1
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I can't say the service was up to scratch.
我可不敢说这服务是达标的

2
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It smacked of the conveyor belt.
整个就跟传送带一样

3
00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,000
In fact, I wrote to the crematorium.
我还给殡仪馆写了信

4
00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,920
I said, "I thought the hallmark of a ceremony
我说 “我认为仪式 尤其是葬礼”

5
00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,000
"of that nature was reverence,
“其核心在于敬意”

6
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"whereas the word that kept coming into my mind was brisk."
“但我脑海里能想到的词却是 潦草”

7
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"Moreover," I added, "grief-stricken people do not expect to emerge
“而且” 我还补充说 “心情悲痛的人们”

8
00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,120
"from the Chapel of Rest to find grown men
“并不想一走出殡仪馆停尸间”

9
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"skulking in the rhododendrons with tab ends in their mouths."
“就看见那些男的叼着烟屁股 在杜鹃花束间晃来晃去”

10
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If the hearse drivers must smoke, then facilities should be provided.
灵车司机非要抽烟的话 殡仪馆就该提供相应的设施

11
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I'd heard good reports of this crematorium,
我听说这家殡仪馆也有好名声

12
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but I hoped that they would agree with me that, on this occasion,
但我希望 这次他们能跟我达成一致意见

13
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,160
it had let itself down.
它的确自砸招牌了

14
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Of course, if I'd happened to be heartbroken,
当然了 我要是为葬礼心情悲痛

15
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I'd have felt much worse.
我会感觉这一切更糟糕

16
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I didn't let on to the crematorium
但我没向殡仪馆透露这个

17
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cos I thought it might get them off the hook,
因为这样一来他们可能会推卸责任

18
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but I actually didn't know her all that well.
其实我和逝者没那么熟

19
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I used to see her getting on the 37 and we'd pass the time of day.
我以前经常看见她坐37路车 我们会寒暄一阵

20
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She lost her mother round about the time I lost mine.
我们差不多同时 痛失了各自的母亲

21
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She had a niece in Australia, and I have the one cousin in Canada.
她有个侄女在澳大利亚 我唯一的表亲在加拿大

22
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And then she went in for gas-fired central heating
还有就是 她用燃气集中供热系统

23
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just a few weeks before I did,
几周后 我也开始用了

24
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so one way or another, we'd covered a lot of the same ground.
所以我们有许多共同点 可以这么说 

25
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I'd spent years thinking she was called Hammersley,
这么多年 我一直以为她叫Hammersley

26
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which was way off the mark cos her name turns out to be Pringle.
其实错得离谱 她的真名是Pringle

27
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,040
There was a picture of her in the Evening Post -
晚报刊登了一张她的照片

28
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for which she'd been a big voluntary worker -
原因是她一直热心于社工服务

29
00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,240
with details of the funeral on the Wednesday afternoon,
报纸还提到了周三下午她葬礼的细节

30
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which is the one time I'm dangling my feet a bit,
那时间我正好没事可做

31
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so I thought I'd get out my little maroon coat
所以我想着 我得翻出我的褐红色小外套

32
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and put in an appearance.
去葬礼一趟

33
00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:26,320
At least it's an outing.
毕竟也是出门嘛

34
00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,200
And I was glad I'd gone, but, as I say,
这决定没错 但就像我开头说的

35
00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,280
the ceremony was a bit lacklustre
整个葬礼有点草率了

36
00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,360
and topped off by these young fellas smoking,
被这些抽烟的年轻人搞得乌烟瘴气

37
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,680
so I thought the least I could do was write.
所以我觉得 最起码我得写封信投诉这件事

38
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Anyway, I got a charming letter back from the director of operations,
然后 我收到了运营部主管的回信

39
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,280
a Mr Widdop.
来自Widdop先生

40
00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,240
He said he was most grateful
他说非常感谢我

41
00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,520
that I'd drawn this matter to his attention,
能写信告诉他这件事

42
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,240
and, while he was aware the practice sometimes went on,
他还说 尽管他知道这样的事时有发生

43
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if he personally caught anybody smoking,
但要是他当场抓住有人抽烟

44
00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,080
he would jump on the culprits with both feet.
他会严厉地批评对方

45
00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,640
He knew I would appreciate
他知道我也同意这一点

