Cast
　　Hugh Bonneville…Robert Crawley
　　Elizabeth McGovern…Cora Crawley
　　Maggie Smith…Violet Crawley
　　Michelle Dockery…Mary Crawley
　　Laura Carmichael…Edith Crawley
　　Jessica Brown-Findlay…Sybil Crawley
　　Dan Stevens…Matthew Crawley
　　Penelope Wilton…Isobel Crawley
　　Jim Carter…Carson
　　Phyllis Logan…Mrs. Hughes
　　Brendan Coyle…John Bates
　　Joanne Froggatt…Anna Smith
　　Siobhan Finneran…Sarah O’Brien
　　Rob James-Collier…Thomas
　　
　　1
　　在招待土耳其贵宾一行的家宴上，克劳利一家谈及女仆打算辞职去当秘书的新闻……
　　Violet: I should far prefer to be a maid in a large and pleasant house than work from dawn till dusk in a cramped[狭小的] and gloomy[阴暗的] office. Don’t you agree, Carson?
　　Carson: I do, my lady.
　　Mary: Why are we talking about this? What does it matter?
　　Cora: It matters that the people that live and work here are content[满意的].
　　Sybil: Of course! We should be helping Gwen if that’s what she wants.
　　Isobel: I agree. Surely we must all encourage those less fortunate to improve their lot[命运] where they can.
　　Violet: Not if it isn’t in their best interests.
　　Isobel: Isn’t the maid a better judge of that than we are?
　　Mary: What do say, Mr. Pamuk? Should our housemaid be kept enslaved or forced out into the world?
　　Pamuk: Why are you English so curious about other people’s lives? If she wishes to leave and the law permits it, then let her go.
　　Violet: Oh, perhaps the law should not permit it, for the common good.
　　Isobel: So you hanker for[渴求] the days of serfdom[农奴制]?
　　Violet: I hanker for a simpler world. Is that a crime?
　　Pamuk: I, too, dream of the simpler world, as long as we can keep our trains and our dentistry[牙科].
　　Mary: I wish I shared your enthusiasm[热情]. Our dentist is horrid.
　　Pamuk: Well, why go to him then?
　　Mary: Oh, he treated all of us when we were children. You know how the English are about these things.
　　
　　口语锦囊
　　喜欢英音的同学本期可以大饱耳福啦！这档优秀的英剧当中不但出现了来自英国各地的不同口音，还有科拉的美音以及像帕穆克这样的外国人口音，可谓一场语音大杂烩！模仿英音的同学可以有选择性地进行发音练习，以美音为主的同学也可以从中体会英美发音的差异，感兴趣的话不妨找DVD或者上网收看，加深对各种口音的辨识度。
　　另外，由于人物所处的阶层以及故事本身的时代背景，剧中语言通常比较委婉，即使两不相让也显得绵里藏针，大家可以结合以下几段情节多加品读本作在遣词用句上的讲究。
　　
　　2
　　玛丽在游园会上偶遇马修……
　　Matthew: Do you know if your father’s doing anything this evening?
　　Mary: He’s not coming to the fair.
　　Matthew: Seriously.
　　Mary: Well, having dinner with his family.
　　Matthew: Can I look in afterwards?
　　Mary: May I ask why?
　　Matthew: Your grandmother paid me a visit this afternoon and I...well, never mind, but I would like to see him.
　　Mary: Granny came to see you? Is it all part of the Great Matter? So are you enjoying your new life?
　　Matthew: Yes, I think so. I know my work seems very trivial[不重要的] to you.
　　Mary: Not necessarily. Sometimes I rather envy you, having somewhere to go every morning.
　　Matthew: I thought that made me very “middle class.”
　　Mary: You should learn to forget what I say. I know I do.
　　Matthew: How about you? Is your life proving satisfactory? Apart from the Great Matter, of course.
　　Mary: Women like me don’t have a life. We choose clothes and pay calls[拜访] and work for charity[慈善] and do the season[社交繁忙时期]. But, really, we’re stuck in a waiting room until we marry.
　　Matthew: I’ve made you angry.
　　Mary: My life makes me angry. Not you.
　　
　　（美编注意：红字用专色，下同）
　　
　　口语锦囊
　　“look in”后可接on sb.或者at someplace，意思是“短时间探访（某人家或到某处）”，例如：
　　I may look in at the party on my way home. （我回家时可能顺便去聚会处看看。）
　　
　　3
　　从游园会回来以后，女管家休斯夫人一直显得心事重重……
　　Carson: I’ve put out the Rundell注1 candlesticks[烛台] for dinner tonight. (Mrs. Hughes is lost in thoughts.) Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll come back later.
