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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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The reporter had said warily. “Thanks for the compliment, Governor. I suppose there’s some special reason.”
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Skeffington had nodded. “During the long winter months a glowing fire might be welcome,” he had said, “and I have found from long experience that your paper burns very well. Makes good kindling. I don’t imagine, by the way, that most people are aware of that. If they were, your paper’s very small circulation might be substantially increased. Any more questions, gentlemen?”
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● warily：小心翼翼地。这个老政客忽然赞美起敌党的报纸来了，恐怕话中有因。
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● compliment：（隐含的）赞美，捧场。
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● burns（不及物动词）very well：容易着火。
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● Makes的主语It省略。kindling：引火物。他所以要定这份报纸原来是拿它来作生火之用。
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● by the way：顺便可以一提的。“我以为，很多人不知道贵报有这点长处。”原文作：“我不以为很多人知道……。”imagine在这里的意思很轻，同think，suppose的用法相仿。
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