树边斜穿而过，刺入了国王的心脏。泰勒因此逃往了法国。
6. 有些历史学家说这是一场谋杀，是由鲁弗斯的敌人策划的；但真相如何，已无从知晓。这位贪婪无情的国王死后，下场凄凉，尸体被一辆两轮马车运到了当时英格兰的首都温彻斯特，然后像普通人一样被简单掩埋了。