← White nights, and other stories

White nights, and other stories — Page 5

English → Chinese Full Text Level 7/10

I even bethought me to send for Matrona, and was giving her some fatherly admonitions in regard to the spider's web and sluttishness in general; but she simply stared at me in amazement and went away without saying a word, so that the spider's web is comfortably hanging in its place to this day.

我甚至想到要去叫马特罗娜来,对她进行一番慈父般的训诫,谈到蜘蛛网和懒散邋遢之类的问题;但她只是惊愕地盯着我看,一言不发地走开了,以至于那张蜘蛛网至今仍安然挂在原处。

I only at last this morning realized what was wrong.

直到今天早上我才终于明白是怎么回事。

Aie! Why, they are giving me the slip and making off to their summer villas!

哎呀!原来他们是在溜走,跑去避暑山庄了!

Forgive the triviality of the expression, but I am in no mood for fine language ...

请原谅这俗气的说法,但我现在没有心思讲究措辞……

for everything that had been in Petersburg had gone or was going away for the holidays;

因为彼得堡里的人几乎都已离去或正在离去,出城度假;

for every respectable gentleman of dignified appearance who took a cab was at once transformed, in my eyes, into a respectable head of a household who after his daily duties were over, was making his way to the bosom of his family, to the summer villa;

因为每一位仪表堂堂、乘坐马车的体面绅士,在我眼中立刻变成了一位德高望重的一家之主,他在结束了一天的公务之后,正赶往家人的怀抱,前往避暑山庄;

for all the passers-by had now quite a peculiar air which seemed to say to every one they met: "We are only here for the moment, gentlemen, and in another two hours we shall be going off to the summer villa."

因为所有的行人此时都带着一种特别的神情,仿佛在对每一个遇到的人说:"我们只是暂时在此,诸位,再过两个小时我们就要去避暑山庄了。"