　　Mrs. Hughes: No, stay, please. I’ve got something I’d like to talk to you about, if you’ve a minute. Before I first came here as head housemaid, I was walking out with[与某人有某种关系] a farmer. When I told him I’d taken a job at Downton, he asked me to marry him. I was a farmer’s daughter from Argyll, so I knew the life. He was very nice, but then I came here and I…I did well and I didn’t want to give it up. So I told him no, and he married someone else. She died three years ago. And last month he wrote, asking to see me again. And I agreed. Because all this time, I’ve wondered.
　　Carson: Go on.
　　Mrs. Hughes: I met him the other night. We had dinner at the Grantham Arms注2, and after, he took me to the fair.
　　Carson: And he was horrible, and fat, and red-faced, and you couldn’t think what you ever saw in[觉得某人有吸引力] him.
　　Mrs. Hughes: He was still a nice man. He is still a nice man. Well, he was a bit red-faced and his suit was a little tight, but none of that matters. In the real ways, he hadn’t changed.
　　Carson: And he proposed[求婚] again, and you accepted?
　　Mrs. Hughes: In many ways, I wanted to accept. But I’m not that farm girl any more. I was flattered[感到荣幸的], of course, but I’ve changed, Mr. Carson.
　　Carson: Life’s altered[改变] you, as it’s altered me. And what would be the point of living if we didn’t let life change us? You won’t be leaving then?
　　[A knock at the door.]
　　Anna: You’d better come. Mrs. Patmore’s on the rampage[到处闹事]. She wants the key to the store cupboard. You know how angry she gets when she hasn’t got one of her own.
　　Mrs. Hughes: Nor will she have. Not while I’m housekeeper here. (to Carson) Leaving? When would I ever find the time?
　　
　　口语锦囊
　　提到英国宅子里的帮工佣人，我们经常只会笼统地用“housekeeper”、“servant”和“maid”，实际上不同职业有相应的词汇，职能非常明确，在本剧中有明显体现——例如housekeeper其实更多是指女管家，除了家政以外还是女仆的总管，成为housekeeper的女性无论婚否都要以Mrs.称呼；butler才是男管家，总管男仆和一般事务，通常还要负责管理酒窖。其他职业还包括cook（厨子、厨娘）、valet（负责照顾男主人起居的贴身男仆）、footman（负责上菜、常穿制服的仆人）、head housemaid（女仆领班）、housemaid或maid（女仆）和chauffeur（司机）等。
　　
　　注1：菲利普•朗德尔（Philip Rundell, 1746-1827）是英国著名的银器大师。
　　注2：意为“盾徽”，有时用于酒吧名，无实际意义。
　　
　　4
　　由于贝茨一时疏忽说漏了嘴，罗伯特才知道小女儿西比尔瞒着他去参加政党集会了……
　　Robert: I gather[理解] you went to hear the Liberal candidate[候选人] today.
　　Sybil: There were several speakers, actually. He was the last.
　　Robert: Did he speak well?
　　Sybil: I thought so.
　　Robert: But there was quite a brouhaha[骚动].
　　Sybil: You know what these things can be like.
　　Robert: I do. Which is why I am astonished you should not feel it necessary to ask my permission to attend! I assume this was Branson’s scheme[诡计].
　　Sybil: No!
　　Robert: I confess I was amused at the idea of an Irish radical[激进分子] for a chauffeur, but I see now I’ve been naïve!
　　Cora: I told Branson to take Sybil.
　　Robert: What are you saying?!
　　Cora: Sybil needed to go to Ripon. I asked Branson to drive her. I thought it would be sensible—in case there was trouble.
　　Sybil: I want to do some canvassing[游说拉票]. The by-election[国会议员的补缺选举] isn’t far off...
　　Violet: Canvassing?
　　Sybil: Oh, it’s quite safe. You’re in a group and you knock on doors.
　　Violet: Yes, I know what canvassing is.
　　Mary: I think that Sybil is...
　　Violet: What? Are you canvassing, too? Or would you rather take in[承揽（在家做的工作）] washing?
　　Mary: I was only going to say that Sybil is entitled to her opinions.
