Cooke? But, there are so many Cookes. Can’t you distinguish her any way? Has she no Christian name?
库克?但是,叫库克的太多了,你难道记不住什么特别的?她没有教名吗?
Emma, I think. Yes, Emma.
爱玛,我想想,噢,对了,她叫爱玛。
Emma Cooke? No; it can not be my friend Emma Cooke; for I am sure she was cut out for an old maid.
爱玛·库克?不会的,不可能是我的朋友爱玛·库克,我知道,她可是个天生的老处女。
This lady seems to me to be cut out for a good wife.
依我看,那位女士倒是天生的好妻子。
Maybe so. I am sure I’ll never go to see her.
或许吧。我知道了,我绝对不会去看她,
Pray, my dear, how came you to see so much of her?
请问一下,亲爱的,你恐怕见过她很多次吧?
I have seen very little of her, my dear.
我很少见到她,亲爱的,
I only saw her two or three times before she was married.
她结婚前,我见到她两三次。
Then, my dear, how could you decide that she was cut out for a good wife?
既然这样,亲爱的,你怎么就能断定,她天生就是个好妻子呢?
I am sure you could not judge of her by seeing her only two or three times, and before she was married.
我觉得,她结婚前,即便你见上三两次,恐怕也不能做出如此判断吧。
Indeed, my love, that is a very just observation.
不错,宝贝儿,恰恰就是那少见的印象。
I understand that compliment perfectly, and thank you for it, my dear.
我太清楚你的恭维了,谢谢你,亲爱的。
I must own I can bear anything better than irony.
我必须承认,我什么都吃得住,就是吃不了你的冷嘲热讽。
Irony? my dear, I was perfectly in earnest.
冷嘲热讽?亲爱的,我可是相当认真的。
Yes, yes; in earnest; so I perceive;
是的,是的,相当认真,这样,我才能觉察到。
I may naturally be dull of apprehension, but my feelings are quick enough; I comprehend too well.
我生来理性愚钝,可就是感性太快,领悟力极强。
Yes, it is impossible to judge of a woman before marriage, or to guess what sort of a wife she will make.
这么说吧,婚姻前不可能对一个女人做出正确判断,或者猜测你的妻子属于什么类型,
I presume you speak from experience; you have been disappointed yourself, and repent your choice.
我推测你这样说由于你的经验之谈,你一直对自己感到沮丧,那么后悔当初的选择。
My dear, what did I say that was like this? Upon my word, I meant no such thing.
亲爱的,我说了什么?难道有这些意思?回想我说的话,完全不是这么回事,
I really was not thinking of you in the least.
我压根没想到你会这么想。