【有声英语文学名著】CHAPTER FOUR（13）

 Sometimes he almost wanted to say this out loud, interrupt her and just tell her. But this was not one of those times and instead he thought how tired she looked, sad and pale, and when she looked at the floor her chin had started to pouch¹. Why didn‘t she get contact lenses, instead  of  those  big  ugly  spectacles?  She  wasn‘t  a  student  anymore.  And  the velour scrunchies, she wasn‘t doing herself any favour with the scrunchies. What she really needed, he  thought,  ablaze  with  compassion,  was  someone  to  take  her  in  hand  and  unlock  her potential. He imagined a sort of montage, looking on patrician² and kindly³ as Emma tried on a series  of  incredible  new  outfits.  Yes,  he  really  should  pay  Emma  more  attention,  and  he would do it too if he didn‘t have so much happening at present.

But in the short term, wasn‘t there something he could do to make her feel better about herself, lift her spirits, give her self-confidence a boost? He had an idea, and reached for her hand before announcing solemnly:

You know, Em, if you‘re still single when you‘re forty I‘ll marry you.‘

She looked at him with frank disgust. Was that a proposal, Dex?‘

Not now, just at some point if we both get desperate.‘

She laughed bitterly. And what makes you think I‘d want to marry you?‘

Well, I‘m sort of taking that as a given.‘

She shook her head slowly. Well you‘ll have to join the queue, I‘m afraid. My friend Ian said exactly the same thing to me while we were disinfecting the meat fridge. Except he only gave me until I was thirty-five.‘

Well  no  offence  to  Ian,  but  I  think  you  should  definitely  hold  out  for  the  extra  five years.‘

I‘m not holding out for either of you! I‘m never getting married anyway.‘

How do you know that?‘

She shrugged⁴. Wise old gypsy told me.‘

I suppose you disagree on political grounds or something.‘

Just . . . not for me, that‘s all.‘

I can see you now. Big white dress, bridesmaids, little page boys, blue garter . . .‘ Garter. His mind snagged on the word like a fish on a hook.

1 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

2 patrician   

adj.贵族的，显贵的；n.贵族；有教养的人；罗马帝国的地方官

参考例句：

• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。
• Its patrician dignity was a picturesque sham.它的贵族的尊严只是一套华丽的伪装。

3 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

4 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》