这场戏：书桌打开逃犯就擒
第 18 章 · 共 18 章 · 4'04"
书桌一打开，厄尔就被拖了出来；接着信使佩蒂伯恩带着缓刑令赶到，警长却想把他当冒牌货，沃尔特咬定 The Post turned Williams over to the sheriff（就是《邮报》交出去的），靠「新闻界的力量」把局面扳回来。想学斗狠耍手段的英语，whistle in the dark（给自己壮胆）、deliver the goods（把事情办成了）都用得上。
斗狠放话：whistle in the dark（给自己壮胆）
ten years apiece 每人各（多少）worse jams 陷入困境watches over 守护、看顾
书桌一打开，藏在里面的厄尔被拖了出来；广播开始播报：厄尔·威廉姆斯在刑事法院大楼落网，《邮报》把他交给警长。警长哈特韦尔咽不下这口气，一边威胁让沃尔特「后悔生到这个世上」，一边给佩蒂伯恩安上绑架的罪名。可佩蒂伯恩是带着真正的缓刑令来的，警长想收买他，他没答应——I don't want to be a city sealer（我不想当城市计量官）。眼看局面翻转，沃尔特搬出「新闻界的力量」，把两位朋友的手铐打开。几个表达值得学：deliver the goods 是「把事情办成了」，whistle in the dark 是「给自己壮胆」，on the face of it 是「乍一看」。斗狠、翻盘、互相叫板都用得上。
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。
“I'll tell more. I could tell you why they did it.”
我还能说更多。我可以告诉你们他们为什么这么做。
一句承诺把悬着的故事又往前推一步，勾着人非听下去不可。
I could tell you why ...
想吊人胃口、表示还留一手时用；正式汇报里别这样卖关子。
There's more where that came from. ／ I can tell you the reason behind it.
口语
tell more 连读，why they did it 一气呵成收尾。
I could tell you why the deal fell through. 我可以告诉你这单生意为什么黄了。
“You forget the power that watches over the Post.”
你忘了有股力量在护着《邮报》。
把报社说成有股看不见的力量罩着，威胁感随口就出来了。
You forget the power that ...
提醒对方别轻敌时用；对平辈或下属这样说带压人意味。
You forget who is watching over us. ／ You're ignoring the power behind us.
正式
power that 连读，watches over 重读后停顿。
You forget the power that keeps this team together. 你忘了有股力量在维系着这支队伍。
“When you think you've licked the Post, it's time to get out.”
等你觉得自己把《邮报》斗倒了，就该走人了。
用一句经验之谈把对手的得意点破，冷静里带着警告。
When you think you've ..., it's time to ...
劝人见好就收、提醒别得意时用；正式场合少用这种老江湖口气。
The moment you think you've won, you're done. ／ When you feel safest, that's when it ends.
口语
think you've 弱读，重音落在 licked 和 Post。
When you think you've outsmarted everyone, it's time to slow down. 等你觉得把所有人都耍过了，就该收手了。
“Our commonwealth has been saved the necessity of shedding blood.”
我们州因此免去了一场流血。
把一纸缓刑令说成免于流血的大事，官腔里透着自得。
save someone the necessity of ...
把小事说成大义、打官腔时用；日常这样讲会显得做作。
We spared ourselves the need for force. ／ That saved everyone a lot of bloodshed.
正式
saved the 连读，necessity of 弱读成一串。
A quick call saved us the necessity of a long meeting. 一个电话就免了我们开长会。
字面是「把货送到」，实际是「把事情办成了、交出成果」。这里指有人把抓捕威廉姆斯的事办漂亮了，一句 you delivered the goods 就是夸他办成了。
字面是「在黑暗里吹口哨」，指给自己壮胆、虚张声势。有人警告沃尔特，whistling in the dark won't help，就是说他硬撑没用。
可以说 on the face of it，意思是单从表面看。有人说这个说法 it's absurd on the face of it，就是「这事一看就荒唐」。
看场合。on the face of it 用于判断、评论，很书面；a sight for sore eyes 是见到久违的人时说的「真是让人眼前一亮」，偏口语、感情强。
可以说 tickled to death。tickled 是「被逗乐、高兴」，to death 是夸张语气，合起来就是「高兴坏了」，别误会成跟死亡有关。
