这场戏：私下摊牌的秘密婚约
第 14 章 · 共 27 章 · 3'59"
露西把埃莉诺单独拉到一边，说要问一个古怪的问题，先试探她对罗伯特的婚约，最后抛出真相：Edward and I have been secretly engaged（爱德华和我秘密订婚）已经五年。她还说要不是信得过埃莉诺能 keep our secret（守口如瓶），绝不会提。想学试探、坦白和「守口如瓶」的说法，这段最抓人。
「占上风」说 the whip hand
If only 要是…就好了off my hands 接手、脱手whip hand 占上风、握主动
❝ 独白 · 6 句 「秘密订婚」说 secretly engaged
secretly engaged 秘密订婚keep our secret 守口如瓶under the tutelage of 师从某人
露西·斯蒂尔把埃莉诺单独叫住，说有个早就想问的问题，又怕显得唐突。她先打听埃莉诺认不认识费拉斯太太，绕了半天，最后摊牌：她和爱德华已经 secretly engaged（秘密订婚）五年，还是偷偷订的，没敢让费拉斯太太知道；她说因为 trust you to keep our secret（信得过你能守口如瓶）才说出来，还说爱德华把埃莉诺当亲妹妹。埃莉诺强作镇定，只说 We surely do not mean the same Mr. Ferrars（我们说的肯定不是同一个费拉斯先生），心里却明白这就是同一个人。露西还强调两人爱得太深、顾不上谨慎。想学试探、坦白和「守口如瓶」，这段最见分寸。
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。
“If only this rain would stop!”
这雨要是能停就好了！
一句 Wishes 带着满屋子人的郁闷，紧接着的回嘴更是妙。
If only ... would ...!
对眼前没法改变的事发牢骚时用；正式场合说会显得孩子气。
If only the rain would let up! ／ I wish this rain would stop.
口语
If only 连得又轻又快，rain would 连读，句尾上扬。
If only this bus would come! 这公交车要是能来就好了！
“If only you would stop.”
你要是能住嘴就好了。
把对方的句式原样奉还，只换一个人称，冷箭般一句回敬。
If only you would ...
熟人之间嫌对方啰嗦、半恼半笑地回敬时用；对长辈说会失礼。
I wish you would stop. ／ If only you would just be quiet.
口语
If only 轻读，you would 连成 you'd，句尾平收。
If only you would stop asking. 你要是不再问了就好了。
“Now I have the whip hand over you, for you cannot give her back.”
现在我可占着上风，因为你没法把她退回来。
whip hand 一个比喻，就把长辈拿婚事取乐的得意全说透了。
have the whip hand over someone
占着主动、拿话压人时用；工作邮件里用它容易显得咄咄逼人。
I have the upper hand now. ／ I hold all the cards, and you know it.
口语
whip hand 重读，over you 连读，破折处稍停。
We have the whip hand in this negotiation. 这场谈判我们占着上风。
“London has swallowed our company.”
伦敦把我们的人都吞了。
把城市写成会吞人的东西，一句就把空落的屋子说活了。
... has swallowed ...
形容某人某地把人或机会都吸走时用；严肃说明别用这种夸张。
London has eaten up our circle. ／ The city swallowed all our friends.
literary
London has 连读，swallowed 重音在前，company 轻收。
The city has swallowed all my old friends. 这座城市把我那些老朋友都吞了。
“I should never have mentioned it if I could not trust you to keep our secret.”
要不是信得过你能守口如瓶，我绝不会提这事。
把坦白说成一种托付，用 if 从句替自己留退路，也把对方绑住了。
I should never have ... if I could not ...
把私事说给信得过的人、又要对方保密时用；不熟的人之间会显得突兀。
I would never have told you if I did not trust you. ／ I only said it because I trust you to keep quiet.
中性
should never have 连读，trust you to 连成一气，句尾放平。
I should never have told you if I could not trust you. 要不是信得过你，我绝不会告诉你。
“We surely do not mean the same Mr. Ferrars.”
我们说的肯定不是同一个费拉斯先生。
用一句自我否认来消化真相，越客气越显出心里的震动。
We surely do not mean the same ...
听到对不上的消息、还想替自己留最后一点余地时用；说多了会显得不肯面对。
Surely we are not talking about the same man. ／ We cannot possibly mean the same person.
正式
surely do not 连读，same 重读，Ferrars 尾音轻收。
We surely do not mean the same company. 我们说的肯定不是同一家公司。
“But we loved each other with too great a passion for prudence.”
可我们彼此爱得太深，根本顾不上谨慎。
把私订终身说成情难自禁，既像辩解也像炫耀，露西的本色尽显。
too great a ... for ...
替自己一时冲动的决定找浪漫说辞时用；真做错了事可别拿它当借口。
We were too much in love to be sensible. ／ Passion left no room for prudence.
literary
loved each other 连读，too great a 连成一气，prudence 重音在前。
We were young, with too great a hope for caution. 我们那时太年轻，满怀希望，顾不上谨慎。
Edward and I have been secretly engaged... these five years. You may well be surprised. I should never have mentioned it if I could not trust you to keep our secret. Edward would not mind... for he looks on you as his own sister.
爱德华和我已经秘密订婚…… 有五年了。 你当然会吃惊。 要不是信得过你能守口如瓶，我绝不会提这事。 爱德华不会介意…… 因为他把你当作亲妹妹。
下一章 · 15brook no refusal不容推辞这场戏：获邀去伦敦却藏心事指「占上风、握着主动权」。戏里有人开玩笑说 Now I have the whip hand over you，就是「现在我可占着上风」。
说 keep a secret，守口如瓶可以说 keep our secret。戏里露西说信得过埃莉诺能 keep our secret，才敢把秘密说出来。
表示「要是……就好了」，后面接虚拟语气。戏里 If only this rain would stop 就是「这雨要是能停就好了」。
指「师从某人、在某人指导下」。戏里露西说爱德华曾在舅舅 under the tutelage of 普拉特先生，读了四年书。
指「（陪人）走一走、转一圈」。戏里问 Will you take a turn with me，就是邀请对方陪自己散散步。
