亚瑟王的故事

Chapter Four: Excalibur

Arthur rode away with Merlin and said, "I broke my sword during the fight with Sir Pellinore. I am king because of that sword. I must have another sword."

"Come with me then," said Merlin.

Arthur followed Merlin to a lake of clear water. In the middle of the lake,Arthur saw an arm. The arm was holding a sword in a beautiful scabbard.

"Look!" said Merlin. "That is the sword and that is the Lady of the Lake.

Ask her kindly and the sword is yours."

Arthur saw a beautiful lady in a boat on the lake. He asked her, "Can I have that sword?"

She answered, "Yes, you can have it. Take my boat and go and get it."

Arthur and Merlin went to the middle of the lake. There Arthur took the sword. He was very interested in it. He took the sword out of the scabbard and looked at it. It was a beautiful sword with jewels on it.

"Look, Merlin" he said, "the word Excalibur is written on it."

"Yes, Excalibur is the greatest sword in the world. But its scabbard is more precious."

'Why?' asked Arthur.

"It has a great magic power," said Merlin. "When you wear it, you never bleed I even if you are wounded. When you fight, you must always have the scabbard with you."

Chapter Five: Arthur meets Guinevere

A lot of enemies tried to invade Britain: the Saxons, the Jutes, the Pitts and others.

A big army of Saxons attacked King Leodegrance in his castle. He was the King of Cameliard. Young King Arthur and his knights fought against these Saxons and won.

King Leodegrance was very thankful to Arthur. He invited him and his knights to a royal banquet . At the banquet, Arthur met the King's daughter,Princess Guinevere. Guinevere was young and very beautiful. Arthur fell in love with her. He wanted to marry her.

Merlin wasn't happy with Arthur's choice, but he accepted his king's decision.

King Leodegrance, Guinevere's father, was very happy about this marriage.

"I am honoured to give my daughter to our courageous king!" said Guinevere's father. "My gift to King Arthur is the Round Table, which belonged to his father, King Uther."

Arthur and Guinevere were married. There was an enormous banquet.

Everyone in the kingdom was happy.

Guinevere arrived at King Arthur's castle with her ladies and the Round Table. The enormous Round Table had places for 150 knights. Arthur called the best knights of Britain to sit at the Round Table. Only the bravest knights were part of Arthur's court.

百万英镑

Part Eight: Back to Portland Place

The next day, all of London talked about the shares of the California gold mine. I stayed in my hotel and said to everyone who came to me.

"Yes, I know Mr Hastings. He's a very honest man. And I know the gold mine, because I lived in the California Gold Country. It is a mine of great value." People were now interested in buying the shares.

I spent every evening with Portia at the American Ambassador's house. I didn't tell her about the shares and the mine. It was a surprise. We talked about our love and our future together.

Finally, the end of the month arrived. Lots of rich Londoners bought the shares of the mine. I had a million dollars of my own in the London and County Bank. And Lloyd did too.

It was time to meet with the two old gentlemen. I dressed in my best clothes, and I went to get Portia.

Before going to Portland Place, Portia and I talked about the job and the salary.

"Portia, you are so beautiful! When the two gentlemen meet you, they will give me any job and any salary I ask for."

"Henry, please remember that if we ask for too much, we will get nothing.

Then what will happen to us?"

"Don't be afraid, Portia."

When we arrived, the same servant opened the door. There were the two old gentlemen having tea. They were surprised to see Portia. I introduced her to them. Then I said, "Gentlemen, I am ready to report to you."

"We are pleased to hear this," said one gentleman. "Now we can decide the bet that my brother Abel and I made. If you won for me, you can have any job in my power. Do you have the million-pound note?"

"Here it is, sir," and I gave it to him.

"I won!" he shouted. "Now what do you say, Abel?"

"I say he survived, and I lost twenty thousand pounds. I can't believe it!"

"I have more to tell you," I said. "But, it's a long story. I'll tell you another time. For now, look at this."

"What! A Certificate of Deposit for ￡200,000. Is it yours?"

"It's mine. I earned it by using the banknote you lent me for a month."

"This is astonishing! I can't believe it."

Portia looked at me with surprise and said, "Henry, is that really your money? You didn't tell me the truth."

"No, I didn't. But, I know you'll forgive me."

"Don't be so sure! You told me a lie, Henry."

"Dearest Portia, it was only for fun. Come, let's go now."

"But, wait, wait!" my gentleman said. "I want to give you the job and the salary you choose."

"Thank you, thank you with all my heart. But I don't want the job."

"Henry, you didn't thank the good gentleman in the right way. Can I do it for you?" Portia said.

"Of course you can, my dear."

Portia walked to my gentleman, sat on his lap and kissed him on the mouth.

Then the two old gentlemen shouted and laughed. I was amazed. What was happening?

"Papa," said Portia, "Henry doesn't want your job. I feel very hurt."

"Darling, is that your father?" I asked.

"Yes, he's my stepfather, a dear man. Now do you understand why I laughed when you told me your story?"

"My dearest sir," I said, "I want to take back what I said. There is a job that I want."

"Tell me!"

"I want the job of son-in-law ."

"Well, well, well. But you were never a son-in-law before. Do you know how to do this job?"

"Try me, please! Try me for thirty or forty years, and if —"

"Oh, all right. Take her!"

Were Portia and I happy? There aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe our happiness. When the Londoners heard the whole story of my adventures with the banknote, they talked of nothing else.

Portia's father took the banknote back to the Bank of England and cashed it. Then he gave us the cancelled banknote as a wedding present. We put it in a picture frame and hung it on the wall in our new home.

And so I always say, "Yes, it's a million-pound banknote, but it only bought one thing in its life: the most valuable thing in the world - Portia!"