女王复仇记(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
女王复仇记
in the great church at roskilde, denmark, there is shown a large whetstone, which was sent to the celebrated queen margaret by albert, king of sweden, in the 14th century, intimating that she should use it to sharpen her needles instead of using a sceptre. the queen replied that she would apply it to the edges of her soldiers' swords.
she was as good as her word. in 1389, she fought albert in a pitched battle, and took him prisoner. she put upon his head a fool's cap, and repaid him for his insults in other ways. she then locked him up in a strong prison cell. after six years' imprisonment, albert was released on very hard conditions.

丹麦罗斯基勒大教堂今天展出的一块大磨刀石,是十四世纪瑞典国王阿伯特送给著名女王玛格丽特的,意思是她不应使用国王令牌,而应用磨刀石磨针。玛格丽特回答说,她会用那磨刀石磨利将士剑锋。
玛格丽特没有食言。一三八九年,她和阿伯特会战,俘虏了他,给他戴上小丑的帽子,并用其他方式报复所受侮辱,然后把他关进牢固的囚室,过了六年,阿伯特才在非常严苛的条件下获释。
【附注】
to be as good as one's word即「信守诺言」,例如: he is always as good as his word(他向来言而有信)。留意 as good as往往解作「几乎」或「等于」,不一定是「和……一样好」,例如 1) i am as good as broke(我几乎一文不名)。
( 2) the work is as good as finished(工作几乎做完了)。