Aleck had been smiling blandly and contentedly all through this arraignmentarraignment n.提问， 传讯， 责难 of her marriage policy， a pleasant light， as of triumph with perhaps a nice surprise peeping out through it， rose in her eyes， and she said， as calmly as she could：“Sally， what would you say to—ROYALTY？”
在萨利对艾莱柯的婚姻战略大张挞伐的过程中，她一直面带温柔而沉稳的笑容。她的眼里闪出一丝快意的光芒，那似乎是得胜时流露出的欣慰的惊诧。她用尽可能平静的口气说： “萨利，要不，咱们就找个——找个皇族吧？”
Prodigious！ Poor man， it knocked him silly， and he fell over the garboard—strake and barked his shin on the catheads. He was dizzy for a moment， then he gathered himself up and limped over and sat down by his wife and beamed his oldtime admiration and affection upon her in floods， out of his blearybleary adj.眼睛模糊的， 朦胧的 eyes.
真不得了哇！这可怜的人儿一下子昏了头，跌倒在船侧的龙骨板上，小腿被错架擦破了一层皮。有一阵儿，他两眼直冒金星，后来清醒了，才一瘸一拐地走过去坐在妻子身边。他那双朦朦胧胧的眼睛，向妻子倾诉着当年的那种赞美和爱意。
“By George！” he said， fervently， “Aleck， you are great—the greatest woman in the whole earth！ I cant ever learn the whole size of you. I cant ever learn the immeasurableimmeasurable adj.不可估量的 deeps of you. Here Ive been considering myself qualified to criticize your game. I！ Why， if I had stopped to think， Id have known you had a lone hand up your sleeve. Now， dear heart， Im all redhot impatience—tell me about it！”
“老天爷！”他热情洋溢地说，“艾莱柯，你真棒——你是全世界最棒的女人！你真是莫测高深，我服了。我一直以为有资格对你的规划指手画脚。就我！还指手画脚呢！假如我停住嘴想一想，就能明白你的锦囊妙计了。亲爱的心肝，我总是这么毛手毛脚，沉不住气——给我讲讲吧！”
The flattered and happy woman put her lips to his ear and whisperedwhisper n.耳语， 私语， 密谈， 谣传， 飒飒的声音 vi.耳语，密谈， 飒飒地响 vt.低声说 a princely name. It made him catch his breath， it lit his face with exultation.“Land！” he said， “Its a stunningstunning adj.足以使人晕倒的， 极好的 catch！ Hes got a gamblinghall， and a graveyard， and a bishop. and a cathedral—all his very own. And all giltedged fivehundredpercent. stock， every detail of it， the tidiest little property in Europe. and that graveyard—its the selectest in the world： none but suicides admitted， yes， sir， and the freelist suspended， too， all the time.There isnt much land in the principalityprincipality n.公国， 侯国， but theres enough： eight hundred acres in the graveyard and fortytwo outside. Its a SOVEREIGNTY—thats the main thing， LANDS nothing. Theres plenty land， Saharas drugged with it.”
这位受了奉承、喜气洋洋的女人凑到他的耳边，悄悄说了一个王子的名字。听了这个名字，他屏住呼吸，乐得脸上放光。“天哪！”他说，“你抓得真准！他开了一家赌场，还管着一块墓地，一个主教和一座教堂——全都是他自己的产业。全都稳赚百分之五百。他的股无可挑剔，在欧洲都是数得着的金筹股产业。那块墓地——在全世界是优中选优的：除了自杀的，其他鬼谢绝入内；真的，再说，免费埋葬期已经截止，不再优惠了。那个公园地盘不大，不过也够用了：墓地里面有八百英亩，外面有四十二英亩。这是个君主国——这一点至关重要；至于地盘大小倒是无所谓。要光是贪图地盘的话，上撒哈拉大沙漠呀。”
Aleck glowed， she was profoundly happy. She said：“Think of it， Sally—it is a family that has never married outside the Royal and Imperial Houses of Europe： our grandchildren will sit upon thronesthrone n.王座， 君主！”
艾莱柯心潮澎湃，她高兴极了。她说：“你想想，萨利——这个家族从来没有跟欧洲皇亲国戚之外的人通过婚：咱们的外孙子可以登基了！”
“True as you live， Aleck—and bear sceptersscepter n.笏， 节杖， 王权 vt.授予节杖， 拥登王位， 授予王权， too. And handle them as naturally and nonchantly as I handle a yardstick. Its a grand catch， Aleck. Hes corralled， is he？ Cant get away？ You didnt take him on a margin？”
“千真万确，艾莱柯——还得手握权杖；外孙子拿着权杖随随便便，满不在乎，就像我拿着一把尺似的。艾莱柯，你抓得太准了。他已经攥在你手心里头了，是不是？跑不了吧？你没给他留活口吧？”
“No. Trust me for that. Hes not a liabilityliability n.责任， 义务， 倾向， 债务， 负债， 与assets相对， hes an assetasset n.资产， 有用的东西。 So is the other one.”
