这场戏：上校登门吐露往事
第 20 章 · 共 27 章 · 3'12"
布兰登上校登门找埃莉诺，先问起玛丽安，又提出 Permit me to accompany you（请允许我陪你们同行）。他坦白了一段深藏的往事：年轻时辜负了伊莱莎，收养了她的私生女贝丝，可贝丝一年前失踪，整整八个月他只能 imagine the worst（往最坏处想）。想学郑重、克制的旧式讲述，这段很动人。
郑重请求：Permit me to（请允许我）
as quickly as possible 尽快Permit me to 请允许我…（客套）I confess 我承认（坦白）
❝ 独白 · 23 句 八个月的煎熬：imagine the worst（往最坏处想）
look after 照顾、照看placed her with 把某人寄养在别人家imagine the worst 往最坏处想
范妮和约翰嘴上说「毕竟是一家人」，却找借口不肯接待达什伍德姐妹，说请客名额 already 给了斯蒂尔小姐。另一边，布兰登上校登门拜访埃莉诺，问起玛丽安，又主动提出 Permit me to accompany you and take you straight on from Cleveland to Barton（请允许我陪你们同行，把你们从克利夫兰直接送到巴顿）。他说想讲一些情况，nothing but（只是）出于想帮忙，随后吐露往事：二十年前伊莱莎生下私生女贝丝，临终托他 look after（照顾）孩子，他却 I indulged her（纵容）她，给了她太多自由；贝丝一年前失踪，八个月里他只能 imagine the worst（往最坏处想）。想学旧式书信腔的克制讲述和铺垫，这段很到位。
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 confess that is precisely what I had hoped for.”
我承认，这正是我所盼望的。
I confess 加 precisely，把诚实和蓄谋一起端出来。
I confess that is precisely what I hoped for.
承认自己早有盘算、又不想显得虚伪时用；正式场合也合适。
I admit this is exactly what I wanted. ／ That is precisely what I hoped for, I confess.
正式
precisely 重读，had hoped for 轻快收句。
I confess that is precisely what I was hoping to hear. 我承认，这正是我想听到的。
“The father, whoever he was, abandoned them.”
那孩子的父亲，不管是谁，抛弃了她们母女。
whoever he was 一插，既不说破是谁，又把责任点得清楚。
The someone, whoever he was, ...
不愿点破某人身份、又要把话说清时用；书面也漂亮。
Whoever the man was, he left them. ／ The father, whoever that was, walked away.
literary
whoever he was 插在中间，两边略停。
The man, whoever he was, never came back. 那个男人，不管他是谁，再没回来过。
“I had failed Eliza in every other way.”
我在别的方面都辜负了伊莱莎。
不说亏欠了什么，只说方方面面，悔意都在留白里。
I had failed someone in every other way.
向人坦白自己辜负过某人时用；语气沉重，慎对当事人说。
I had let her down in every other respect. ／ I failed her in all the ways that mattered.
literary
had failed 轻读，every other way 逐词放慢。
I had failed my brother in every other way. 我在别的方面都辜负了我弟弟。
“I could not refuse her now.”
这一次我不能再拒绝她。
now 一个字就把前账和后账连起来，短得让人心疼。
I could not refuse someone now.
说自己没法再拒绝一个求过你的人时用；叙事或倾诉都合适。
I could not say no this time. ／ How could I refuse her then?
literary
could not 连读，now 收尾略停。
After all that, I could not refuse her now. 出了那些事，这回我没法再拒绝她。
“I indulged her, I allowed her too much freedom.”
我太纵容她了，给了她太多自由。
两个 I 开头的短句连说，把自责摆得像认罪。
I indulged her, I allowed her too much ...
承认自己宠坏了一个人时用；对家人说常带悔意。
I spoiled her, I gave her too much freedom. ／ I let her have her own way far too often.
literary
两个 I 都轻，indulged 与 allowed 重读。
I indulged him, I allowed him too much freedom. 我太惯着他了，给了他太多自由。
“But for eight months I was left to imagine the worst.”
可整整八个月，我只能往最坏处想。
用八个月和一个最坏，把等待里的折磨写得具体。
I was left to imagine the worst.
说自己在不知消息的日子里受煎熬时用；倾诉往事时用。
For months I could only fear the worst. ／ I was left to dread what might have happened.
literary
eight months 连读，worst 重读收句。
Two weeks I was left to imagine the worst. 整整两周，我只能往最坏处想。
“Permit me to accompany you and take you straight on from Cleveland to Barton.”
请允许我陪你们同行，把你们从克利夫兰直接送到巴顿。
一句正式请求把照顾说成一趟顺路，体面又不显刻意。
Permit me to ... and take you straight on to ...
郑重提出护送或帮忙时用；正式、场合越重越合适。
Allow me to take you straight on to Barton. ／ Let me accompany you the whole way.
正式
Permit me to 连读，straight on 重读。
Permit me to drive you and take you straight on to the hotel. 请允许我开车送您，直接把您送到旅馆。
When I quitted Barton last... No, I must go further back. No doubt... No doubt, Mrs. Jennings has apprised you... of certain events in my past. The sad outcome of my connection with a young woman named Eliza. What is not commonly known is that... twenty years ago, before she died, Eliza bore an illegitimate child. The father, whoever he was, abandoned them. As Eliza lay dying... she begged me to look after the child. I had failed Eliza in every other way. I could not refuse her now. I took the child... Beth is her name... and placed her with a family in the country where she would be looked after. I saw her whenever I could. She grew up so headstrong, and God forgive me... I indulged her, I allowed her too much freedom. Almost a year ago, she disappeared. - Disappeared? - I instigated a search. But for eight months I was left to imagine the worst. At last, on the day of the Delaford picnic... I received the first news of her.
上次我离开巴顿时…… 不，我得从更早说起。 想必…… 想必詹宁斯太太已经告诉过你…… 我过去的一些事。 我和一个名叫伊莱莎的年轻女子交往，结局很惨。 有一件事外人大多不知道…… 二十年前，伊莱莎去世之前，生下了一个私生女。 那孩子的父亲，不管是谁，抛弃了她们母女。 伊莱莎临终的时候…… 她求我照顾那个孩子。 我在别的方面都辜负了伊莱莎。 这一次我不能再拒绝她。 我把孩子接了过来……她叫贝丝…… 寄养在乡下一户人家，好让她有人照看。 我一有机会就去看她。 她长大以后倔得很，上帝宽恕我…… 我太纵容她了，给了她太多自由。 差不多一年前，她不见了。 ——不见了？——我发起了搜寻。 可整整八个月，我只能往最坏处想。 终于，在德拉福德野餐那天…… 我得到了关于她的第一个消息。
下一章 · 21take a fancy to一下子喜欢上这场戏：揭开真相后的安慰指「往最坏处想」，形容悬着心、只能做最坏的猜测。戏里布兰登说贝丝失踪八个月，他只能 imagine the worst。
说 with all my heart，表示全心全意、真心实意。戏里说 I would ask them with all my heart，就是「我打心底愿意请她们来」。
指「剥夺、夺走某人的东西」。戏里范妮说不能 deprive Mrs. Jennings of all her company，就是不能一下子把她的客人全带走。
指「只不过是、仅仅」。戏里布兰登说自己讲这些，nothing but a desire of being useful，就是「纯粹是想帮上忙」。
指「与某人的交往、关系」，措辞很含蓄。戏里布兰登说 the sad outcome of my connection with a young woman named Eliza，把一段旧情说得极淡。
