這場戲：私下攤牌的秘密婚約
第 14 章 · 共 27 章 · 3'59"
露西把埃莉諾單獨拉到一邊，說要問一個古怪的問題，先試探她對羅伯特的婚約，最後丟擲真相：Edward and I have been secretly engaged（愛德華和我秘密訂婚）已經五年。她還說要不是信得過埃莉諾能 keep our secret（守口如瓶），絕不會提。想學試探、坦白和「守口如瓶」的說法，這段最抓人。
「佔上風」說 the whip hand
If only 要是…就好了off my hands 接手、脫手whip hand 佔上風、握主動
❝ 獨白 · 6 句 「秘密訂婚」說 secretly engaged
secretly engaged 秘密訂婚keep our secret 守口如瓶under the tutelage of 師從某人
露西·斯蒂爾把埃莉諾單獨叫住，說有個早就想問的問題，又怕顯得唐突。她先打聽埃莉諾認不認識費拉斯太太，繞了半天，最後攤牌：她和愛德華已經 secretly engaged（秘密訂婚）五年，還是偷偷訂的，沒敢讓費拉斯太太知道；她說因為 trust you to keep our secret（信得過你能守口如瓶）才說出來，還說愛德華把埃莉諾當親妹妹。埃莉諾強作鎮定，只說 We surely do not mean the same Mr. Ferrars（我們說的肯定不是同一個費拉斯先生），心裡卻明白這就是同一個人。露西還強調兩人愛得太深、顧不上謹慎。想學試探、坦白和「守口如瓶」，這段最見分寸。
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。
“If only this rain would stop!”
這雨要是能停就好了！
一句 Wishes 帶著滿屋子人的鬱悶，緊接著的回嘴更是妙。
If only ... would ...!
對眼前沒法改變的事發牢騷時用；正式場合說會顯得孩子氣。
If only the rain would let up! ／ I wish this rain would stop.
口語
If only 連得又輕又快，rain would 連讀，句尾上揚。
If only this bus would come! 這公交車要是能來就好了！
“If only you would stop.”
你要是能住嘴就好了。
把對方的句式原樣奉還，只換一個人稱，冷箭般一句回敬。
If only you would ...
熟人之間嫌對方囉嗦、半惱半笑地回敬時用；對長輩說會失禮。
I wish you would stop. ／ If only you would just be quiet.
口語
If only 輕讀，you would 連成 you'd，句尾平收。
If only you would stop asking. 你要是不再問了就好了。
“Now I have the whip hand over you, for you cannot give her back.”
現在我可佔著上風，因為你沒法把她退回來。
whip hand 一個比喻，就把長輩拿婚事取樂的得意全說透了。
have the whip hand over someone
佔著主動、拿話壓人時用；工作郵件裡用它容易顯得咄咄逼人。
I have the upper hand now. ／ I hold all the cards, and you know it.
口語
whip hand 重讀，over you 連讀，破折處稍停。
We have the whip hand in this negotiation. 這場談判我們佔著上風。
“London has swallowed our company.”
倫敦把我們的人都吞了。
把城市寫成會吞人的東西，一句就把空落的屋子說活了。
... has swallowed ...
形容某人某地把人或機會都吸走時用；嚴肅說明別用這種誇張。
London has eaten up our circle. ／ The city swallowed all our friends.
literary
London has 連讀，swallowed 重音在前，company 輕收。
The city has swallowed all my old friends. 這座城市把我那些老朋友都吞了。
“I should never have mentioned it if I could not trust you to keep our secret.”
要不是信得過你能守口如瓶，我絕不會提這事。
把坦白說成一種託付，用 if 從句替自己留退路，也把對方綁住了。
I should never have ... if I could not ...
把私事說給信得過的人、又要對方保密時用；不熟的人之間會顯得突兀。
I would never have told you if I did not trust you. ／ I only said it because I trust you to keep quiet.
中性
should never have 連讀，trust you to 連成一氣，句尾放平。
I should never have told you if I could not trust you. 要不是信得過你，我絕不會告訴你。
“We surely do not mean the same Mr. Ferrars.”
我們說的肯定不是同一個費拉斯先生。
用一句自我否認來消化真相，越客氣越顯出心裡的震動。
We surely do not mean the same ...
聽到對不上的訊息、還想替自己留最後一點餘地時用；說多了會顯得不肯面對。
Surely we are not talking about the same man. ／ We cannot possibly mean the same person.
正式
surely do not 連讀，same 重讀，Ferrars 尾音輕收。
We surely do not mean the same company. 我們說的肯定不是同一家公司。
“But we loved each other with too great a passion for prudence.”
可我們彼此愛得太深，根本顧不上謹慎。
把私訂終身說成情難自禁，既像辯解也像炫耀，露西的本色盡顯。
too great a ... for ...
替自己一時衝動的決定找浪漫說辭時用；真做錯了事可別拿它當藉口。
We were too much in love to be sensible. ／ Passion left no room for prudence.
literary
loved each other 連讀，too great a 連成一氣，prudence 重音在前。
We were young, with too great a hope for caution. 我們那時太年輕，滿懷希望，顧不上謹慎。
Edward and I have been secretly engaged... these five years. You may well be surprised. I should never have mentioned it if I could not trust you to keep our secret. Edward would not mind... for he looks on you as his own sister.
愛德華和我已經秘密訂婚…… 有五年了。 你當然會吃驚。 要不是信得過你能守口如瓶，我絕不會提這事。 愛德華不會介意…… 因為他把你當作親妹妹。
下一章 · 15brook no refusal不容推辭這場戲：獲邀去倫敦卻藏心事指「佔上風、握著主動權」。戲裡有人開玩笑說 Now I have the whip hand over you，就是「現在我可佔著上風」。
說 keep a secret，守口如瓶可以說 keep our secret。戲裡露西說信得過埃莉諾能 keep our secret，才敢把秘密說出來。
表示「要是……就好了」，後面接虛擬語氣。戲裡 If only this rain would stop 就是「這雨要是能停就好了」。
指「師從某人、在某人指導下」。戲裡露西說愛德華曾在舅舅 under the tutelage of 普拉特先生，讀了四年書。
指「（陪人）走一走、轉一圈」。戲裡問 Will you take a turn with me，就是邀請對方陪自己散散步。
