Desperateforamaleheir,HenryⅧofEnglandhadthequeenconvictedoftreasonandcondemnedtodeath.Sheacceptedherfatecalmly."Thekinghasbeengoodtome,"shesaid."Hepromotedmefromamaidtobeamarchioness.Thenheraisedmetobeaqueen.Nowhewillraisemetobeamartyr."Theexecutionerfoundthequeen,whorefusedtobeblindfolded,socharmingthathehadsomeonedistracthersohecouldsneakupbehindhertocarryouthisduty.
英王享利八世渴求男嗣而不可得,就安排有司以叛國罪判處王后死刑。王后泰然接受命運說:「國王對我很不錯,先把我由侍女提升為女侯爵,然後提升為王后,現在更提升為殉道者。」劊子手惜花,見她不肯蒙上眼睛,就使人分散她注意力,自己悄悄走到她身後執行任務。
【解說】博林王后(AnneBoleyn)的叛國罪名是「通姦」,包括和兄弟通姦。「通姦」英文叫infidelity或adultery,但這兩個字讀者不一定要學;一定要學的是treason(叛國罪)。這樣將來就可以指着李柱銘之流用「比中文不知高到哪裏去了」的英文說:Youaretreasonable!(你賣國!)
Martyr從前專指為基督教殉身,現在凡為信仰犧牲的人都叫martyr;作動詞,martyr多用被動語態(passivevoice),例如:(1)Hewasmadeamartyrtodemocracy:hediedinprisonforpreachingagainstdictatorship(他因抨擊獨裁,瘐死獄中,為民主犧牲了)。(2)St.JoanofArcwasmartyredin1431(聖女貞德一四三一年殉教)。