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surrendering to the temptations of the city
被城市诱惑所包围
and falling hopelessly into a deep, dark, sink of iniquity and disease.
逐渐无可救药地堕入 邪恶而病态的黑暗深渊
But however much moralists frowned on the new consumerism gripping the city,
不论多少卫道士信誓旦旦地声称 消费主义不会充斥整个城市
economic realists knew it was the way forward.
经济学家都知道这是发展必然趋势
There had been other great emporium cities in Europe,but nothing like this.
欧洲还有其他的大都会城市 但都不若如此
London had invented serious shopping and it had something like 20,000 shops to prove it.
伦敦商业极其繁荣 城中两万间店铺就是最好佐证
Its shops would lure the customer to buy something they'd never thought of acquiring.
这些商铺甚至能引诱顾客 选购他们不必需的商品
Novelty items like oriental goldfish,which became an aristocratic marvel.
东方金鱼这样的新奇玩意 已成为贵族新宠
Caged canaries, finches and parrots.
还有家养金丝雀 鹦鹉等
Unheard-of luxuries became commonplace,priced to appeal to the middle class.
闻所未闻的奢侈品也成为普通商品 逐渐普及中产阶级
China from Holland from which to sip your tea.
荷兰瓷器更多运用于泡沏茶水
Exotic fruits like pomegranates and pineapples.
外来的水果 如石榴和菠萝 也大受欢迎
The first commercially available condoms.
更有人开始贩卖避孕套
Lambskin for the rich,linen soaked in brine for the not-so-rich.
羊皮做的卖给富人 亚麻泡盐水做的卖给穷人
London's consumer culture was Mephistopheles winking an eye, crooking a finger, and proffering credit.
伦敦的商业文化极具魅惑力 眨眼之间 就能完成借贷
But terrible things could happen to those who ran out of credit and ran out of time.
但对那些逾期还不上钱的人来说 事情可能会变得很糟糕
