這場戲：講到奪槍開槍那刻
第 3 章 · 共 15 章 · 3'58"
萊斯利講到哈蒙德不肯走、一把抱住她，她掙脫後抓起左輪開槍：It was all instinctive（全是本能反應），她說 I didn't even know I'd fired（我甚至沒意識到自己開了槍）。那句「羅伯特不在」是 the last straw（最後一根稻草），讓她徹底爆發。想學怎麼講清一場衝突、怎麼用英語說自己「當時沒反應過來」，這段最緊繃。
❝ 獨白 · 33 句 那句話成了 the last straw（忍無可忍的最後一擊）
the last straw 忍無可忍的最後一擊tear myself away 掙脫、抽身instinctive 本能的、下意識的
願拿一切 bring him back to life（讓他活過來、救活他）
what he deserved 罪有應得、活該in your place 處在你的位置bring him back to life 讓他活過來、救活他
萊斯利把那一晚講完：哈蒙德不肯走，那句「羅伯特不在」是 the last straw（忍無可忍的最後一擊）。他抱住她，兩人一起摔倒，她掙脫後抓起羅伯特的左輪，I seized the gun as he came toward me（他朝我撲過來時，我一把抓起槍）。槍響之後她說 It was all instinctive（全是本能反應），甚至 I didn't even know I'd fired（沒意識到自己開了槍）。講完有人感嘆 the man only got what he deserved（那人只是罪有應得），威瑟斯追問槍怎麼會放在那兒，羅伯特說是他夜裡留給萊斯利防身的，還安慰她說換了誰都會這麼做。想講清一次衝突、說「本能地做了某事」，這些說法都用得上。
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。
“Well, that was the last straw.”
這句話讓我忍無可忍。
the last straw 把一路忍讓到突然爆發的臨界點說得精準又有畫面。
be the last straw
說某件事成為壓垮忍耐的最後一擊時用；對小事誇張地這樣說會顯得矯情。
That was the final straw. ／ It was the straw that broke the camel's back.
中性
that was the 連讀，last straw 兩詞重讀。
His third excuse was the last straw. 他第三個藉口成了壓垮我的最後一根稻草。
“It was all instinctive. I didn't even know I'd fired.”
全是本能反應。我甚至沒意識到自己開了槍。
兩句一短一長，把失控寫成沒有意識的動作，比喊冤更有衝擊。
It was all instinctive. I didn't even know ...
解釋自己並非有意時用；對受害者家屬這樣說容易被當成推脫。
It was pure reflex; I never meant to fire. ／ I did not even realize I had pulled the trigger.
中性
instinctive 重讀，didn't even know 連讀帶過。
It was all instinctive; I didn't even know I had hit send. 全是下意識，我甚至沒意識到自己點了傳送。
“It was only then I knew what I'd done.”
直到那時我才明白自己做了什麼。
only then 把醒悟推到最後一刻，一句遲來的清醒比哭聲更重。
It was only then I knew ...
講自己事後才反應過來時用；對正在氣頭上的人這樣說像在事後找補。
Only then did I realize what had happened. ／ It was only afterwards that it sank in.
literary
only then 重讀，what I'd done 連讀收尾。
It was only then I knew how badly I had misjudged him. 直到那時我才知道自己把他看錯了多少。
“You did what every woman would have done in your place.”
換了任何女人處在你的位置，都會這麼做。
用一句「誰都會」把責任從她身上卸下，是最溫柔的辯護。
X would have done in your place
安慰做了艱難決定的人時用；對明知對方有錯的人這樣說近乎開脫。
Anyone in your position would have done the same. ／ You did what anyone would.
中性
every woman 連讀，in your place 重讀落定。
Any mother would have done the same in your place. 換作任何一位母親處在你的位置，都會這麼做。
“And yet I'd give almost anything in the world to bring him back to life.”
可我寧願拿世上幾乎一切，換他活過來。
give almost anything 把悔恨說到極點，越平靜越讓人心裡發沉。
I'd give almost anything to ...
表達為某件事願意付出極大代價時用；對剛失去親人的人說會刺痛對方。
I would give anything to undo it. ／ I'd trade the world to have him back.
中性
I'd give 連讀，almost anything 一串帶過，life 收尾。
I would give almost anything to take that day back. 我寧願付出幾乎一切，讓那天重來。
“I wish there were some way we could spare you, Mrs. Crosbie.”
克羅斯比太太，真希望有辦法能讓你免開尊口。
I wish there were 用虛擬語氣把體諒說得剋制而體面。
I wish there were some way ...