Vocabulary

wǒ — I, me; first person singular pronoun
甚至
shènzhì — Even; going so far as to
想到
xiǎng dào — To think of; to occur to one's mind
要去
yào qù — To be going to go; intend to go somewhere
jiào — To call; to summon; to be named
lái — To come; to arrive; directional complement
对她
duì tā — Toward her; with regard to her
进行
jìnxíng — To carry out; to conduct an activity or process
一番
yī fān — A round of; a bout of some action
慈父
cí fù — Kind father; a loving, gentle paternal figure
般的
bān de — Like; similar to; in the manner of
训诫
xùnjiè — To admonish; to lecture someone about proper behavior
谈到
tán dào — To mention; to bring up a topic in conversation
蜘蛛网
zhīzhūwǎng — Cobweb; spider's web
hé — And; together with; connecting nouns or clauses
懒散
lǎnsǎn — Lazy and slack; lacking energy or diligence
邋遢
lātā — Slovenly; untidy; messy in appearance or habits
之类
zhī lèi — And such; and the like; of that sort
de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
问题
wèntí — Problem; question; issue
但她
dàn tā — But she; however, she (contrast connector)
只是
zhǐshì — Simply; merely; just
惊愕
jīng'è — Stunned; astonished; struck dumb with surprise
de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
盯着
dīng zhe — To stare at; to fix one's gaze upon
kàn — To look; to watch; to see
一言不发
yī yán bù fā — Without saying a word; completely silent
走开
zǒu kāi — To walk away; to leave; to move away
le — Particle indicating completed action or changed state
以至于
yǐ zhì yú — So much so that; to the extent that
那张
nà zhāng — That (flat object); measure word for flat things
至今
zhìjīn — Until now; up to the present day
réng — Still; yet; continuing as before
安然
ānrán — Safely; peacefully; without disturbance or change
挂在
guà zài — Hanging at; suspended at a location
原处
yuánchù — Original place; the same spot as before
直到
zhídào — Until; up until a specific point in time
今天
jīntiān — Today; this day
早上
zǎoshang — Morning; the early part of the day
cái — Only then; not until; emphasizes lateness or condition
终于
zhōngyú — Finally; at last; after a long wait
明白
míngbai — To understand; to realize; clear in meaning
shì — To be; is, are, am; affirmative copula
怎么回事
zěnme huí shì — What is going on; what the matter is
哎呀
āiyā — Oh my! Exclamation of surprise or realization
原来
yuánlái — So it turns out; as it happens; originally
他们
tāmen — They; them; third person plural pronoun
zài — At; in; on; indicates location or ongoing action
溜走
liū zǒu — To slip away; to sneak off quietly
跑去
pǎo qù — To run off to; to rush away to a place
避暑山庄
bìshǔ shānzhuāng — Summer resort; mountain villa for escaping summer heat
qǐng — Please; to invite; to request politely
原谅
yuánliàng — To forgive; to pardon; to excuse someone
zhè — This; referring to something nearby
俗气
súqì — Vulgar; tacky; lacking refinement or taste
说法
shuōfǎ — Way of saying; expression; wording; formulation
dàn — But; however; yet; introduces a contrast
现在
xiànzài — Now; at present; currently
没有
méiyǒu — Do not have; there is no; lacking something
心思
xīnsī — Mind; mood; inclination to do something
讲究
jiǎngjiu — To be particular about; to pay attention to quality
措辞
cuòcí — Choice of words; wording; phrasing of expression
因为
yīnwèi — Because; since; the reason being
lǐ — Inside; within; in (a place)
rén — Person; people; human being
几乎
jīhū — Almost; nearly; practically all
dōu — All; both; entirely; without exception
yǐ — Already; previously; by now
离去
lí qù — To leave; to depart; to go away
huò — Or; either; alternatively
正在
zhèngzài — Currently; in the process of doing something now
出城
chū chéng — To leave the city; to go out of town
度假
dùjià — To go on vacation; to take a holiday
每一位
měi yī wèi — Every single person; each individual (respectful)
仪表堂堂
yíbiǎo tángtáng — Dignified appearance; impressive and distinguished-looking
乘坐
chéngzuò — To ride in; to travel by a vehicle
马车
mǎchē — Carriage; horse-drawn vehicle
体面
tǐmiàn — Respectable; dignified; having a good appearance
绅士
shēnshì — Gentleman; a refined and well-mannered man
眼中
yǎn zhōng — In one's eyes; from one's perspective
立刻
lìkè — Immediately; at once; right away
变成
biàn chéng — To become; to turn into something else
一位
yī wèi — One (person); measure word for respected individuals
德高望重
dé gāo wàng zhòng — Highly respected; of great virtue and prestige
一家之主
yī jiā zhī zhǔ — Head of the household; master of the family
tā — He; him; third person singular male pronoun
结束
jiéshù — To end; to finish; to conclude
一天
yī tiān — One day; a whole day
公务
gōngwù — Official duties; government or public business
之后
zhī hòu — After; afterward; following a certain time or event
zhèng — Just; right in the middle of doing something
赶往
gǎn wǎng — To hurry toward; to rush off to a place
家人
jiārén — Family members; one's relatives at home
怀抱
huáibào — Embrace; arms; the warmth of loved ones
前往
qiánwǎng — To head toward; to proceed to a destination
所有
suǒyǒu — All; every; the entirety of something
行人
xíngrén — Pedestrian; passerby; person walking on the street
此时
cǐ shí — At this moment; at this time
带着
dài zhe — Carrying; bearing; with a certain expression or thing
一种
yī zhǒng — A kind of; a type of; one sort of
特别
tèbié — Special; particular; especially; out of the ordinary
神情
shénqíng — Expression; look on one's face; air or manner
仿佛
fǎngfú — As if; as though; seemingly
duì — Toward; to; directed at someone or something
每一个
měi yī gè — Every single one; each and every person or thing
遇到
yù dào — To encounter; to meet; to come across
shuō — To say; to speak; to tell
我们
wǒmen — We; us; first person plural pronoun
暂时
zànshí — Temporarily; for the time being; not permanently
在此
zài cǐ — Here; at this place; in this location
诸位
zhū wèi — Everyone; ladies and gentlemen; all of you
再过
zài guò — After another; in just (amount of time) more
两个
liǎng gè — Two (items); a pair of something
小时
xiǎoshí — Hour; a unit of time equal to sixty minutes
就要
jiù yào — About to; going to happen very soon
qù — To go; to leave for a place
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