評論
打印
surrendering to the temptations of the city
被城市誘惑所包圍
and falling hopelessly into a deep, dark, sink of iniquity and disease.
逐漸無可救藥地墮入 邪惡而病態的黑暗深淵
But however much moralists frowned on the new consumerism gripping the city,
不論多少衛道士信誓旦旦地聲稱 消費主義不會充斥整個城市
economic realists knew it was the way forward.
經濟學家都知道這是發展必然趨勢
There had been other great emporium cities in Europe,but nothing like this.
歐洲還有其他的大都會城市 但都不若如此
London had invented serious shopping and it had something like 20,000 shops to prove it.
倫敦商業極其繁榮 城中兩萬間店鋪就是最好佐證
Its shops would lure the customer to buy something they'd never thought of acquiring.
這些商鋪甚至能引誘顧客 選購他們不必需的商品
Novelty items like oriental goldfish,which became an aristocratic marvel.
東方金魚這樣的新奇玩意 已成為貴族新寵
Caged canaries, finches and parrots.
還有家養金絲雀 鸚鵡等
Unheard-of luxuries became commonplace,priced to appeal to the middle class.
聞所未聞的奢侈品也成為普通商品 逐漸普及中產階級
China from Holland from which to sip your tea.
荷蘭瓷器更多運用于泡沏茶水
Exotic fruits like pomegranates and pineapples.
外來的水果 如石榴和菠蘿 也大受歡迎
The first commercially available condoms.
更有人開始販賣避孕套
Lambskin for the rich,linen soaked in brine for the not-so-rich.
羊皮做的賣給富人 亞麻泡鹽水做的賣給窮人
London's consumer culture was Mephistopheles winking an eye, crooking a finger, and proffering credit.
倫敦的商業文化極具魅惑力 眨眼之間 就能完成借貸
But terrible things could happen to those who ran out of credit and ran out of time.
但對那些逾期還不上錢的人來說 事情可能會變得很糟糕
