“Take care of him with love and tenderness! Make sure he feels loved and protected!”﹝我说的是用爱和温柔好好照顾他!让他感受到被爱和被保护!﹞
英文的“take care of”字面意思就是“照顾”,但在俗语中有“处理掉”的意思,所以杜明贤误会了。不过就算如此,用爱和温柔什么的对威廉实在是大可不必!
“Take this, it's a gesture.”﹝拿着,这是我想要表达的立场。﹞
杜明贤疑惑地接过珍妮弗女士早就准备好的一张纸,定睛一看发现是张支票,金额是——100万!而且还是英镑!!
“No.”杜明贤立刻把支票还了回去,甚至还在思考要不要连指纹都擦掉?
“You want more?”﹝你还要更多吗?﹞
珍妮弗女士作势要往数字后添“0”。
“This is wrong, in so many levels.”﹝这事不对,在各种意义上都不对。﹞
稍微冷静了几秒,杜明贤组织好语言才解释道:“William and I are friends who help each other equally.”﹝威廉和我是朋友,我们平等地互相帮助。﹞
“Consider the money as a gift. You can buy a bigger apartment and then help each other equally.”﹝把这笔钱当成一份礼物。你们能买套大房子,然后再去“平等地互相帮助”。﹞
杜明贤还是摇头。如果让威廉知道自己收了这笔钱,他会真的发火——至今为止从未见过威廉真正发火的样子,杜明贤的打算是一辈子都不要见!