McFadden Novels (2) Smug, Dunce, Slob, Knave

The Housemaid by McFadden

In the tacky old house, a smug man with a slow drawl leaned against the banister, eating a dollop of jam from a brioche. His biceps flexed as he clasped a cot, tossing it aside while he rummaged through a cleft in the mahogany wall.

In the corner, a brat sat on the floor, her face ashen, nibbling on a slice of bologna, and eyeing the man with quiet exertion, as if solving an enigma. A canine barked loudly, causing her to wince and spill her molasses jar.

Suddenly, the door swung open with an obscenely loud screech, and a cavalier woman in a flaky dress entered. “Don’t be so remiss, Ralph. That playbill is no good here,” she said, pointing to a dusty leaflet he held.

Ralph clucked, brushing off her words. “This house is barren of anything useful.” He motioned toward the precipice outside the window, where the wind howled like a goner’s last breath.

The brat giggled, and the woman glinted a sharp look at Ralph. “Even a slob like you should know better than to belie the worth of a story. This place has secrets.” She prodded him forward, her lapel twitching in the gusts from the broken window.

The child crawled to her, holding a small translucent bottle. “What’s this?” she whispered.

The woman smiled faintly. “An old fetish of the house—don’t break it, or you’ll find yourself writhing with regret.”

And with that, Ralph let out a wretched laugh, stuffing the bottle in his pocket, his face lit with a preposterous sense of triumph.

在那间俗气的老房子里，一个带着慢吞吞拉长腔调的自鸣得意男人靠在扶手上，一边啃着涂满果酱的奶油蛋卷。他的二头肌随着他握紧一张行军床而微微隆起，然后随意将其扔到一旁，开始翻找墙上桃花心木的裂缝。

角落里，一个熊孩子坐在地板上，脸色苍白，啃着一片意大利香肠，用努力解决谜团的眼神悄悄盯着那男人。一只狗大声吠叫起来，吓得她畏缩了一下，弄翻了手中的糖蜜罐。

突然，门以一种荒唐地刺耳的尖叫声被推开，一个穿着古怪裙子的漫不经心女人走了进来。“别这么玩忽职守，拉尔夫，那份剧目单在这儿没用。”她指着他手中那张布满灰尘的宣传册说道。

拉尔夫咯咯地笑了一声，不以为意地挥挥手。“这房子里没什么值钱的东西。”他指向窗外的悬崖，那里风声呼啸，仿佛是一个无望之人的最后一口气。

孩子咯咯地笑了，女人的目光如刀一般闪烁着，射向拉尔夫。“即使是像你这样的懒汉，也应该知道，别掩饰一个故事的价值。这地方藏着秘密。”她用手戳了戳他，催促他向前走，她的翻领在破窗吹来的风中轻轻颤动。

孩子爬到她身边，递给她一个小小的半透明瓶子。“这是什么？”她轻声问道。

女人淡淡一笑。“这是这座房子的老崇拜物——千万别弄坏了，否则你会因为后悔而扭动翻滚。”

话音刚落，拉尔夫发出一阵荒谬的大笑，把瓶子塞进自己的口袋，脸上洋溢着一种荒唐的胜利感。

*****

The Housemaid's Secrete

In a decrepit playpen by the moat, a cherubic child with chubby cheeks sat twiddling a small mole figurine. The air was tense as a privy maid hurriedly tried to placate her employer, whose bile rose as he ransacked his study for a missing adorned brooch.

Outside, a silhouette of a werewolf loomed, its movements conspicuous against the moonlight. The maid, feeling destitute, concocted an excuse as her employer’s smirk grew. “Perhaps the loafer, sir, swiveled it away!”

The dinky child gurgled in delight, oblivious to the chaos, while the maid quietly prayed for her innocence to be exonerated before the night devolved into a vendetta. She glanced at the futon, thinking of escape, as the tension hung like an unfinished story.

在破旧的游戏围栏旁，靠着护城河，一个天使般的孩子带着胖乎乎的脸颊，正坐在那里摆弄着一个小小的鼹鼠玩偶。空气中弥漫着紧张气息，一位知情的女佣急忙试图安抚她的主人，他因为在书房中翻找一枚丢失的装饰胸针而怒火中烧，仿佛胆汁涌上心头。

外面，一个狼人的剪影隐隐出现，在月光下显得尤为显眼。女佣感到一无所有，便编造了一个借口，而主人却带着冷笑咄咄逼人地问：“也许是那个穿休闲鞋的人，把它偷偷带走了吧！”

那小巧的孩子发出一阵咯咯的笑声，全然不知周围的混乱。而女佣默默祈祷，希望自己的清白能被赦免，不至于让这个夜晚变成一场仇杀。她瞥了一眼旁边的日式床垫，想着要不要逃走，紧张的气氛像一个未完的故事，悬而未决。

Smug, Dunce, Slob, Knave

1/21

1. The supercilious waiter looked down on us because we didn’t order the expensive wine.
2. He felt so smug after solving the puzzle before anyone else.
3. Her haughty demeanor made everyone in the room feel unwelcome.
4. The arrogant athlete refused to take advice from his coach.
5. She’s so conceited that she can’t stop talking about how beautiful she is.
6. His pompous introduction lasted longer than the actual presentation.
7. The student’s pretentious essay was filled with big words that didn’t make sense.
8. He acted snobbish, refusing to eat at any restaurant without a Michelin star.
9. The professor spoke in a condescending tone, as if we were all children.
10. His speech was full of vainglorious praise for his own accomplishments.

