Perhaps it was.[91]He remembered that first tremendous ordeal[92]of taking prep[93]; a September sunset[94]more than half a century ago; Big Hall[95]full of lusty barbarians ready to pounce on him as their legitimate prey[96]. His youth[97], fresh-complexioned[98], high-collared, and side-whiskered[99](odd fashions people followed in those days[100]), at the mercy of[101]five hundred unprincipled ruffians[102]to whom the baiting of new masters was a fine art[103], an exciting sport, and something of[104]a tradition[105]. Decent little beggars individually[106], but, as a mob, just pitiless and implacable[107]. The sudden hush[108]as he took his place at the desk on the dais[109]; the scowl he assumed to cover his inward nervousness[110]; the tall clock ticking behind him and the smells of ink and varnish; the last blood-red rays slanting in slabs through the stained-glass windows[111]. Someone dropped a desk lid. Quickly, he must take everyone by surprise[112]; he must show that there was no nonsense about him[113]. 'You there in the fifth row -- you with the red hair -- what's your name?' -- 'Colley[114], sir.' -- 'Very well, Colley, you have a hundred lines[115].' No trouble at all after that[116]. He had won his first round[117].
And years later[118], when Colley was an alderman[119]of the City of London[120]and a baronet[121]and various other things[122], he sent his son (also red-haired) to Brookfield, and Chips would say: 'Colley, your father was the first boy I ever punished[123]when I came here twenty-five years ago. He deserved it[124]then, and you deserve it now?' How they all laughed; and how Sir Richard[125]laughed when his son wrote home[126]the story in next Sunday's letter!
And again, years after that, many years after that[127], there was an even better[128]joke. For another Colley[129]had just arrived -- son of the Colley who was a son of the first Colley. And Chips would say, punctuating his remarks with that little 'umph-um'[130]that had by then[131]become a habit with him: 'Colley, you are -- umph -- a splendid[132]example of -- umph -- inherited traditions[133]. I remember your grandfather[134]-- umph -- he could never grasp the Ablative Absolute[135]. A stupid fellow, your grandfather.[136]And your father, too -- umph -- I remember him -- he used to[137]sit at that far desk[138]by the wall[139]-- he wasn't much better, either[140]. But I do believe -- my dear Colley -- that you are -- umph -- the biggest fool of the lot[141]!' Roars of laughter.
A great joke, this growing old -- but a sad joke, too[142], in a way[143]. And as Chips sat by his fire with autumn gales rattling[144]the windows, the waves of humour and sadness[145]swept over him very often until tears[146]fell, so that when Mrs. Wickett came in with his cup of tea she did not know whether he had been laughing or crying. And neither did Chips himself.[147]
英语精读连载 Good-Bye, Mr. Chips 《再会，契普斯先生》 3
[91] Perhaps it was.=Perhaps it was the secret of it.
[92] tremendous [trɪ'mendəs] ordeal [ɔ:'dɪəl]可怕的磨难
[93] taking prep主持预备课（prep见第5页注释19）
[94] sunset日落时
[95] Big Hall（Brookfield学校中的）大礼堂
[96] lusty barbarians [bɑ:'beərɪənz] ready to pounce on him as their legitimate [lɪ'dʒɪtɪmɪt] prey强壮的野人们（指学生们，说他们的粗野）准备随时向他扑击上来，当作他们合法的猎物。（用legitimate是说学生认为作弄新教师是理所当然的，有讥刺的意思。）
