这场戏：主教宅邸的最后一夜
第 12 章 · 共 25 章 · 3'28"
主教利利曼等来「最后一点小乐子」。见到姑娘，他先来一句 mea culpa（是我的错），怪自己不该怀疑她的模样；姑娘却低声警告：有人要来杀你。他只当是游戏，一句 A confession? I love the confessional game（告解？我最喜欢这套游戏）把轻慢全露了出来，下一秒 V 破门而入。
❝ 独白 · 12 句 I love the confessional game（把告解当成一场游戏）
the confessional game 把告解当成一场游戏protection or amnesty 保护或赦免balance it out 扯平、两相抵消
调查旧案的人翻出一份名单：营里薪水最高的是神父利利曼，如今已升任主教。同一晚，主教府上等着「最后一点小乐子」，中介送来的姑娘比往常年纪大——她就是伊芙。丹尼斯被一句 in the name of（以……的名义）夸成宗教里的榜样，利利曼却只想谈那点「小乐子」。见到伊芙，他先赔一句 mea culpa（是我的错）；伊芙低声警告有人要来杀他，想拿情报换赦免，说自己能把旧账 balance it out（扯平）。他全当游戏，一句 the confessional game（把告解当成一场游戏）把轻慢说尽，随后 V 现身。mea culpa 适合半开玩笑地认错，balance it out 用在互相抵消，in the name of 常用来揭穿冠冕堂皇的借口。
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。
“The highest-paid person at the camp was a priest.”
营地里薪水最高的人是个神父。
用薪资排名抖出一个反差：看守营里最值钱的竟是神职人员。
The highest-paid person at ... was ...
揭出某处最吃香的角色时用；饭桌上提薪水要分场合，别让人难堪。
The best-paid man there was a priest. ／ Of everyone on the payroll, the priest earned the most.
中性
highest-paid 重音在 high，was a priest 放缓收尾。
The highest-paid person in the office was the consultant. 办公室里薪水最高的是那个顾问。
“To think that I doubted your loveliness for an instant.”
真想不到，我竟有一瞬间怀疑过你的可爱。
用 To think 开头自责，把色欲包装成悔意，虚伪得叫人发冷。
To think that I ...
反话式自责时用；对不熟的人这么说容易显得做作。
To think that I ever doubted you. ／ And to think I almost said no.
literary
To think 连读轻快，doubted 重读，for an instant 压低。
To think that I nearly skipped this trip. 真想不到我差点错过这趟旅行。
“A confession? I love the confessional game.”
告解？我最喜欢告解这套游戏了。
把神圣的告解说成 game，一句话暴露他根本不信、只当消遣。
I love the ... game.
带刺地揭穿别人把正事当玩闹时用；正式场合慎用。
I do enjoy this little game. ／ To me it is only a game.
口语
confession 重读，game 尾音轻挑带出轻蔑。
You treat the interview like a game. 你把面试当成一场游戏。
“Someone's coming. I think he means to kill you.”
有人要来了。我觉得他是来杀您的。
两个短句一急一冷，报信和判死刑挨在一起，悬念拉满。
I think he means to ...
向人示警、说某人来意不善时用；玩笑里说会吓到人，别乱用。
I believe he is here to kill you. ／ He is coming, and not to talk.
中性
Someone's 吞音，means to 连读，kill you 放慢。
I think he means to take your job. 我看他是冲着你的位子来的。
“Let me show you the firmness of my beliefs.”
让我给你看看我的信仰有多坚定。
把动手侵犯说成展示信仰，冠冕堂皇里全是恶意，反讽到骨头。
Let me show you the firmness of ...
反讽地把坏事说成证明什么时用；现实里这样说极具冒犯性。
Let me prove how strong my faith is. ／ Allow me to show you what I believe.
正式
Let me 连读，firmness 重读，beliefs 收尾压低。
Let me show you the firmness of my patience. 让我给你看看我的耐心有多坚定。
“...and seem a saint, when most I play the devil.”
……装成圣人，其实多半在扮魔鬼。
出自《理查三世》，一句戳穿伪善，V 借它给主教下了判词。
seem a saint, when most I play the devil
形容当面一套背后一套的人时用；文学腔重，日常少用。
He plays the saint but acts the devil. ／ All saint on the surface, devil underneath.
literary
seem a saint 连读，when most I 快读，devil 重读。
He seems a saint, but he plays the devil at work. 他看着像圣人，一上班就扮魔鬼。
“I'm Evey Hammond. I'm-- I've been the prisoner of the terrorist V for the past several weeks.”
我是伊芙·哈蒙德。我——过去这几周，我一直是恐怖分子 V 的囚犯。
用真名加身份自曝换庇护，一句把自己和 V 都摆上赌桌。
I've been the prisoner of ... for the past ...
交代一段持续到现在的处境时用；对陌生人自曝身份要谨慎。
I have been held by him for weeks. ／ I was his captive for the past month.
正式
I'm-- 拖长停顿，prisoner 重读，for the past 连读。
I've been the prisoner of this deadline for the past week. 过去这一周，我一直被这个截止日期困着。
Your Grace, we don't have much time and I have to tell you something. A confession? I love the confessional game. Tell me your sins. This isn't a game, Your Grace. Someone's coming. I think he means to kill you. -I'm sorry? -I'm telling you this... ...because I want some kind of protection or amnesty. I had nothing to do with the Bailey and made a mistake in the Jordan Tower. -I think this should balance it out. -What are you talking about? I'm Evey Hammond. I'm-- I've been the prisoner of the terrorist V for the past several weeks. I'm telling you that any moment, he's going to come through that door. I unlocked the window in the room where Denis told me to get ready.
主教大人，我们没多少时间了，我必须告诉您一件事。 告解？我最喜欢告解这套游戏了。 把你的罪说给我听。 这不是游戏，主教大人。 有人要来了。我觉得他是来杀您的。 ——你说什么？——我告诉您这些…… ……是因为我想要点保护，或者赦免。 老贝利那事跟我无关，乔丹塔的事是我犯的错。 ——我想这应该能扯平。——你在说什么？ 我是伊芙·哈蒙德。我——过去这几周，我一直是恐怖分子 V 的囚犯。 我告诉您，他随时会从那扇门进来。 我打开了丹尼斯让我去准备的那个房间的窗户。
下一章 · 13let alone更别提这场戏：收留逃亡的伊芙拉丁语，意思是「是我的错」，英语里常用来半开玩笑地认错、自我调侃，语气比 sorry 更文艺。
balance it out，指两件事互相抵消、把账扯平，谈补偿、讨价还价时很好用。
后面接名词，表示「以……之名、打着……的旗号」，常带讽刺，比如打着信仰的名义做坏事。
对主教、大主教等高级神职人员的尊称，相当于「大人」，直接当面称呼，不用加姓。
procure 更正式、更书面，意思是「设法取得、弄到手」，常见于法律、公文，日常说话用 get 就行。
