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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
If there has been anything [it has been only a serving man]
This novel is set in a Chinese village before World War One.
Today is the protagonist Wang Lung's wedding day.
He came to so big a house to take a bride-to-be, who is a maid, and he came inwards with the gate keeper to have an audience with the old mistress.
"~ You see she has the strong body and the square cheeks of her kind. She will work well for you in the field and drawing water and all else that you wish. She is not beautiful but that you do not need. Only men of leisure have the need for beautiful women to divert them. Neither is she clever. But she does well what she is told to do and she has a good temper. So far as I know she is virgin. She has not beauty enough to tempt my sons and grandsons even if she had not been in the kitchen. If there has been anything it has been only a serving man. But with the innumerable and pretty salves running freely about courts, I doubt if there has been anyone.~"
[The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck]
I'd like to know why it is "it has been only a serving man," not "it would have been only by a serving man."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Today is the protagonist Wang Lung's wedding day.
He came to so big a house to take a bride-to-be, who is a maid, and he came inwards with the gate keeper to have an audience with the old mistress.
"~ You see she has the strong body and the square cheeks of her kind. She will work well for you in the field and drawing water and all else that you wish. She is not beautiful but that you do not need. Only men of leisure have the need for beautiful women to divert them. Neither is she clever. But she does well what she is told to do and she has a good temper. So far as I know she is virgin. She has not beauty enough to tempt my sons and grandsons even if she had not been in the kitchen. If there has been anything it has been only a serving man. But with the innumerable and pretty salves running freely about courts, I doubt if there has been anyone.~"
[The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck]
I'd like to know why it is "it has been only a serving man," not "it would have been only by a serving man."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
" It indicates a greater possibility of her loss of virginity.
- " It indicates a greater possibility of her loss of virginity.
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1 Answers
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park sang joonI'd like to know why it is "it has been only a serving man," not "it would have been only by a serving man."It indicates a greater possibility of her loss of virginity.
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