Rivalry

E.V.Lucas

From Mrs. Horace Spong to the Rev. Samson Spong

Dear Samson， —I was so glad to hear from Lydia that you are better. We have been rather nervous about you， for a cold at this time of year is often difficult to throw off. Horace is better too， and we are making our plans for Mentone as usual. I dont pretend to care much for this annual exile from home， but Horace counts on it.

I am，

Your affectionate Sister，

Grace Spong

The Rev. Samson Spong to Mrs. Horace Spong

Dear Grace， —I cant think what Lydia was about， to tell you that I am better. I am not better. If anything I am worse. Indeed it is within the bounds of probability that I shall never be anything but a wreck， for this cold is the most malignant that Ive ever had and gives me no peace. I am miserable all day and at night unable to sleep. Either I am coughing or I have the feeling of being smothered.

Tell Horace that I envy him his recovery： he was always so much stronger than I. In fact， our dead mother often expressed surprise that as an infant I survived at all.

You are fortunate in being able to get to the south of France and avoid this terrible climate. I should like nothing better， but I dread the journey too much； nor would my straitened means， much deplenished by excessive taxation， permit it. Horace has always been so richly blessed in worldly goods.

Your affectionate Brother，

Samson Spong

Mrs. Samson Spong to Mrs. Horace Spong

My Dear Grace， —Please dont write to Samson again about his condition. He much resented my telling you that he was better， although as a matter of fact he is—much better. He eats better， is more cheerful， except when he recollects that he is an invalid， and sleeps well. He may not always sleep right through the night， but like all men， if he is awake five minutes he thinks it is two hours.

Yours，

Lydia

Mr. Horace Spong to the Rev. Samson Spong

Dear Samson， —Grace has given me your message about my recovery. I only wish I had earned it； but， alas！ I feel anything but a convalescent. In fact， in confidence， for I should not like every one to know， I am conscious of increasing weakness daily， I have even kept it a secret from Grace. There are some colds that seem to strike deeper the more you nurse them， and mine is one of them.

I am sorry for the pessimistic tone of your letter， but I feel sure that things are not so bad with you as you say. It is possible to take too gloomy a view of oneself， especially when one is weak， and I have discounted your remarks in consequence. You are a stronger man au fond and you will shake this off very soon. I am convinced.

We are off to Mentone next week. It is a dreary business， but Grace likes it there， and what she likes is law with me.

Yours，

Horace

The Rev. Samson Spong to Mr. Horace Spong

Dear Horace， —I wish you wouldnt write nonsense about my being strong. I am not strong and never was. I was always delicate， even before cold after cold enfeebled me， and now I am a wreck. Surely I am the best judge as to how ill I am！ Now you， I consider， really are stronger， though you may not look it. Only a strong man could undertake a journey to Mentone at this time of year.

I will say good-bye， my dear brother， as it is exceedingly unlikely that you will find me here when you return in the spring.

Yours，

Samson

Miss Hilda Spong to the Rev. Samson Spong

Dear Uncle Samson， —I was very glad to hear the other day from mother that you are better. I send you a little present now as at Christmas I shall be far away in Switzerland and with a Winter Sports Party. We are going to some place thousands of feet up， where skating and skiing and bob-sleighing are a cert. I will send you a card from there.

Your affectionate Niece，

Hilda

The Rev. Samson Spong to Mrs. Horace Spong

Dear Grace， —If you are writing to Hilda you might give her a hint that it would be kinder not to send me a card as she has undertaken to do. I feel sure it would suggest snow and be harmful to me in my present delicate state. She is a dear girl， but her letter about those Alpine heights， although meant， I am sure， in all good faith， gave me a severe shock. I have just now to be very， very careful.

Your affectionate Brother，

Samson

P.S.—Tell Horace that what he wants is more employment. It is when one is idle that one broods on ones health. He should take up some hobby.

Mr. Horace Spong to the Rev. Samson Spong

My dear Samson， —I really must protest against the suggestion in your letter to Grace that I am a malade imaginaire. Fortunately Grace and I understand one another and there is no fear of any mishap； but I can believe that there are households which might be undermined by such insinuations. So far from being idle， as you put it， I am continually busy. There is not a penny spent in this establishment， indoors or out， that I am unaware of： I see all the tradesmens books； I know exactly how much petrol the car uses from day to day； in fact， I am constantly vigilant and interested. Please do not again refer to the matter.

While on this subject， let me say that it is increasingly borne in upon me that you made a terrible mistake when you gave up your living. You were far less faddy about yourself when you had your duties to perform. You were also more considerate for others. Your very gloomy reference in your last letter to your imminent decease might have caused me a really serious relapse， had I not just run into Corder in our London hotel and had a talk with him about you. But from what he says you are getting along famously.

My love to Lydia.

Yours，

Horace

The Rev. Samson Spong to Richard Corder， MD

Dear Corder， —I am sorry that after all these years we should have to part， but I must ask you for your account. I cannot continue with a medical man who gossips about his patient. I was much distressed this morning to learn from my brother that you had told him I was better. Apart from the fact that I am not， I hold that a doctors first duty is not to tell. You have greatly shaken me.

