Meantime I spent all my evenings at the ministers with Portia. I didnt say a word to her about the mine， I saved it for a surprise. We talked salary， never anything but salary and love， sometimes love， sometimes salary， sometimes love and salary together. And my！ The interest the ministers wife and daughter took in our little affair， and the endless ingenuitiesingenuity n.机灵， 独创性， 精巧， 灵活性 they invented to save us from interruption， and to keep the minister in the dark and unsuspicious—well， it was just lovely of them！
与此同时，我每天晚上都在公使府上陪着波蒂娅。矿山的事我对她只字未提；我留着这事给她一个惊喜。我们谈那笔薪水；除了薪水和爱情一切免谈；有时谈谈爱情，有时谈谈薪水，有时候两者兼谈。啊！那公使夫人和公使千金对我们的体贴无微不至，总是想方设法不让我们受打扰，只瞒着公使一个人，让他毫不疑心——你瞧，她们有多可爱呀！
When the month was up at last， I had a million dollars to my credit in the London and County Bank， and Hastings was fixed in the same way. Dressed at my level best， I drove by the house in Portland Place， judged by the look of things that my birds were home again， went on towards the ministers and got my precious， and we started back， talking salary with all our might. She was so excited and anxious that it made her just intolerably beautiful. I said： “Dearie， the way youre looking its a crime to strikestrike n.罢工， 打击， 殴打 vt.打， 撞击， 冲击， 罢工，打动，划燃， 到达， 侵袭 vi.打， 打击， 罢工， 抓， 敲， 搏动， 打动， 穿透 for a salary a single penny under three thousand a year.”
终于到了那个月的月底，我在伦敦国民银行的户头上已经有了一百万块钱，赫斯廷斯的钱数也是一样。当我穿着自己最体面的衣服，驱车经过波特兰大道那所宅子时，根据种种迹象判断，我的那两个家伙又回来了；我到公使府上接了我最亲爱的人，一边往回赶，一边起劲地谈论薪水的事。激动外加着急，使她显得分外妖娆。我说：“亲爱的，凭你现在的模样，我要的薪水比三千英镑少一个子儿都是罪过。”
“Henry， Henry， youll ruin us！”
“亨利，亨利，你可别毁了咱们哪！”
“Dont you be afraid. Just keep up those looks， and trust to me. Itll all come out right.”
“你别怕。把这模样保持住，瞧我的吧。准保万事大吉。”
So， as it turned out， I had to keep bolsterbolster n.垫子 v.支持 up her courage all the way. She kept pleading with me， and saying： “Oh， please remember that if we ask for too much we may get no salary at all， and then what will become of us， with no way in the world to earn our living？”
结果，这一路上反倒要我来一个劲地唱高调给她打气，她却一个劲地给我泼冷水；她说：“哎，请你记住，假如咱们要价太高了，也许一点儿薪水都捞不着；那时候咱们可怎么办呢，岂不是走投无路，没有生计了吗？”
We were usheredusher n.引座员， 招待员， 传达员， 前驱 vt.引导， 展示vi.作招待员 in by that same servant， and there they were， the two old gentlemen. Of course， they were surprised to see that wonderful creature with me， but I said： “Its all right， gentlemen， she is my future stay and helpmate.”
还是那个仆人把我们领了进去，那两位老先生都在，看见有个尤物跟着我，他们很惊奇，可是我说：“这算不了什么，先生们；她是我日后的主心骨和帮手。”
And I introduced them to her， and called them by name. It didnt surprise them， they knew I would know enough to consult the directory. They seated us， and were very polite to me， and very solicitoussolicitous adj.热切期望的 to relieve her from embarrassment， and put her as much at her ease as they could. Then I said： “Gentlemen， I am ready to report.”
于是我把他们介绍给她，提到他们时，都是直呼其名。他们对此倒是见怪不怪，因为他们知道我一定查过姓名录。他们让了座，对我极为客气，并且热情地消除波蒂哑的局促感，让她尽可能放松。这时我说：“先生们，我准备报告了。”
“We are glad to hear it，” said my man， “for now we can decide the bet which my brother Abel and I made. If you have won for me， you shall have any situation in my gift. Have you the millionpound note？”
“我们很高兴听你的报告，”我的那位先生说，“这样我哥哥亚贝尔和我打的赌就能见分晓了。你如果让我赢了，就可以在我的职权范围内得到一个职位。你拿来那张一百万英镑的钞票了吗？”
“Here it is， sir.” and I handed it to him.
“在这儿，先生。”我把钞票交给了他。
“Ive won！” he shouted， and slapped Abel on the back. “Now what do you say， brother？”
“我赢了！”他拍着亚贝尔的后背喊了起来。“哥哥，如今你还有什么可说的？”
“I say he did survivesurvive v.幸免于， 幸存， 生还， and Ive lost twenty thousand pounds. I never would have believed it.”
“我只好说，他真活下来了，我输了两万英镑。我真不敢相信。”
“Ive a further report to make，” I said， “and a pretty long one. I want you to let me come soon， and detail my whole months history， and I promise you its worth hearing. Meantime， take a look at that.”
“还有一事禀报，”我说，“这可就说来话长了。我请你们允许我再来一趟，详详细细地说说我这一个月的经历，我保证这值得一听。还有，瞧瞧这个。”
“What， man！ Certificate of deposit for 200，000. Is it yours？”
“什么，好家伙！二十万英镑的存单。难道这是你的不成？”
“Mine. I earned it by thirty days judiciousjudicious adj.明智的 use of that little loan you let me have. And the only use I made of it was to buy trifles and offer the bill in change.”
“是我的。我在三十天之内活用了阁下那笔小小的贷款，赚了这笔钱。至于这大钞本身，我只靠它买过小吃，付账让他们找零钱的时候用。”
“come， this is astonishing！ Its incredible， man！” 。
