课文阅读

Eve: (Rushes in impulsively, throws off her hat, sits down.) Oh, Mother, I'm glad you're here! I've been to the most wonderful lecture given by Madame Tergehova. She's simply too, too divine!
Mrs. Kent: Indeed, dear? In what way?
Eve: (breathless) Oh, Mother, you've no idea how primitive we are — how simple, how bourgeois! You ought to hear how people in her country live — so happy, so free! None of our silly conventions and ridiculous standards of life! Why, her mother wouldn't have dreamed of marrying her father, it would simply have seemed childish to her! And here we are, living like our colonial ancestors — Puritans or Quakers, really. It's too absurd!
Mrs. Kent: My dear child — stuff and nonsense!

Eve： Now it's no use your saying anything， Mother — I've made up my mind. Stephen and I have decided on an experimental marriage. We're leaving tonight on the 12:15 for New York! If it works out, if we decide on a permanent marriage, we'll come back and be married at home. But if not, we're determined to go our separate ways, and each seek our own career in New York!
Mrs. Kent: (Dazed, rises, sewing drops from her lap to floor.) Why, Eve, you don't know what you're saying — you can't mean it. You're joking, I know you are! (Thelma comes forward, picks up sewing, hands it to Mrs. Kent, whose manner changes to one of sharp reprimand.) What, Thelma, you here still! How many times have I told you not to snoop! Listening to things that don't concern you! Leave the room at once!
Thelma: (obediently) Yes, ma'am, (Exits hastily.)
Mrs. Kent: Now then. Eve, come here and tell me what you are talking about. (Sits down on sofa.)

Eve: (sitting beside her) Oh, you heard me, Mother. It's perfectly simple, and you needn't have sent Thelma out — it's nothing secret. That's the whole trouble, our stupid, small-town way of doing things, always under cover. We've nothing to hide or be ashamed of — why, Stephen is coming over here for tea, to say goodbye to you all. He'll be here in a little while!
Mrs. Kent: Eve, you just wait until your father —
Eve: Of course we're putting you and Dad on your honor. Mother. We don't expect you to be so childish as to lock me up in my room, call the police, or anything so naive as that!
Mrs. Kent: ( Weeps. ) I suppose there's nothing-nothing I can say or do to stop you, Eve. But youll be sorry someday.
Eve: Why will I be sorry? I don't think you and Dad are so ideally happy-I bet he's not even in love with you any more! He probably wouldn't even care if you went off with another man. Come now. Mother, confess — would he?

Mrs. Kent: (shocked) Eve! How can you say such things to me?
Eve: (laughing) Why, I don't know. Mother. There's no point in not saying them, if they're true!
Mrs. Kent: This — this Madame Tergehova, she may live like that in her own country, but it's not the way of life in America!
Eve: But it can be. Mother — it will be. This narrow, conventional way of living cant go on forever! Stephen and I, well be pioneers in this great crusade toward a new and free civilization!
Mrs. Kent: (sadly) But at what a cost, child — at what a cost!
Eve: Oh, it's no use. Mother, you'll never understand! Ill go and pack my bag now. (Rises.) I'm not going to lead this silly, uncivilized life any longer, that's all.
(She goes out. Mrs. Kent sits crushed; Thelma enters.)

参考译文

伊娃：（冒失地冲进来，摘下帽子，坐下来。）奥，妈妈，很高兴你在这儿。我去听了特格霍伍夫人作的精彩的演讲。她简直太、太神了！
肯特夫人：真的吗，亲爱的？她怎么神了？
伊娃：（呼吸急促地）哦，妈妈，你不知道我们是多么原始--多么单调，多么俗！你应该听听她们国家的人是怎样生活的--那么快乐，那么自由！根本没有我们这些愚蠢的习俗和可笑的生活准则！哎呀，她的妈妈就没想过要嫁给她爸爸，对于她来说，结婚似乎太幼稚！而我们过着像我们殖民时期的祖先--清教徒或贵族派那样的生活，真的。这样的生活太荒谬了！
肯特夫人：我亲爱的孩子--简直胡说八道！