I am，

yours sincerely，

Samson Spong

學習任務

1. Explain the following words and expressions （highlighted in blue） in English.

（1） exile （Letter 1）

（2） malignant （Letter 2）

（3） recollect （Letter 3）

（4） convalescent （Letter 4）

（5） enfeeble （Letter 5）

（6） brood （Letter 7）

（7） insinuation， vigilant， imminent， relapse （Letter 8）

2. Look up the underlined words in your dictionary， examining their multiple meanings. （Note down the meaning of each word in the context， and another meaning that the word often expresses.）

（1） … a cold at this time of year is often difficult to throw off. （Letter 1）

（2） … nor would my straitened means， … （Letter 2）

（3） … and I have discounted your remarks in consequence. （Letter 4）

（4） Only a strong man could undertake a journey to Mentone at this time of year. （Letter 5）

（5） … but I must ask you for your account. （Letter 9）

3. What do you think， in actual fact， has made Samson so angry？

七期答案

1. Explain the following words and expressions （highlighted in blue） in English.

（1） asphyxiate， revile， coterie （Para. 2）

a） asphyxiate： If someone is asphyxiated， they die or lose consciousness because they are unable to breathe properly.

b） revile： If someone or something is reviled， people hate them intensely or show their hatred of them.

c） coterie： A coterie of a particular kind is a small group of people who are close friends or have a common interest， and who do not want other people to join them.

（2） enshrine， amenity， monopolize （Para. 7）

a） enshrine： If something such as an idea or a right is enshrined in something such as a constitution or a law， it is protected by it.

b） amenity： Amenities are things such as shopping centres or sports facilities that are provided for peoples convenience， enjoyment， or comfort.

c） monopolize： If you say that someone monopolizes something， you mean that they have a very large share of it and prevent other people from having a share.

（3） falsehood （Para. 9）

a） falsehood： Falsehood is the quality or fact of being untrue or of being a lie.

（4） delusion， grandeur （Para. 10）

a） delusion： A delusion is a false idea.

b） grandeur： If something such as a building or a piece of scenery has grandeur， it is impressive because of its size， its beauty， or its power.

（5） extirpate， peril （Para. 13）

a） extirpate： to destroy or get rid of sth. that is bad or not wanted

b） peril： Perils are great dangers.

（6） extant （Para. 14）

a） extant： If something is extant， it is still in existence， in spite of being very old.

七期答案

（7） promulgate （Para. 15）

a） promulgate： If a new law is promulgated by a government or a national leader， it is publicly approved or made official.

2. Look up the underlined words in your dictionary， examining their multiple meanings. （Note down the meaning of each word in the context， and another meaning that the word often expresses.）

（1） … another voice to the chorus… （Para. 2） When there is a chorus of criticism， disapproval， or praise， that attitude is expressed by a lot of people at the same time. A chorus can also refer to a group of singers or dancers who perform together in a show， in contrast to the soloists.

（2） … “I havent the time，” and goes under. （Para. 5） Here under， as an adverb， means below sth. As a preposition， under usually means in， to or through a position that is below sth.

（3） … yet merits applause as paying back… （Para. 6） If someone or something merits （v.） a particular action or treatment， they deserve it. If something has merit （n.）， it has good or worthwhile qualities.

（4） Guildenstern retires， suitably abashed… （Para. 6） If you retire， you go away. When older people retire， they leave their job and usually stop working completely.

（5） … an equal chance with other publishing concerns. （Para. 14） You can refer to a company or business as a concern， usually when you are describing what type of company or business it is. Concern also refers to worry about a situation.

（6） … on the following lines. （Para. 16） You can use line to refer to the way in which someones thoughts or activities develop， particularly if it is logical. A line also refers to a long thin mark which is drawn or painted on a surface.

（7） … should be immune for five years. （Para. 16） Someone or something that is immune from a particular process or situation is able to escape it. If you are immune to a particular disease， you cannot be affected by it.

七期答案

3. What is the attitude toward reading of each of the four types of reader？ What are their problems according to the author？

The first type of reader gives up reading， and finds excuse for not reading. The second type seems quite limited in the scope of reading， and downplays all other books that are not read. The third type uses reading as a means of gaining personal favours and making oneself look fashionable. The fourth type tries to focus only on the so-called best part of a book， while ignoring the compatibility of great works with readers of various ages and from various cultural backgrounds.

篇章講解賞析

這篇散文篇幅較長，語言也相對復雜、晦澀，這兩點或許會給中國英語學習者帶來一定理解上的困難。因此，在閱讀過程中，我們不妨先快速通讀全文，把握作者討論的中心議題和文章結構，之后再分部分完成細讀。如果感覺語言確實造成了閱讀障礙，也可以先通讀一下譯文，通過譯文把握中心議題和文章結構，再閱讀原文。

除了語言上的難點外，這篇散文最需要著重把握的就是作者所使用的類比。文中闡述了四種類型的讀者，他們各有特點，作者將他們逐一批判。而實際上，作者想討論的或許并非僅限于讀書這件具體的事情，而是用不同讀者對讀書的不同態度映射了他們對生活的不同態度。第一類讀者找借口不讀書，那么在生活中他們也很有可能找借口不做任何需要勞神費力的事情；第二類讀者局限于“井口大的天”，給自己圈出一個很小的所謂經典書目的范圍，那么在生活中也很有可能在其他事情上無意多拓展、拒絕新體驗；第三類讀者勢利逢迎，通過讀書這件小事，他們在其他事情上的生活態度也可見一斑；第四類讀者則機械死板，抱定一個預置的“必讀”書目及其“精華”指引，而忽視了讀書也好、生活也罷，本質上都是建構的，在不同時期中、不同情境下都有不同的存在形式和意義表達。