1. 那个高傲的服务员看不起我们，因为我们没有点昂贵的红酒。
2. 他在比别人更快解决谜题后感到非常洋洋得意。
3. 她傲慢无礼的态度让房间里的人都感到不受欢迎。
4. 那个自大的运动员拒绝听从教练的建议。
5. 她太自负了，总是忍不住谈论自己的美貌。
6. 他的自以为是的开场白比实际演讲还要长。
7. 那名学生的文章很矫揉造作，充满了不合逻辑的大词。
8. 他表现得很势利，拒绝在任何没有米其林星级的餐厅吃饭。
9. 那位教授以居高临下的语气讲话，好像我们都是小孩一样。
10. 他的演讲充满了对自己成就的自吹自擂。

Dunce:

1. The teacher called him a dunce for not understanding the basic math problem.
2. He felt like a fool after forgetting his umbrella on a rainy day.
3. Don’t be such a nitwit, the instructions are right in front of you!
4. He’s such a blockhead, refusing to listen even when he’s clearly wrong.
5. Only a simpleton would believe that the moon is made of cheese.
6. Stop acting like a moron and pay attention to the traffic signs!
7. She called him a dimwit for not realizing the obvious solution to the puzzle.
8. The clod spilled coffee all over the table and just shrugged.
9. She is a dodo for thinking she could park in a no-parking zone without getting fined.
10. Don’t be such a ninny, it’s just a harmless spider!
11. "You big lug," she said with a laugh, after he tripped over the couch.

1.  老师因为他连简单的数学题都不懂而叫他笨蛋。
2. 下雨天忘记带伞，他觉得自己像个傻瓜。
3. 别这么笨头笨脑的，说明书就在你面前！
4. 他真是个顽固的笨蛋，明明错了还拒绝听人劝。
5. 只有一个傻子才会相信月亮是奶酪做的。
6. 别像个蠢材一样，注意看交通标志！
7. 她骂他是个呆子，因为他没看出来那个谜题的明显答案。
8. 那个笨家伙把咖啡洒得到处都是，却只是耸耸肩。
9. 她说：“你真是个呆瓜，居然以为能在禁止停车的地方不被罚款。”
10. 别当个胆小鬼，那只不过是一只无害的蜘蛛！
11. 她笑着说：“你这个大笨蛋，连沙发都能绊倒。”

8 more words or phrases commonly used to describe someone who is not very smart, ranging from lighthearted to more critical:

1. Dunce – Often used to describe someone slow to learn or lacking intelligence.
2. Fool – A classic word for someone acting unwisely or stupidly.
3. Nitwit – A playful term for a silly or unintelligent person.
4. Blockhead – Implies someone is stubbornly foolish or slow-witted.
5. Simpleton – Refers to someone who lacks common sense or intelligence.
6. Moron – An informal term for someone considered very unintelligent (used more casually today).
7. Dimwit – Someone who is slow to understand or lacks intelligence.
8. Clod – Refers to a clumsy, foolish, or unintelligent person.
   
   

 Slob:

1. He’s such a slug, lying around all day doing nothing.
2. The sluggard refused to get out of bed even when the alarm rang three times.
3. She’s such a slob, leaving dirty dishes everywhere in the house.
4. The old man was once a vagabond, traveling from town to town without a home.
5. He’s been a bum since he quit his job and refuses to look for another one.
6. The layabout spent the whole afternoon napping instead of helping clean the yard.
7. She called him an idler for sitting on the porch all day doing nothing.
8. That loafer never shows up to work on time and avoids anything difficult.
9. The drifter wandered into town, looking for food and a place to sleep.
10. The hobo carried a small bag of belongings and traveled by train to the next city.
11. He’s nothing but a deadbeat, refusing to pay back the money he borrowed.
12. My brother is turning into a couch potato, spending all weekend watching TV.
13. They called him a good-for-nothing because he never worked and relied on others.

