But if it had not been this sort of school itwould probably not have taken Chips[41]. ForChips, in any social or academic sense[42], was justas respectable, but no more brilliant, than Brook-field itself[43].
It had taken him some time to realize this[44],at the beginning[45]. Not that he was boastful orconceited[46], but[47]he had been, in his early twen-ties[48], as ambitious as most other young men atsuch an age. His dream had been to get a headshipeventually, or at any rate, a senior mastership in areally first-class school; it was only gradually, afterrepeated trials and failures, that he realized the in-adequacy of his qualifications. His degree,for instance, was not particularly good, and hisdiscipline, though good enough and improv-ing[51], was not absolutely reliable under all condi-tions[52]. He had no private means[53]and no familyconnections[54]of any importance. About 1880, af-ter he had been at Brookfield a decade[55], he beganto recognize that the odds were heavilyagainst[56]his being able to better himself[57]bymoving elsewhere[58]; but about that time also, thepossibility of staying where he was[59]began to filla comfortable niche in his mind[60]. At forty, he wasrooted, settled, and quite happy[61]. At fifty, he wasthe doyen of the staff[62]. At sixty, under a new andyouthful Head[63], he was Brookfield[64]-- the guestof honour[65]at Old Brookfeldian dinners[66], thecourt of appeal[67]in all matters affecting Brook-field history and traditions[68]. And in 1913, whenhe turned sixty-five[69], he retired, was presentedwith[70]a cheque[71]and a writing desk and a clock,and went across the road to live at Mrs. Wickett's.A decent career, decently closed[72]; three cheersfor[73]old Chips, they all shouted, at that uproari-ous[74]end-of-term[75]dinner.
Three cheers, indeed; but there was more tocome[76], an unguessed epilogue[77], an en-core[78]played[79]to a tragic audience[80].
[41] if it had not been this sort of school it would probably not have taken Chips假如它（Brookfield）不是这样的学校，它也不会聘用Chips。（这是表示与过去事实相反的虚拟语气，事实上Brookfield是这样的学校，所以它聘用了Chips。）
[42] in any social or academic [ˌækə'demɪk]sense无论以社会地位或学识而论
[43] was just as respectable, but no morebrilliant, than Brookfield itself严格说来，这句最好改作was just as respectable as , but no morebrilliant than, Brookfield itself。因as respectable不能同no more brilliant合接than；但事实上英美作者的作品中常有这类句子。又，no more brilliant和not more brilliant含义不同；前者有“也不见得高明些”（双方半斤八两，都不高明）的意思，后者就是一般的比较，如说甲高明，乙并不比甲更高明。
[44] It had taken him some time to realizethis=To realize this had taken him some time他经过一段时间才认识到这一点（“这一点”指上节所说的情况）。taken him some time费了他一些时间。
[45] at the beginning在开始时候（开始如此，以后未必如此）。比较：from the beginning一开始（就如此，有“始终如此”之意）。
[46] boastful or conceited [kən'si:tɪd]自夸或自负。boastful是外露的，conceited是内心的。
[47] Not that ..., but (that) ...（作者或说话人所以这样说）并非因为……而是因为……
[48] in his early twenties在他二十岁到二十九岁（这一时期）的开头几年里：即二十岁后的开头几年里。
[49] it was only gradually, after repeated tri-als ['traɪəlz] and failures ['feɪljəz] , that he real-ized the inadequacy [ɪn'ædɪkwəsɪ] of his quali-fications是He realized the inadequacy of hisqualifications only gradually, after repeated trialsand failures的强调句型。qualifications（担任某项职务等所需要的）资格［用复数］。
[50] degree学位
[51] though good enough and improv-ing=though it (discipline) was good enough andimproving. good enough还好。
[52] was not absolutely reliable under allconditions并非在任何情况下都是绝对可靠的（间或也靠不住）
[53] private means私人财产。means用复数形式，但说多少财产，用much means, littlemeans。
[54] family connections亲戚
[55] a decade=for a decade
[56] the odds were heavily against形势大不利于……；命运逆着……odds力量（或有利和不利因素）对比下的差距。
[57] better himself提高他自己的地位（或收入）。比较：improve oneself提高自己的学识水平。
[58] moving elsewhere迁移到别处去；调个地方
[59] staying where he was=staying at theplace where he was staying留在他当时所在的地方（指Brookfield）
[60] fill a comfortable niche [nɪtʃ] in hismind占了他心中的一个合适的位子；被他认为合适
[61] was rooted, settled, and quite happy扎了根，安定了下来，十分快活。
[62] doyen ['dɒɪən] of the staff全体教职员的头脑
[63] Head=Headmaster校长
[64] he was Brookfield他（Chips）就是Brookfield；他就代表着Brookfield。
[65] guest of honour主宾；宴会上的首席客人
[66] Old Brookfeldian [brʊk'feldɪən] din-ners Brookfield老一辈的宴会
[67] court of appeal上诉法院；借喻Chips说的话有最高权威。
[68] traditions tradition作“具体的传统或传说”解时，是可数名词；统称传统或传说时，是不可数名词。
[69] turned sixty-five过了六十五岁
[70] was presented [prɪ'zentɪd] with被赠以……。present和它的同义词give用法不同：give可接双宾语；present不可接双宾语，而须用介词with。
[71] cheque [tʃek]支票（美国拼作check）
[72] A decent career [kə'rɪə] , decently closed体面的生涯，体面地结束。这是名词句, closed是过去分词，修饰career。
[73] three cheers for（对尊敬的人）三次欢呼。three cheers是习语，不能作two cheers, fourcheers，注意介词for的搭配。
[74] uproarious [ʌp'rɔ:ərɪəs]喧闹的；兴高采烈的
[75] end-of-term学期终了时（举行）的
[76] there was more to come还有将发生的事（Chips与Brookfield的关系并不到此结束）
[77] unguessed ['ʌn'gest] epilogue ['epɪlɒg]意料之外的尾声epilogue与上文more是同位语，指Chips退休后的生涯。
[78] encore [ɒŋ'kɔ:]（表演完毕后）再演的节目。epilogue和encore同是more的同位语。
[79] played被演出；是过去分词，修饰en-core。
[80] tragic audience观看悲剧的观众
