The Diary of Nobody   CHAPTER II
精心打造，铸就精品！
编者注：本章学习要点中的词汇比较多，需要大家多下些功夫，不过前面记得越多，后面的难点就会越来越少，自然也就会越来越轻松。风雨之后才会有彩虹，无论痛苦还是欢乐，在跟着我们走完整个听读之旅后，你就会发现自己已成为一只振翅欲飞的羽蝶了！

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Tradesmen and the scraper still troublesome. Gowing rather tiresome with his complaints of the paint. I make one of the best jokes of my life. Delights of Gardening. Mr. Stillbrook, Gowing, Cummings, and I have a little misunderstanding. Sarah makes me look a fool before Cummings.
推销商和刮泥板仍旧制造麻烦，高英对油漆味的抱怨也相当烦人。我说了我一生中最绝的俏皮话。园艺的乐趣。斯蒂尔布鲁克先生、高英、卡明斯和我产生了一点小误会。莎尔让我在卡明斯面前出丑。
[本段要点]
1. troublesome adj.讨厌的；惹麻烦的；费事的
2. tiresome adj. 无聊的；烦人的
3. make sb. look a fool 使某人看起来像个傻瓜；让某人出丑
April 9.--Commenced the morning badly. The butcher, whom we decided NOT to arrange with, called and blackguarded me in the most uncalled-for manner. He began by abusing me, and saying he did not want my custom. I simply said: "Then what are you making all this fuss about it for?" And he shouted out at the top of his voice, so that all the neighbours could hear: "Pah! go along. Ugh! I could buy up 'things' like you by the dozen!"
4月9日 今天早晨一开始就很糟糕。我们准备不再与之打交道的屠户找上门来，毫不讲理地对我耍无赖。开始时骂我，然后又说不需要我这样的顾客。我只不过问了一句：“那你还这么大呼小叫地做什么？” 他就开始用他最大的嗓门叫嚷起来，以便让所有的邻居都能听到。“呸！去死吧。啊！像你这样的家当我可以论打买。”
[本段要点]
1. blackguard n. 无赖；流氓  blackguarded 无赖似的；流氓一样的
2. uncalled for 不公正的；无道理的；不必要的
3. abuse vt. 辱骂；虐待  n. 滥用；虐待
4. Then what are you making all this fuss about it for? 那你还这么大题大作（大呼小叫）地做什么？
make/kick up a fuss about/over sth. 小题大作；强烈不满
5. at the top of one's voice 用最高的嗓音
6. by the dozen 按打
英语中“by + the + 单位名词”表示以某单位计量，如by the hour按小时；by the day按天
Coal is usually sold by the ton. 煤通常按吨出售。
I shut the door, and was giving Carrie to understand that this disgraceful scene was entirely her fault, when there was a violent kicking at the door, enough to break the panels. It was the blackguard butcher again, who said he had cut his foot over the scraper, and would immediately bring an action against me. Called at Farmerson's, the ironmonger, on my way to town, and gave him the job of moving the scraper and repairing the bells, thinking it scarcely worthwhile to trouble the landlord with such a trifling matter.
我关上门，正准备让卡丽明白这有辱体面的一幕完全是她造成的，突然有人猛力踢了一下门，简直能把门板踢烂。原来还是那个诬赖屠夫，他说他的脚被刮泥板碰伤了，要马上去起诉我。考虑到这样的小事不值地去麻烦房东，我在去市里的路上，顺路拜访了五金商法默森，让他把刮泥板拆掉并把门铃修好。
[本段要点]
1. disgraceful scene 耻辱的一幕；有失体面的一幕
2. entirely adv. 完全地；彻底地
3. violent adj. 猛烈的；剧烈的；狂暴的
4. panel  n. 门、窗上的镶板；嵌板；（广播或电视节目里的）公开讨论小组；陪审员名单
5. bring an action against sb.起诉某人
6. call at (a place) 拜访（某地）
注意：call on (sb.) 拜访（某人）
7. worthwhile adj. 值得做的；值得为之努力的
8. trouble sb.  with sth. 用某事来麻烦某人
9. a trifling matter 一件不重要的事；琐碎的事

Arrived home tired and worried. Mr. Putley, a painter and decorator, who had sent in a card, said he could not match the colour on the stairs, as it contained Indian carmine. He said he spent half-a-day calling at warehouses to see if he could get it. He suggested he should entirely repaint the stairs. It would cost very little more; if he tried to match it, he could only make a bad job of it. It would be more satisfactory to him and to us to have the work done properly. I consented, but felt I had been talked over. Planted some mustard-and-cress and radishes, and went to bed at nine.
