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Professor Waring: Well soon see if Tom would care whether you ran off with another man or not. Now listen to me, Bessie. Tom of course knows the circumstances of your early marriage and of Clifford's death? How at first we hoped he might be alive somewhere? And the final uncertainty as to just where he was buried?
Mrs. Kent: (puzzled) Yes — oh, yes. Tom knows all that.
Professor Waring: Well then, Bessie, for the rest of the evening I am Clifford Waring, not Charles!

Mrs. Kent: You Clifford-what do you mean?
Professor Waring：Just this: I'11 pretend I'm your first husband. (excited, dramatic) I was not killed in action in France, as was supposed, but, wounded and shell-shocked, I lay helpless in an overseas hospital. Partially recovering, I wandered all over the world, hunting some clue to my identity — hoping to establish some connection with my past. Finally, one night, I had a shock, it all came back — my former life — and I am here to claim you, Bessie!
Mrs. Kent: (thrilled) Oh, Charles, the way you say it, it seems positively real. I feel absolutely wicked. (delighted) (Goes up to mirror, pulls her hair out in a softer fashion, readjusts her dress.) But, Charles, why should you do such a thing for me? Why, for all you know, after tonight you may have me hanging around your neck for the rest of your life!

Professor Waring: I can think of worse things than that, Bessie. (Mrs. Kent laughs girlishly.) But I'm afraid it won't turn out that way. No, to me it will just be a very interesting little research in psychology.
Mrs. Kent: Shh — shh. I think I hear Tom and Eve coming downstairs now! Oh dear, I don't see how I can go through with this, Charles! (Enter Mr. Kent and Eve. Eve has changed into a tea gown. Mr. Kent's arm is around Eve. He talks in a low earnest voice. Professor Waring rises. Mrs. Kent, still standing,

speaks dramatically.) Tom, I — I must prepare you for a shock.
Mr. Kent: (Stands with arm still about Eve.) If you mean Eve here, I —
Mrs. Kent: (hastily) No, no, not Eve. Tom, you remember — years ago — I was married once before — we thought my husband was killed in France. Still I always had a strange feeling — Oh, Tom, there's no use beating about the bush. This gentleman here — let me present him — Professor C. Waring! Clifford, this is Mr. Kent, my husband — at least I thought he was my husband!
Mr. Kent: Waring! Bessie, what do you mean?
Professor Waring: Mr. Kent, she means just this: I was not killed in action in France, but circumstances over which I had no control kept me abroad all these years. As soon as I was free to do so, I came straight to Bessie, and I should like nothing better than for us to go away together at once. I want to take her out of the false position she has been in all these years, and the sooner the better.

参考译文

韦林教授：我们一会儿就会知道汤姆是否在意你和另一个男人私奔。现在听我说，贝西，汤姆一定知道你结过婚和柯利福德死了的事吧？起初，我们多么希望他还在某个地方活着啊。而且最终连他的墓地都还没有确定。
肯特夫人：（迷惑地）是的--奥，是的。汤姆知道所有的一切。
韦林教授：那好，贝西，今天晚上从现在开始，我就是柯利福德，不是查尔斯了！

肯特夫人：你是柯利福德--你的意思是？
韦林教授：是这样的：我将假装是你的前夫。（激动地，戏剧性地）我没有像你们料想的那样在法国阵亡，而是受了伤，患了炮弹休克症，无助地躺在海外的医院里。当病情有些好转后，我漫游全世界，寻找一些确证我身份的线索--希望与过去建立连接。终于一天晚上，我受了惊吓，一切都回想起来了--我以前的生活--我来这儿就是为了带你回去，贝西！
肯特夫人：（兴奋地）查尔斯，你说得就好像真的似的。但我感觉太不道德了。（高兴地）（走到镜子前，轻轻地梳了梳头发，整理整理衣服。）但是，查尔斯，你为什么要为我这么做呢？你要知道，过了今晚，我可能就成为你后半辈子的负担了！

韦林教授：我能想到比这还要糟糕的事情，贝西。（肯特夫人像少女似的笑了笑。）但我恐怕结果不会是那样的。不，对我来说，那只是一个有趣的心理小测验。
肯特夫人：嘘...嘘...。我想我听见汤姆和伊娃正在下楼！哦，天啦！我不知道我该怎么做，查尔斯！（肯特先生和伊娃走了进来。伊娃换了一身家居服。肯特先生搂着伊娃。他说话声音低沉真诚。韦林先生站了起来。肯特夫人，仍然站着，戏剧般地说）汤姆，我--我有件令人震惊的事要告诉你。
肯特先生：（站着，胳膊仍搂着伊娃）如果你指的是伊娃的事，我--
肯特夫人：（匆忙地）不，不，不是伊娃。汤姆，你记得--很多年以前--我曾结过一次婚--我原以为我丈夫在法国牺牲了。但我一直有一种奇怪的感觉--哦，汤姆，拐弯抹角没用！这位先生--让我给你引见，这位是韦林教授！柯利福德，这是肯特先生，我的丈夫--至少我认为他曾经是。
肯特先生：韦林！贝西，你是什么意思？
韦林教授：肯特先生，她意思是这样的：我在法国的战斗中没有死，但由于出现了我无法控制的情况，这些年我一直呆在国外。我一能回国，就直接来找贝西，我最想做的就是和贝西一起马上离开这儿。我想把她带出这些年来她一直所处的错误位置，并且越快越好。

词汇释义

1.Partially adv. 部份地,一部份地,不公平地

例句：

He was only partially to blame for the accident.
他对事故只应负部分责任。

2.thrill v. 震颤,抖颤,激动

例句：

Such was the picture, and he thrilled to the memory of it.
当时正是这样的情景，他回想起来还感到毛骨悚然。

3.present vt. 介绍, 引见, 赠送, 提出, 呈现, 上演

例句：

I present an opinion.
我提出意见。