"Thank you," I said, thinking of a little narrative of my own.
“谢谢,”我说,想起了我自己写的一篇小故事。
"But it was too ridiculous to suppose that a governess would remain a governess if she owned a string of pearls worth fifty thousand pounds. It was obvious that the Count had made a bloomer. Then an extraordinary thing happened. The long arm of coincidence came in."
“但是如果一名家庭女教师拥有一条价值50,000英镑的珍珠项链,却仍然是名家庭女教 师的话,这简直太荒谬了。很显然,爵士判断错了。然后一件不寻常的事情发生了。出现了一个奇异的巧合。”
"It shouldn't," I retorted. "It's had too much exercise. Haven't you seen that charming book called A Dictionary of English Usage?"
“不应该是这样,”我反驳道。“有太多这种实例了。难道你没看过一本叫做《英语用法大辞典》的迷人的书吗?”
"I wish you wouldn't interrupt just when I'm really getting to the exciting point."
“我希望在我正要讲到令人兴奋的情节时,你不要打断我。”
But I had to do so again, for just then a young grilled salmon was insinuated round my left elbow.
然而我不得不再次打断她,因为一条烤制的小三文鱼从我的左边端上了餐桌。
"Mrs Livingstone is giving us a heavenly dinner," I said.
“利文斯通夫人为我们提供了一顿美好的晚餐,”我说。
"Is salmon fattening?" asked Laura.
“吃三文鱼容易让人发胖吗?”劳拉问。
"Very," I answered as I took a large helping.
“非常容易,”我边拿起一大份鱼边回答她。
"Bunk," she said.
“胡说,”她说。
"Go on," I begged her. "The long arm of coincidence was about to make a gesture."
“请继续讲,”我乞求她。“那个奇异的巧合应该显形了。”
"Well, at that very moment the butler bent over Miss Robinson and whispered something in her ear. I thought she turned a trifle pale. It's such a mistake not to wear rouge; you never know what tricks nature will play on you. She certainly looked startled. She leant forwards.
“嗯,就在那时,男管家弯下身对罗宾逊小姐耳语了些什么。我觉得她脸色变得有点苍白。不涂抹胭脂真是个错误,你永远都不知道上天会跟你开什么玩笑。她看起来当然很震惊,身子往前倾了倾。