1. 他真是个懒虫，整天躺着什么都不做。
2. 那个懒惰鬼连闹钟响了三次都不肯起床。
3. 她真是个邋遢鬼，家里到处都是脏盘子。
4. 那个老人曾经是个流浪汉，从一个镇到另一个镇，没有固定的家。
5. 他一直是个游手好闲的人，辞掉工作后也不愿再找新工作。
6. 那个懒汉整个下午都在打盹，而不是帮忙打扫院子。
7. 她骂他是个闲人，因为他整天坐在门廊上无所事事。
8. 那个游手好闲的人从来不按时上班，还总是躲避困难的事情。
9. 那个流浪者走进小镇，寻找食物和睡觉的地方。
10. 那个流浪汉带着一个小包裹，坐火车去下一个城市。
11. 他真是个赖账鬼，借的钱从来不还。
12. 我哥哥快变成一个沙发土豆了，整个周末都在看电视。
13. 他们叫他废物，因为他从来不工作，只靠别人养活。

commonly used to describe lazy, messy, or aimless individuals, depending on the context:

1. Layabout – Someone who avoids work and just lounges around.
2. Idler – A person who spends time doing nothing productive.
3. Loafer – Someone who is habitually lazy and avoids work.
4. Drifter – A person who moves from place to place without purpose or permanent residence.
5. Hobo – Someone who wanders, often homeless and without steady work (more dated but still recognized).
6. Deadbeat – A lazy person, especially someone who avoids responsibilities like paying debts.
7. Couch Potato – A casual term for someone who spends all their time lounging on the couch watching TV.
8. Good-for-Nothing – A term for someone seen as lazy or unproductive.

 1/22

1. Rogue – A charming but dishonest or mischievous person.  Example: "That rogue borrowed my pen and never returned it!"

2. Rascal – A playful or naughty person, often used affectionately.  Example: "You little rascal, always hiding my shoes!"

3. Scoundrel – A deceitful or dishonorable person.  Example: "The scoundrel lied to everyone about his achievements."

4. Villain – Someone who does evil or bad things, often the "bad guy" in a story.  Example: "The villain tried to destroy the hero’s city."

5. Knave – An old-fashioned term for a tricky or dishonest man.  Example: "The knave tricked the villagers into giving him gold."

6. Miscreant – Someone who behaves badly or breaks the rules.  Example: "The teacher caught the miscreant drawing on the desk."

7. Trickster – A clever person who cheats or deceives others, often playfully.  Example: "The fox in the story was a clever trickster."

8. Charlatan – A person who pretends to have skills or knowledge they don’t actually have.  Example: "That charlatan claimed to be a doctor, but he wasn’t."

9. Crook – A dishonest person or criminal.  Example: "The crook stole her wallet and ran away."

10. Conman – A person who gains trust to trick or cheat others.  Example: "The conman pretended to sell rare antiques, but they were fake."

11. Scamp – A playful or mischievous person, often harmless.  Example: "The young boy was a happy little scamp, always playing tricks."

12. Outlaw – A person who lives outside the law or commits crimes.  Example: "The outlaw was wanted for robbing banks."

13. Delinquent – A young person who often gets into trouble or breaks the rules.  Example: "The police caught the delinquent spray-painting the wall."

14. Snake – A slang term for someone deceitful or untrustworthy.  Example: "Don’t trust her—she’s a real snake who will betray you."

 以下是这14个单词的中文解释和例句：

1. Rogue（无赖） – 一个有魅力但不诚实或调皮捣蛋的人。 例句：那个无赖借了我的笔却从来没还过！ 

2. Rascal（淘气鬼） – 一个调皮或顽皮的人，常带有亲切或玩笑的意思。 例句：你这个小淘气鬼，总是藏我的鞋子！

3. Scoundrel（卑鄙小人） – 一个不诚实或不道德的人。 例句：那个卑鄙小人欺骗了所有人关于他的成就。

4. Villain（坏人/反派） – 做坏事或邪恶事情的人，通常是故事中的“坏人”。 例句：电影里的反派试图摧毁英雄的城市。

5. Knave（无赖/狡猾的人） – 一个老式的词，用来形容一个狡猾或不诚实的人。 例句：那个无赖骗村民给他黄金。

6. Miscreant（恶棍） – 一个行为恶劣或违反规则的人。 例句：老师抓住了那个在课桌上乱画的恶棍。

7. Trickster（骗子/捣蛋鬼） – 一个用聪明手段欺骗或捉弄别人的人，通常带有趣味性。 例句：故事里的狐狸是个聪明的骗子。

8. Charlatan（江湖骗子） – 假装有技能或知识的人。 例句：那个江湖骗子声称自己是医生，但他根本不是。

9. Crook（骗子/坏蛋） – 一个不诚实的人或罪犯。 例句：那个骗子偷了她的钱包然后逃跑了。

10. Conman（骗子） – 一个通过取得信任来欺骗或诈骗别人的人。 例句：那个骗子假装卖稀有古董，但全是假的。

11. Scamp（调皮鬼） – 一个调皮或淘气的人，通常是无害的。 例句：那个小男孩是个快乐的调皮鬼，总爱搞恶作剧。

12. Outlaw（逃犯/歹徒） – 一个生活在法律之外或经常犯罪的人。 例句：那个逃犯因为抢银行而被通缉。

13. Delinquent（小混混） – 一个经常惹麻烦或违反规则的年轻人。 例句：警察抓到了那个小混混，他正在涂鸦墙壁。

14. Snake（卑鄙小人） – 一个不诚实或不可信赖的人（俚语）。 例句：别相信她——她是个彻头彻尾的卑鄙小人，会背叛你的。