天譴 - 古德明

天譴 - 古德明

DuringtheEnglishCivilWarin1643,theParliamentaryarmyunderLordFairfaxandhissonSirThomasmettheRoyalistsundertheEarlofNewcastleatAdwaltonMoor.InspiteofbeingheavilyoutnumberedtheFairfaxeswonastartlingvictory,duringwhichtwooftheenemycommanders,ColonelsHowardandHeron,werekilled.LordFairfaxwashorrifiedwhenhefoundthatfourofhismenhadlootedandstrippedthebodyofColonelHeron.Nosoonerhadheexpressedhisangerthanacannonballstruckthefourvillains,killingtwoandseverelywoundingtheothers.Fairfaxwasdelightedatthisevidenceofdivinejustice,pointingouttohismenthatwheremenwereunabletopunishasinfulact,Godhimselfcouldbereliedupontodoitforthem.

一六四三年英國內戰期間,費爾法克斯勳爵和兒子湯瑪斯爵士率領國會軍,和紐加塞伯爵率領的保王軍隊戰於阿沃爾頓荒野,雖然眾寡懸殊,還是取得驚人勝利。保王軍兩名司令陣亡,一為霍華德上校,一為希倫上校。費爾法克斯勳爵發覺四名手下剝下了希倫上校的衣服掠奪其財物,大為震驚,剛把他們怒斥了一頓,一枚砲彈飛過來,擊中那四個壞蛋,兩人當場死亡,兩人重傷。費爾法克斯認為這是上天報應的明示,十分高興,告訴手下將士說,可恥的行為,有時人不能處罰,上帝卻一定會代為懲處。
【附注】Relyon是「信賴」,而那信賴的意思常引伸解作「一定」,例如:Thejobmarketisverysluggishatpresent;youmustn'trelyonfindingajobsoon(目前就業市場呆滯,你不要以為一定會很快找到工作)。