学英语

This young woman, Marla Winslow, reminded him of his ex-wife. She had a demanding job as an assistant to a investment broker. She lived in the city in a very modern condominium. She drove a late model car and she was absolutely gorgeous. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and did not need a man to provide that. She was a successful woman but yet, he sensed in her, a loneliness, an incompletion that echoed his own. He could not help but wonder what it would be like to get to know her better. He wondered what she would do if he made a personal call on her. He knew he was asking for perhaps the same kind of problem that he had with Ella, that is if Marla would agree to see him on that level. She had been very sketchy in telling him much about herself. In fact, most of what he knew had come from the fact that he was a deputy and he had rescued her from a bad situation. Yet, she had been good company and expressed a real pleasure in the old farmhouse.

这位年轻女子，玛丽.温斯洛的出现，使他想起了前妻。她的工作是投资经纪人的助理，老板对她的工作很苛刻。她住在城里的，公私共有的现代公寓里。她开的是一辆新潮的现代化小车，一身穿戴眩目艳丽。她是一个不需要男人提供物质的女人，她知道自己需要什么。她是个成功女人，但是，他很了解她的寂寞和不如意。他帮不了她，但是想知道，进一步认识她以后，将会是什么情况。如果玛丽同意也在那个份上与他交往的话，结果他会陷入与埃拉关系一样的局面。关于她个人的情况，玛丽只是很简单说了一下。目前只有这点事实，就是，他作为副队长将她从困境中解救出来。还有，就是她也算是好同伴了，她对这个旧农舍很欣赏。


Muddled with these thoughts, he finally decided to get some sleep. The rain had stopped and the immediate threat was over and he had another shift to work that night. He would think about her again when he was not so tired and once again, alone in his house.

想到这些，脑子里乱糟糟的，他准备躺下睡一觉。雨已经停了，台风威胁已经结束。夜里还要值夜班。只要不是太疲惫，他都会想起她。现在，又是他一个人在这房子里。

***

“Really, Marla, I can’t believe you could make such a stupid mistake!” Jeffery Benton stated, his face darkened by a strong look of disapproval.

“玛丽，我直说了，真难以相信，你竟然会犯这种愚蠢的错误。”他说话时，脸孔铁青，显得非常不滿意。

Marla felt her back stiffen with unexpressed indignation as she glared at her boss. “How often do I make a mistake?” she thought to herself, “not very damn often!” the thought continued but she kept it to herself. Jeffery was such a perfectionist and had a high tolerance for his own “few if none” errors but totally none for hers. The man was all about money and nothing else. The construction company’s rep had been most understanding and the account was in no jeopardy. Jeffery just could not let it pass without saying something.
玛丽看着老板，肚子里像有一团无名火一样难受。“难道我常常犯错误吗？”她心里嘀咕着，“不是常常犯，该死的。”她心里在想，却忍住不说出口。老板杰夫是个十足的十全十美主义者，向来对他自己的“几乎没有”的错误宽宏大量。而今天对她却不讲情面。在他心里只有钱。建筑公司的代表已经非常谅解，而且入账不会有问题。玛丽若是不说点什么的话，杰夫是不肯罢休的。

“I handled it, Jeffery, and it would not have been accomplished anyway because of the weather.” she defended herself.
“我去办事了，杰夫。不管怎么说，这件事本来办不成的，因为天气不好。”她为自己辩护。