這場戲：婆家上門逼她搬回家
第 7 章 · 共 18 章 · 4'16"
婆家母女不請自來，進門就嫌露西房子難看，隨即甩出壞訊息：她的金礦 peter out（逐漸枯竭），股息停了。看不見的格雷格船長在旁喊別答應，露西卻不動聲色地把家人請走，一句 shove off（走開、請便吧）說得又體面又堅決。想拒絕家人打著關心旗號的控制，這幾句最實用。
❝ 獨白 · 4 句 婆婆的壞訊息鋪墊
壞訊息被說成好事，一層層鋪墊，越體貼越像逼人。
「腦子有毛病」的英語：bats in the belfry
petered out 逐漸枯竭、慢慢沒了paying dividends 發股息；也喻帶來回報charitable 寬厚的、往好處想的
「走開、請便吧」英語怎麼說？shove off
shove off 走開、請便吧I'll manage somehow 我總能想辦法過下去nothing more to do with 再也不同某人來往
露西的婆家母女突然造訪海鷗別墅，一進門就挑剔房子和牆上的畫像，隨後宣佈壞訊息：露西賴以為生的金礦 peter out（逐漸枯竭），股息停發，她成了窮光蛋，只能搬回去跟她們同住。露西儘量剋制，可看不見的格雷格船長在旁不停插話，還威脅要 keelhaul（拖到船底）這對母女。露西最終婉拒好意，請她們 shove off（走開、請便吧），堅持獨自留下。想學會在親戚的「關心」面前守住自己的決定，這三句都用得上。
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。
“Say the word, and I'll keelhaul them.”
你一句話，我就把他們拖到船底去。
把狠話包進一句輕巧的報恩裡，船長的作派一下立住。
Say the word, and I'll ...
答應替人出頭或幫忙時用；玩笑口氣，正式場合別用。
Just say the word and I'll handle it. ／ Give me the nod and they're gone.
口語
Say the word 輕快，keelhaul 重讀，句尾落下。
Say the word, and I'll talk to your landlord. 你說一聲，我就去跟你房東談。
“Well, I could explain, I suppose, but you wouldn't believe me.”
唉，我倒是可以解釋，可你不會信的。
先退半步再攤手，把不能明說的處境一句封死。
I could ..., but you wouldn't ...
解釋起來太麻煩或對方聽不進時用；對上級這樣推託會顯得敷衍。
I could explain, but you wouldn't buy it. ／ I might explain, only you would not believe a word.
中性
I suppose 輕輕帶過，but 後停一拍。
I could explain, but you wouldn't like the answer. 我可以解釋，可你不會喜歡這個答案。
“The only charitable explanation is that the solitude has preyed on your mind.”
唯一厚道的解釋，就是獨居太久，把腦子熬壞了。
用最體面的詞說最刻薄的話，客氣本身就是刀。
The only ... explanation is that ...
背後給人下判斷、說漂亮話時用；當面這麼講等於翻臉。
The kindest reading is that she has lost her mind. ／ The only generous way to put it is that she is unwell.
正式
charitable 重讀，that 從句放慢，說完停住。
The only charitable explanation is that he simply forgot. 唯一厚道的解釋是他單純忘了。
“I'm sorry. It's very kind of you to want me back, but I'm going to stay. I'll manage somehow.”
抱歉。你們願意接我回去，我很感激，可我要留下。我總能想辦法過下去。
道謝和拒絕挨在一起，體面地關門，一句“總能想辦法”收尾。
It's very kind of you to ..., but I'm going to ...
禮貌拒絕長輩或好意時用；說的時候態度要穩，別拖泥帶水。
That's kind of you to offer, but I'll stay here. ／ I appreciate the offer, but this is my home now.
中性
kind of you 輕，but 後加重，I'll manage 放平收。
It's very kind of you to ask, but I'm going to stay on my own. 你肯開口我很感激，不過我還是想自己住。
“So, please be good enough to shove off.”
所以，麻煩你們就此走人吧。
用最客氣的句式下逐客令，越有禮越叫人下不來臺。
be good enough to do something
跟人客氣地把人請走時可用；對長輩這樣說是翻臉，得掂量。
Please be so good as to leave. ／ I'll ask you kindly to go.
正式
be good enough 連貫，shove off 咬清，尾音下沉。
Be good enough to shut the door on your way out. 麻煩你走的時候把門帶上。
Oh, poor Lucy, we've such bad news for you. I suppose it's all for the best, everything considered. Don't you, Eva? And in my opinion, we're just in time.
哦，可憐的露西，我們有個壞訊息要告訴你。 我想，通盤考慮下來，這也算是好事。 你說是不是，伊娃？ 依我看，我們來得正是時候。
下一章 · 08throw yourself at投懷送抱這場戲：口述自傳謀生計字面是「鐘樓裡有蝙蝠」，實際說人腦子不正常、有點瘋。這裡格雷格船長轉述別人對露西的看法，語氣帶著調侃。
可以說 shove off，原意是「把船撐開離岸」，引申為「走開、請便吧」。露西用它下逐客令，既乾脆又沒撕破臉。
指資源、勢頭逐漸枯竭、慢慢沒了，比如礦藏、動力、熱情。句子裡 the gold mine petered out 就是「金礦枯竭了」，也可說 The conversation petered out。
keelhaul 是舊時海上的酷刑，把人用繩子從船底拖過去，後來常用來開玩笑地嚇唬人。他說 Say the word, and I'll keelhaul them 就是「你一句話，我就把他們拖到船底去」。
臺詞裡她只說要留下、會想辦法，沒有長篇解釋。她珍視在別墅的獨立生活，不願因為沒了收入就被接回去，接受別人的安排。
不是。in-laws 指姻親，這裡 the in-laws 就是婆家那對母女。相同說法還有 my in-laws「我的公婆／岳父母」。
