bier，a wooden frame bearing a dead body.
censers，vessels in which incense is burned.
cherished，tended；took care of.
cumber，load；lie on as a weight.
incense，burning perfume.minster，a monastery church.requiems，songs of rest.riven，torn；broken.
unransomed，not paid for；stoles.
violated，abused；profaned.
war array，military dress and or der.
[According to Orderic，a Norman monk who wrote a chronicle，William’s grave （in St.Stephen‘s minster at Caen）had to be purchased from a knight whose estate he had seized to furnish a site for the abbey，and who stopped the burial-service to claim his right.]
1.Lowly upon his bier
The royal Conqueror lay；Baron and chief stood near，Silent，in war array.
2.Down the long minster’s aisle Crowds mutely gazing streamed；Altar and tomb，the while，Through mists of incense gleamed.
3.And by the torch‘s blaze
The stately priest had said High words of power and praiseTo the glory of the dead.
4.They lowered him with the sound Of requiems to repose，When from the throngs around A solemn voice arose：-5.“Forbear！forbear！”it cried；“In the holiest name forbear！He hath conquered regions wide，But he shall not slumber there.
6.”By the violated hearth
Which made way for yon proud shrine；By the harvests which this earthHath borne to me and mine，7.“By the home even here o’erthrown，On my children‘s native spot-Hence！with his dark renownCumber our birth-place not！
8.”Will my sire’s unransomed field，O‘er which your censers wave，To the buried spoiler yield Soft slumber in the grave？
9.“The tree before him fell
Which we cherished many a year；But its deep root yet shall swell，And heave against his bier！
10.”The land that I have tilled，Hath yet its brooding breastWith my home’s white ashes filled-And it shall not give him rest.
11.“Here each proud column‘s bed Hath been wet by weeping eyes-Hence！and bestow your deadWhere no wrong against him cries！”-12.Shame glowed on each dark face
Of those proud and steel-girt men，And they bought with gold a placeFor their leader’s dust e‘en then.
13.A little earth for him
Whose banner flew so far！And a peasant’s tale could dim The name，a nation‘s star.
14.One deep voice thus arose
From a heart which wrongs had riven-Oh！who shall number thoseThat were but heard in heaven？
-FELICIA HEMANS
中文阅读
【根据诺曼修道士罗德里克在他所著的编年史中记载，威廉的墓地（位于卡昂的圣斯蒂文大教堂）是从一位骑士手中买来的，这位骑士本来是想用他的资产布置一下这座大教堂，因此他曾打断葬礼的进行，声张他的权利。】
1.低矮的棺椁之中，国王征服者安息于此；托孤大臣立侍左右，身着戎装，无言相对。
2.长长的教堂走廊上，人头攒动却消无声息，众人凝视着祭坛、墓穴，焚香祷告，大厅烟雾袅袅，香头的火光微微闪耀。
a The name，a nation’s star.-The name which was a nation‘s star.A peasant’s tale was able to dim，or cast a shade over，a name which was so bright as to be the star of a nation，or the most illustrious name in its history.
3.在火炬的光焰之下，牧师庄严陈词，荣耀与赞美滔滔不绝，彰显着逝者的光辉。
4.安魂曲响起，人们将棺椁渐渐放下，让逝者长眠。在周围拥挤的人群中，一个严肃的声音突然响起：
5.“等一下！等一下！”他厉声喊道，“以上帝的名义等一下！他征服的土地如此广袤，但他却不应该沉睡在这里。
6.就凭这被亵渎的炉膛，本该让位于彼处光荣的神殿；还有这块土地的价值，也本该属于我自己。
7.还有我的归宿之地，在此被剥夺，在我的后代子孙的故土上被剥夺。是故，他的晦暗名声，与我们的生养之地并不相符！
8.阁下偷来的这块土地上，香炉的香火正婀娜多姿，而这被埋葬的盗窃者，真的应该长眠于此？
9.在他面前倒下的那颗树，我们珍爱多年；但它的根茎还会顽强地生长，并也将抵抗他的棺椁。
10.我耕种的这片土地，依然在低沉地呻吟，我的归宿之地撒满白灰，但不该让他在此安息。
11.这里每一根宏伟的廊柱阶石，都记录着众人湿润的目光，是故，重新选择你们逝者的埋葬之地吧，只要认为满意就行。”
12.尽管诸位身份显赫，听者皆面红耳赤，于是他们花钱买地，让他们君王得以安息。
13.一抔黄土，他的旗帜却飘扬至今！即使民间的歌谣，也将他的名字喝为邦国之星a。
14.一个深沉的声音响起，发自一颗纠结交错的心。啊！谁来细数啊？
细数这些只能在天国才能听见的述说与回音。
（费利西亚·赫门兹b）
a 这个名字，这颗邦国之星：意即这个名字是这个国家的一颗明星，而渔樵闲话却能让他的英名黯淡，或者让这一世英名蒙上一丝阴影，包括那些在历史上光芒万丈的名字。
b 费利西亚·赫门兹（1793~1835）：英国著名女诗人，一生诗作极多，并与当时的桂冠诗人华兹华斯友善。--译者注34WILLIAM II.-RUFUS威廉二世--鲁弗斯王
1087to 1100A.D.-13years（公元1087~1100年，在位13年）crafty，cunning.
dukedom，land ruled over by him as duke.
enthusiasm，strong zeal.
generous，kind-hearted.
historians，writers of history.
ruddy，red.
Saracens，unbelievers.
urging，pressing；begging.
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 peoplewere fond of him.But William was on his guard，and defeated their plans.
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，awishing 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 EuropeTHE CRUSADERS IN SIGHT OF JKRUSALKM.
a Crusades.-Wars of the Cross，or holy wars，of which eight were undertaken between the eleventh and the thirteenth century.
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.