《床头灯英语读本（纯英文版）》促销中！！！点击购买
在线试听和试读（仅提供片段）
CHAPTER ONE
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This story took place in England in the mid 1600's, although the book was written in the early 1 700 ~ s. The main character, Moll Flanders, was bam with no fortune or any parents to care for her, but throughout her life she had attempted to find a wealthy husband and a fortune for herself. She was determined to find wealth and live a comfortable life, but found many troubles all throughout. My true name is well known at the Newgate prison, although for many years, • I have used the name; Moll Flanders. Most, who know me well, know me by the name, Moll Flanders; very few people in this world know of my true name. I have heard that in other nations, such as France, if a woman has a child while in prison, the govenunent takes the child to a safe location where it is cared for and given clothing, meals, and schooling. When these children are grown they are able to find honest work for themselves. Unfortunately for me, England does not care for prisoners' children as other nations do. |
My mother had been in prison for seven months
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before I was rom. She would have been killed for her crime, but because she was to have a child , the government did not demand that she die. My mother was sent to prison for stealing a few pieces of cloth, quite an unimportant crime. When I was nearly six months old, the English government sent my mother to work in America. I was sent to live with various people who cared little for me. Eventually, I came to Colchester, in southeastern England. I was sent to the church, although the people there did not help me, and I was still too- young to work, nearly three years old. Finally, the leaders in the town pitied me, a young child with nothing. They took me to a woman who owned a little school where she taught children to read and to work. I stayed in that place, with that kind woman, until I was eight years old, when the leaders of the town declared that I should leave to find work. I was terrified to leave that sweet woman and her school, and cried quite often about having to leave. I asked. the woman many times if I could stay, promising to work very well for her if she would allow me to stay. She finally agreed that I could live with her until I was older. I was still upset, however, knowing that I would eventually have to
After this, she went to the mayor, the main leader of the town, to explain my story to him. He found the story to be quite amusing, as well, and told his wife and two daughters my ideas on work. They were quite curious about me, and decided to come to the school to meet me. 本故事发生于17世纪中期的英国。一位女囚在新兴门监狱产下了一名女婴，她，就是故事里的女主人公摩尔-弗兰德斯。她的降生也注定了其苦难的命运。摩尔虽出身贫寒，得不到父母的疼爱，但她却穷其一生试图嫁个富有的丈夫，以期获得大笔财产。可是，由于命运的捉弄，摩尔遭受了诸多挫折，最后沦为一个女贼。
摩尔尚在六个月大，嗷嗷待哺之时，母亲就被发配去了美国做奴仆。从此，小摩尔开始了漂泊的生活。幸好，一位仁慈的妇人收留了她，使她在那个人情冷漠的社会得以生存，也是在那里，她明白了自己一生要追寻的梦想就是过上贵妇人的生活。 摩尔十四岁时，老妇人病逝，于是她寄宿在一个富有而善良的夫人家中。摩尔的聪慧与美貌征服了那家的两个儿子，她与大儿子秘密地恋爱了。后来才发现自己纯真的感情被他欺骗。而小儿子罗宾不顾家人的反对，向出身贫苦的摩尔坦言真挚的爱情，并屡次求婚。最终，摩尔嫁给了这位自己并不曾爱过的丈夫。婚后的第五年，罗宾去世。她把两个孩子托付给婆家照看之后，就离家去追寻新的财富与自由。 很快，摩尔与自己好友的哥哥结婚了。可她几年来积攒的财产竟被丈夫挥霍得所剩无几。丈夫被捕入狱之后，她离开了家，来到一个陌生之地生活，从此更名为弗兰德斯夫人。后来，她嫁给了一位年轻的船长，并随丈夫去了美国。不幸的是，在与婆婆一起生活了三年之后，摩 尔发现婆婆竟是自己的生母而丈夫正是自己的亲弟弟！尽管母亲许诺自己去世之后会留给她大笔遗产，但这个荒谬的真相令摩尔无法忍受继续与他们一起生活，只有孤身回到了英国。 不久，她做了一位富有绅士的情妇，并生下一个儿子。可六年之后，情夫意识到自己的婚外恋是个可怕的错误，便无情地将她抛弃。此时的摩尔已经四十二岁了，她没有贴心的朋友，没人关心自己。她为无处安全存放多年来积攒下来的少量的财产而焦虑不安。一个偶然的机 会，摩尔认识了一位正直而诚实的银行朋友愿意免费为她做顾问。这位朋友爱上了她，决定为了她而与背叛自己的妻子离婚。 可此时的摩尔已打算与一个姐妹离开伦敦去利物浦生活，尤其是那个姐妹答应她在那里可以找到富有的丈夫，这更坚定了她的决心。到了利物浦之后，摩尔认识了这位姐妹所谓的哥哥，据说他非常富有，摩尔很快就与他相恋结婚了。后来，她才发现自己的婚姻只是一笔交易。原来，那位姐妹告诉她的丈夫说自己是个有钱的贵妇人，因此丈夫倾尽了所有积蓄才伪装出富有的身份以成功地娶到她。真相戳穿之后，丈夫无颜面对摩尔，离她而去。 在上一段婚姻期间，摩尔一直与那位银行朋友保持着通信联系。得知他终于离婚之后，她决定嫁给这位有钱的朋友。两人幸福地生活了五年。可丈夫因生意失败，几近破产，郁郁而终。 摩尔即将囊空如洗，无奈之下，只有走上了偷窃的道路。她屡屡得手，从未被抓住过，因此成了闻名伦敦的女飞贼。她本已赚够了后半世生活的钱，但受刺激之诱，已无法停手。最终，摩尔不幸又回到了自己的出生地——新兴门监狱。令她震惊的是，曾欺骗自己的那个丈夫也 被抓入了狱中。 本该处以死刑的她得到了牧师的帮助而被发配到美国。于是她与丈夫带着大笔财产开始新的生活。在那里，摩尔见到了弟弟和亲生儿子。与儿子相认之后，她获得了生母留给自己的财产。从此，摩尔与丈夫靠她们的土地幸福地生活着。年迈以后，两人共同返回故乡英国。经过多年的欺诈与偷盗生活之后，在那里平静地度过余生。 |