“没留。你就等好消息吧。他不是一份债务，而是一笔资产。另外那个也一样。”
“Who is it， Aleck？”
“那一个是谁，艾莱柯？”
“His Royal Highness SigismundSiegfriendLauenfeldDinkelspielSchwartzenberg Blutwurst， Hereditary Grant Duke of Katzenyammer.”
“是西基斯蒙德西格弗里德劳恩费尔德丁克尔斯皮尔施瓦岑伯格布鲁特沃斯特殿下，卡普雅默世袭大公。”
“No！ You cant mean it！”
“不可能！你是开玩笑吧！”
“Its as true as Im sitting here， I give you my word.” she answered.
“千真万确，绝无虚言。”她答道。
His cup was full， and he hugged her to his heart with rapturerapture n.全神贯注， 兴高采烈， 欢天喜地 vt.使狂喜， saying：“How wonderful it all seems， and how beautiful！ Its one of the oldest and noblest of the three hundred and sixtyfour ancient German principalities， and one of the few that was allowed to retain its royal estate when Bismarck got done trimming them. I know that farm， Ive been there. Its got a ropewalk and a candlefactory and an army. Standing army. Infantryinfantry n.步兵， 步兵团 and cavalrycavalry n.骑兵。 Three soldier and a horse. Aleck， its been a long wait， and full of heartbreak and hope deferred， but God knows I am happy now. Happy， and grateful to you， my own， who have done it all. When is it to be？”
他万分激动，兴高采烈地把她搂在怀里，说：“真是太神奇、太美妙了！这是三百六十四个古日耳曼诸侯国中历史最悠久、贵族味最浓的一个，也是俾斯麦取消割据后很少几个允许保留族产的王室之一。我知道那个庄园，我去过那儿。那儿有一个制绳作坊，一个蜡烛厂，还有一支军队。一支常备军。步兵骑兵都有。有三个兵，一匹马。艾莱柯，咱们漫长的等待旅途既有伤心，也有希望，上苍有眼，我现在真高兴。我又高兴，又感激你，亲爱的，这都是你的功劳。定下日子了吗？”
“Next Sunday.”
“下个周日。”
“Good. And well want to do these weddings up in the very regalest style thats going. Its properly due to the royal quality of the parties of the first part. Now as I understand it， there is only one kind of marriage that is sacred to royalty， exclusive to royaltyroyalty n.皇室， 王权： its the morganaticmorganatic adj.贵贱通婚的（指王室，贵族成员与庶民通婚的）。”
“太好了。咱们要把这两桩婚事按照最时兴的盛典规矩来办。要符合男方王室家族的身份。据我所知，对王室来说只有一种形式的婚姻是神圣的，也只有王室才配：那就是与民女联姻。”
“What do they call it that for， Sally？”
“干吗要这样叫呢，萨利？”
“I dont know， but anyway its royal， and royal only.”
“不知道。不管怎样，这是王室的做派，只有王室才配。”
“Then we will insist upon it. More—I will compel it. It is morganatic marriage or none.”
“那咱们就照章办事。而且——我还非要这样办不可。要结就按和民女联姻的排场办，不这样办就别结。”
“That settles it！” said Sally， rubbing his hands with delight. “And it will be the very first in America. Aleck， it will make Newport sick.”
“一言为定！”萨利一边说，一边高兴得摩拳擦掌，“这在美国可是头一份啊。艾莱柯，这场婚礼非让新港那儿的人都得了红眼病不可。”
Then they fell silent， and drifted away upon their dream wings to the far regions of the earth to invite all the crownedcrowned adj.有王冠的， 王室的 heads and their families and provide gratisgratis adv.免费， 白送 adj.免费的 transportation to them.
他们又陷入沉默，幻想的翅膀飘然而起，飞向全球的各个角落，邀请所有的王公贵族和他们的家人，并且白送他们路费。