【有声英语文学名著】CHAPTER TWO（16）

She took hold of his arm and they began walking slowly again.“I just want you to make me proud, that‘s all. I mean I‘m already proud of you, and your sister, but, well, you know what I mean. I‘m a little drunk. Let‘s change the subject. I wanted to talk to you about something else.‘

What else?‘

Oh  –  too  late.‘  They  were  in  sight  of  the  hotel  now,  three  stars,  smart  but  not ostentatious. Through the smoked plate glass window he could glimpse his father hunched¹ in a lobby armchair, one long thin leg bent² up to his knee, sock bunched up in his hand as he scrutinised the sole of his foot.

Good God, he‘s picking his corns in the hotel lobby. A little bit of Swansea on the Via del Corso. Charming, just charming.‘ Alison unlooped her arm and took her son‘s hand in hers. "Take me for lunch tomorrow, will you? While your father sits in a darkened room and picks his corns. Let‘s go out, just you and me, somewhere outside on a nice square. White tablecloths³. Somewhere expensive, my treat. You can bring me some of your photographs of interesting pebbles⁴.‘ 

Okay,‘ he said, sulkily. His mother was smiling but frowning too, squeezing his hand a little too hard, and he felt a sudden pang⁵ of anxiety. ‗Why?

Because I want to talk to my handsome son and I‘m a little too drunk right now, I think.‘

What is it? Tell me now!‘

It‘s nothing, nothing.‘

You‘re not getting divorced, are you?‘

She gave a low laugh. ‗Don‘t be ridiculous, of course not.‘ In the hotel lobby his father had seen them, and was standing⁶ and tugging⁷ on the ‗push to open‘ door. ‗How could I ever leave a man who tucks his shirts into his underpants?‘

So tell me, what is it?‘

Nothing bad, sweetheart, nothing bad.‘ Standing on the street she gave him a consoling smile  and  put  her  hand  in  the  short  hair  at  the  back  of  his  neck,  pulling  him  down  to  her height  so  that  their  foreheads  were  touching.  ‗Don‘t  you  worry  about  a  thing.  Tomorrow. We‘ll talk properly tomorrow.‘

                                                           CHAPTER THREE

                                                          The Taj Mahal

                                                       SUNDAY 15 JULY 1990

Bombay and Camden Town

1 hunched   

（常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的

参考例句：

• He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
• Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 tablecloths   

n.桌布，台布( tablecloth的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布，上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘（部分）
• At the moment the cause of her concern was a pile of soiled tablecloths. 此刻她关心的事是一堆弄脏了的台布。 来自辞典例句

4 pebbles   

[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
• Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

5 pang   

n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷

参考例句：

• She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
• She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 tugging   

n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉，样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他，一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句