精美英文欣赏:幸运的礼服(下)

When I arrived at her modest white house on the outskirts¹ of town， she carefully inspected my dress and asked me to try it on. She put a handful of pins into the shoulders and sides of my gown and told me to pick it up in two days. She was the answer to my prayers.

当我赶到她在城镇郊区的简陋的白色房子里时，她仔细的察看了我的礼服，并让我穿上。她用别针将礼服的肩膀处和两侧别上，让我两天后来取衣服。她正是我祈祷的福音。

When the time came to pick it up， however， I grew skeptical². How could I have been so foolish as to just leave a $1，200 wedding dress in the hands of someone I barely knew？What if she made a mess out of it？ I had no idea if she could even sew on a button.

该去取衣服了，我却忐忑不安起来。我怎么这么愚蠢，将一件价值1200美元的礼服交到一个一点儿也不了解的人手里？如果她改坏了怎么办？我甚至不知道她会不会缝扣子。

Thank goodness my fears were all for naught³. The dress still looked exactly the same，but it now fit as if it had been made especially for me. I thanked the cheerful lady and paid her modest fee.

谢天谢地，我的担心都是多余的。礼服仍跟以前一样，不过现在我穿上正合适，仿佛它是为我度身定造的一样。我谢过那个高兴的女裁缝，并付了钱。

One small problem solved just in time for a bigger one to emerge. On Valentine's Day，my fiance called.

然而这只是解决了一个小问题，更大的问题在后面。情人节那天，未婚夫打来电话。

"Sandy， I've come to the decision that I'm not ready to get married，" he announced， none too gently. "I want to travel and experience life for a few years before settling down."

我决定了，我还没有对婚姻做好准备，”他宣布，语气一点也不温柔。“在成家之前，我要到各处走走，享受几年生活。

He apologized for the inconvenience of leaving all the wedding cancellations to me and then quickly left town.

他对把取消婚礼的所有麻烦留给我表示歉意，然后很快离开了这个城镇。

My world turned upside down. I was angry and heartbroken and had no idea how to recover. But days flew into weeks and weeks blended into months. I survived.

我的世界被颠覆了。我愤怒，心碎，不知道如何撑过去。然而随着日子一天天，一月月流走，我熬过去了。

One day in the fall of the same year， while standing⁴ in line at the supermarket， I heard someone calling my name. I turned around to see the alterations⁵ lady. She politely inquired about my wedding， and was shocked to discover it had been called off， but agreed it was probably for the best.

这个秋季的一天，在超市排队结帐的时候，我听见有人叫我的名字。一扭头，看到那个女裁缝。她很有礼貌的问起我的婚礼，得知被取消她十分吃惊，但随后同意未知的也许是最好的。

I thanked her again for adjusting my wedding gown， and assured her it was safely bagged and awaiting the day I would wear it down the aisle⁶ on the arm of my real “Mister Right.”

我再一次感谢她成功修改了我的结婚礼服，并向她保证，礼服被我安全的放起来了，等待我穿上它 挽着我真正的“白马王子”走上红地毯的一天。

With a sparkle in her eye， she began telling me about her single son， Tim. Even though I wasn't interested in dating again， I let her talk me into meeting him.

她眼睛里闪过亮光，开始跟我谈起她的单身的儿子Tim. 尽管我对重新约会没有兴趣，我还是听任她给我安排跟她儿子的约会。

I did have my summer wedding after all， only a year later. And I did get to wear the dress of my dreams - standing beside Tim， the man I have shared the last eighteen years of my life with， whom I would never have met without that special wedding gown.

我的夏季婚礼最终成为现实，只不过是一年以后。站在Tim身旁，我终于穿上了我梦中的结婚礼服。 在随后的十八年里，我们相亲相爱，相濡以沫。如果不是因为这件特殊的礼服，我们永远不会相遇。

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

3 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 alterations   

n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变

参考例句：

• Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。