BBC英国史

Edward asked the guardians of the realm to come up with documentary evidence

爱德华要求那些苏格兰的守护者 给出书面证据说明

as to why he was not, in fact, their feudal overlord,to which he got a wonderfully canny contradiction,not at all what he wanted to hear.

他为何不能成为他们的最高统治者 结果却使他陷入一个十分尴尬的境地 与他幻想中的答案完全背道而驰

Sire, they said,the "bona gentes", the responsible man who sent us here.

陛下 他们说道 上帝让我们在这片土地上繁衍生息

Know full well you couldn't possibly make so great a claim unless you actually believed you had a right to it.

您应该十分清楚 自己无权擅作主张 除非您确信自己有权这么做

But of this right, we know nothing.

但我们对您的这一权力毫无所知

Which is as much to say, look,you can't be completely off your head to come up with this sovereignty stuff,

这就相当于是在说 给我听好了 你别痴心妄想了 想统治我们是不可能的

but actually it's all news to us, chum,since the Scottish realm on this side of the river is held tribute to no one but god.

不过朋友 这倒真是稀奇事 因为在河这一侧的苏格兰领土 只归圣主耶稣

We don't have to prove a thing.It's for you to come up with a supermonk with the perfect charter.

这一点无需我们证明 而你则需要得到神灵的特许

Why don't you let us know when you have it?

何不在你获准时通知我们一声

In the end, all those who thought they were still of the chance of winning the Scots crown,did pay homage to Edward.

最终 所有那些 觊觎苏格兰王座的人 都宣誓效忠爱德华

But the rest of the Scots community of the realm held their noses and stood aloof.

而剩下的那些苏格兰人 则对此嗤之以鼻 不屑一顾

Was this, as some Scottish historians have always insisted, an Edwardian trap?

这会是一些苏格兰历史学家 一直支持的爱德华圈套说吗

Was he already thinking of turning scotland into Wales North,

他已经计划好将苏格兰变成北威尔士

the next territory to be gobbled up by his impeiral appetite?

以满足自己对领土的饕餮之欲吗

词汇解析

1、responsible

负有责任的;应承担责任的

He still felt responsible for her death.

他仍然觉得自己对她的死负有责任。

I want you to do everything you can to find out who's responsible.

我希望你能尽一切可能找出责任人。

对(某事物)负责的

the minister responsible for the environment.

负责环境工作的部长

The man responsible for finding the volunteers is Dr. Charles Weber.

负责寻找志愿者的人是查尔斯·韦伯博士。

负责的;有责任心的;可靠的

He's a very responsible sort of person.

他是个非常有责任心的人。

He feels that the media should be more responsible in what they report.

他觉得媒体应该对报道的内容更负责任些。

2、insist

坚持;坚决认为(或主张、要求)

My family insisted that I should not give in, but stay and fight.

家里人坚持认为我不应让步,而应该留下来继续抗争。

She insisted on being present at all the interviews.

她坚持所有采访自己都要在场。

坚称;坚持说

The president insisted that he was acting out of compassion, not opportunism.

总统坚持说他如此做是出于同情而不是为了投机。

It's not that difficult, she insists.

“并没有那么困难,”她坚持说。