　　Violet: No, she isn’t until she is married. Then her husband will tell her what her opinions are.
　　Mary: Oh, Granny!
　　Sybil: I knew you wouldn’t approve.
　　Robert: Which, presumably, is why you all hid your plans from me!
　　Violet: Does this mean you won’t be presented next month?
　　Sybil: Certainly not. Why should it?
　　Violet: Well, I doubt I’d expect to curtsey to[行屈膝礼] Their Majesties[陛下] in June when I’d been arrested at a riot[暴乱] in May. But then I’m old. Things may be different now.
　　Cora: She hasn’t been arrested and it wasn’t a riot.
　　Edith: But it might be next time.
　　Robert: There will not be a next time.
　　
　　口语锦囊
　　“present”作动词用时，其中一个义项为“正式介绍，引见（尤指向级别、地位等较高的人）”。在过去的英国，上层阶级的适龄少女会被举荐入宫觐见君主，这同时也是她们正式进入社交界的标志。
　　这一段家族对话壁垒鲜明，感情起伏大，是很好的role-play材料哦！跟读模仿熟练之后，与你的搭档一人分饰几角，将它表演出来，体会克劳利一家的不同性格以及这些性格在其语言中如何表现。
　　
　　5
　　瓦奥莱特从科拉口中得知玛丽的露水情人帕穆克猝死的真相，各持己见的婆媳二人不欢而散。几天之后，瓦奥莱特到访……
　　Thomas: The dowager[孀居贵妇] countess[伯爵夫人], my lady.
　　Violet: Good afternoon, my dear.
　　Cora: Good afternoon.
　　Violet: There’s no need to be so prim[拘谨的]. I come in peace. Shall I sit here? Now I’ve been thinking...I confess I do not know if I would have had the strength, mentally or physically, to carry a corpse[尸体] the length of this house. But I hope I would have done. You were quite right. When something bad happens, there’s no point in wishing it had not happened. The only option is to minimize[减至最小] the damage.
　　Cora: Or try to. But if the Flintshires have got hold of it...
　　Violet: I’ve written to Susan. I said it was a story made up by Mr Pamuk’s enemies to discredit[败坏名声] him. Even if she doesn’t believe me, she won’t tell, in case it reflects badly on her. The Ambassador[大使] is dangerous. But then, how many people really go to the Turkish Embassy[大使馆]?
　　Cora: It only takes one.
　　Violet: Well, I mean, that just can’t be helped. We can’t have him assassinated[暗杀]…I suppose.
　　Cora: Robert still doesn’t suspect.
　　Violet: Oh, I should hope not. No, our only way forward is to get Mary settled as soon as possible.
　　Cora: I have news on that score[关于那一点]: Matthew has proposed!
　　Violet: My, my! Has she said yes?
　　Cora: She hasn’t said anything yet, except that she’s going to have to tell him about Pamuk!
　　Violet: For heaven’s sake, why?!
　　Cora: She thinks to keep it secret would be dishonourable[不名誉的].
　　Violet: She reads too many novels. I mean, one way or another, everyone goes down the aisle[走道] with half the story hidden. The question is, will she accept Matthew?
　　Cora: I’m not sure.
　　Violet: Well, if she doesn’t, we’ll just have to take her abroad. In these moments, you can normally find an Italian who isn’t too picky. We’ll give her till the start of the grouse[松鸡].
　　Cora: Very well. If she turns Matthew down, we’ll take her to Rome in the autumn.
　　Violet: It’s official.
　　Cora: Thank you for not turning against her. I know that you have rules, and when people break them you find it hard to forgive. I understand that, and I respect that.
　　Violet: In this case, Mary has the trump-card[王牌].
　　Cora: What?
　　Violet: Mary is family!