[97] His youth他的青春（这里用抽象的“他的青春”指他这青春时代的人）
[98] fresh-complexioned神清气爽的
[99] side-whiskered两颊有须的
[100] odd fashions people followed in those days=odd fashions which（或that）people followed in those days
[101] at the mercy of在……掌握之中；任……处置
[102] ruffians流氓们（指那些捣蛋学生）[103] the baiting of new masters was a fine art作弄新教师是一种巧妙的艺术。a fine art有“拿手好戏”的意思；比较：the fine arts美术，或泛指艺术。
[104] something of=in some sense or degree
[105] tradition [trə'dɪʃ ən]传统的风气
[106] Decent ['di:snt] little beggars individually [ˌɪndɪ'vɪdʒʊəlɪ] =They are little beggars individually他们一个个分别而论都是些循规蹈矩的小家伙。little beggars=youngsters，是戏谑语。
[107] implacable [ɪm'plækəbl]无法使其镇定的
[108] The sudden hush和后面the scowl, the smells, the last blood-red rays一连串名词后面都只有修饰语，没有谓语。这种以名词或名词词组构成的单部句（one-member sentence），在文艺作品中很多，可称为“名词句”。
[109] took his place at the desk on the dais ['deɪɪs]在讲台上的书桌前就位（不一定是坐是立）
[110] the scowl [skaʊl] he assumed to cover ['kʌvə] his inward ['ɪnwəd] nervousness为掩盖他内心的紧张而做出的皱眉的样子。the scowl后省去which（或that）。
[111] the last blood-red rays slanting in slabs through the stained-glass windows一片片血红的残阳穿过彩色玻璃窗斜射进来。
[112] he must take everyone by surprise他定要使人人都吃一惊。he must…（Chips想）他必须……（用must而不用had to…，表示he当时的想法。下面的he must也是这样。）
[113] there was no nonsense about him他（Chips）不容胡闹
[114] Colley ['kɒlɪ]考利，姓
[115] you have a hundred lines罚你抄一百行拉丁文（英国学校的一种罚则）
[116] No trouble at all after that.=There was no trouble at all after that.在那以后就没有麻烦了。
[117] won his first round胜了第一个回合。round一局；一场。
[118] years later若干年后。years修饰later。
[119] alderman ['ɔ:ldəmən]英国的市政官，次于市长（mayor）
[120] the City of London伦敦市区（比通称的London范围小）
[121] baronet ['bærənɪt]从男爵
[122] and various other things还有各种其他头衔
[123] the first boy I ever punished=the first boy that I ever punished
[124] deserved it应得处罚。it指上句所说的处罚这件事，未必一定要有个名词（如punishment）做它的先行词。
[125] Sir Richard ['rɪtʃəd]=Sir Richard Colley，就是上文第一个Colley。因为他是baronet，所以称Sir。注意Sir用在baronet和knight（爵士）的姓名或名之前，不可用于姓的前面，和Mr.的用法不同。
[126] wrote home把……写在家信中[127] years after that, many years after that许多许多年以后（这里，推想起来，当是二十多年之后。）
[128] even better甚至更好
[129] another Colley又一个姓考利的（他是第三代的Colley了）
[130] punctuating ['pʌŋktjʊeɪtɪŋ] his remarks with that little 'umph-um'用那“嗯，嗯”之声（像标点一般）夹杂在他说的话里。umph可读作含糊的[m]，也可读作[ʌmf]；um可读作[əm]。
[131] by then到那时候，不迟于那个时候
[132] splendid出色的；这里是谐语，有讥刺义。
[133] inherited [ɪn'herɪtɪd] traditions继承的传统
[134] your grandfather指第一个Colley
[135] Ablative ['æblətɪv] Absolute ['æbsəlju:t]（拉丁语法中的）夺格独立结构。
[136] A stupid fellow, your grandfather.=Your grandfather was a stupid fellow.这种省去连系动词而把主语和表语倒置的句型，口语中常有。
[137] used to…（过去）常常……。在现代英语中只用过去式used to，不用现在式use to。又，used本当读[ju:zd]，但在used to这一习语中读[ju:st]。
[138] that far desk那个远离讲台的课桌
[139] by the wall靠墙的
[140] wasn't much better, either也并不好多少。either也；用在否定句中。
[141] the lot全体，一批。这里指Colley祖孙三个。
[142] A great joke, this growing old -- but a sad joke, too=This growing old is a great joke -- but a sad joke, too这样一年年变老（的情况）是一个大笑话，……，渐入老境的这个情况既可笑，又可悲。
[143] in a way就某一方面而论；多少有些是习语。
[144] rattling使震动而发出格格声[145] waves of humour ['hju:mə] and sadness浪潮般的一阵阵幽默和忧伤。humour也读作['ju:mə]，那是老式的读法。
[146] tears [tɪəz]泪珠；是不可数名词。注意：动词tear（撕）读[teə]，不要混淆。
[147] And neither did Chips himself Chips本人也不（知道）。And neither=Neither.
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