C:     I should be grateful if we could stay just a minute more.   I have… I have something to ask you. I was  terribly sorry to hear about your cousins.

R:     You said（您这样说）.    Did you know them?

C:     Not well. I…I used to see Patrick Crawley at the odd thing（偶然、偶尔）. I imagine it willmean some adjustments（要适应一下了） for you all.    To lose  two heirs（继承人）    in one night, it’s terrible.

R:     Indeed（确实）, it was terrible.

C:     Awful. But then again,   it’s an ill wind（塞翁失马焉知非福）. At least   Lady Mary’s prospects must have rather improved.

 

R:     Have they?

C:     Haven’t they?

R:     I will not be coy（佯作不知） and pretend（假装、装作）  I   do not understand your meaning, though you seem very informed （消息非常灵通的）on this family’s private affairs（事务、私事、风流韵事）. But you ought perhaps to（ought to应该） know that I do notintend   to（有意于做。。。） fight the entail. Not any part of it.

C:     You can’t be serious.

R:     It pains（使。。。痛苦） me to say it, but I am.

C:     You’ll give up your entire estate（家产、财产）? Your wife’s money into the bargain（而且）, to a perfect stranger? You won’t even put up a fight（奋起抗争）?

R:     I hope he proves to be perfect, but I’d rather doubt it.

C:     Hah.....Very odd（奇怪的） thing to joke about（取笑、开玩笑）.

R:     No odder than this conversation. So,  there you have it. But Mary will still have her settlement, which  you won’t find ungenerous.

C:     I’m…I’m sorry?

R:     I only meant that her portion,  when she marries,  will be more than respectable. You’ll bepleased, I promise you.

C:     Oh,   heavens（天啊）.