13.The last moment was now come.Charles took off his cloak，handed the jewelled star，which he wore in honour of St.George，to the prelate，and knelt beside the block.He gave the signal by stretching out his hands；and the next minute，the axe came strongly down，and cut through the neck at a single stroke.The attendant headsman held the head up by the hair，and cried out，“This is the head of a traitor.”There was a deep groan from every person in the crowd that filled the ancient street.
中文阅读
1.国王与国会之间的战争持续了三年，最终以4月某个早晨查理在拂晓中骑马逃出牛津而结束。查理投靠苏格兰人，逃到特伦特河畔纽华克的一所军营里。不久，苏格兰人将他移交给长老派人士。这些人是英国国会中的温和派，自然无意判处他死刑。
2.之后，国王被囚禁在不同的城堡里，而此时长老派和独立派则为了在国会中占据主导权以及如何处理国王亲信的问题而激烈争斗。独立派最终赢得了这场斗争，因为他们由军队精英组成，不用说，奥利弗·克伦威尔是其中最强劲的分子。
3.曾操练一支著名军队的克伦威尔，称这支军队为勇猛的“铁军”。这支军队是为国会赢得马斯顿·摩尔战役的主要力量，而克伦威尔也已经在军中身居高位。坚毅果敢的克伦威尔巧用一计，便将他的所有敌人全部从国会下院中清除。他将龙骑兵a和枪兵埋伏在门口，将每个试图进门的长老派人员抓起来。做完这件事之后，独立派成员决定将国王从监狱里带出来，以与人民为敌的罪名公开审判他。
4.他们自诩为最高法院的人员，让人奏起喧天的锣鼓，并让传令官宣布审判即将开始。他们用一把铁锤砸烂刻有国王头像的英格兰国玺。查理被从温索尔提取出来，放在轿子里抬到威斯敏斯特宫，身着黑衣的法官已经坐在那里。在法官席前面放着一张桌子，上面展示着权杖和宝剑。国王戴着帽子走进来，坐在一把鹅绒椅上，面色阴沉而又傲慢地瞪着他们。
5.审讯随之开始。当一位著名的律师站起来做案情陈述时，查理大叫“打住”，并用一根金头手杖向对方的肩膀上重重一击。就在此时，手杖的金色圆头掉了下来，明眼人或许一下就能看出国王一刹那间脸色苍白，因为他的脑子里肯定在想这是个坏兆头。不过，他很快恢复了正常，而当他听到宣读判决书时，突然大笑起来。
6.他通常说话会结结巴巴，但在此时，置身于这种陌生的场面而激动不已的他，却用清晰流畅的语调说起话来。他反对法庭的权威，尤其抗议现场没有英格兰世袭贵族。审判一直持续了七天。当第八天国王走进审判地点时，他仅用一眼就瞅见法官席上的所有人员都穿上了红色衣服。那一天，他被判处死刑。
7.在指定日拂晓前两小时，国王便起床多穿了一件衬衫，因为天很冷；在特别费力地穿好衣服之后，他叫来朱克森主教和他一起祈祷。他们单独待了一个小时，随后一名军官来敲门。军官脸色发白，声音颤抖，进来说该上断头台了。
8.他们从圣詹姆斯宫出发，穿过海德公园前往白厅时，身边走过一队士兵。他们敲着鼓，让彩色飘带在空中飞扬。国王走得很快，高昂着头。在他身后，先是走来一队拿戟的卫兵，然后是一群他自己的侍从。侍从们没有戴帽子，脸上满是悲伤。鸦雀无声的场面仅仅被一阵听不清的祈祷声打破，当他走过人群、进入白厅时，周围又恢复了宁静。
9.断头台还没有准备就绪，于是他和自己的挚友大主教一起，走进一间小小的密室。他曾经时常和他的小查理、他的小詹姆斯一起在这里祈祷，现在他就在这里a dragoon，17和18世纪欧洲军队中全副武装的步兵。--译者注祈祷着。国王喝完一杯红葡萄酒、吃一口面包之后，早晨叫他的那名面色苍白的上校军官再次敲门，之后，国王很快便被带出来，走到宴会厅前面，一个装有围栏的黑色断头台已经在那里准备好了。
10.在这个阴森森的平台周围，全是宝剑出鞘的骑兵和肩背长枪的步兵，而在这些人围成的圆圈之外的远处，一张张脸庞组成人的海洋，所有人苍白的脸上满是焦虑，许多人的眼泪已将脸颊打湿。所有人无不在默默祈祷，士兵们则没有阻止人们表达内心的深情。查理讲了一番话，宣称战争不是他的错。
11.旁边站着两个戴着面具的人，因为公开行刑的人总是不得已用这种方式伪装自己以免熟人认出。查理对他们当中的一个人说：“我应当做个简短的祈祷，之后我会将双手向前一推作为结束的信号。”
12.他要来自己的睡帽，戴上它，并在帽子下面把露出的飘逸的卷发拢一拢，展示出当时英格兰的骑士风度。随后，他与朱克森主教进行了一段令人难忘的临终交谈，大意如下：--“我有伟大的事业和仁慈的上帝，它们都在支持着我。”国王说。“是的，”主教说，“只剩下一个阶段没有完成，这个阶段艰难而痛苦，但是非常短暂：它很快就会带你踏上一条坦途，从人间到天堂。”“我从红尘前往纯净的天国，那里将没有任何烦扰。”国王又答道。“是的，这种交换不错。”朱克森说。
13.最后的时刻现在来到了。查理脱掉外套，将镶有宝石的星徽（他戴它是为了记念圣乔治）递给主教，然后跪在断头台旁边。他将双手往前一摊，作为准备完毕的信号；即刻，斧头有力地劈了下来，只用了一斧就将他脖子砍断。旁边的刽子手揪住头发，将头颅提起来叫道：“这是一个叛国者的头颅。”人群中的每个人都发出一声低沉的叹息，在这条年代久远的街道中回荡。
THE COMMONWEALTH
共和制
112
OLIVER CROMWELL
奥利弗·克伦威尔
PROTECTOR 1653to 1658A.D.（护国公，公元1653~1659年）abolish，do away with.armour，a coat of mail.capturing，carrying off.lawful，according to law.
lower orders，poor classes.needed by，for the benefit of.peasant，country man.
rail against，speak angrily to.
