精美英文欣赏:幸运的礼服(上)

The Blessed Dress

幸运的礼服

I got an engagement ring for Christmas. My boyfriend and I had been dating for almost a year and both felt the time was right to join our lives together in holy matrimony.

圣诞节的时候我戴上了订婚戒指。我和男友交往已快一年，我们都感到是携手步入神圣的婚姻殿堂的时候了。

The month of January was spent planning our perfect Alabama June wedding. My mother，two sisters and I went to Huntsville，the closest town with a selection of bridal shops，to buy the gown that would play the leading role on my special occasion.

整个一月份我都忙于计划我们将于六月份在阿拉巴马州举行的美丽婚礼。我和母亲，连同两个姐姐前往最近的城市汉斯维尔的一些新娘服装店去挑选结婚礼服－这可是婚礼中至关重要的一个环节。

We had a wonderful time just being together and sharing silly jokes， but the day soon turned serious by afternoon： still no sign of the dress of my dreams. Both sisters were ready to give up and try another day in another town， but I coerced¹ them into one more boutique.

我们母女四个高高兴兴，互相开着玩笑。但是等到了下午气氛就变得严肃起来：仍然没有我梦想中的结婚礼服的丝毫影子。我的两个姐姐都已经准备就此打道回府，改天再到其它的城镇去买，但是我迫使她们陪我再多看一家小店。

I had a good feeling as we entered the quaint² little shop filled with the scent³ of fresh flowers.

当我们进入这家满是新鲜花香的精致小店时，我有一种很好的预感。

The elderly clerk showed us several beautiful gowns in my size and price range， but none were right.

上年纪的店员让我们看了几件 适合我穿的美丽的礼服，价格也都在我的预算之内，但是都不是我想要的。

As I opened the door to leave， the desperate shop owner announced she had one more dress in the back that was expensive and not even my size， but perhaps I might want to look at it anyway. When she brought it out， I squealed⁴ in delight.

正当我打开店门准备离开之即，孤注一掷的老板娘喊道，在后面库里还有一件礼服，这件礼服很贵，甚至没有我穿的号码，但是也 许我还是想看一眼。当她拿出来时，我欣喜的叫出声来。

This was it！

就是这一件了！

I rushed to the dressing⁵ room and slipped it on. Even though it was at least two sizes too large and more costly⁶ than I had anticipated， I talked Mom into buying it. The shop was so small it didn't offer alterations⁷， but my excitement assured me I would be able to get it resized in my hometown.

我冲进试衣间把身体滑进去。尽管它至少要大上两码，价格也比我预想的要高很多，我仍说服了母亲买下了它。这家店很小，连改衣服的服务都不提供，但是在激动之余，我确信能在家乡把它改好。

Excitement wasn't enough. On Monday morning， my world crumbled⁸ when the local sewing shop informed me the dress simply could not be altered because of numerous hand-sewn pearls and sequins on the bodice. I called the boutique for suggestions but only got their answering machine.

然而盲目的激动是无济于事的。礼拜一早上，当我们那儿的裁缝店告诉我礼服上手缝的珠子和饰片太多因而没法改动时我傻眼了。我打电话给那家服装店寻求建议，听到的却只是机器的自动应答。

A friend gave me the number of a lady across town who worked at home doing alterations. I was desperate and willing to try anything， so I decided⁹ to give her a call.

一个朋友给我镇上一个裁缝的电话，这个裁缝在家里做活。在绝望之余，我愿意进行任何尝试。于是我决定给她打个电话。

1 coerced   

v.迫使做( coerce的过去式和过去分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 quaint   

adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的

参考例句：

• There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里，有很多小巷。
• They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。

3 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

4 squealed   

v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squealed the words out. 他吼叫着说出那些话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The brakes of the car squealed. 汽车的刹车发出吱吱声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 alterations   

n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变

参考例句：

• Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 crumbled   

（把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏

参考例句：

• He crumbled the bread in his fingers. 他用手指把面包捻碎。
• Our hopes crumbled when the business went bankrupt. 商行破产了，我们的希望也破灭了。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。