Chapter 5 家道中落 讲义

Chapter 5 The Fall

On the way home, Maggie told Tom what had happened. A client of Wakem’swho had recently lent Mr Tulliver £ 500 had become anxious about his money whenhe heard that their father was involved in an expensive lawsuit. Mr Tulliverhad promised him the contents of his house as security onthe loan.But then he had lost the case and now didn’t have enough money to pay theexpenses. He was desperate. The worst came a few days later when he received aletter from his lawyer. It said that the man who had held the mortgage on themill had his own financial difficulties, and had now signed away themortgage to Mr Tulliver’s old enemy, Wakem. The shock had been so great that MrTulliver had lost consciousness and had not recovered since that day.

security /sɪˈkjʊərəti/ n. 抵押品

His home and business are being held as security for the loan. 他是以房子和店铺为抵押得到这笔贷款的。

loan /ləʊn/ n. 贷款，借款

It took three years to repay my student loan. 我花了三年的时间才还清我的学生贷款。

mortgage /ˈmɔːɡɪdʒ/ n. 抵押  

sign away 签字放弃

sign up for 注册，选课，报名参加

He signed away all his rights. 他签字放弃了一切权利。

When they arrived home, Maggie and Tom were horrified to find the bailiffs in theirhouse making an inventory of everything. Their mother was crying.

bailiff /ˈbeɪlɪf/ n. 法警，执行官

inventory /ˈɪnvəntri/ n. 详细目录

make an inventory of 列清单, 盘点

Make an inventory of all the networking equipment. 给所有网络设备列一个清单。

“What will I do?” she sobbed. “I can’t bear to lose my silver teapot and allmy tablecloths.And some of these things have my name on them – imagine the disgrace! Oh, why did Imarry a man who would bring shame on my family?”

sob /sɒb/ v. 抽泣，啜泣

He started to sob uncontrollably. 他不由自主地抽泣起来。

tablecloth /ˈteɪblklɒθ/ n. 桌布，台布

disgrace /dɪsˈɡreɪs/ n. 丢脸的人或事，耻辱

If he'd gone back, it would have brought disgrace on the family. 如果他回来会给他的家庭蒙羞。

bring shame on 使……蒙羞，抹黑

She felt that her failure would bring shame on her family. 她觉得她的失败会使家人蒙羞。

For the first time, Tom began to understand that their father wasdirectly responsible for the family’s troubles and said nothing, but Maggiewas furious attheir mother’s selfishness.

furious /ˈfjʊəriəs/ adj. 愤怒的，暴怒的

Sara was inwardly furious. 萨拉内心异常愤怒。

selfishness /ˈselfɪʃnəs/ n. 自私

The next day all the aunts and uncles arrived at the mill for a familyconference.

“Well, Tom,” said Mr Glegg. “It’s time to put your education to some usenow. You’ll have to get a job, and it will be a hard life for you.” “But youmust bear your father’s disgrace humbly,” added Aunt Glegg. “We will buy you some simplefurniture and help pay the rent of this house, but you must be gratefuland respectful tous. After all, you will inherit my money when I’m gone.”

humbly /ˈhʌmbli/ adv. 谦恭地，卑贱地

Alice said very humbly, "I won't interrupt again." 爱丽丝非常谦恭地说：“我不会再打岔了。”

respectful /rɪˈspektfl/ adj. 恭敬的，有礼貌的

be respectful to sb 尊敬某人

The children in our family are always respectful to their elders. 我们家的孩子们总是很尊敬他们的长辈。

inherit /ɪnˈherɪt/ v. 继承

He has no son to inherit his land. 他没有儿子来继承他的土地。

At the end of this lecture, Tom offered a suggestion. “If you gave us ourinheritance now, Aunt Glegg,” he said politely, “we would be able to pay allfather’s debts, and he wouldn’t be bankrupt. And I could get a job and pay youback the extra money that you would have earned in interest.”

lecture /ˈlektʃə(r)/ n. 教训，演讲

I know I should stop smoking, don't give me a lecture about it. 我知道我该戒烟，别再教训我了。

Everyone was silent for a moment, amazed at Tom’s maturity. But AuntGlegg was not happy with the suggestion. “Why should I give away my fortune tokeep your family in luxury when it’s obvious you can’t look after money?” shesaid.

maturity /məˈtʃʊərəti/ n. 成熟

He has maturity beyond his years. 他过于老成。

The proud Maggie finally exploded. “My father is a better man than any of you,”she shouted. “He would have helped you if you had been in trouble. Why don’tyou go away and leave us alone? We can manage without your money!”

explode /ɪkˈspləʊd/ v. 勃然（大怒），大发（雷霆）

Suddenly Charles exploded with rage. 查尔斯勃然大怒。

The shocked aunts were more convinced than before that Maggie wouldbring her mother nothing but trouble.

