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Mr Toots — than whom there were few better fellows in the world, though there may have been one or two brighter spirits — had laboriously invented this long burst of discourse with the view of relieving the feelings both of Florence and himself. But finding that he had run through his property, as it were, in an injudicious manner, by squandering the whole before taking a chair, or before Florence had uttered a word, or before he had well got in at the door, he deemed it advisable to begin again.
世界上虽然可以找到一两个头脑比图茨先生更聪明的人，但却很少有比他更好的人。为了宽慰弗洛伦斯和他本人的心情，他曾经煞费苦心地编出了这长长一串的话，可是在他还没有在椅子上坐下来之前，在弗洛伦斯还没有说出一句话之前，或者在他还没有从门口完全跨进来之前，他已把他的全部财产挥霍罄尽了；当他发现他的财产已经用得一干二净之后，他认为从头再说一遍倒是个可取的办法。
'How d'ye do, Miss Dombey?' said Mr Toots. 'I'm very well, I thank you; how are you?'
“您好吗，董贝小姐？”图茨先生说道，“我很好，谢谢您。您身体好吗？”
Florence gave him her hand, and said she was very well.
弗洛伦斯向他伸出手去，说她很好。
'I'm very well indeed,' said Mr Toots, taking a chair. 'Very well indeed, I am. I don't remember,' said Mr Toots, after reflecting a little, 'that I was ever better, thank you.'
“我确实很好，”图茨先生在椅子上坐下来，说道，“确实是这样。我不记得，”图茨先生想了一会儿，说，“曾经还有比现在更好的时候，谢谢您。”
'It's very kind of you to come,' said Florence, taking up her work, 'I am very glad to see you.'
“您真客气，还来看我，”弗洛伦斯拿起针线活，说，“我很高兴见到您。”
Mr Toots responded with a chuckle. Thinking that might be too lively, he corrected it with a sigh. Thinking that might be too melancholy, he corrected it with a chuckle. Not thoroughly pleasing himself with either mode of reply, he breathed hard.
图茨先生吃吃地笑了一下，作为回答。考虑到这可能显得太快活了，他就用一声叹息来纠正；考虑到这可能又显得太忧愁了，他又吃吃笑了一下，进行纠正。这两个回答方式哪一个也不能使他完全称心满意，他就呼呼地直喘气。
'You were very kind to my dear brother,' said Florence, obeying her own natural impulse to relieve him by saying so. 'He often talked to me about you.'
“您待我亲爱的弟弟很好，”弗洛伦斯说。她自然而然，不由自主地希望用这些话把他从困境中救出。“他时常跟我谈到您。”
'Oh it's of no consequence,' said Mr Toots hastily. 'Warm, ain't it?'
“啊，那无关紧要，”图茨先生急忙说道，“今天挺温暖，是不是？”
'It is beautiful weather,' replied Florence.
“美好的天气，”弗洛伦斯回答。
'It agrees with me!' said Mr Toots. 'I don't think I ever was so well as I find myself at present, I'm obliged to you.
“这种天气对我很合适！”图茨先生说，“我觉得我身体从来没有像现在这样好过。谢谢您。”
After stating this curious and unexpected fact, Mr Toots fell into a deep well of silence.
图茨先生叙述了这个奇妙的、意想不到的事实之后，掉进了沉默的深井中。

重点讲解
一.invent：vt.发明, 捏造
【词义辨析】
create, compose, design, invent, make, produce
这些动词均有“创造”，“制作”之意。
create侧重创造出来的东西以前并不存在，或者指独具特色的创作。
compose多指音乐或诗歌、画的创作。
design主要指在艺术或技术领域的创作设计，强调构思多于实际制造。
invent主要用于科技领域，指通过思考、研究或实验制造出新的前所未有、极为有用的东西。
make最普通用词，指任何东西的创作或制造。
produce指产品的生产，或作品创作的完成。
【例句用法】
Can you tell me who invented the telephone?
你能告诉我是谁发明了电话？
We must invent an excuse for our absence.
我们必须为缺席编造一个藉口。
二.present：n.礼物, 现在 adj.出席的, 现在的, 当前的, 存在的 v.提出, 赠送, 呈现
【语法用法】
at present，for the present都属于固定搭配格式，不能修改成at the present，in present等其他格式。前者指“现在”，后者指“暂时”；
at present同presently意思不同，但前者常用于现在时，表示“目前”，后者则常用于将来时，表示“一会儿”；
present和gift的比较：present指“礼物”，但gift可以不是“礼物”。Birthday/Christmas gift中，gift属于礼物。在别人需要而将东西送给他时，如一本旧书或是把书捐给图书馆，都属于gift，但不算送“礼”；
表示“把…送给（某人)”的几种说法：{He presented a book to her.
He presented her with a book.
He made her a present of a book.
He made a present of a book to her.
值得注意的是，present 作动词时，很少有双宾语。}
present作形容词时，常用于名词后，指“出席的”。
There are other people present.
还有其他人出席。
【错句举例与错句分析】
错句: Go to the post office and wait there; I will come at present.
订正: Go to the post office and wait there; I will presently.
翻译: 你到邮局那等会，我一会就来。
分析: 表示“一会儿”，用presently，at present常用现在时，表“现在”。
【词义辨析】
modern, contemporary, current, recent, present, up-to-date
这些形容词均有“现代的、当代的”之意。
modern指现代或近代，时期可长可短；也可指新颖、时髦的。
contemporary仅指当今这个时代，不涉及任何过去的时代，但可表示不同的人或物存在于同一时代。
current指目前存在和发生的。
recent表示新近的，最近的，时间的长短依据所修饰的人或物而定。
present是这些词中语气最强的一个。指现在正发生、起作用的。
up-to-date一般用于非正式场合，指很时新、能反映当前的最新发展。
offer, present, propose, volunteer
这些动词均含“提出、提供”之意。
offer最普通用词，多指主动提出或提供意见或东西等，但是否接受由对方自行决定。
present既可指提出意见、建议等，又可指拿出某物供人欣赏或赠送。
propose指直接而主动地提出问题或建议等，也指在讨论或争辨中提出具体意见或建议。
volunteer与offer同义，侧重出于自愿，而不是奉命做某事。
【例句用法】
Falling interest rates present the firm with a new problem.
利息一下降给公司带来了一个新的问题。
He would not be elected on present form.
鉴於他的现时表现，他不可能当选。