46
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that discipline within the chapel precincts
就是殡仪馆周围的秩序

47
00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,200
presented special problems,
确实存在很多问题

48
00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,840
as it wasn't always convenient to tear a strip off somebody
但把犯错的人骂得狗血淋头 也不太好

49
00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,440
when there were grief-stricken people knocking about.
毕竟附近还有前来吊唁的人

50
00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,560
What he personally preferred to do was to keep a low profile
他个人的建议是先低调行事

51
00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,240
and then come down on the offenders like a tonne of bricks
等到周围没什么可顾虑的

52
00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,760
once the coast was clear.
再狠狠处理这些违反规定的人

53
00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,720
And with regard to my remarks about facilities,
至于我提到修建设施的问题

54
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they had no plans to provide a smoking area in the Chapel of Rest
他们并不打算在殡仪馆停尸间提供吸烟区

55
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:31,640
in the foreseeable future,
至少是在相当长的一段时间内

56
00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:35,200
as I must understand that space was at a premium,
因为我必须理解 殡仪馆的空间有限

57
00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,080
and top of their list of priorities at the present moment
目前他们的头等大事

58
00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,480
was the provision of a temporary temple
是修一个临时的寺庙

59
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,240
for the use of racial minorities.
供少数族群使用

60
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,920
However, he would bear my remarks in mind,
但他说会保留我的意见

61
00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,240
and, if I were to come across any similar infringements
并说 如果我再遇到这种类似的违规行为

62
00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,160
in the future, I was not to hesitate to get in touch.
我可以立即和他联系

63
00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,840
I wrote him a little letter back,
我给他回了一封简短的信

64
00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,880
thanking him for his prompt and courteous reply,
感谢他及时且礼貌的回信 

65
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,760
and saying that though I hoped not to make any further visits
我还说 我并不希望近期再去一趟

66
00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,240
to the crematorium in the near future - joke -
就是再去殡仪馆 - 好了 玩笑话

67
00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:18,320
I took his point.
我说十分理解

68
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,760
I also dropped a line to the relatives,
我还给Pringle的亲戚们写信

69
00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,520
care of the undertakers,
地址是问殡仪员要的

70
00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,840
saying I was an acquaintance of Miss Pringle's,
我说我是Pringle女士的一位熟人

71
00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,000
had been present at the ceremony
之前出席过葬礼

72
00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,080
and had taken the liberty of entering into correspondence
冒昧地写这封信

73
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,120
with the crematorium over the unfortunate lapse.
是想指出殡仪馆的这个小问题

74
00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:39,840
I enclosed a copy of Mr Widdop's reply,
我还随信附上了Widdop先生回信的复印件

75
00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,280
but they...they didn't write back,
但之后 就没人再回信了

76
00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:45,680
which I can understand,
我知道为什么

77
00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,400
because the one thing death always entails
因为人去世总是导致一个问题

78
00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,480
is a mass of correspondence.
就是信件来往频繁

79
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,400
When Mother died, I had 53 letters.
我母亲去世时 我收到53封信

80
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:03,200
Besides, they may not have even seen them smoking.
话说回来 他们也许没撞上那些人抽烟

81
00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,040
They were probably blinded with grief.
因为悲伤蒙蔽了他们的双眼

82
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,400
I see we've got a new couple moved in opposite.
我瞧见一对新婚夫妇刚搬到我家对面

83
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,240
Don't look very promising.
看上去不怎么样

84
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,400
The kiddy looks filthy.
他们的孩子脏兮兮的

85
00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,200
A card from the opticians this morning
今天早上 眼镜店发来一张卡片

86
00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,120
saying that their records indicate
上面写着 他们的记录显示

87
00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,080
that it's two years since they supplied me with spectacles,
我在店里配眼镜已经两年了

88
00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,600
and that by now they would almost certainly be in need of verification
目前 他们急需核实这个信息

89
00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:55,640
and suggesting I call at my earliest convenience.
让我方便的话 尽早回电

90
00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,640
I thought that was nice,
我觉得这很贴心

91
00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:02,520
so I took my trusty Platignum and dashed off an answer forthwith.
所以我拿起心爱的Platignum牌钢笔 立即给他们回了一封信