委婉表達遺憾、想幫忙卻做不到時用；對熟人這樣說會顯得見外。
I wish there were some way around this. ／ If only we could spare you this.
正式
I wish there were 連讀，some way 稍重，spare you 放柔。
I wish there were some way to spare you this meeting. 真希望有辦法讓你免了這場會。
I got up from that chair there... And I stood in front of the table here. He Rose and came around the table and stood in front of me. I held out my hand. "Good night," I said... But he didn't move. He just stood there looking at me, and his eyes were all funny. "I'm not going," he said. Then I began to lose my temper. "Poor fool, don't you know "I've never loved anyone but Robert? "And even if I didn't love him, you'd be the last man in the world I should care for." "Robert's away," he said. Well, that was the last straw. I wasn't in the least bit frightened, just angry. "If you don't leave immediately," I said, "I shall call the boys and have you thrown out." But I walked past him toward the veranda to call the boys, but he took hold of my arm and swung me back. Well, I tried to scream, but he flung his arms about me and began to kiss me. I struggled to tear myself away from him. He seemed like a madman. He kept talking and talking and saying he loved me and... it's horrible. I can't go on. I'm sorry, Leslie, but we have to know the rest. He lifted me in his arms and started carrying me. Somehow he stumbled on those steps. We fell, and I got away from him. Suddenly I remembered Robert's revolver in the drawer of that chest. He got up and ran after me, but I reached it before he could catch me. I seized the gun as he came toward me. I heard a report and saw him lurch toward the door. It was all instinctive. I didn't even know I'd fired. Then I followed him out to the veranda. He staggered across the porch, grabbed the railing, but it slipped through his hand, and he fell down the steps. I don't remember anything more, just the reports one after another till there was a funny little click, and the revolver was empty. It was only then I knew what I'd done.
我從那邊那把椅子上站起來…… 站到了這張桌子前面。 他起身繞過桌子，站到我面前。 我伸出手。 我說：晚安……可他一動不動。 他就那麼站在那兒看著我，眼神怪怪的。 他說：我不走。 我這才動了氣。 可憐的傻瓜，難道你不知道，除了羅伯特，我從沒愛過任何人？ 就算我不愛他，你也是這世上我最不可能看上的人。 他說：羅伯特不在家。 這句話讓我忍無可忍。 我一點也不害怕，只是生氣。 我說：你要是不馬上走，我就叫僕人們把你扔出去。 我繞過他往遊廊走去，想叫僕人，可他抓住我的胳膊，把我拽了回去。 我想喊，可他用雙臂摟住我，開始親我。 我拼命想從他懷裡掙脫。 他像個瘋子一樣。 他不停地說啊說，說他愛我，還…… 太可怕了。我說不下去了。 抱歉，萊斯利，可剩下的我們必須知道。 他把我抱起來，開始往屋裡走。 不知怎麼的，他在臺階上絆了一下。 我們摔倒了，我趁機掙脫了他。 我突然想起羅伯特那把左輪手槍就在那個櫃子的抽屜裡。 他爬起來追我，可我趕在他抓住我之前拿到了槍。 他朝我撲過來時，我一把抓起槍。 我聽見一聲槍響，看見他踉蹌著往門口倒去。 全是本能反應。我甚至沒意識到自己開了槍。 然後我跟著他走到外面的遊廊。 他搖搖晃晃穿過門廊，抓住欄杆，可手一滑，摔下了臺階。 後面的事我記不清了，只記得一聲接一聲的槍響，直到最後咔噠一下輕響，槍裡空了。 直到那時我才明白自己做了什麼。
下一章 · 04like grim death拼了命地這場戲：庭審前夜被問補槍「最後一根稻草、忍無可忍的最後一擊」。劇裡哈蒙德說「羅伯特不在」，萊斯利說 Well, that was the last straw，就是「這句話讓我忍無可忍」，表示前面已經忍了很久。
lose my temper。劇裡 Then I began to lose my temper 就是「我這才動了氣」，lose one's temper 是「控制不住發火」。
what he deserved。劇裡 the man only got what he deserved 就是「那人只是罪有應得」，deserve 指「活該、應得」。
「本能的、下意識的」，指沒經過思考就做出的反應。劇裡 It was all instinctive 就是「全是本能反應」，萊斯利用它解釋自己為什麼會開槍。
for your own good。劇裡 it's for your own good that we know the facts 就是「我們弄清事實也是為了你好」，常用來勸人接受不情願的事。
