SOME WORDS WITH A MUMMY
同木乃伊的交谈
作者 ｜ 埃德加·爱伦·坡
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作者简介（for @sue and every）
埃德加·爱伦·坡（Edgar Allan Poe，1809年1月19日～1849年10月7日），19世纪美国诗人、小说家和文学评论家，侦探小说鼻祖、科幻小说先驱、“美国三大恐怖小说家”之一。美国浪漫主义思潮时期的重要成员。
1809年1月19日出生在马萨诸塞州波士顿。爱伦坡的生活充满波折悲剧，年幼时父母双亡，随即被弗吉尼亚州里士满的约翰和弗朗西丝斯·爱伦夫妇收养。他在弗吉尼亚大学就读了短暂的一段时间后辍学，之后从军，爱伦·坡离开了爱伦夫妇。爱伦·坡开始了他的写作生涯，匿名出版了诗集《帖木儿及其他诗》。1838年《阿瑟·戈登·皮姆的故事》出版并被受到了广泛的关注。1839年夏天，爱伦·坡成为《伯顿绅士杂志》（Burton's Gentleman's Magazine）的助理编辑。这期间他发表了的随笔、小说，和评论，加强了他在《南方文学信使》工作时期开始确立的敏锐批评家的声誉，同期，《怪异故事集》上下卷在1839年出版。1845年1月，爱伦·坡发表诗歌《乌鸦》，一时声誉鹊起。爱伦坡一生饱受酗酒和贫困的折磨，1849年10月7日逝于巴尔的摩。
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（转自画师@Yuming_Li，禁止任何形式AI使用）
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1、
THE symposium of the preceding evening had been a little too much for my nerves. I had a wretched headache, and was desperately drowsy. Instead of going out, therefore, to spend the evening as I had proposed, it occurred to me that I could not do a wiser thing than just eat a mouthful of supper and go immediately to bed.
A light supper of course. I am exceedingly fond of Welsh rarebit. More than a pound at once, however, may not at all times [be] advisable. Still, there can be no material objection to two. And really between two and three, there is merely a single unit of difference. I ventured, perhaps, upon four. My wife will have it five; — but, clearly, she has confounded two very distinct affairs. The abstract number, five, I am willing to admit; but, concretely, it has reference to bottles of Brown Stout, without which, in the way of condiment, Welsh rarebit is to be eschewed.
symposium /sɪmˈpoʊziəm/ 讨论会，座谈会
drowsy /ˈdraʊzi/ 昏昏欲睡的
confounded /kənˈfaʊndɪd/ 混淆，搞错
condiment /ˈkɒndɪmənt/ 调味品
eschewed /ɪsˈtʃuːd/ 避免，回避
2、
Having thus concluded a frugal meal, and donned my night-cap with the serene hope of enjoying it until noon the next day, I placed my head upon the pillow, and through the aid of a capital conscience, fell into a profound slumber forthwith.
But when were the hopes of humanity fulfilled? I could not have completed my third snore when there came a furious ringing at the street-door bell, and then an impatient thumping at the knocker, which awakened me at once. In a minute afterward, and while I was still rubbing my eyes, my wife thrust in my face a note from my old friend, Doctor Ponnonner. It ran thus:
frugal /ˈfruːɡəl/ 节俭的，简单的
donned /dɒnd/ 穿上，戴上
serene /səˈriːn/ 平静的，安详的
slumber /ˈslʌmbər/ 睡眠，安睡
3、
“Come to me by all means, my dear good friend, as soon as you receive this. Come and help us to rejoice. At last, by long persevering diplomacy, I have gained the assent of the Directors of the City Museum, to my examination of the Mummy — you know the one I mean. I have permission to unswathe it and open it, if desirable. A few friends only will be present — you, of course. The Mummy is now at my house, and we shall begin to unroll it at eleven to-night. Yours ever,
PONNONNER.”
assent /əˈsɛnt/ 同意，赞成
unswathe /ʌnˈsweɪð/ 解开裹布
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4、
By the time I had reached the “Ponnonner,” it struck me that I was as wide awake as a man need be. I leaped out of bed in an ecstacy, overthrowing all in my way; dressed myself with a rapidity truly marvellous; and set off, at the top of my speed, for the Doctor's.
