fortified against any denial對拒絕早有準備

用獠牙起誓否認戲中人，一句把身份與扮演劈成兩半。

by the very fangs of X, I swear ...

想強調臺上臺下不是一個人時，可以套這句。

I swear on the teeth of spite that the mask is not me. ／ By everything bitter, I am not the part I act.

literary

fangs 重讀，I swear 稍停，not that I play 收尾放低。

By the very fangs of malice, I swear I am not the villain they describe. 憑著惡意的獠牙起誓，我絕不是他們說的那種壞人。

一句把所有權和處置權拆開，像格言一樣立住立場。

What is yours to give is not yours to keep

講所有權與取捨時，可用 yours to bestow 對舉。

What you are meant to give is not yours to hold back. ／ A gift owed is not yours to keep.

literary

bestow 與 reserve 對照重讀，is not yours 連讀壓低。

What is yours to bestow is not yours to reserve, so sign the transfer today. 該你給出去的東西不能扣著，今天就把轉讓簽了。

拿幾種將熟未熟的果子比喻少年，一句把半大不小寫活。

as a squash is before 'tis a peascod

形容少年半大不小時，可借這句沙翁式比喻。

Like fruit not yet ripe enough to name. ／ Green as an apple that will not fall.

literary

squash 與 peascod 重讀，before 'tis 連讀成 /bɪˈfɔːrtɪz/。

He is like a squash before it is a peascod, too tall for boyhood, too shy for manhood. 他就像沒長成的南瓜，做孩子太高，做大人又太怯。

用 shall not 的硬命令把拒絕說得不容商量，貴族的冷臉一句立住。

Tell him he shall not speak with me.

明確拒絕、下逐客令時用，語氣要硬；對朋友說會顯得翻臉，別用。

Tell him I will not see him. ／ He shall not have speech with me.

正式

Tell him 輕帶，he shall not 重讀，speak with me 放慢收住。

Tell him he shall not get past the front desk. 告訴他，他別想進前臺這道門。

用 loath to cast away 把背稿的辛苦說成珍惜，裝腔作勢的少年感一下出來了。

I would be loath to cast away my speech.

半開玩笑地說不想白費準備時用，帶文縐縐的腔；正式場合說會顯得做作。

I would hate to waste this speech. ／ It would be a shame to throw my words away.

literary

I would be loath 連讀輕帶，cast away 重讀，my speech 放慢收住。

I would be loath to cast away my notes now. 我現在可捨不得把筆記白費了。