And then came this astonishing girl-wife[22]whom nobody had expected[23] -- least of all Chips himself[24]. She made him, to all appearances, a new man[25]; though most of the newness was really a warming to life of things that were old, imprisoned, and unguessed[26]. His eyes gained sparkle; his mind, which was adequately if not brilliantly equipped[27], began to move more adventurously[28]. The one thing he had always had, a sense of humour[29], blossomed into a sudden richness[30]to which his years lent maturity[31]. He began to feel a greater strength[32]; his discipline improved to a point[33]at which it could become, in a sense[34], less rigid; he became more popular. When he had first come to Brookfield he had aimed to be loved[35], honoured and obeyed -- but obeyed, at any rate[36]. Obedience he had secured[37], and honour had been granted him[38]; but only now came love[39], the sudden love of boys for a man who[40]was kind without being soft[41], who understood them well enough, but not too much[42], and whose private happiness linked him with their own[43]. He began to make little jokes, the sort[44]that schoolboys like -- mnemonics and puns[45]that raised laughs[46]and at the same time imprinted something in the mind[47]. There was one[48]that never failed to please[49], though it was only a sample[50]of many others. Whenever his Roman History forms[51]came to deal with[52]the Lex Canuleia[53], the law that permitted patricians[54]to marry plebeians[55], Chips used to add[56]: 'So that[57], you see[58], if Miss Plebs wanted Mr. Patrician to marry her[59], and he said he couldn't[60], she probably replied: "Oh, yes, you can[61], you liar[62]!”' Roars of laughter.
[22] astonishing girl-wife惊人的年轻妻子
[23] nobody had expected任何人都没有料想到。expected是“料想”，不是“期望”。
[24] least of all Chips himself后面省略had expected；Chips自己最没有料想到。
[25] She made him, to all appearances, a new man她使他显然成了一个崭新的人。to all appearances从各方面看来，显然；是习语。美国多用to all appearance s，英国多用to all appearance。
[26] a warming to life of things that were old, imprisoned, and unguessed旧有的、被约束着的和想不到的种种（思想、感情、生活习惯等）（重新）活跃起来。warming to life活跃起来。
[27] adequately ['ædɪkwɪtlɪ] if not brilliantly equipped（智力上）虽没有出色的准备，但也有适当的准备。if not brilliantly倘不能说是出色的话；实际上就有“虽不出色”的意义，因而if有“虽然”的意思。
[28] move [mu:v] more adventurously更大胆地活动
[29] The one thing he had always had, a sense of humour他唯一的向来就有的幽默感。a sense of humour幽默感；是主语The one thing的同位语。
[30] blossomed into a sudden richness突然百花盛开；突然焕发。
[31] to which (=richness) his years lent maturity [mə'tjʊərɪtɪ]他的年龄给繁盛带来成熟（使他的幽默感不但丰富而且圆熟）。
[32] feel a greater strength觉得有更大的力量。美国Little, Brown版上strength作sureness。sureness把握；有“不惑”的意思。
[33] improved to a point改善到某一程度。
[34] in a sense在某种意义上；是习语。
[35] had aimed to be loved原来想要人家喜爱他。aim后接不定式是美国用法；英国用法是aim后接at+动名词。
[36] obeyed [ə'beɪd] , at any rate无论如何要让人服从自己。要是其他做不到，这一点一定要做到。
[37] Obedience [ə'bi:djəns] he had secured=He had secured obedience.宾语放句首，突出宾语，这里还与下面honour对照。
[38] honour had been granted him荣誉已经给他。grant可以有双宾语，这里him是它的保留间接宾语。
[39] only now came love=love came only now爱现在刚来；现在刚得到人们的喜爱。
[40] the sudden love of boys for a man who…学生们对一个……的人的突然喜爱；这个名词词组是前面love的同位语。
[41] kind without being soft和蔼而不是软心肠的
[42] not too much承接understoodthem，说“并不了解得太多”，意即并不苛求学生们样样要被先生知道。
[43] whose private happiness linked him with their own他私下的快乐使他和学生们自己的快乐连成一气；美国Little, Brown版上him作them，实际上意思相同。
[44] the sort=the sort of jokes，是前面jokes的同位语，说明他讲的是哪一类笑话。
[45] mnemonics [ni(:)'mɒnɪks] and puns记忆术和双关语，这两词又是the sort (of jokes)的同位语，进一步具体说明是怎样的笑话。mnemonics这里指帮助记忆的笑话。
[46] raised laughs引起哈哈大笑。注意：laugh是可数名词，而laughter在现代英语中是不可数名词。
[47] imprinted something in the mind在学生头脑中留下印记；使学生牢记不忘。
[48] one一个笑话
[49] failed to please不使人欢喜；不引人发笑
[50] sample例子[51] Roman ['rəʊmən] History forms罗马（帝国）史班
[52] came to deal with讲到。came后接不定式，表示“开始”、“终于”的意思。deal with论述，涉及。
[53] Lex Canuleia（拉丁词）古罗马由人民选出的保民官（tribune）Gaius Canuleius提出的使贵族和平民间婚姻合法化的法律。
[54] patricians [pə'trɪʃənz]（古罗马的）贵族
[55] plebeians [plɪ'bi(:)ənz]（古罗马的）平民
[56] used to add常补充一句。used to [ju:st to]后接不定式，表示过去经常的动作。add附加说（或写）。
[57] So that所以；这是从属连词，照理它引起从属从句，不能独立，但这里独立成句，是模拟Chips在讲了罗马法律允许贵族和平民结婚后，随口接下去讲的口气。
[58] you see你们知道；是插入语。
[59] if Miss Plebs [plebz] wanted Mr. Patrician to marry her如果Plebs小姐要Patrician先生娶她。作者把上面所说的patricians和plebeians化成两个姓氏（pleb=plebeian）编成笑话。
[60] he couldn't=he couldn't marry her.
[61] you can=you can marry me.
[62] you liar ['laɪə]你这个说谎的人（实际能娶，而说“不能”，当然是说谎。）