到家时很疲劳也很郁闷。粉刷工和装饰工帕特利送来了一张卡片，说他无法找到与楼梯相配的颜色，因为楼梯颜色里有印度的深红色。他说他花了半天时间去一些他知道的大商店问过。他还建议应当把整个楼梯重漆一遍。这多花不了几个钱，而如果他勉强去搭配颜色的话，结果会很糟糕。将工作作好，无论是对于他还是对于我来说，都是更令人满意的。我同意了这个建议，但是总感觉自己是被说服的。种了一些芥菜和萝卜，9点就上床睡觉了。
[本段要点]
1. decorator 室内装璜工人
2. carmine adj.洋红色；深红色的
这个词由car(小汽车）+ mine（我的）组成，利用以下联想可以很容易记住该词：
深红色的汽车是我的。
3. make a bad job of it做的很糟糕
当然，我们也可以用make a good job of it来表示“做得很好”。
4. consent vt. vi. 同意；允许
常用搭配：
consent to sth.同意、允许某事
consent to do sth.同意做某事
Her father reluctantly consented to the marriage.她父亲很不情愿地同意了这门婚姻。
He rarely consents to do interviews.他很少同意接受采访。
5. talk over 详尽的商量；说服
April 10.--Farmerson came round to attend to the scraper himself. He seems a very civil fellow. He says he does not usually conduct such small jobs personally, but for me he would do so. I thanked him, and went to town. It is disgraceful how late some of the young clerks are at arriving. I told three of them that if Mr. Perkupp, the principal, heard of it, they might be discharged.
4月10日 法默森亲自过来处理刮泥板的事了。他似乎是个很有礼貌的家伙。他说他通常不会亲自动手干这类活儿，不过他愿意为我做。我感谢过他就去市里了。一些年轻的职员到的太晚了，真是不像话。我告诉他们中的三个如果波卡普-我们的头儿--知道了，他们可能会被辞退。
[本段要点]
1. attend to sb./sth. 专心；照顾；关照；处理
Atten to you work and stop talking. 专心工作，不要讲话。
Are you being attended to?有人接待你吗？（如店员问顾客）
Could you attend to this matter immediately? 你能立即处理这事吗？
2. discharge vt. 解雇；放（枪、炮等）；放出（液体、气体、电等）vt. vi.（从船上） 卸货
Pitt, a monkey of seventeen, who has only been with us six weeks, told me "to keep my hair on!" I informed him I had had the honour of being in the firm twenty years, to which he insolently replied that I "looked it." I gave him an indignant look, and said: "I demand from you some respect, sir." He replied: "All right, go on demanding." I would not argue with him any further. You cannot argue with people like that. In the evening Gowing called, and repeated his complaint about the smell of paint. Gowing is sometimes very tedious with his remarks, and not always cautious; and Carrie once very properly reminded him that she was present.
皮特，一个像猴子一样顽劣的家伙，来我们这儿才6个星期，竟然要我“不要发火！”  我告诉他我已在公司干了20年了，对此，他无礼的回嘴说我“一看就像。”  我愤怒的看了他一眼，说：“我要求你放尊重些，先生。” 他回复道：“好啊，继续求吧。” 我没再和他辩论。你无法和这样的人理论。晚上高英来访，又抱怨起油漆味来。高英有时说话很讨厌，而且总是不注意场合，一次卡丽很适时地提醒他她在场。
[本段要点]
1. keep one's hair on (相当于keep one's shirt on) 保持冷静；忍耐
Keep your hair on! Nobody meant to hurt you. 别发火！没人想有意伤害你。
人着急上火时头发会掉的快，所以keep your hair on相当于在说“为了保住你的头发，还是不要发火了吧”。
2. have the honour of doing sth.很荣幸做某事
3. insolently adv.粗鲁地；傲慢地
4. indignant adj.愤怒地；愤慨的
5. I demand from you some respect. （=I deman some respect from you.) 我要求你放尊重些。
6. argue with sb. (about/over sth.)与某人（因某事）而争吵
7. tedious adj.（因过长、过慢或过于单调而）令人厌倦；烦人的
8. cautious adj. 谨慎的；小心的
April 11.--Mustard-and-cress and radishes not come up yet. To-day was a day of annoyances. I missed the quarter-to-nine 'bus to the City, through having words with the grocer's boy, who for the second time had the impertinence to bring his basket to the hall- door, and had left the marks of his dirty boots on the fresh- cleaned door-steps. He said he had knocked at the side door with his knuckles for a quarter of an hour. I knew Sarah, our servant, could not hear this, as she was upstairs doing the bedrooms, so asked the boy why he did not ring the bell? He replied that he did pull the bell, but the handle came off in his hand.
