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The sea – this truth must be confessed – has no generosity. No display of manly qualities – courage, hardihood, endurance, faithfulness – has ever been known to touch its irresponsible consciousness of power. The ocean has the conscienceless temper of a savage autocrat spoiled by much adulation. He cannot brook the slightest appearance of defiance, and has remained the irreconcilable enemy of ships and men ever since ships and men had the unheard-off audacity to go afloat together in the face of his frown. From that day he has gone on swallowing up fleets and men without his resentment being glutted by the number of victims – by so many wrecked ships and wrecked lives. Today, as ever, he is ready to beguile and betray. To smash and do drown the incorrigible optimism of men who, backed by the fidelity of ships, are trying to wrest from him the fortune of their house, the dominion of their world, or only a dole of food for their hunger. If not always in the hot mood to smash, he is always stealthily ready for a drowning. The most amazing wonder of the deep is its unfathomable cruelty.
(from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad) Night
generosity 慷慨，仁慈
hardihood 大胆，刚毅
savage 野蛮的，蛮横的
autocrat 独裁者，专制君主
adulation 谄媚，奉承
brook 容忍，允许
defiance 反抗，反对
irreconcilable 难和解的，不可调和的
audacity 勇气，胆量，冒险
resentment 忿恨，不满
glut 满足，厌腻
beguile 迷惑
smash 粉碎，破坏
incorrigible 固执的，难以克服的
wrest 夺取，强占
dominion 统治，领地，范围
dole 少量的施舍
unfathomable 深不可测的，无底的，难解的