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● the chief opposition paper：反对党方面一家主要的报纸。the questioning：发问，发问是那个记者领导（led）的。which followed=which followed the hint。
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“Tell us, Governor,” he had said (for, as Skeffington had twice been governor of the state, the courtesy title lingered long after the office itself had been lost), “just how would you propose to adjust yourself to this rustic life? Wouldn’t it be pretty quiet? What would you do?”
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● Governor：州长。the state：这里指Massachusetts。Skeffington是市长，为什么人家称他做州长呢？
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● courtesy title：礼貌上的尊称。lingered：停留不走；继续被人使用。the office：州长那个职位。
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● just：用以加重how的语气。propose：建议；这里当然是自己向自己建议，想办法。adjust yourself to：调整改变，以求适应。
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● pretty（用作副词）=fairly：略为。
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● 这几段的对话，我们可以想象美国政界要人所召开的记者招待会上，是可以听得到的。读者不妨给自己一个测验：这种话我能脱口而出吗？哪一天能讲到这个样子，英文会话可以说已经学通了。
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“Read,” Skeffington had replied promptly, “and reflect.“At this his pale blue eyes had closed, and an expression of extraordinary benignity crossed the full, faintly veined and rather handsome face; the long, heavy head inclined perceptibly forward, and the reporters found themselves looking at the silver crown of his hair. It was almost as if, in anticipation, he were paying pious tribute to the time of ultimate retreat.
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● promptly：不加思索地。reflect：思想。
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● At this：说到这里。下面就是说明上面说过的a certain dreaminess了。benignity：慈祥。crossed the…face：掠过他的脸。他的脸是丰满的，青筋隐约可见（vein：静脉），相当清秀。
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● long, heavy head：脑袋长而且厚实。perceptibly：可看得见地。眼睛闭了，头往前倾：正是像耽于冥想的样子。the silver crown of his hair：一头银发。
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● in anticipation：心里先行准备。paying tribute：致敬。pious：虔敬的。ultimate：最后的。
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The reporter had coughed. “We know you’ve always been a great reader, Governor,” he had said, a trifle sardonically. “Any idea of the kind of books you’d take with you?”
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Skeffington’s reply, made with eyes still closed, had been characteristically elusive. “The great books,” he had said.
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The reporter had been persistent. “Which great books, Governor?”
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● coughed：想必是假咳，干咳。
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● great reader：读书很多的人。a trifle sardonically：略带讥讽。
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● Any idea：前面省略了Have you等字样。you’d=you would。日常对话中，subjunctive mood的用场是很大的。市长是否退隐，尚不得而知，故用虚拟式。
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● made是过去分词。characteristically：这一点很能代表他说话的特色。elusive：闪烁其辞，使人捉摸不定。
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● persistent：坚持的，打破沙锅问到底。
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Skeffington’s eyes had opened, the silver head had lifted, and once more the reporters met the deadpan look. “I don’t know whether you’d know them or not.” he had said thoughtfully. “The Bible, which is a book composed of two parts, commonly, called the Old and the New Testaments. The poems and plays of Shakespeare, an Englishman. And during the winter months I would also take the paper which you represent.”
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● 市长对新闻记者说，他要到乡间去隐居读书。敌党的报纸记者紧紧地追问他读什么书。他本来有点梦想的样子，现在他眼睛睁开，头抬起来了。记者们所看见的，又是他的板板的没有表情的脸了。
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● deadpan：无表情的；呼应前文gazing at the reporters expressionlessly。
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● 他答复的话很简单，但是很刻薄。《圣经》和莎翁是为英语国家家喻户晓的，他瞧不起那记者，故意替他解释：圣经是怎么样的一本书，莎士比亚是何国的人。
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● the paper which you represent：阁下所代表的那张报纸。
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