這場戲：決定開始籌備婚禮
第 21 章 · 共 22 章 · 3'06"
王室的人剛走，唐頓上下還在聊昨晚的戲：有人問王室僕人怎麼了，回答是他們 gave up the ghost（徹底歇菜了）；說到被整得夠慘，來一句 they had it coming in spades（活該透了）。轉頭有人下了決心，說 It's time I started to plan my wedding（該籌備自己的婚禮了）。想學怎麼把「活該」說得解氣又不帶髒字，這段正合適。
一句 You could never be a fool to me（在我眼裡你永遠不會是傻瓜）
a fool of myself 出了洋相You could never be a fool to me 在我眼裡你永遠不會是傻瓜took you so long 怎麼拖了這麼久good to hear 聽著讓人高興
❝ 獨白 · 4 句 被整治的人 they had it coming in spades（活該透了）
what came over me 我這是怎麼了had it coming 活該in spades 十足地、變本加厲
王室來訪的風波剛過，唐頓的氣氛鬆下來。有人問起王宮僕人怎麼樣了，回答是他們 gave up the ghost（徹底歇菜了）；有人自嘲昨晚 made a fool of myself（出了洋相），卻被安慰「在我眼裡你永遠不會是傻瓜」；提起被整治的王室僕從，一句 they had it coming in spades（活該透了）說得毫不客氣。另一邊，有人下定決心說 It's time I started to plan my wedding（該籌備自己的婚禮了）。亨利趕回唐頓準備參加舞會，有人打趣說他 in time for the ball（正好趕上舞會）；而有人終於不用像 a sad little wallflower（可憐的小壁花）一樣獨自赴會了。想學怎麼用英語「調侃活該」「自嘲出醜」「宣佈大事」，這些句子都能練。
A1–C2 是歐標等級。點一個等級後，比它高的卡片會變淡，播放到那裡不會自動暫停。
“You could never be a fool to me.”
在我眼裡你永遠不會是傻瓜。
用一句否定把安慰說到骨子裡，比「沒關係」溫柔得多。
You could never be X to me
安慰出了醜的人時用；嚴肅道歉場合要接具體說明，別隻講這句。
You will never look foolish to me. ／ I would never think less of you.
中性
could never 連讀，fool to me 放輕收尾。
You could never be a burden to me. 在我眼裡你永遠不會是負擔。
“It's time I started to plan my wedding.”
我該開始籌備婚禮了。
用 it's time 加過去式表達該做卻一直拖著的事，一句就交出轉折。
It's time I did something
說該做而自己一直沒做的事時用；催別人時語氣會顯得責備。
It is time I got on with it. ／ I should start planning it now.
中性
It's time I 連讀，started 稍加重音。
It's time I started looking for a place of my own. 我該開始找自己的住處了。
“Let's face it, they had it coming in spades.”
認了吧，他們何止是活該。
前後兩半一收一放，先勸人面對現實，再把語氣推到極致。
Let's face it, someone had it coming
說某人自作自受時用；對被傷害的人講會顯得冷酷。
Let's be honest, they asked for it. ／ They brought it on themselves.
口語
Let's face it 連讀，in spades 稍慢重讀。
Let's face it, they had it coming after that tackle. 認了吧，那次犯規之後他們就是自找的。
“And I don't have to go to the ball alone like a sad little wallflower.”
而且我不用像個可憐的壁花一樣，一個人去舞會了。
「壁花」一詞把被冷落的自嘲說得又輕又準。
go to ... alone like a sad little wallflower
自嘲沒人陪、終於不必落單時用；對不太熟的人別用來自怨。
I won't have to stand around like a wallflower. ／ At least I won't be a wallflower tonight.
口語
重讀 alone 和 wallflower，little 輕讀。
Thanks to you, I won't be standing around like a wallflower tonight. 多虧你，我今晚不用像個壁花一樣乾站著了。
I should be. Interfering with the palace staff on a royal visit... and me part of it, to boot. I don't know what came over me. - But? - (sighs) They had it coming to them, Elsie. Let's face it, they had it coming in spades.
我本該震驚。在王室來訪時插手王宮的僕人……我自己還摻和了一腳。 我也不知道自己是怎麼了。 ——可是？——（嘆氣）他們那是活該，埃爾茜。 認了吧，他們何止是活該。
下一章 · 22take over from someone接替這場戲：臨終託付家族未來字面像「把鬼魂交出去」，實際意思是徹底歇菜、不行了，可以指人、機器或計劃。戲裡說王室僕人 gave up the ghost，就是說他們徹底撐不住了。
最常用的說法是 had it coming，字面是「早該輪到」，指某人遭報應是自找的。想加重語氣，就接上 in spades，意思變成「活該透了」。
本義指撲克裡的黑桃，黑桃是最強的花色，所以引申為「十足地、變本加厲」。戲裡說 they had it coming in spades，就是他們何止活該。
字面是「什麼東西附到我身上」，用來解釋自己一時失常，相當於「我這是怎麼了」。戲裡有人後悔插手王室的事，就說 I don't know what came over me。
意思是救場、在關鍵時刻扭轉局面。戲裡王室大廚被下藥，唐頓僕人頂上才沒出亂子，所以有人請主人替大家謝謝他們 saving the day。
