Loyal wives may be gearing up for a romantic evening tomorrow night, but it seems some of their husbands will be celebrating Valentine's Day one night early... with another woman.
It doesn't appear on the traditional family calendar, but 13 February has been branded Mistress Day for unfaithful British men and their partners in love crime.
New statistics reveal that 71 per cent of cheating husbands plan to see their mistresses on 13 February, leaving Valentine's Day itself free for a date with their long-suffering wives.
做妻子的，早已做好萬全準備，迎接隔天浪漫的情人節夜晚，不過，看來某些丈夫將跟外面其他的女人，提早一天慶祝情人節…2月13日，情人節的前夕，雖然不是什麼特別的節日，但對那些不忠的英國男人來說，已悄悄被訂為「小三日」。
一項最新的統計數據揭發了醜陋的事實，71%出軌的男人，會在情人節的前一天與小三約會，當作隔天情人節要與正牌老婆共度無奈的一天前的最後喘息機會。
- Gear up 準備好
I was all geared up to go on holiday, and now it's been cancelled.
我興致勃勃地做好去度假的準備，可是現在卻被取消了。
- Brand (v.) 將…汙名
The press branded him a liar. 新聞界加給他騙子的醜名。
- Mistress (n.) 情婦 ﹡be one's own mistress / master 獨立自主
Ex: She likes being her own mistress, and not having to work for someone else.
她喜歡獨立自主, 不必為別人工作。
- Unfaithful (adj.) 不忠實的；有外遇的 = untrue, disloyal, treacherous
Her husband is unfaithful to her. 她的丈夫對她不忠實。
- Cheat (v.) 出軌，偷吃
- Long-suffering (adj.) 長期忍受的
For 42 per cent a hotel is booked, while 35 per cent will be taking their illicit lover to the pub for a night out - before returning home to their wife. On Valentine's Day itself, 60 per cent of scoundrels plan to take their wives out for a meal, and just two per cent will take her to the pub.
The survey of 3853 actively unfaithful men also shows that when it comes to Valentine's gifts, wives lose out. Of the men polled, 55 per cent plan to spend less than £100 on their wife, while 81 per cent will spend £100 to £300, or even more, on their mistress.
根據統計數據，在回家面對太太之前，42%已將要與小三幽會的旅館房間預訂好；35%則要帶情婦去酒吧狂歡。情人節當天，在這些劈腿的男人中，60%會帶老婆出外享用情人節大餐，但僅有2%會帶太太到酒吧共渡浪漫情人節。
另外，55%的男人預計這天不花超過100英鎊在老婆身上，然而，若對象換成是小三，有81%的人願意花費100~300英鎊，甚至更多。
- Illicit (adj.) 不正當的；不法的
an illicit love affair 有違世俗的愛情
an illicit drug 禁藥
- a Night out 出外玩樂；徹夜狂歡
I enjoy an occasional night out at the theatre. 我偶爾晚上會出去看看電影。
- Scoundrel (n.) 壞蛋，惡棍，流氓 = villain, rascal, rogue, gangster
The scoundrel who set fire to the house have been caught. 放火燒屋的壞人已被抓住。
- Lose out 失敗；輸掉
﹡Lose out to 被...戰勝或取代 Ex: Has the cinema lost out to TV? 電影被電視所取代了嗎？
Traditional diamond jewellery and lingerie are still the most popular gifts for mistresses, while flowers and perfume are reserved for wives.
'Valentine's Day has always been associated with secrecy around love affairs; it's a key time for infidelity,' said a spokesperson for Ashleymadison.com, a dating website for people who actively wish to have affairs, who carried out the research.
'Of course men spend more on their mistresses: they're out to impress! That goes for the mates down the pub too!'
鑽石珠寶和性感內睡衣，是送給小三的熱門首選，至於老婆的情人節禮物，則不脫離花束和香水。
執行這項調查計畫的Ashleymadison.com，是專門為用戶尋找婚外情的約會網站，發言人提到：「情人節總被拿來與『婚外情』作聯想，這是個決定忠貞與否的關鍵時刻。理所當然男性願意花比較多的金錢在小三身上，畢竟她們是帶出去炫耀的，酒店情緣也是如此。」
- Lingerie (n.) 女用貼身內衣褲；女性睡衣
- Secrecy (n.) 祕密，遮遮掩掩 ﹡in secrecy 秘密地
Ex: The operation was conducted in secrecy. 這一行動是秘密進行的。
- Love affair 戀愛關係；風流事 ﹡have an affair with 與...有婚外情
- Infidelity (n.) 對另一半的不貞行為
- Out to + VR. 試圖…
Be careful: he's out to get you. 小心點, 他想抓你。
