A Walk in the Clouds《云中漫步》（二）

Paul: I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Paul Sutton.

Victoria: Victoria Aragon. I'm sorry about the bus.

Paul: Um...

Victoria: I feel terrible. All the problems I've caused you. You should just keep going. Who knows what will happen to you next?

Paul: There's always the possibility of a forest fire, I suppose. Why aren't you on the bus?

Victoria: My stop.

Paul: You're waiting for a ride.

Victoria: No. No. A miracle. He's going to kill me.

Paul: Who?

Victoria: My father.

Paul: Listen, if you're still worried about that picture--

Victoria: It's not about the picture. Oh, God.

Paul: Look, it's none of my business, but if you'd like to talk about it...

Paul: "I was not meant for the conventions¹ of this world, not meant to be tied down. I'm a free spirit." Who's a free spirit?

Victoria: My professor. He and I were...We--We were...

Paul: I don't know your father, but I don't think just because some free spirit broke up with you--

Victoria: I'm pregnant².

Paul: Oh. Oh. You're very upset. I can understand that. Definitely understand that. But, Victoria, look at the positive side. It's a new life coming into the world. That's a miracle in itself, right?

Victoria: "I will kill anyone who dishonors my family." How many times has he said that? A hundred times, a million times?

Paul: I'm sure it's just a figure of speech.

Victoria: It's not. My father means what he says. Always. He's--He's very old-fashioned. If I come home this way without a husband, he'll kill me. I know he will.

Paul: How about if you do show up with a husband?

Victoria: Who does what, comes for the day and then just leaves?

Paul: Yes, sure. Comes to meet the family, stays one night, leaves in the morning, puts a letter in the mailbox saying he's...

Victoria: Abandoned me.

Paul: It happens.

Victoria: You're very kind for trying to help me. Maybe it might work...but...there's nobody.

Paul: Miss Aragon.Victoria. There's me.

妙语佳句，活学活用

1. Tie down

意为"Constrain³, confine, or limit 束缚，受限"，例如：As long as the children were small, she was too tied down to look for a job.

2. Break up

Break up 可以表示"结束一段关系"，例如：
Their marriage broke up last year.
当表示"与……分手"时，用 with 引出分手对象：
Finally, David decided⁴ to break up with Lily.

3. Figure of speech

本意是"修辞"，这里表示"打比方，说说（而已）"，例如：I didn't really mean she was in outer space it's just a figure of speech.