92
00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,880
I said I thought it was very considerate of them
我在信里说 他们考虑得非常周到

93
00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:06,440
to have kept me in mind,
还记得我

94
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,120
and while I was quite satisfied with my spectacles at the present moment,
我非常满意我现在的这一副眼镜

95
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,760
I was grateful to them for drawing this matter to my attention,
也非常感谢他们告诉我这件事

96
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,800
and in the event of my noticing any deterioration,
还说 要是我的眼镜出什么问题

97
00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,760
I would in due course get in touch with them.
我会尽快联系他们

98
00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,560
It's stood me in good stead, has this pen.
这支笔真是帮了我不少的忙

99
00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,360
Mother bought it me the last time
母亲最后一次去哈罗盖特时

100
00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,200
she was able to get over to Harrogate.
买了这支笔送我

101
00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:31,880
It's been a real friend.
它一直是我的挚友

102
00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:38,760
Angie, her name is.
那个女人叫Angie

103
00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,960
I heard him shout of her as I went by en route for the Post Office.
我去邮局的路上 听到她丈夫这么喊她

104
00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,760
He was laid out underneath his car wanting a spanner,
他躺在车底 想要一个扳手

105
00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:52,040
and she came out, transistor in one hand, kiddy in the other.
她走了出来 一手拿着收音机 一手牵着孩子

106
00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,320
Thin little thing, bruise on its arm.
小家伙很瘦 胳膊上还有淤青

107
00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,200
And I thought, "Well, you've got a car, you've got a transistor,
我就想着 “好家伙 你有了一辆车 还有一个收音机”

108
00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,400
"it's about time you invested in some curtains."
“你也该花钱买些窗帘了”

109
00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,200
She can't be more than 20,
她看起来还不到20岁

110
00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,640
and by the look of her, she's expecting another.
但从外表来看 她还想再要一个孩子

111
00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,000
I passed the place where there was the broken step
我经过的地方有级台阶坏了

112
00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,840
I wrote to the council was a danger to the public.
我写信告诉议会 说这威胁到公共安全

113
00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,400
Little ramp there now. Access for the disabled.
于是 现在那儿建了个坡道 供残疾人使用

114
00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:26,200
Whenever I pass, I think, "Well, that's thanks to you, Irene."
我每次经过都会想 “噢 真是多亏了你 Irene”

115
00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,040
It's my monument, that ramp.
这个坡道就是我的勋章

116
00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,960
Only some dog had gone and done its business right in the middle of it.
只是一些狗经过那儿 拉屎在坡道中间

117
00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,640
I'm sure there's more of that than there used to be.
我敢肯定 现在那儿的狗屎比以前多了很多

118
00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,840
I had a little awayday to London last year.
去年 我去伦敦玩了一趟

119
00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,000
It was dog dirt everywhere.
那里到处都是狗屎

120
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:46,680
I spotted some on the pavement right outside Buckingham Palace.
我亲眼看见 白金汉宫门外的人行道上有狗屎

121
00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,400
I wrote to the Queen about it.
我就此事写信给女王

122
00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,200
Had a charming letter back from a lady-in-waiting
她的一位侍女给我回了信

123
00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,320
saying Her Majesty appreciated my interest
她在信里说 女王陛下很感谢我

124
00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,400
and that my letter had been passed on to the appropriate authority.
我之间写的信已经送到了有关部门

125
00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,160
The upshot eventually is I get a long letter
最后 我收到一封长信

126
00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,160
from the Chief Cleansing Officer to Westminster City Council,
回信人是威斯敏斯特市政委员会负责清洁工作的首席官员

127
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,520
apologising profusely
对方一而再地道歉

128
00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:12,400
and enclosing a rundown of their highways and maintenance budget.
还附上一份高速公路建设和养护的预算表

129
00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:15,720
That's been my experience, generally.
总体来说 这是我的个人经验

130
00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,240
People are only too grateful to have these things pointed out.
人们太好心了 总是不愿指出这些问题

131
00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,400
The keynote is participation.
而关键就在于 我们要有参与感

132
00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,760
Of course, I wrote back to thank him,
当然了 我回信感谢了他

133
00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,160
and then blow me if I didn't get another letter thanking me for mine.
但要是我没收到一封感谢我好意的回信 那就去你的吧