欧美文化博览 文森特·凡· 高传(4)

Vincent had been deliberately¹ named after his uncle-another Vincent van Gogh, a hugely successful art dealer² whom everyone called Uncle Cent.

文森特这个名字是他的叔叔—另一个文森特·梵高特意取的。他的叔叔是一位非常成功的艺术品商人，大家都叫他“森特叔叔”。

When Vincent was 16, he was packed off to The Hague where Uncle Cent had a gallery.

梵高16岁那年，由于森特叔叔在海格有一家画廊，梵高的父母便把他打发到海格，

He was going to be an art dealer too.

想让他也成为一名艺术品商人。

Vincent had a special post created for him as an apprentice³ clerk at the Haig Branch of Goupil&Co., the world's most prestigious⁴ Art Franchise⁵ who demergered with Uncle Cent.

文森特叔叔因此为梵高安排了一个特殊职位，让他在古皮尔公司的海格公司做学徒。古皮尔是全世界最有明望的艺术加盟公司，而海格公司便是由森特叔叔管理。

It was a behind the scene's job at first dealing⁶ with Goupil's extensive international paper work.

最初，梵高做幕后的文书工作，处理古皮尔公司大量的国际业务。

Amazingly, van Gogh turned out to be good at this and was soon promoted to front of shop.

结果令人惊讶，梵高的文书工作做得非常好，不久便晋升到台前。

Rich Haig clients would turn up here in their carriages and be met by the teenage Vincent command them on their test when sir and madam decided⁷ on their purchase.

海格的有钱人们乘着马车来到这里，年轻的梵高便出门迎接他们。为了让他们付钱买艺术品，梵高仍然会称赞他们的品位。

This is the three volume correspondence of Vincent to his brother Theo.

这是由梵高写给弟弟蒂奥的信组成的三卷书。

It's the biggest, heaviest and most celebrated⁸ epistolic package in art.

它们是艺术界内最大，最重，最著名的书信集。

I have tackled it a couple of times now, and it took me several months each go.

这些信我已读过几次，每一次都会花费几个月的时间。

1 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

2 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

3 apprentice   

n.学徒，徒弟

参考例句：

• My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。
• The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

4 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

5 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 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。

8 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。