Belgian city finds its former mayor’s heart in a fountain

Belgian city finds its former mayor’s heart in a fountain

比利時城市在一個噴泉裡發現前市長的心臟

【摘要2020.9.19.自由】◎周虹汶

For years it was just an urban myth. Then the diggers moved in and found it was true - that the heart of a former mayor of the eastern Belgian city of Verviers really was buried under a fountain.

多年以來，這不過是個都市神話。然後，挖土機進駐，發現是真的—比利時東部韋爾維耶市前市長的心臟，真的埋在一座噴泉下。

A small metal box, containing Pierre David’s heart in an ethanol-filled jar, was uncovered during renovation work on the city’s ornate stone fountain last month.

上月在該市裝飾華麗的石頭噴泉翻修工程中，發現了一個小金屬盒，內含一只充滿乙醇、放有皮埃爾．大衛心臟的廣口瓶。

The relic is mentioned in civic documents, but until it was found "no one really believed it," Verviers city councillor Maxime Degey told Reuters.

韋爾維耶市議員馬克西姆．德杰告訴路透，民間文件曾提及此遺物，但直到它被發現前，「沒人真的相信」。

David, the city’s first mayor after Belgium became an independent country, was still in office when he died in 1839 after falling from a building.

大衛是比利時成為獨立國家後的該市首任市長，1839年在位時墜樓身亡。

Authorities built a fountain in his honour and, with his family’s permission, placed his heart under a stone in the monument in 1883.

為了向他致意，當局建了個噴泉，並在其家屬允許下，1883年把他的心臟放在這座紀念建物一塊石頭下。

The box is on display at the Verviers Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics. It will be returned to the Fontaine David in the city’s Place Verte once the renovation is complete.（Reuters）

這個盒子正在「韋爾維耶繪畫與陶瓷博物館」展出。一旦位於該市「綠色廣場」的「大衛噴泉」整修完畢，它將回歸原處。（路透）

新聞辭典

relic：名詞，指遺物、遺跡、遺風、遺俗、聖骨、聖物。例句：The system is a relic of the 1960s.（這項制度是1960年代遺留的產物。）

in one’s honour：片語，指為紀念、為慶祝、表示敬意。例句：The event was named in his honor.（這起事件以他命名。）

display：動詞，指佈置、陳列、表露、顯示；名詞，指陳列品、展覽、表演、流露。例句：There’s never much display of affection between us.（我們之間從未多表愛慕之情。）