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Louis recovered his health, but other troubles were looming.
路易康复后其他问题却浮现出来
His fame and success had earned him many enemies.
他的名声与成功树敌不少
Two years after his operation,
手术2年后
France began a costly war
法国与西班牙 英格兰
against Spain, England and Sweden.
和瑞典开战 开销巨大
As the fighting dragged on, some of Versailles' silver
战事持久 凡尔赛宫的部分银子
was quietly removed and melted down to pay the King's soldiers.
也被拿去熔化 以作为军饷
Unable to win the war,
路易因无法赢得战争
Louis signed an unfavourable peace treaty,
只得签署对法国不利的和平条约
conceding territory to his enemies.
割让土地给敌人
The Sun King was finally in decline and,
太阳王终究日薄西山
although he continued to make small improvements
尽管他继续逐渐改进
to his great palace,
他宏大的宫殿
he lost much of his enthusiasm.
他已经兴趣尽失
After just four years of peace, a new crisis threatened.
4年的和平后 新的危机浮现
The Spanish king died, leaving his empire to Louis' grandson.
西班牙国王死后王位传与路易之孙
If Louis accepted on the boy's behalf,
如果路易以孙子的名义接受
he knew the other European powers would try to stop him.
欧洲其他君主便会阻止他
But if he refused, the territories
但他若拒绝 西班牙的土地
would go to France's rivals in Austria.
便交由法国的对手奥地利
He was in an impossible situation.
他面临艰难的抉择
Louis was damned if he did, damned if he didn't.
路易进退两难
Faced with an issue which concerns the honour of his dynasty,
此问题事关王朝的荣誉
it's perhaps not surprising
意料之中的是
that he opts for the acceptance of the Spanish offer.
他接受了西班牙的王位
But inevitably, therefore,
因此他无可避免地
provokes war with the other major European powers.
挑起了与欧洲其他国家的战事
This, the most gruelling war of Louis' reign,
路易在位时最漫长的战争
lasted for 12 years and brought France to the brink of ruin.
持续了12年 几乎摧毁了法国
