这场戏：骗剧作家试戴胡迪尼手铐
第 9 章 · 共 30 章 · 2'34"
西德尼留下克利福德，拿出一副胡迪尼的手铐，说这是 escape-proof（逃不掉的），劝他戴上试试。迈拉在旁边急得喊 for God's sake（看在老天份上），不敢想他在打什么主意。手铐咔嗒锁死，西德尼转身找钥匙，只剩一句「小铜钥匙，你在哪儿」。想学怎么把危险藏进闲聊，这段越看越凉。
❝ 独白 · 7 句 叫人「看一眼」，用 Take a look（看一眼）
Take a look 看一眼、看看so much as 哪怕只是、仅仅Don't take it personally 别往心里去plagiaristic playwright 抄袭别人作品的剧作家
一副 escape-proof（逃不掉的）手铐
escape-proof 防逃脱的、逃不掉的Give them a try 试一试、试一下Turn, press, pull 转、按、拉little brass key 小铜钥匙
送走学生克利福德之前，西德尼拉他聊胡迪尼，还拿出一副胡迪尼亲手做的、escape-proof（逃不掉的）手铐。迈拉越听越怕，一句 I don't even believe what you're thinking（我都不敢信你在打什么主意），想拉西德尼单独谈谈。西德尼却只用 hit a snag（遇到麻烦）解释自己的旧事，接着让克利福德戴上试试。手铐咔嗒锁死，克利福德才发现自己当不了胡迪尼，而西德尼翻来翻去找钥匙，只剩一句 Key. Where are you, little brass key?（钥匙，你在哪儿啊，小铜钥匙）。值得学的三个说法：hit a snag 是遇到麻烦、卡住了；escape-proof 是防逃脱的、逃不掉的；for God's sake 表示着急或恳求。想学怎么把危险藏在闲聊里，这段很典型。
A1–C2 是欧标等级。点一个等级后，比它高的卡片会变淡，播放到那里不会自动暂停。
“Who knows, I might hit a snag. It's happened before.”
谁知道呢，我也可能卡壳。以前又不是没发生过。
先松口再补一句后路，把老练和狡黠都藏在轻描淡写里。
Who knows, I might ... . It's happened before.
不想把话说死、给自己留退路时用；对客户承诺时别说这句。
Who knows, I could still get stuck. ／ It might go wrong; it has before.
口语
Who knows 轻快带过，hit a snag 停一下，尾句放平。
Who knows, I might hit a snag and miss the flight. 谁知道呢，我也可能遇到麻烦赶不上飞机。
“I don't even believe what you're thinking. Can I talk to you?”
我都不敢相信你在打什么主意。我能跟你谈谈吗？
恐慌里还留着体面，一句请求就把私下的紧张摆上台面。
I don't believe what you're ... . Can I talk to you?
发现亲近的人要做傻事、想私下劝住他时用；公开场合别用。
I can't believe what you're planning. Can we talk? ／ I don't like where this is going. Can I talk to you?
口语
don't even 连读，Can I 合成一句，尾音上扬求助。
I don't believe what you're planning. Can I talk to you outside? 我不敢信你在盘算什么。能出去谈谈吗？
“They really seem like very solid, escape-proof cuffs.”
看着确实很结实，根本逃不掉。
一句外行的夸赞，正好落在最危险的那句台词上。
They seem like very ... , ...-proof ...
夸东西结实牢靠时用；说人「逃不掉」要换个说法免得刺耳。
These cuffs look solid and impossible to escape. ／ They seem sturdy enough to hold anyone.
中性
solid 重读，escape-proof 连成一词，cuffs 收尾轻压。
This lock seems like a solid, tamper-proof one. 这把锁看着很结实，根本撬不开。
“In reality, Houdini 's life was extraordinarily dramatic.”
可实际上，胡迪尼本人的人生比戏还要跌宕。
把虚构拉回真人，一句就给眼前道具背后的人物立了传记。
In reality, X's life was extraordinarily dramatic.
纠正别人只知影视、想讲真实人物时能用；对没兴趣的人别硬科普。
In truth, Houdini led a far more dramatic life. ／ The real Houdini lived a life more dramatic than any play.
中性
In reality 稍停，extraordinarily 拆开重读，dramatic 降调收尾。
In reality, the inventor's life was extraordinarily dramatic. 可实际上，那位发明家的一生要戏剧化得多。
“Though, I doubt that I shall, this time.”
不过，这一回，我怕是没机会了。
一句轻轻的谦辞，把自信包在客气里，越平静越显得有底。
I doubt that I shall, this time.
婉转表达自己这次大概不会失手时能用；对长辈别说得这么傲。
Though this time I doubt I will need to. ／ I do not expect to, this time.
正式
Though 轻起，doubt 重读，this time 放慢降调，像在留有余地。
Though I doubt that I shall need help, this time. 不过这一回，我大概用不着帮忙了。
I must apologize for Myra's suspicions, Clifford. But a few years back, we had a nasty experience... With a plagiaristic playwright, whose name we will not mention. So, now, she gets alarmed... If I so much as tell a fellow writer what language I'm writing in. Don't take it personally. Have a good look at those. They're quite remarkable.
克利福德，我得为迈拉的猜疑向你道歉。 不过几年前，我们碰上过一件糟心事…… 一个抄别人东西的剧作家，名字我们就不提了。 所以现在她一惊一乍的…… 只要我跟同行说一句我在用什么语言写作，她都会这样。 别往心里去。 好好看看这副手铐。相当不一般。
下一章 · 10untypical of me太不像我了这场戏：铐住来客却丢了钥匙「遇到麻烦、卡住了」，常用来讲计划中途出问题。台词里 I might hit a snag 就是「我也可能卡壳」，比 have a problem 更地道、更有画面。
escape-proof。proof 加在词尾表示「防……的」，比如 waterproof 防水，escape-proof 就是防逃脱、逃不掉。台词里用它形容那副手铐。
fuss with 更强调瞎折腾、来回摆弄，常带点嫌对方手贱的意思。台词里 Don't fuss with them 是「别乱摆弄，会弄坏」。
表示着急、不耐烦或恳求，类似「看在老天份上」。台词里 My God, Sidney, for God's sakes 就是人被逼急了脱口而出。正式场合别用。
可以用 In reality，强调「现实里其实……」，跟表面说法对着来。台词里 In reality, Houdini's life was extraordinarily dramatic 就是「可现实中，胡迪尼的一生戏剧性极强」。
