美國語文第六冊 第15期:大掃除(4)
于是，一位貧窮的紳士會(huì)由于雙重原因而不滿意，因?yàn)?，他的衣服既被潑上了水，又輸了官司?/p>
These smearings and scratchings, these washings and dashings, being duly performed, the next ceremonial is to cleanse and replace the distracted furniture.
這些詛咒和刮擦聲，這些洗滌和沖洗，都按部就班地上演著，接下來的儀式是清洗和把分散注意力的家具放回原處。
You may have seen a house raising, or a ship launch—recollect, if you can, the hurry, bustle, confusion, and noise of such a scene,
想必你看到過一幢房子拔地而起，或者一條船起航——如果可能的話，不妨回憶一下這個(gè)匆忙、忙亂、亂作一團(tuán)和吵吵鬧鬧的場景吧，
and you will have some idea of this cleansing match.
你就會(huì)對這一清洗比賽有幾分印象了。
The misfortune is, that the sole object is to make things clean.
糟糕的是，唯一的目的就是令所有一切變得潔凈。
It matters not how many useful, ornamental, or valuable articles suffer mutilation or death under the operation.
要緊的不是在這次行動(dòng)中有多少有用、裝飾性或者貴重物品損毀或者消失。
A mahogany chair and a carved frame undergo the same discipline;
一把紅木椅子和雕刻鏤空的架子也受到同樣的對待。
they are to be made clean at all events; but their preservation is not worthy of attention.
在任何情況下，它們都要保持清潔，不過它們的保持不值得予以注意。
For instance: a fine large engraving is laid flat upon the floor;
譬如，一件很大的非常精美的雕刻畫鑲嵌在鏡框里，平放在地板上，
a number of smaller prints are piled upon it, until the superincumbent weight cracks the lower glass—but this is of no importance.
上面摞了一沓較小的印刷品，過重的重量壓碎了下面的玻璃——不過這不打緊。
A valuable picture is placed leaning against the sharp corner of a table;
一幅名貴的畫倚著尖利的桌腳，
others are made to lean against that, till the pressure of the whole forces the corner of the table through the canvas of the first.
其他物品則靠在畫上，結(jié)果桌腳整個(gè)壓力先傳導(dǎo)到畫布上。
