《【翻译】风弄原著《金玉王朝》》小医Potassium

24、chapter two 02 One

　　One day in early March, Xuan Huaifeng had just come home from class when a servant at the Guildhall spotted him at once.

　　“Mr. Xuan, perfect timing! Mrs. Nian just called for you. I was about to hang up when I saw you walk in.”

　　Xuan Huaifeng thanked him and went to phone room to answer the phone.
　　（tn：电话间，美式英语是phone booth，但是是指街头电话亭，最早建立于1905年的美国，虽然同时期的我们确实在民国时代，but，电话亭还没有传到中国，用在这个背景下是很突兀的。于是我查了福尔摩斯英文版，找到了phone room这个词，时间背景OK，地缘背景也OK，符合两个主角欧留子的用语。）

　　His sister had invited him to a ball that evening.

　　“Huaifeng, don’ t you dare say no. Your brother-in-law and I have spent ages preparing this evening’s reception. If you dare disobey, don’t you ever call me sister again.” Xuan Daiyun rattled off a string of reasons he must attend, then issued her final order,“Be here by seven. Put on the new outfit I made you and look smart.”
　　题外话：最近在读经济学文章的时候，碰到了issue的一个专有用法，表示发行，如发行股票等。所以了解了一下这个看似很简单，但是能够串起来很多东西（超多含义）的词。所以翻译一句话，有时候不取决于我想到了什么词或句式，而取决于我最近学到了什么。

　　There was no use making excuses.

　　After hanging up, he lingered in his room until six. Calculating it would take about an hour to get there, he changed into the new suit tailored for the Chinese Spring Festival and left.

　　He arrived at the Nian’s mansion precisely at seven.

　　The sun had sunk below the horizon, leaving only a faint, hazy gray cloud across the distant sky.
　　太阳已经坠到视野以下，远远的天边，只剩一片隐隐约约的灰忽忽的云。
　　这里我翻译不太好，所以放出原文。

　　Xuan Huaifeng glared at a distance, the Nian mansion glittered under the twilight veil, like a woman carefully dressed, waiting for her lover.
　　宣怀风远远看了一眼，年宅在暮幕下灯火通明，像一个花尽心思打扮，等待情人到来的女子。
　　这里我翻译不太好，所以放出原文。

　　Every lamp that could be lit was on.
　　大概所有可以打开的电灯都打开了。
　　这里我翻译不太好，所以放出原文。
　　一开始我是想学莎士比亚的，因为这个句式太押韵了
　　“Every lamp that could be on was on.”
　　但我又岂敢蒙昧模仿，只得作罢。其实这两句读起来并没有多大差别，只有一字之差。

　　Several polished cars lined the entrance, some flying small government flags—their blue-and-white fabric fluttering proudly in the evening breeze.

　　Arrived at the gate, the doorman recognized him,greeted,“Young Master Huaifeng.” He stepped aside to let Xuan Huaifeng in and find Mrs. Nian.