LESSON 19 HOW TO TELL BAD NEWS 如何传达噩耗

Mr.H.and the Steward.

Mr.H.Ha! Steward, how are you, my old boy? How do things go on at home?

Steward.Bad enough, your honor; the magpie’s dead.

H.Poor Mag! So he’s gone.How came he to die?

S.Overeat himself, sir.

H.Did he? A greedy dog; why, what did he get he liked so well?

S.Horsefl esh, sir; he died of eating horsefl esh.

H.How came he to get so much horsefl esh?

S.All your father’s horses, sir.

H.What! are they dead, too?

S.Ay, sir; they died of overwork.

H.And why were they overworked, pray?

S.To carry water, sir.

H.To carry water! and what were they carrying water for?

S.Sure, sir, to put out the fi re.

H.Fire! what fi re?

S.O, sir, your father’s house is burned to the ground.

H.My father’s house burned down! and how came it set on fi re?

S.I think, sir, it must have been the torches.

H.Torches! what torches?

S.At your mother’s funeral.

H.My mother dead!

S.Ah, poor lady! she never looked up, after it.

H.After what?

S.The loss of your father.

H.My father gone, too?

S.Yes, poor gentleman! he took to his bed as soon as he heard of it.

H.Heard of what?

S.The bad news, sir, and please your honor.

H.What! more miseries! more bad news!

S.Yes, sir; your bank has failed, and your credit is lost, and you are not worth a shilling in the world.I made bold, sir, to wait on you about it, for I thought you would like to hear the news.

【中文阅读】

（H先生与管家）

H先生：哈！我的管家，老伙计，最近好吗？家里一切都还好吗？

管家：太糟糕了，我尊贵的主人，家里那只叫麦格的狗死了。

H先生：可怜的麦格，它死了！它怎么死的？

管家：它吃撑了，先生。

H先生：吃撑了？这条贪吃的狗。究竟怎么回事，它到底吃了什么？

管家：马肉，先生。它吃了太多的马肉。

H先生：马肉？哪来这么多马肉？

管家：全是您父亲的马，先生。

H先生：什么！我父亲的马全死了？

管家：是的，先生，那些马是干活累死的。

H先生：它们为什么干那么多活儿？快说呀！

管家：它们要运水，先生。

H先生：运水？它们为什么要运水？

管家：先生，因为失火了。

H先生：失火！哪儿失火了？

管家：唉，先生，您父亲的房子被烧毁了。

H先生：我父亲的房子烧毁了！可它怎么会着火呢？

管家：先生，我想一定是那些火把引起了火灾。

H先生：火把！什么火把？

管家：您母亲葬礼上的火把。

H先生：我的母亲去世了！

管家：唉，可怜的夫人，自从那件事发生以后，她就悲伤得抬不起头来。

H先生：从哪件事发生后？

管家：您父亲去世后。

H先生：天哪，我的父亲也去世了？

管家：是的，可怜的先生。自从他听说那个消息以后，他再没能从他的床上起来。

H先生：究竟听到了什么消息？

管家：噩耗，先生，请您节哀。

H先生：我的天哪！还有更多的坏消息？比这更严重的噩耗？

管家：是的，先生。您的银行破产了，您的信用被清空了，您现在已经身无分文了。先生，我冒昧等您回来，就是为了告诉您这些，我想您需要有人告诉您这些坏消息的。