There I found a very eager company assembled. They had been awaiting me with much impatience; the mummy was extended upon the dining-table; and the moment I entered, its examination was commenced.
ecstacy /ˈɛkstəsi/ 狂喜，极度兴奋
5、
It was one of a pair brought, several years previously, by Captain Arthur Sabretash, a cousin of Ponnonner's from a tomb near Eleithias（地名：埃莱提亚斯）, in the Lybian（利比亚人） Mountains, a considerable distance above Thebes（古埃及城市：底比斯）, on the Nile（尼罗河）. The grottoes at this point, although less magnificent than the Theban sepulchres, are of higher interest, on account of affording more numerous illustrations of the private life of the Egyptians. The chamber from which our specimen was taken, was said to be very rich in such illustrations; the walls being completely covered with fresco paintings and bas-reliefs, while statues, vases, and Mosaic work of rich patterns, indicated the vast wealth of the deceased（已故去的）.
grottoes /ˈɡrɒtoʊz/ 洞穴，石窟
sepulchres /ˈsɛpəlkərz/ 坟墓，墓穴
specimen /ˈspɛsəmən/ 样本，标本
fresco /ˈfrɛskoʊ/ 壁画
bas-reliefs /ˌbæs rɪˈliːfs/ 浅浮雕
6、
The treasure had been deposited in the Museum precisely in the condition in which Captain Sabretash had found it; — that is to say, the coffin had not been disturbed. For eight years it had thus stood, subject only externally to public inspection. We had now, therefore, the complete Mummy at our disposal; and to those who are aware how very rarely the unransacked antique reaches our shores, it will be evident, at once, that we had great reason to congratulate ourselves upon our good fortune.
unransacked /ˌʌnˈrænsækt/ 未被搜掠的
7、
Approaching the table, I saw upon it a large box, or case, nearly seven feet long, and perhaps three feet wide, by two feet and a half deep. It was oblong — not coffin-shaped. The material was at first supposed to be the wood of the sycamore (platanus) , but, upon cutting into it, we found it to be pasteboard, or, more properly, papier maché（法语：纸浆纸）, composed of papyrus. It was thickly ornamented with paintings, representing funeral scenes, and other mournful subjects, interspersed among which in every variety of position, were certain series of hieroglyphical characters, intended, no doubt, for the name of the departed. By good luck, Mr. Gliddon formed one of our party; and he had no difficulty in translating the letters, which were simply phonetic, and represented the word, Allamistakeo.
oblong /ˈɒblɒŋ/ 长方形的，矩形的
sycamore /ˈsɪkəmɔːr/ 梧桐树
platanus /ˈplætənəs/ 悬铃木（学名，指梧桐属树木）
pasteboard /ˈpeɪstˌbɔːrd/ 纸板
papier maché /ˌpæpiˈeɪ mæˈʃeɪ/ 纸浆纸（法语，意为混合纸浆）
papyrus /pəˈpaɪrəs/ 纸莎草纸
interspersed /ˌɪntərˈspɜrst/ 散布，点缀
hieroglyphical /ˌhaɪərəˈɡlɪfɪkəl/ 象形文字的
phonetic /fəˈnɛtɪk/ 语音的，发音的
8、
We had some difficulty in getting this case open without injury, but, having at length accomplished the task, we came to a second, coffin-shaped, and very considerably less in size than the exterior one, but resembling it precisely in every other respect. The interval between the two was filled with resin, which had, in some degree, defaced the colors of the interior box.
resin /ˈrɛzɪn/ 树脂
defaced /dɪˈfeɪst/ 损坏外观，磨损
9、
Upon opening this latter (which we did quite easily,) we arrived at a third case, also coffin-shaped, and varying from the second one in no particular, except in that of its material, which was cedar, and still emitted the peculiar and highly aromatic odor of that wood. Between the second and the third case there was no interval; the one fitting accurately within the other.
cedar /ˈsiːdər/ 雪松
emitted /ɪˈmɪtɪd/ 散发，发出
peculiar /pɪˈkjuljər/ 特有的，独特的
10、
Removing the third case, we discovered and took out the body itself. We had expected to find it, as usual, enveloped in frequent rolls, or bandages, of linen, but, in place of these, we found a sort of sheath, made of papyrus, and coated with a layer of plaster, thickly gilt and painted. The paintings represented subjects connected with the various supposed duties of the soul, and its presentation to different divinities, with numerous identical human figures, intended, very probably, as portraits of the persons embalmed. Extending from head to foot, was a columnar, or perpendicular, inscription, in phonetic hieroglyphics, giving again his name and titles, and the names and titles of his relations.
