这场戏：婆家上门逼她搬回家
第 7 章 · 共 18 章 · 4'16"
婆家母女不请自来，进门就嫌露西房子难看，随即甩出坏消息：她的金矿 peter out（逐渐枯竭），股息停了。看不见的格雷格船长在旁喊别答应，露西却不动声色地把家人请走，一句 shove off（走开、请便吧）说得又体面又坚决。想拒绝家人打着关心旗号的控制，这几句最实用。
❝ 独白 · 4 句 婆婆的坏消息铺垫
坏消息被说成好事，一层层铺垫，越体贴越像逼人。
「脑子有毛病」的英语：bats in the belfry
petered out 逐渐枯竭、慢慢没了paying dividends 发股息；也喻带来回报charitable 宽厚的、往好处想的
「走开、请便吧」英语怎么说？shove off
shove off 走开、请便吧I'll manage somehow 我总能想办法过下去nothing more to do with 再也不同某人来往
露西的婆家母女突然造访海鸥别墅，一进门就挑剔房子和墙上的画像，随后宣布坏消息：露西赖以为生的金矿 peter out（逐渐枯竭），股息停发，她成了穷光蛋，只能搬回去跟她们同住。露西尽量克制，可看不见的格雷格船长在旁不停插话，还威胁要 keelhaul（拖到船底）这对母女。露西最终婉拒好意，请她们 shove off（走开、请便吧），坚持独自留下。想学会在亲戚的「关心」面前守住自己的决定，这三句都用得上。
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。
“Say the word, and I'll keelhaul them.”
你一句话，我就把他们拖到船底去。
把狠话包进一句轻巧的报恩里，船长的作派一下立住。
Say the word, and I'll ...
答应替人出头或帮忙时用；玩笑口气，正式场合别用。
Just say the word and I'll handle it. ／ Give me the nod and they're gone.
口语
Say the word 轻快，keelhaul 重读，句尾落下。
Say the word, and I'll talk to your landlord. 你说一声，我就去跟你房东谈。
“Well, I could explain, I suppose, but you wouldn't believe me.”
唉，我倒是可以解释，可你不会信的。
先退半步再摊手，把不能明说的处境一句封死。
I could ..., but you wouldn't ...
解释起来太麻烦或对方听不进时用；对上级这样推托会显得敷衍。
I could explain, but you wouldn't buy it. ／ I might explain, only you would not believe a word.
中性
I suppose 轻轻带过，but 后停一拍。
I could explain, but you wouldn't like the answer. 我可以解释，可你不会喜欢这个答案。
“The only charitable explanation is that the solitude has preyed on your mind.”
唯一厚道的解释，就是独居太久，把脑子熬坏了。
用最体面的词说最刻薄的话，客气本身就是刀。
The only ... explanation is that ...
背后给人下判断、说漂亮话时用；当面这么讲等于翻脸。
The kindest reading is that she has lost her mind. ／ The only generous way to put it is that she is unwell.
正式
charitable 重读，that 从句放慢，说完停住。
The only charitable explanation is that he simply forgot. 唯一厚道的解释是他单纯忘了。
“I'm sorry. It's very kind of you to want me back, but I'm going to stay. I'll manage somehow.”
抱歉。你们愿意接我回去，我很感激，可我要留下。我总能想办法过下去。
道谢和拒绝挨在一起，体面地关门，一句“总能想办法”收尾。
It's very kind of you to ..., but I'm going to ...
礼貌拒绝长辈或好意时用；说的时候态度要稳，别拖泥带水。
That's kind of you to offer, but I'll stay here. ／ I appreciate the offer, but this is my home now.
中性
kind of you 轻，but 后加重，I'll manage 放平收。
It's very kind of you to ask, but I'm going to stay on my own. 你肯开口我很感激，不过我还是想自己住。
“So, please be good enough to shove off.”
所以，麻烦你们就此走人吧。
用最客气的句式下逐客令，越有礼越叫人下不来台。
be good enough to do something
跟人客气地把人请走时可用；对长辈这样说是翻脸，得掂量。
Please be so good as to leave. ／ I'll ask you kindly to go.
正式
be good enough 连贯，shove off 咬清，尾音下沉。
Be good enough to shut the door on your way out. 麻烦你走的时候把门带上。
Oh, poor Lucy, we've such bad news for you. I suppose it's all for the best, everything considered. Don't you, Eva? And in my opinion, we're just in time.
哦，可怜的露西，我们有个坏消息要告诉你。 我想，通盘考虑下来，这也算是好事。 你说是不是，伊娃？ 依我看，我们来得正是时候。
下一章 · 08throw yourself at投怀送抱这场戏：口述自传谋生计字面是「钟楼里有蝙蝠」，实际说人脑子不正常、有点疯。这里格雷格船长转述别人对露西的看法，语气带着调侃。
可以说 shove off，原意是「把船撑开离岸」，引申为「走开、请便吧」。露西用它下逐客令，既干脆又没撕破脸。
指资源、势头逐渐枯竭、慢慢没了，比如矿藏、动力、热情。句子里 the gold mine petered out 就是「金矿枯竭了」，也可说 The conversation petered out。
keelhaul 是旧时海上的酷刑，把人用绳子从船底拖过去，后来常用来开玩笑地吓唬人。他说 Say the word, and I'll keelhaul them 就是「你一句话，我就把他们拖到船底去」。
台词里她只说要留下、会想办法，没有长篇解释。她珍视在别墅的独立生活，不愿因为没了收入就被接回去，接受别人的安排。
不是。in-laws 指姻亲，这里 the in-laws 就是婆家那对母女。相同说法还有 my in-laws「我的公婆／岳父母」。