　　
　　口语锦囊
　　还记得《哈利•波特》电影中那位可敬可爱的麦格教授吗？英国著名女演员玛吉•史密斯在本剧中饰演这位个性鲜明的祖母瓦奥莱特，古板尖刻、自恃身份却又深爱家人，言行中充满冷峻的英式幽默，其入木三分的精湛演技为她带来多项最佳女演员提名。你的奶奶或者外婆也是如此有个性的吗？你们之间发生过什么趣事，又或者你从她身上学到了什么？整理一下思路，然后用3分钟的时间向搭档介绍你的麻辣祖母吧！
　　
　　1
　　瓦奥莱特：我倒是宁愿在豪华大宅里当女仆，而不是在破败昏暗的办公室里从早忙到晚呢。你同意吗，卡森？
　　卡森：是的，夫人。
　　玛丽：我们为什么要聊这事儿？这重要吗？
　　科拉：人们在这里安居乐业当然重要。
　　西比尔：没错！如果这是格温的心愿，我们该成人之美。
　　伊索贝尔：我同意。我们确实应该鼓励境遇不济的人努力改变自己的命运。
　　瓦奥莱特：如果对他们无益，这又何必呢。
　　伊索贝尔：女仆本人对此比我们更有发言权吧？
　　玛丽：帕穆克先生，您说呢？我们应该继续奴役这名女仆，还是赶她入世呢？
　　帕穆克：你们英国人为何如此关心别人的生活？她想走，又不违法，就随她去吧。
　　瓦奥莱特：噢，也许法律真该管管她，这对大家都好。
　　伊索贝尔：这么说，您很向往农奴时代吧？
　　瓦奥莱特：我向往简单一点的世界。这还犯法不成？
　　帕穆克：我也向往更单纯的世界，只要把火车和牙医留下就好。
　　玛丽：我真希望我有你这种热情。我们的牙医太可怕了。
　　帕穆克：那为什么还找他呢？
　　玛丽：哦，我们从小都是他看的。你知道，英国人对这些事情总是一成不变。
　　
　　2
　　马修：你知道你父亲今晚有什么安排吗？
　　玛丽：他不会来参加游园会。
　　马修：我说正经的。
　　玛丽：呃，跟家人共进晚餐吧。
　　马修：餐后我能上门拜访吗？
　　玛丽：方便透露缘由吗？
　　马修：你的祖母今天下午来找我，我……哦，没什么，不过我想见见他。
　　玛丽：奶奶去找你？是关于“大计”对吧？这么说，你的新生活还顺心吗？
　　马修：没错，我想是的。我知道你看不上我的工作。
　　玛丽：也不尽然。有时我还挺嫉妒你每天早上都有地方可去呢。
　　马修：我以为那会让我显得很“中产阶级”。
　　玛丽：你得学会忘记我说过的话。我自己便是如此。
　　马修：那你呢？生活还如意吗？当然，继承“大计”除外。
　　玛丽：我这种女人没有生活可言。我们选衣着装，走亲访友，参与慈善，忙于社交。但其实我们不过是待字闺中，等着嫁人罢了。
　　马修：我惹你不高兴了。
　　玛丽：让我不高兴的是我的生活，不是你。
　　
　　3
　　卡森：我已经把今天晚餐要用的朗德尔烛台拿出来了。（休斯夫人陷入沉思。）喔，抱歉，我待会儿再来。
　　休斯夫人：不，请别走。我有点事想对你说，如果你有时间的话。在我来这里当女仆领班之前，我曾经与一个农夫交往过。当我告诉他我在唐顿找了一份工作时，他向我求婚了。我父亲是阿盖尔的一个农民，所以我很清楚那种生活是怎样的。他人很好，但我来到唐顿，而且……我干得不错……不想就这样放弃。所以我拒绝了他，他便娶了别人。三年前，他的妻子去世了。上个月，他写信来说想再见我一面。我答应了，因为我一直没放下这事。
　　卡森：说下去。
　　休斯夫人：那天晚上我去见他。我们在格兰瑟姆之家共进晚餐，然后他带我去园游会。
　　卡森：他变得又肥又丑，脸色涨红，你真不明白自己当初怎会看上他的。
　　休斯夫人：他是个好人，依旧对我很好。哦，他的脸色的确有点涨红，衣服也有点紧，但这些都不重要。他真的一点都没变。
　　卡森：他再次向你求婚，你答应了？
　　休斯夫人：在很大程度上，我真想答应他。但我不再是当年那个农家女孩了。这当然让我受宠若惊，可是我变了，卡森先生。
　　卡森：生活改变了你，也改变了我。如果我们拒绝被生活改变，那活着还有什么意思呢？这么说你不走了？