sheath /ʃiːθ/ 护套，外壳
papyrus /pəˈpaɪrəs/ 纸莎草纸
plaster /ˈplæstər/ 石膏
gilt /ɡɪlt/ 镀金的
embalmed /ɪmˈbɑːmd/ 防腐处理的
perpendicular /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjʊlər/ 垂直的，直立的
inscription /ɪnˈskrɪpʃən/ 铭文，题字
phonetic /fəˈnɛtɪk/ 语音的，发音的
hieroglyphics /ˌhaɪərəˈɡlɪfɪks/ 象形文字
11、
Around the neck thus unsheathed, was a collar of cylindrical glass beads, diverse in color, and so arranged as to form images of deities, of the scarabæus（古埃及象征性甲虫）, etc., with the winged globe. Around the small of the waist was a similar collar, or belt.
Stripping off the papyrus, we found the flesh in excellent preservation, with no perceptible odor. The color was reddish. The skin was hard, smooth, and glossy. The teeth and hair were in good condition. The eyes (it seemed) had been removed, and glass ones substituted, which were very beautiful and wonderfully life-like, with the exception of somewhat too determined a stare. The finger and toe nails were brilliantly gilded.
unsheathed /ʌnˈʃiːðd/ 裸露，拔出
collar /ˈkɒlər/ 项圈，颈圈
cylindrical /səˈlɪndrɪkəl/ 圆柱形的
beads /biːdz/ 珠子
scarabæus /ˌskærəˈbiːəs/ 圣甲虫（古埃及的象征性甲虫）
gilded /ˈɡɪldɪd/ 镀金的，涂金的
12、
Mr. Gliddon was of opinion, from the redness of the epidermis, that the embalmment had been effected altogether by asphaltum; but, upon scraping the surface with a steel instrument, and throwing into the fire some of the powder thus obtained, the flavor of camphor and other sweet-scented gums became apparent.
We searched the corpse very carefully for the usual openings through which the entrails are extracted, but, to our surprise, we could discover none. No member of the party was at that period aware that entire or unopened mummies are not unfrequently met. The brain it was customary to withdraw through the nose; the intestines through an incision in the side; the body was then shaved, washed, and salted, then laid aside for several weeks, when the operation of embalming, properly so called, began.
epidermis /ˌɛpɪˈdɜːrmɪs/ 表皮
embalmment /ɪmˈbɑːlmənt/ 防腐处理
asphaltum /ˈæsfæltəm/ 沥青
camphor /ˈkæmfər/ 樟脑
entrails /ˈɛntreɪlz/ 内脏
incision /ɪnˈsɪʒən/ 切口
13、
As no trace of an opening could be found, Doctor Ponnonner was preparing his instruments for dissection, when I observed that it was then past two o’clock. Hereupon it was agreed to postpone the internal examination until the next evening, and we were about to separate for the present, when some one suggested an experiment or two with the Voltaic pile（伏达电堆：世界上第一个发电器）.
The application of electricity to a mummy some three or four thousand years old at the least, was an idea, if not very sage, still sufficiently original, and we all caught at it at once. About one tenth in earnest and nine tenths in jest, we arranged a battery in the Doctor's study, and conveyed thither the Egyptian.
dissection /dɪˈsɛkʃən/ 解剖
sage /seɪdʒ/ 明智的
jest /dʒɛst/ 玩笑
thither /ˈðɪðər/ 到那里
14、
It was only after much trouble that we succeeded in laying bare some portions of the temporal muscle which appeared of less stony rigidity than other parts of the frame, but which, as we had anticipated, of course, gave no indication of galvanic susceptibility when brought in contact with the wire. This the first trial, indeed, seemed decisive, and with a hearty laugh at our own absurdity we were bidding each other good night, when my eyes, happening to fall upon those of the mummy, were there immediately riveted in amazement. My brief glance, in fact, had sufficed to assure me that the orbs which we had all supposed to be glass, and which were originally noticeable for a certain wild stare, were now so far covered by the lids that only a small portion of the “tunica albuginea”（巩膜：拉丁语，眼球的白色部分） remained visible.