2012年9月18日星期二

'This is necessary

"This is necessary. The path to glory is always rugged(粗糙的,崎岖的) . Now I am on my way to play a great part in the world."But the hard journey was nothing, compared with the tribulation(磨难,忧患) and distress that came after it. The clay was put into a trough and mixed and beaten and stirred and trampled(蹂躏,践踏) . It seemed almost unbearable. But there was consolation in the thought that something very fine and noble was certainly coming out of all this trouble. The clay felt sure that, if it could only wait long enough, a wonderful reward was in store for it.Then it was put upon a swiftly turning wheel, and whirled around until it seemed as if it must fly into a thousand pieces. A strange power pressed it and molded it, as it revolved, and through all the dizziness and pain it felt that it was taking a new form.Then an unknown hand put it into an oven, and fires were kindled(点燃,照亮) about it --- fierce and penetrating --- hotter than all the heats of summer that had ever brooded upon the bank of the river. But through all, the clay held itself together and endured its trials, in the confidence of a great future. "Surely," it thought, "I am intended for something very splendid, since such pains are taken with me. Perhaps I am fashioned for the ornament(装饰) of a temple, or a precious vase for the table of a king."At last the baking was finished. The clay was taken from the furnace(火炉) and set down upon a board, in the cool air, under the blue sky. The tribulation was passed. The reward was at hand.Close beside the board there was a pool of water, not very deep, not very clear, but calm enough to reflect, with impartial(公平的,公正的) truth, every image that fell upon it. There for the first time, as it was lifted from the board, the clay saw its new shape, the reward of all its patience and pain, the consummation of its hopes --- a common flower-pot, straight and stiff, red and ugly. And then it felt that it was not destined for a king's house, nor for a palace of art, because it was made without glory or beauty or honor; and it murmured against the unknown maker, saying, "Why hast thou made me thus?"Many days it passed in sullen(愠怒的) discontent. Then it was filled with earth, and something --- it knew not what --- but something rough and brown and dead-looking, was thrust into the middle of the earth and covered over. The clay rebelled at this new disgrace. "This is the worst of all that has happened to me, to be filled with dirt and rubbish. Surely I am a failure."But presently it was set in a greenhouse, where the sunlight fell warm upon it, and water was sprinkled(洒,撒) over it, and day by day as it waited, a change began to come to it. Something was stirring within it --- a new hope. Still it was ignorant, and knew not what the new hope meant. One day the clay was lifted again from its place, and carried into a great church. Its dream was coming true after all. It had a fine part to play in the world. Glorious music flowed over it . It was surrounded with flowers. Still it could not understand. So it whispered to another vessel of clay, like itself, close beside it, "Why have they set me here? Why do all the people look toward us?" And the other vessel answered, "Do you not know? You are carrying a royal

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