4月11日 芥菜和萝卜还没有出来。今天真是个让人烦心的日子。杂货店的男孩把篮子拿到了客厅的门口，他的脏靴子在刚擦干净的门前台阶上留下了印迹，而这已经是第二次了。他说此前他已用指关节敲侧门敲了一刻钟。我知道我们的佣人莎拉听不到，因为她正在楼上整理卧室，于是问他为什么不用门铃。他说他的确拉铃了，谁知一拉把手就掉了。就因为和他理论这件事，我错过了8点45分开往市里的公交车。
[本段要点]
1. come up 发芽；走近；流行
2. annoyance  烦恼；令人烦恼的事情
3. have words with sb.与某人吵架
注意：have a word with sb.则表示“与某人说话”。
4. impertinence   粗鲁；无礼
5. knuckle 指节；关节
I was half-an-hour late at the office, a thing that has never happened to me before. There has recently been much irregularity in the attendance of the clerks, and Mr. Perkupp, our principal, unfortunately choose this very morning to pounce down upon us early. Someone had given the tip to the others. The result was that I was the only one late of the lot. Buckling, one of the senior clerks, was a brick, and I was saved by his intervention. As I passed by Pitt's desk, I heard him remark to his neighbour: "How disgracefully late some of the head clerks arrive!" This was, of course, meant for me. I treated the observation with silence, simply giving him a look, which unfortunately had the effect of making both of the clerks laugh. Thought afterwards it would have been more dignified if I had pretended not to have heard him at all. Cummings called in the evening, and we played dominoes.
我迟到了半个小时，这是以前从没有过的事。因为最近员工的出勤不太正常，我们的头波卡普先生很不幸地选择了今天早晨搞突然袭击。有人把消息透露给了其他人。结果我成了今天唯一迟到的人。我们的一位高级职员巴克林真是个好人，他帮我解了围。当我经过皮特的办公桌时，我听到他对邻桌说：“一些高级员工来得可真晚啊！”这当然是冲我来的。我对这句话报以沉默，只是看了他一眼，谁知还是不幸地使两个家伙笑起来。后来想，如果我当时假装什么也没有听到，会更体面些。晚上卡明斯来串门，我们玩多米诺骨牌。
[本段要点]
1. happen to sb. （某事）发生在某人身上；某人出了(某事)
If anything happens to him, let me know. 如果他出了什么事，告诉我。
2. irregularity  n. 无规则；不整齐；不合规律的事情；反常的事情
3. attendance  n. 出席；到场
4. pounce (down) upon/on 突然袭击；猛扑
5.  give the tip to sb. 暗中关照某人做；悄悄向某人透露消息
6. lot (口）（与the连用）全部；全体
7. brick (口）好人；砖头
8. intervention  n. 干涉；介入
9. This was, of course, meant for me. 这当然是冲我来的。
10. observation  n. 言语；评论  [U 观察；注意；观察力
11. dignified adj. 有尊严的；有品格的
12. pretend (not) to do sth. 假装（没有）做某事
April 12.--Mustard-and-cress and radishes not come up yet. Left Farmerson repairing the scraper, but when I came home found three men working. I asked the meaning of it, and Farmerson said that in making a fresh hole he had penetrated the gas-pipe. He said it was a most ridiculous place to put the gas-pipe, and the man who did it evidently knew nothing about his business. I felt his excuse was no consolation for the expense I shall be put to.
4月12日  芥菜和萝卜没有出来。去上班时让法默森修理刮泥板，但我回家后却发现有三个人在工作。我问这是怎么回事，法默森回答说在他打新眼的时候穿透了煤气管道。他说把煤气管道放在那个位置太搞笑了，安装管道的人显然对他所从事的工作一无所知。我觉的他的理由对我将为之付出的费用起不到任何安慰。
[本段要点]
1. penetrate vt. vi. 穿透；刺入；看穿
2. evidently adv. 显然地；明显地
3. consolation  n. 安慰；带来安慰的或事
In the evening, after tea, Gowing dropped in, and we had a smoke together in the breakfast-parlour. Carrie joined us later, but did not stay long, saying the smoke was too much for her. It was also rather too much for me, for Gowing had given me what he called a green cigar, one that his friend Shoemach had just brought over from America. The cigar didn't look green, but I fancy I must have done so; for when I had smoked a little more than half I was obliged to retire on the pretext of telling Sarah to bring in the glasses.
