试听180秒02上 | 给我一个理由开启，这本不想去的旅行

上集回顾

主人鼓励开启的未知旅途，细腻周到的管家公毫无兴趣。

正文阅读

The fact that my attitude to this same suggestion underwent a change over the following days - indeed, that the notion of a trip to the West Country took an ever increasing hold on my thoughts - is no doubt substantially attributable to - and why should I hide it? - the arrival of Miss Kenton's letter, her first in almost seven years if one discounts the Christmas cards.


But let me make it immediately clear -what I mean by this; what I mean to say is that Miss Kenton's letter set off a certain chain of ideas to do with professional matters here at Darlington Hall, and I would underline that it was a preoccupation with these very same professional matters that led me to consider anew my employer's kindly meant suggestion. 


Nevertheless, I think you will understand that to one not accustomed to committing such errors, this development was rather disturbing, and I did in fact begin to entertain all sorts of alarmist theories as to their cause.


As so often occurs in these situations, I had become blind to the obvious - that is, until my pondering over the implications of Miss Kenton's letter finally opened my eyes to the simple truth.


读者自读

达灵顿公馆易主交接，Stevens作为大管家曾经麾下有十七名干事。但是公馆易主造成了很多人出去找工作了，所以17人大部队无奈变成了4人小分队，管家Stevens,老员工Clements夫人和两位年轻姑娘 Rosemary and Agnes。而新主人Mr Farraday 的期待就是made his request of me; that I do my best to draw up a staff plan by which this house might be run on the present staff of four。四人可以将整个宅子严防死守了， putting sections of the house 'under wraps'。于是我们的Stevens展现了他作为管家强大的管理和沟通能力，巧妙得做到了这件他一直说根据自己的experience and expertise都觉得不可能的事情。他增加了大家的工作量，安排了一些小时工，统筹安排；又注意心理引导，让员工们觉得更多的工作是stimulating and unburdensome。所以一路也真是没少夸自己，棒棒的。可是我们的完美主义大管家一开始是一直没觉得自己设置的四大金刚模式有问题的，如他所说：

such is often the way with matters one has given abiding thought to over a period of time; one is not struck by the truth until prompted quite accidentally by some external event. 


So it was in this instance; that is to say, my receiving the letter from Miss Kenton, containing as it did, along with its long, rather unrevealing passages, an unmistakable nostalgia for Darlington Hall, and - I am quite sure of this - distinct hints of her desire to return here, obliged me to see my staff plan afresh.


And the more I considered it, the more obvious it became that Miss Kenton, with her great affection for this house, with her exemplary professionalism - was Just the factor needed to enable me to complete a fully satisfactory staff plan for Darlington Hall. 

▲详细内容请参见《长日留痕》精编讲义

▲添加微信cjyykt666 (超级英语课堂首字母+666），回复“长日留痕”，进入学习社群领取精编讲义