Thornhill's design is a shameless steal from the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles,
桑希尔的设计无耻地剽窃了 凡尔赛宫镜厅的创意
but the artistic larceny is, of course, making a point.
但这起艺术剽窃 明显蕴涵深意
Here, Apollo the sun god shines not on the Catholic Sun King, Louis XIV,
这里 太阳神阿波罗 并未庇护天主教中的太阳之王 路易十四
but on the British monarchs.
但却庇佑了英国君主
Over there, in France,despotism and popery.
那边 在法国 是专制与天主教会
Over here, thanks to William,liberty and Protestantism.
而这里 由于威廉 成就了自由与新教
Over there,the curses of serfdom, misery and superstition.
那边 农奴制之下 是苦难与迷信
Over here the blessings of navigation, trade and science.
而这里 由于海运 是贸易往来与科学
But, of course,you don't go to ceiling paintings for the unvarnished truth.
但是 当然 他并不会将未经粉饰的真相画在天花板上
The truth was that we had been at war for almost 25 years,give or take a few intermissions.
事实上我们已经在绵延的战火中 生活了近25年 期间仅有几次短暂的喘息机会
And during that time,Britain had been completely transformed by the experience.
而在那一时期 英国因战争而面目全非
It was no longer a case of gallant little England defending the scepter'd isle
当时的情况不再是 勇敢弱小的英格兰在暴君的强压之下
against the serried ranks of despots.
挺身而出保卫王权
Now, we sat at the heart of the greatest war machine in the world.
现在 我们身处世界上最大的战争机器中心
That machine couldn't work without the lubrication of money,
而这机器没有金钱的润滑也无法正常运转
so along came a national debt needed to pay for it all.
接踵而来的就是巨额国债 需要人民来买单
And this debt needed servicing,so enter the armies of money men
而还债需要人力支持 所以无数的金融投资家就出动了
accountants, tax assessors, Customs and Excise officers.
会计 纳税评估员 海关人员