Once she found herself in the afternoon torrent of Broadway, swept past tawdry shops and flaming theatrical posters, with a succession of meaningless faces gliding by in the opposite direction.英文原著 · 《Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton-Part 2》
Still she did not move, and he had the impression that he was looking at a spirit--a spirit startled out of its flesh. Nor at the moment did it seem in the least strange that he should conceive such an odd thought. He stared round the room--clean and tawdry, with its tarnished gilt mirror, marble-topped side-table, and plush-covered sofa. Twenty years and more since he had been in such a place. And he said:英文原著 · 《Five Tales》
Don't like these Chinese lanterns, with that moon-tawdry! By Jove, Molly, I sometimes think we humans are a rubbishy lot--each of us talking and thinking of nothing but our own petty little affairs; and when you see a great thing like that up there --[Sighs.] But there's your Aunt, if I were to say a thing like that to her she 'd-- she'd think me a lunatic; and yet, you know, she 's a very good woman.英文原著 · 《Joy》
Thus Time, with sordid Alchemy and dread, Turns half the Glory of your Gold to Lead; Thus Time,--at Ronsard's wreath that vainly bit, - Has marred the Poet to preserve the Wit, Who almost left on Addison a stain, Whose Knife cut cleanest with a poisoned pain, - Yet Thou (strange Fate that clings to all of Thine!) When most a Wit dost most a Poet shine. In Poetry thy Dunciad expires, When Wit has shot "her momentary Fires." 'Tis Tragedy that watches by the Bed "Where tawdry Yellow strove with dirty Red," And Men, remembering all, can scarce deny To lay the Laurel where thine Ashes lie!英文原著 · 《Letters to Dead Authors》
It must have cost a great deal of money and she would doubtless be held responsible for its safe-keeping. She came dancing to him. "Say, that's fine-your eyes are working, ain't they? I might 'a' been set back a good six dollars if you hadn't found that." She took the bauble and fastened it inside her jacket. So the pin, too, had been a tawdry makeshift. Nothing was real any more. As she adjusted the pin he saw his moment for escape. With a gallant striving for the true Clifford Armytage manner he raised the plush hat.英文原著 · 《Merton of the Movies》
"See how he use his steel!" laughed M. Beaucaire, as his point passed through a tawdry waistcoat. For a moment he cut through the ring and cleared a space about him, and Lady Mary saw his face shining in the moonlight. "Canaille!" he hissed, as his horse sank beneath him; and, though guarding his head from the rain of blows from above, he managed to drag headlong from his saddle the man who had hamstrung the poor brute. The fellow came suddenly to the ground, and lay there.英文原著 · 《Monsieur Beaucaire》