晚上，饮过茶后，高英来访，我们一起在早餐室抽烟。卡丽后来也去了早餐室，但是没有停留多久，她说她受不了烟味。其实我也受不了，因为高英给我的是他称之为“绿雪茄”的一种烟，是他的朋友苏迈克从美国带回来的。这种雪茄看起来并不绿，不过我想我的脸肯定是绿了，因为我刚抽了一半多一点就无法忍受，被迫打着告诉莎拉拿杯子的借口躲到一边去了。
[本段要点]
1. bring over 使某人(从海外)来到某地；将某物从别处带来
2. fancy vt. 想像；认为
3. be obliged to do sth. 不得不
注意：be obliged to sb. 表示“感激某人”
4. on/under the pretext of 打着某借口；在某借口下
5. bing in 拿来；引进；挣钱
I took a walk round the garden three or four times, feeling the need of fresh air. On returning Gowing noticed I was not smoking: offered me another cigar, which I politely declined. Gowing began his usual sniffing, so, anticipating him, I said: "You're not going to complain of the smell of paint again?" He said: "No, not this time; but I'll tell you what, I distinctly smell dry rot." I don't often make jokes, but I replied: "You're talking a lot of DRY ROT yourself." I could not help roaring at this, and Carrie said her sides quite ached with laughter. I never was so immensely tickled by anything I have ever said before. I actually woke up twice during the night, and laughed till the bed shook.
感觉需要呼吸些新鲜空气，我绕着花园走了三四趟。一回来高英就注意到我没有抽烟，又递给我一支，我礼貌的拒绝了。高英开始用鼻子吸气，所以我抢在他开口之前问他：“这次不准备抱怨油漆味了？” 他说：“不，这次不会。不过我告诉你，我明显闻到了一股干腐的味道。” 我不经常说俏皮话，但是这次我回复道：“（因为）你的谈话就很干腐。” 说完我忍不住大笑起来，卡丽说她笑的都肚子疼了。我以前说的话从没有这么风趣。我晚上竟然醒了两次，笑得床板乱颤。
[本段要点]
1. sniff vt. vi. （发出声地）用鼻子吸气 ；嗅；闻出
I like sniffing the sea-air.我喜欢呼吸海上的空气。
2. anticipate vt. 期待；预期；（文）抢先一步；先（于别人）做某事
Do you anticipate any trouble?你预料会有麻烦吗？
We anticipated their complaint by writing a full report. 我们没等他们投诉就抢先写了一份详尽的报告。
3. distinctly adv. 清楚地；显然地；明显地
4. roar vt. vi. 吼叫；怒吼
"Get out of my house!'", he roared. “滚出我的房子”，他吼道。
The crowd roared in delight.人群高兴的欢呼起来。
5. immensely adv. 极大地；无限地
6. tickle vt. vi. 痒；使痒； 胳肢
Stop tickling me! 不要再胳肢我了！
Mommy, this blanket tickles.妈妈，这个毯子让人发痒。
Mike's fur collar was tickling her neck.迈克的皮领使他的脖子发痒。
April 13.--An extraordinary coincidence: Carrie had called in a woman to make some chintz covers for our drawing-room chairs and sofa to prevent the sun fading the green rep of the furniture. I saw the woman, and recognised her as a woman who used to work years ago for my old aunt at Clapham. It only shows how small the world is.
4月13日 一次罕见的巧合：卡丽找了一个女人帮她给客厅的椅子和沙发做印花棉套，以防这些家俱上的绿色棱纹平布在阳光下褪色。我看到这个女人后认出她就是多年以前为我住在克位彭的姑妈做工的那个。这只能说明世界太小了。
[本段要点]
1. An extraordinary coincidence 一个罕见的巧合
extraordinary adj. 非常的；特别的；不普通的
coincidence  n.巧合；巧合的事
2. fade  vt. vi. （声音等）减弱；颜色褪去；消失
Hopes of a peace settlement are beginning to fade.和平解决的希望开始变弱。
The sun had faded the curtains.太阳使窗帘褪色。
Over the years her beauty had faded a little. 过了这么多年，她美丽依旧。
常用搭配：
fade in （图片）淡入；（声音）渐显
fade out （图片）淡出；（声音）渐弱
fade away 逐渐凋谢；慢慢减弱
3. rep  n. 棱纹平布