have a friend who would probably agree to be named as co-respondent, so that your name need not appear," said Hilda.

“我们有个朋友，他很可能愿意扮演奸夫的角色，这样一来，你的名字就可以不被提及。”希尔达说。

"You mean a man?" "Of course!" "But she's got no other?” He looked in wonder at Connie.

“你说的朋友是个男人吧？”“那当然！”“可她并没脚踩两只船呀？”他错愕地看着康妮。

"No, no!" she said hastily. "Only that old friendship, quite simple, no love." "Then why should the fellow take the blame? If he's had nothing out of you?” "Some men are chivalrous and don't only count what they get out of a woman," said Hilda.

“不，不！”她赶紧解释。“他只是个老朋友，我们的关系相当单纯，并没有男女之爱。”“那么他干嘛要背负这罪名呢？要是他从你那儿得不到任何回报？”“有些男人侠肝义胆，并不指望从女人身上捞到好处。”希尔达说。

"One for me, eh? But who's the johnny?” "A friend whom we've known since we were children in Scotland, an artist.” "Duncan Forbes!" he said at once, for Connie had talked to him.

“甘愿替我出头，是吗？可那位仁兄究竟姓甚名谁？”“我们儿时在苏格兰结识的朋友，是位画家。”“邓肯·福布斯！”他立即说出他的名字，因为康妮曾经跟他提起过。

"And how would you shift the blame on to him?" "They could stay together in some hotel, or she could even stay in his apartment." "Seems to me like a lot of fuss for nothing," he said.

“你们怎么能将罪名转嫁到他身上？”“他们可以住在同家旅馆，甚至在他的公寓过夜也没问题。”“依我看，这样做实在有些小题大做。”他说。

"What else do you suggest?" said Hilda. "If your name appears, you will get no divorce from your wife, who is apparently quite an impossible person to be mixed up with." "All that!" he said grimly.

“你还有别的主意吗？”希尔达问。“要是成为共同被告，你想要办妥离婚简直比登天还难，再说你妻子本就是个棘手的女人。”“怎么搞成这样！”他郁闷地说。

There was a long silence.

又是一阵长久的沉默。

"We could go right away," he said.

“我们可以一走了之。”他说。

"There is no right away for Connie," said Hilda. "Clifford is too well known." Again the silence of pure frustration.

“康妮做不到。”希尔达说。“克利福德名声太响。”沮丧的情绪让三人再度陷入沉默。

"The world is what it is. If you want to live together without being persecuted, you will have to marry. To marry, you both have to be divorced. So how are you both going about it?" He was silent for a long time.

“现实就是如此。如果想要安安稳稳地过日子而不被起诉，就必须结婚。而要结婚，你俩就得先办妥离婚。你们究竟打算怎么处理？”他沉默良久。

"How are you going about it for u