1.The first act of the Commons after the death of Charles was to abolish the House of Lords，and to govern the country alone.Young Charles，the son of the late King，was，however，accepted as King by the Scots；who，though they had opposed his father，had no wish to overturn the throne.Charles therefore went to Scotland，signed the Covenant，and was crowned at Scone.
2.Cromwell then led an army into Scotland，and defeated the Scots，underbDavid Leslie，at Dunbar.
But Charles gathered together the scattered remainsof his army，and boldly marched into England.He was followed by Cromwell to Worcester，and was there completely defeated.He sought safety in flight，and wandered about in the Midland Counties for more than a month，chased by his enemies.
3.It is said that on one occasion，seeing some of Cromwell’s troopers coming in search of him ，he climbed into an oak-tree.There he hid himself for many hours，and saw through the leaves the red coats of his pursuers，as they rode under him！When the troopers were gone，he took refuge with a family friendly to him；and，disguised as a peasant，he worked at cutting fagots.After some time，he reached the sea-shore，where he got on board a vessel and escaped to France.
a Scone （skoon），2.25miles north of Perth.In its ancient abbey the Kings of Scotland used to be crowned，sitting on a famous stone （the Lia Fail，or Stone of Destiny），now part of the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey.
b Dunbar.-On the coast；nearly 30miles east of Edinburgh.
4.During the Dutch War for the mastery at sea，a great battle was foughtabetween the English and Dutch fleets off Portland，in which Admiral Blakedefeated the Dutch Admiral Tromp，capturing many of the enemy‘s ships and destroying others.
5.A dispute having arisen between Cromwell and the Parliament，the former marched to the House of Commons with three hundred soldiers.Leaving these outside，he entered；and walking up and down with his hat on，he began to rail against the members.Then，stamping on the floor，he said，“Get you gone，and give way to honester men.”His soldiers poured in，and quickly cleared the House.He left the hall，locked the door，and went home with the key in his pocket.
6.A new Parliament was formed from the lower orders of the people.It was called Barebone’s Parliament，after one of its leading members；but it was soon sent away by Cromwell，who was chosen by his officers Lord Protector of the Commonwealth.
7.Oliver Cromwell，now really Sovereign of England，called a lawful Parliament，and ruled the nation with wisdom.He tried to form a new House of Lords；but in this he failed.His second House of Commons refused to acknowledge his new peers.He therefore sent it away；and after that he reigned according to his own will.