第6章 GETTING AND LOSING

Once I lost a small dictionary only a few days after I bought it.A short time later I got a letter from a friend informing me of his being jilted by his sweetheart.[1] In reply I remember I wrote something like this:

I am very sorry to learn that you have lost your sweetheart.I also have a loss to tell you of; that is,[2] I have recently lost a small dictionary,which I bought but a fortnight ago.[3]

You want me to console[4]you? Well,losing things is common enough,and losing a sweetheart is no exception.[5]So far as I can see,[6] the only way not to lose a thing is not to get it.If I had not bought the small dictionary,I could not possibly have lost it.I have never had a sweetheart,and so[7] I have never had the sad experience of losing one.

What do you think of my opinion,reader? Don't think that I wrote the letter in jest.[8] I was perfectly serious.[9]I meant what I said.[10] All we have may be lost at any moment - and for ever.[11]One may lose one's life when one least expects it.[12] A clerk may lose his position when he counts on[13] promotion.A girl may lose her chastity[14]when she thinks she has most force of character[15] among her friends.

As soon as you come into possession of [16] something,you begin to run the risk of [17]losing it.By something I mean everything; it may be a dictionary,a fountain-pen,[18] a reputation,[19] a friendship,a love,and so forth.[20]

A student of mine lost an umbrella in a tram-car[21] the other day.[22] I am glad that he does not seem to have lost the few rhetorical principles[23]that I had explained to him only two or three days before he lost his umbrella.

注释

[1]jilted by his sweetheart：为其爱人所弃

[2]that is：即谓

[3]but a fortnight ago：仅两星期以前

[4]console：安慰

[5]exception：例外

[6]So far as I can see：就我所知

[7]so：故；所以（此字应重读）

[8]in jest：嬉戏

[9]serious：认真的；非说笑话的

[10]meant what I said：意与言合

[11]for ever：永远

[12]least expects it：最不期望之；以为决不临到此事

[13]counts on：预冀

[14]chastity：贞操

[15]force of character：品性之力量；自持之力

[16]come into possession of：得到

[17]run the risk of...：冒……之险

[18]fountain-pen：自来水笔

[19]reputation：名誉

[20]and so forth：以及其他

[21]tram-car：电车

[22]the other day：数日前

[23]rhetorical principles：修辞学原理