John Christopher - 5000 Words Bedside Lamp English Learning Reader - The Stairway to the Free Realm of English - (15) (English-Chinese Contrast)

Author: Original (French) Roman Rolland
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-02-01
Features: John Christopher was born in a small town on the Rhine River in Germany. His family was a respected musical lineage, with his grandfather having once been the conductor of the royal orchestra, while his father was often an alcoholic, leading to the gradual decline of their family's fortune. Young Christopher was ugly in appearance but beloved by his grandfather, who often took him for walks in the fields and told him stories of ancient heroes, which sparked in him from a young age the desire to become a great person. His cook mother was timid and kind. One day, when his mother was working as a maid in the main household, she was mocked by the and, and when she resisted, she was severely beaten by the masters. His mother also made him apologize and kneel down. This made him deeply upset and even more at the injustice of the world. His grandfather gave him an old piano and took him to the theater to enjoy operas, which sparked his interest in music. He often climbed onto chairs to press the keys himself. His father discovered his hobby and wanted to make it his specialty, using it as a means to climb the social ladder. He then forced him to practice the piano every day with a ruler, until one day, exhausted, he finally rebelled: he deliberately played wrong notes. His father roared in anger, and the ruler fell like rain. Christopher was subdued and had no choice but to play the piano while crying every day. While he despised music, his heart was already filled with it. He couldn’t help but fall in love with music and wanted to dedicate his life to this art that contained all his joys and sorrows. His grandfather carefully compiled the tunes he hummed and added accompaniment and harmony, compiling them into a piece titled "Pastimes of Childhood." On the cover of the musical score, he wrote the name of young Christopher, asking him to play it and presenting it to the court for a special concert. His performance was warmly received by the audience, and the Grand Duke praised the six-year-old as a "reincarnation of Mozart." From then on, he was greatly encouraged and began to consciously play the piano and compose music, which made his grandfather cry with joy. His uncle, who worked as a rural peddler, admired "ordinary people" and gave John a different kind of education. He sang beautiful songs, let John breathe the fresh air of the fields, and at night, he felt the countless instruments in nature's symphony. He created true music in life, further enriching Christopher's musical upbringing. At the age of 11, Christopher was appointed as the second violinist of the court music union and studied harmony with the organist. He learned multiple instruments, using his income to help support his family's difficult life. His grandfather passed away in relief at this time, while his father was drunk all day and could not be relied upon. The heavy burden of life fell on Christopher, and he had to frequently be summoned to the ducal palace to play for the unpleasant fools, which made him deeply humiliated and painful. He also became more distant from his elders who admired money and power, and he found several part-time jobs as a family teacher. The heavy burden of life made it hard for him to breathe. Only his uncle brought him joy. They rowed under the moon, listening to the arpeggios of water dripping from the oars, and watching the shimmering mist on the river surface. While receiving musical education, Christopher also joined the orchestra and had already been promoted to a violinist. He had a great belief: that he would one day write great works. During a trip to the countryside for a picnic, Christopher met a knowledgeable young man named Odo on the ferry and became close friends. His friendship with Odo became the precursor to his future love. Herr von Krich, the widow of a councilor, moved from Berlin to live next door with her daughter, Minna. The lady asked him to be her daughter's family teacher and teach her to play the piano. Minna was his age and highly appreciated Christopher's talent and character, occasionally correcting his manners and posture, and developed feelings for him. Once, while playing the piano, Christopher impulsively kissed Minna's hand. Soon after, Minna's mother discovered their relationship and strongly opposed it, citing their background, social status, and wealth. This made Christopher realize the distance between them, and in a fit of grief and anger, he left. The blow of love had not yet subsided in his heart when his father died drunk in a ditch. Both of his younger brothers went out to seek their fortunes, leaving him to rely on his mother. They moved to a more dilapidated and cheaper place to live. The granddaughter of their landlord, Lora, was infatuated with him, but he fell in love with the young widow, Sabina, who ran a small needlework shop. Unexpectedly, Sabina suddenly died of influenza, and after her death, he fell in love with Ada, a salesclerk at a hat shop, but she soon abandoned him for his unreliability. The blows of love made him depressed, and he spent his days in taverns with dubious friends. His uncle helped him, teaching him to break free from the of desire and to regain his spirits, dedicating himself to musical composition once more. Christopher awoke. At a concert, he felt the performers were sluggish and the audience listless. He despaired to discover that the works of so-called masters were filled with falsity and pretense. He unhesitatingly tore up his old, conventional compositions and criticized almost all German classical music masters for their hypocrisy. The conservative forces called him "rebellious" and "completely mad," and even the Grand Duke, who had once admired him, began to dislike him. The shocked musical world united to counterattack, and his concert to perform his new works suffered setbacks and neglect. Just as his career was failing, he was used and published several music reviews in magazines, offending conductors, performers, singers, and even the audience. He felt lonely and angry and resolved to leave the country. Before leaving, he attended a village festival dance, where he was beaten for defending a girl who refused to dance with an alcoholic officer. In the process, he killed the officer. The girl he rescued invited him to seek refuge in Paris. He hastily left a note for his mother and fled. After crossing the border, he arrived in France.