　　[敲门声。]
　　安娜：您最好来看看。帕特莫尔太太正在大发脾气呢。她想要储物柜的钥匙，您知道没有自己的钥匙这事让她多么火大。
　　休斯夫人：只要我还是这里的女管家，她就别想有钥匙。（对卡森）离开？我哪会有空离开呢？
　　
　　4
　　罗伯特：我想你今天去听自由党候选人的演讲了。
　　西比尔：其实有好几个发言人。他是最后一个。
　　罗伯特：讲得精彩吗？
　　西比尔：我觉得挺好。
　　罗伯特：但现场不怎么太平。
　　西比尔：您也知道这种场合会是什么样子。
　　罗伯特：是的。所以我非常震惊，你竟然未经我允许就私自前往！我想这一定是布兰森的鬼主意。
　　西比尔：不是的！
　　罗伯特：我承认，我本以为雇一位爱尔兰激进分子当司机挺有意思，现在才知道我太天真了！
　　科拉：是我让布兰森送西比尔去的。
　　罗伯特：你说什么？！
　　科拉：西比尔要去里彭。我叫布兰森开车送她。我觉得这样比较妥当，以防出什么乱子。
　　西比尔：我想去拉票。补选近在眼前……
　　瓦奥莱特：拉票？
　　西比尔：噢，那很安全。你会集体行动，挨家挨户拜访。
　　瓦奥莱特：是的，我知道什么叫拉票。
　　玛丽：我觉得西比尔只是……
　　瓦奥莱特：怎么？你也要去拉票？还是想接点洗衣服的活计呢？
　　玛丽：我只想说西比尔有权持有自己的观点。
　　瓦奥莱特：不，她没有，这要等她嫁了人。然后她丈夫就会告诉她应该持有什么观点。
　　玛丽：噢，奶奶！
　　西比尔：我就知道你们不会同意。
　　罗伯特：所以我猜这就是你们做什么事都瞒着我的原因！
　　瓦奥莱特：也就是说你下个月不会进宫觐见了？
　　西比尔：当然不是，怎么会呢？
　　瓦奥莱特：哦，我要是五月时在暴动中被捕，就不会指望六月份还能向两位陛下行礼。不过我老了，也许世道不同了。
　　科拉：她没有被捕，也没发生暴动。
　　伊迪丝：下次说不定就会发生呢。
　　罗伯特：不会有下次了。
　　
　　5
　　托马斯：夫人，老夫人来访。
　　瓦奥莱特：下午好，亲爱的。
　　科拉：下午好。
　　瓦奥莱特：不必这么拘谨，我不是来吵架的。坐这儿可以吗？我一直在想……我承认，我也不知道自己是否有那样的力量——不管是体力还是精神力——把一具尸体从宅子的这一头搬到那一头。但我希望我能做到。你说得没错。一旦出了岔子，掩耳盗铃毫无用处，唯一的选择就是把损害降到最低。
　　科拉：或是尽力而为。可是如果弗林特希尔家的人抓住了把柄……
　　瓦奥莱特：我给苏珊写了信，说那是帕穆克先生的仇家编出来诋毁他的。哪怕她不信，也不敢乱嚼舌根，免得搬起石头砸自己的脚。那位大使倒是个威胁。不过话说回来，多少人会去土耳其大使馆呢？
　　科拉：一个就足够了。
　　瓦奥莱特：哦，我的意思是，那样我们也没辙了。总不能把他给暗杀了……应该不行吧。
　　科拉：罗伯特还没起疑心。
　　瓦奥莱特：喔，千万别。不，我们唯一的出路就是尽快把玛丽嫁出去。
　　科拉：说到这茬，有进展了。马修求婚了！
　　瓦奥莱特：啊呀！她答应了吗？
　　科拉：她还没表态，只说想把帕穆克的事告诉他！
　　瓦奥莱特：老天爷呀，为什么？！
　　科拉：她觉得隐瞒真相太可耻了。
　　瓦奥莱特：她看太多小说了。我是说，每个人在结婚走过道时总会有些东西半遮半掩啊。问题是她会不会答应马修？
　　科拉：我也不知道。
　　瓦奥莱特：哦，她要不答应，我们只好把她送到国外去。这年头，一般还是能找个不那么挑剔的意大利人。给她一点时间，我们等到猎松鸡那时候吧。
　　科拉：好的。她若拒绝了马修，我们秋天就带她去罗马。
　　瓦奥莱特：就这么定了。
　　科拉：谢谢您站在她这边。我知道您有您的规矩，一旦有人违背，您很难原谅如此出格的行为。我很理解也尊重您这一点。
　　瓦奥莱特：在这件事上，玛丽手握王牌。
　　科拉：是什么？
　　瓦奥莱特：玛丽是我的家人！