Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

A farm worker, who stayed up all night claimed to have seen a figure cutting corn in the moonlight.

有一個徹夜未眠的雇工還聲稱他看見一個人影在月光下收割莊稼。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

In time, it became an accepted fact the Cox brothers employed a conscientious ghost that did most of their work for them.

隨著時間的流逝，考科斯兄弟雇了一個盡心盡責的鬼，他們家的活大部分都讓鬼給干了，這件事成了公認的事實。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

No one suspected that there might be someone else on the farm who had never been seen.

誰也沒想到農場竟會有一個從未露面的人。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

This was indeed the case.

但事實上確有此人。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

A short time ago, villagers were astonished to learn that the ghost of Endley had died.

不久之前，村民們驚悉恩得利農場的鬼死了。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

Everyone went to the funeral, for the 'ghost' was none other than Eric Cox, a third brother who was supposed to have died as a young man.

大家都去參加了葬禮，因為那“鬼”不是別人，正是農場主的兄弟埃里克。考科斯。人們以為埃里克年輕時就死了。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

After the funeral, Joe and Bob revealed a secret which they had kept for over fifty years.

葬禮之后，喬和鮑勃透露了他們保守了長達50多年的秘密。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

Eric had been the eldest son of the family, very much older than his two brothers.

埃里克是這家長子。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

He had been obliged to join the army during the Second World War.

年齡比他兩個弟弟大很多，第二次世界大戰期間被迫參軍。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

As he hated army life, he decided to desert his regiment.

他討厭軍旅生活，決定逃離所在部隊。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

When he learnt that he would be sent abroad, he returned to the farm and his father hid him until the end of the war.

當他了解自己將被派遣出國時，他逃回農場，父親把他藏了起來，直到戰爭結束。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

Fearing the authorities, Eric remained in hiding after the war as well.

由于害怕當局，埃里克戰后繼續深藏不露。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

His father told everybody that Eric had been killed in action.

他的父親告訴大家，埃里克在戰爭中被打死了。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

The only other people who knew the secret were Joe and Bob.

除此之外，只有喬與鮑知道這個秘密。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

They did not even tell their wives.

但他倆連自己的妻子都沒告訴。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

When their father died, they thought it their duty to keep Eric in hiding.

父親死后，他們兄弟倆認為有責任繼續把埃里克藏起來。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

All these years, Eric had lived as a recluse.

這些年來，埃里克過著隱士生活，

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

He used to sleep during the day and work at night, quite unaware of the fact that he had become the ghost of Endley.

白天睡覺，夜里出來干活，一點不知道自己已成了恩得利家場的活鬼。

Lesson 30 The death of a ghost

When he died, however, his brothers found it impossible to keep the secret any longer.

他死后，他的弟弟們才覺得無法再保守這個秘密了。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves.

真正古怪的人從不有意引人注意。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

They disregard social conventions without being conscious that they are doing anything extraordinary.

他們不顧社會習俗，意識不到自己所作所為有什么特殊之處。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

This invariably wins them the love and respect of others, for they add colour to the dull routine of everyday life.

他們總能贏得別人的喜愛與尊敬，因為他們給平淡單一的日常生活增添了色彩。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

Up to the time of his death, Richard Colson was one of the most notable figures in our town.

理查德。科爾森生前是我們鎮上最有名望的人之一。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

He was a shrewd and wealthy businessman, but most people in the town hardly knew anything about this side of his life.

他是個精明能干、有錢的商人，但鎮上大部分人對他生活中的這一個方面幾乎一無所知。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

He was known to us all as Dickie and his eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.

大家都管他叫迪基。早在他去世前很久，他的古怪行為就成了傳奇故事了。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

Dickie disliked snobs intensely.

迪基痛恨勢利小人。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

Though he owned a large car,

盡管他有一輛豪華小轎車，

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

he hardly ever used it, preferring always to go on foot.

但卻很少使用，常常喜歡以步代車。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

Even when it was raining heavily, he refused to carry an umbrella.

即使大雨傾盆，他也總是拒絕帶傘。

Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric

One day, he walked into an expensive shop after having been caught in a particularly heavy shower.

一天，他遇上一場瓢潑大雨，淋得透濕。