The great painter was asked one day to paint a picture of Pharaoh crossing the Red Sea. A little while after the picture had been commenced, a hitch arose over the fee, and Hogarth found that he would have to complete the commission for about half the sum he expected. When the work was completed, the patron was asked to come and inspect it. As a matter of fact, the picture was just one daub of brilliant red.
"What's this?" exclaimed the purchaser. "I asked for the Red Sea, on the occasion of the celebrated passage."
"That's it," replied Hogarth.
"But, where are the Israelites?"
"They are all gone over."
"Where are the Egyptians?"
"They're all drowned."
注:《出埃及記》中記載,耶和華要懲罰法老王的剛硬,于是連降下十個災禍,直到埃及人屈服。法老敵不過神,就答應釋放以色列人,但以色列人剛離開埃及不久,法老又轉(zhuǎn)意,并派兵追擊以色列人。神再一次施展大能,使以色列人越過紅海,埃及人追趕至海中央就被海水淹沒。
hitch: 故障,障礙
daub: 涂抹,涂料