美國語文第六冊 第3期:紐卡斯爾公爵趣事(3)
The parties separated; the Duke drove to a friend's house in the neighborhood,
晚宴散后，公爵乘馬車來到相鄰的朋友家下榻，
without a wish or desire to see his new acquaintance till that day seven years;
一直到七年后的那天都沒有任何想去看望自己這位剛結識的朋友的意思和愿望。
but the memory of the Cornish elector, not being burdened with such a variety of objects, was more retentive.
不過，這件事在康沃爾這位選舉人的記憶里可扎下根了。
The supervisor died a few months after, and the Duke's humble friend, relying on the word of a peer,
幾個月后總督死了，公爵這位卑微的朋友懷揣著對同儕這句話的期冀，
was conveyed to London posthaste, and ascended with alacrity the steps of that nobleman's palace.
十萬火急地趕往倫敦，搶先一步踏上那位大人物宅邸的臺階。
The reader should be informed, that just at this time, no less a person than the King of Spain was expected hourly to depart this life,
列為看官想必清楚，在當時有一位身份不亞于西班牙國王的人無時無刻不想遠離這種生活，
an event in which the minister of Great Britain was particularly concerned;
問題是大不列顛的內閣大臣則尤其熱衷于這種生活。
and the Duke of Newcastle, on the very night that the proprietor of the decisive vote arrived at his door, had sat up anxiously expecting dispatches from Madrid.
在那個特別的夜晚手中握有關鍵選票的人在紐卡斯爾公爵門前叩門，而紐卡斯爾公爵原本焦急地盼望來自馬德里的信件。
Wearied by official business and agitated spirits, he retired to rest,
由于連日公事繁忙，他心神疲憊不堪，已經回到內室休息。
having previously given particular instructions to his porter not to go to bed,
他早就叮囑過門童務必打起精神，
as he expected every minute a messenger with advices of the greatest importance,
他每分鐘都在焦急中度過，盼望有信使捎來最重要的訊息，
and desired that he might be shown upstairs, the moment of his arrival.
盼著門童能將信使引上樓來。
