10篇文章帮你搞定4级词汇：(4)The Man And This Castle (II)
This influential media giant was not without his fault. His prejudices were common knowledge. His career was blemished(玷污) by his offensive remarks about Spaniards, Japanese, Filipinos, and Russians. He printed lies, forget documents, falsified(歪曲) stories of violence, wrote provocative editorial and published sensational cartoons and photographs to support his opinions.William hated minorities. He took advantage of very opportunity to heighten racial tensions. His real motive for his hatred of Mexicans may have been the loss of 800 000 acres of prime timberland to the Mexican outlaw(逃犯). Pancho Villa. His papers described them ad marijuana-smoking. Job-stealing, lazy, wicked, and violent degenerates(堕落). Some suggest be saw the Mexicans as a threat to his Empire.
During this period, William met and fell in love with a young actress, Marion Davies. Millicent, his wife and the mother of his five sons, including a set of twins, refused to dissolve the marriage, which obliged William to “live in sin” with the woman the tour guides refer to as his “friend” or “companion”.
With thousands of acres of land covered with grassland, trees, natural ponds, and man-made reservoirs available for use, William stocked the estate with herds of rare oxen and deer, and flocks of sheep and lambs. These animals flourished ad they were allowed to wander freely. Large, more dangerous beasts, including tigers, ostriches, buffalo, yaks, emus, kangaroos, llamas, zebras and giraffes were enclosed in the largest private zoo in the world.
The “complex” was ready for occupancy(占用) in 1927, but additions continued until 1947. Eventually it comprised the main house and three cottages, all of which are furnished with a variety of valuable antiques. Even the lavatories were specially equipped. William’s favorite room was said to be the library with its collections of more than 5,000 books, ancient Greek vases, and an antique Spanish ceiling suspended(悬挂) by cables so it will sway([使]摇摆) in the event of an earthquake (all the antique furnishings and treasures are anchored ad a precaution as this is an earthquake country).
In the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, William lived part-time at the estate with his mistress, Marion Davies. They entertained to an excessive extent. To be invited to the castle was a privilege. Movie stars, politicians, businessmen, and even royalty(皇室成员) were frequent guests. Many of these guests, including a British lord, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, Amelia Earhart, and Charles Lindbergh, flew to the ranch, landing on the private airstrip(飞机跑道).
Life on the “hill” was never dull. The visitors stayed in the main house or the cottages, depending on their prominence(重要) or their intimacy(亲密) with the family and were free to roam(漫游) the grounds, go riding on their choice of horses from the stable, swim in the pools, or play golf on the private course on the property. Company was expected, however, to meet in the main drawing room at 7:30 p.m. sharp, principally(主要的) to amuse their host. Dinner was a formal affair beginning at 9:00 p.m. This meal was held in the immense dining room, the walls of which are lined with priceless panels from ancient European cathedrals(大教堂). Following dinner, movies were shown in the private theater, starting rules guests had to follow: do not get drunk; do not swear or tell off-color jokes; sleep in separate bedrooms. If you wanted to eat, you could visit the kitchen… if you could find it.
Although William was closely involved in all aspects of the construction and decoration(装饰) of the mansion(大厦、宅邸) he continued his business and social interests. No stranger to scandal(流言蜚语), in November 1924, he found himself in the topic of headlines. The most enduing rumor was that, during a party on yacht, he had found Marion kissing Charlie Chaplin. In a fit of jealously he took a shot at Chaplin, missed, and accidentally hit Tomas Ince, killing him. However, even though the morning papers carried the story, the evening paper and successive editions printed that Ince had died of acute([疾病]急性的) indigestion(消化不良).
In 1945, William initiated the Hearst Foundation and created the California Charities Foundation in 1948 (the name was changed to the William Randolph Hearst Foundation soon after his death in 1951). The Great Depression took its toll on even the wealthiest and William Randolph Hearst was no exception. His fantastically(荒诞的) decadent lifestyle couldn’t last forever, and gradually his finances began to suffer, beginning the next chapter in the saga(传奇) of excesses(过度). He came close to being bankrupt(破产的) but Marion rescued him from debt, unselfishly, selling her jewels and some other property to raise over a million dollars.
In 1947, due to his health, he was forced to move permanently to Beverly Hills. Marion looked after him during this time, seldom leaving his side. When he died in 1951 at the age of 88, she was shunned(避开) by his family and forbidden to attend his funeral(葬礼).
The castle, its furnishings, the artworks in the gallery, and 1927 acres of land were given to the state of California in 1957. Since that time, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has kept the castle open to tourists.
Today a visit to the estate begins near the site of the old airstrip. Guests are transported to the top of the hill via bus. One can still see the signs giving wandering animals the “right-of way” on the lanes. Deer, cattle, and sheep often halt the buses’ progress up or down the mountain as they meander(漫游) to the salt licks.
Depending on the tour one chooses, guides escort(护送,陪同) the public through a variety of rooms, gardens. Cottages and pools. The luxury(奢华) of a bygone(过去的) era is evident at every turn. From the moment you arrive at the stairway to Neptune Pool until you bid farewell to your guides at the magnificent, golden and blue Roman Pool, you are reminded that a man had a dream. He had power and influence. Furthermore, he was prosperous enough to achieve his objectives and implement his dream.