伊娃：你现在说什么也没有用了，妈妈--我已经决定了。我和史蒂芬已经决定试婚。今晚我们将搭上12：15的火车离开这儿去纽约！如果我们试婚成功，如果我们决定建立永久的婚姻的话，我们会回来在家完婚；但如果不成功的话，我们将决定各奔东西，在纽约谋求各自的发展。
肯特夫人：（目瞪口呆，站起来，针线活从大腿上滑落到地板上）奥，伊娃，你不知道自己在说什么--你肯定不是那个意思！你是在开玩笑，我知道你在开玩笑！（塞尔玛走上前，捡起针线活，递给肯特夫人，肯特夫人态度变成了严厉的训斥）什么，塞尔玛，你还在这儿！我告诉你过多少次不要偷听，听些与你无关的事！马上给我出去！
塞尔玛：（顺从地）是的，夫人。（赶紧退了出去。）
肯特夫人：那么，伊娃，你现在过来，告诉我你在说些什么。（坐在了沙发上。）

伊娃：（坐在她旁边）奥，你听见我说什么了，妈妈。这件事非常简单，你没有必要将塞尔玛打发出去--没什么秘密的。我们愚蠢的小城市的做事方式，总是遮遮掩掩的，这就是问题所在。我们没什么好隐藏的，也没什么好羞愧的--哎，等会儿史蒂芬会来这儿喝茶，和你们道别，他一会儿就到。
肯特夫人：伊娃，你就等到你爸爸--
伊娃：当然，我们会让你和爸爸郑重承诺的，妈妈。我们不希望你们会幼稚到把我锁在房里，报警，或做些其他一些类似幼稚的事情。
肯特夫人：（抽泣）我觉得无论我说什么或做什么都不能阻止你了，伊娃。但总有一天你会后悔的。
伊娃：我为什么会后悔？我认为你和爸爸不是那种理想的幸福--我敢说他甚至不爱你了！即使你和另一个男人私奔，他可能也不会在意的。现在说吧，妈妈，坦白地说--他会不会？

肯特夫人：（震惊地）伊娃！你怎么可以对我说这些话？
伊娃：（笑了笑）哦，我也不知道，妈妈。如果那些都是真的，那么不说出来也没有意义！
肯特夫人：这--这位特格霍伍夫人，在她的国家她可以那样生活，但那不是美国人的生活方式！
伊娃：但它可以成为，妈妈--它会成为美国人的生活方式的。这种狭隘的、传统的生活方式不会永远继续下去的。我和史蒂芬，我们将成为为全新的、自由的文明而战的先驱！
肯特夫人：（悲伤地）但是你要为此付出多大代价啊，孩子--付出多大的代价！
伊娃：奥，妈妈，跟你说没有用，你永远不会理解的。我现在要去收拾一下行李了。（起身。）我不想再过这种愚昧、不文明的生活了。就这么多。（她走了出去。肯特夫人坐在那里，完全崩溃了。塞尔玛进来。）

词汇释义

1.impulsively adv.有推动力地，鲁莽地

例句：

He often acts impulsively and later regrets it.
他常常行事鲁莽，事后又后悔。

2.divine [di'vain] adj.神的, 神性的;敬神的; 神圣的; 奉为神的;非凡的, 天才的; 神妙的; 绝世的

例句：

That meal was simply divine!
那顿饭简直好极了。

3.convention n. 大会,协定,惯例

例句：

We are scornful of the forces of convention.
我们藐视习惯势力。

4.experimental [eks.peri'mentl] adj. 实验(性)的,试验(性)的

例句：

The technique is still at the experimental stage.
这项技术正处于实验阶段。

5.permanent adj. 永久的,持久的

例句：

They established their permanent abode here.
他们在此建立了永久居所。

6.obediently adv.服从地,顺从地,忠顺地

例句：

He whistled, and the dog came obediently.
他一吹囗哨，那狗就乖乖地来了。

7.crusade [kru:'seid] n. 改革运动

例句：

It's a crusade against corruption.
这是一场反腐败的运动。

难句解析

1.That's the whole trouble, our stupid, small-town way of doing things, always under cover.

【难句释义】Eve thought it was childish that her mother tried to cover this up by sending Thelma away as if what she and Stephen wanted to do was some kind of a scandal.

【难句解析】small-town way of doing things:People from small towns are often thought ill-informed, narrow-minded, and ridiculously conservative.

2. But at what a cost, child — at what a cost!

【难句释义】Mrs.Kent believed that Eve would have to pay heavily if she went out with Stephen. It would cause a big scandal and turn the young couple into some kind of social outcasts.