美国语文第六册 第12期:大扫除(1)

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　　but the latter end of May is generally fixed¹ upon for the purpose. 不过一般来说，五月份最后那一天是她固定行使这一特权的日子。

　　The attentive² husband may judge, by certain prognostics, when the storm is at hand. 对此特别留意的丈夫出于某种预感，会做出暴风雨即将来临的判断。

　　If the lady grows uncommonly³ fretful, finds fault with the servants, is discontented with the children, and complains much of the nastiness of everything about her, 倘若这位夫人烦躁愈甚，对仆人横加挑剔，就会对孩子们表现出不满，抱怨家里到处都污秽不堪。

　　these are symptoms which ought not to be neglected, yet they sometimes go off without any further effect. 这都是一些不容忽视的征兆，当然有时也不会造成过分的影响。

　　But if, when the husband rises in the morning, he should observe in the yard a wheelbarrow with a quantity of lime in it, 不过当丈夫一大早起来时发现自家院子里的手推车装了不少石灰，

　　or should see certain buckets filled with a solution of lime in water, there is no time for hesitation⁴. 或者水桶里盛满溶解了石灰的水时，就不该有片刻犹豫了。

　　He immediately locks up the apartment or closet where his papers and private property are kept, and, putting the key into his pocket, betakes himself to flight. 他应该马上锁上储藏自己文件和私人物品的储藏室或壁橱，将钥匙放进衣袋里后，快步赶往别处。

　　A husband, however beloved, becomes a perfect nuisance during this season of female rage. 尽管备受钟爱，然而在这个女性肝火旺盛的季节，丈夫非常招老婆厌烦。

　　His authority is superseded⁵, his commission suspended, and the very scullion who cleans the brasses⁶ in the kitchen becomes of more importance than he. 他的大丈夫气概受到践踏，他的权责暂无法行使，而在厨房里刷洗餐具的下人变得比他还要重要呢。

　　He has nothing for it but to abdicate⁷ for a time, and run from an evil which he can neither prevent nor mollify. 除了暂时放弃一家之主的权力，什么也做不了，为了既不妨碍别人也不表现得心安理得，只有退避三舍了。

　　The husband gone, the ceremony begins. 丈夫前脚一走，大扫除这个盛大仪式便开始了。

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