At that moment Mrs Moss arrived. She told the relatives that her husbandowed Mr Tulliver £300, but that he couldn’t pay it back because his farmwas indebt. She told Mr Glegg that her husband had written MrTulliver a note for the debt.

in debt 负债，欠债

His company is in debt. 他的公司正在负债。

“Inthat case,” Mr Glegg explained, “if Tulliver is declared bankrupt, his creditorswill find the note and will force you to repay the money anyway.”

In that case 在这种情况下

in case (that) 万一

in case of 万一，如果

In that case, how should I respond? 在那种情况下，我该如何回应？

bankrupt /ˈbæŋkrʌpt/ n. 破产

Tom remembered that his father had once spoken to him about this loan.He had said that he would never insist on its repayment because he didn’t wanthis sister to suffer. After some discussion, everyone eventually agreed thatthey ought to look for the note and destroy it, so Mr Glegg, Mrs Moss, Maggieand Tom all went up to their father’s room. They opened his big wooden chestto searchfor the note.

chest /tʃest/ n. 箱子，衣柜

Unfortunately, at that moment, the lidof the chest slammed shut. Toeveryone’s surprise, Mr Tulliver immediately sat up in bed, fully conscious,and stared at Mr Glegg and Tom. In a normal, rational voice he asked what washappening.

lid /lɪd/ n. 盖子

slam /slæm/ v. 砰地关上

I heard the door slam behind him. 我听见他随手砰地把门关上了。

“Yes, yes, you must destroy Mr Moss’s note,” he agreed. “And Tom, youmust look after your mother and sister now. And make sure you pay back everyshilling that I owe. I’m sorry that you will be so poor but it is all thelawyers’ fault, not mine. And Tom, if you ever get the chance, you musthaverevengeonWakem for all this.”

revenge /rɪˈvendʒ/ n. 报复，复仇

He swore to take his revenge on his political enemies. 他发誓要报复他的政敌。

Then he lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes again.

pillow /ˈpɪləʊ/ n. 枕头

本章大意

塔里弗先生知道磨坊的抵押债主变成韦克姆律师后失去了直觉。法警列了家中物品的明细清单，塔里弗夫人为茶具和桌布哭泣。所有姨妈、姨夫来到磨坊开家庭会议，汤姆索要遗产想要偿还债务避免破产，被姨妈拒绝。莫斯姑妈来到磨坊，提及自己借的300英镑，大家一致同意应销毁借据。塔里弗先生突然醒了，叮嘱汤姆复仇后又闭上了眼。

语法要点

Third Conditional Sentences （第三类条件句）

第三类条件句与第一类和第二类条件句都不同，在if从句里设想纯粹想像的事情，在主句里讲述想像的结果。是所谓的“假设条件句”。 第三类条件句所谈的是没有或永远不可能有的结果，因为它们指的是过去没有过的事情。

从句结构为：if+主语+过去完成式

主句结构：主语+would/could/should/might+have done。

例如：

He wouldhave helped you if you had been in trouble. 如果你当初陷入困境，他会帮助你。（因为当初没有陷入困境，所以这个帮助也仅仅是对过去的假设）

Mr Tulliverwould not have lost the mill if he had paid his debts. 如果塔里弗先生早先偿还了债务，他后来就不会失去磨坊。

概括来说，第一类条件句指极有可能发生的事；

If I cut itoff, they won't be able to criticise it any more. 如果我将它剪断，人们就不会再批评它了。

第二类条件句指与现在、未来事实相反；

If I wereyour brother, would you love me?  如果我是你的哥哥，你会这样爱我吗？

第三类条件句指与过去事实相反。

If I hadworked harder at school, I'd have got a better job. 要是我上学时勤奋一些，我就会有较好的工作了。