I suppose Velasquez was a better painter than El Greco, but custom stales one's admiration for him: the Cretan, sensual and tragic, proffers the mystery of his soul like a standing sacrifice.
魏拉斯或许在绘画方面比葛埃尔更胜一筹,但因为魏拉斯的作品司空见惯,大家对他的钦佩程度也就变了味:而那个克里特人葛埃尔,一生好色放荡,命运悲惨,把自己灵魂的隐秘之处,像是当作一份活生生站立着的祭品奉献给了世人。
其中的"custom stales one's admiration"化用莎士比亚的《埃及艳后》中的句子:
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety
岁月流逝无法使她的美丽容颜枯萎凋谢,司空见惯无法使她的万种风情陈旧变味
毛姆在本章最后又提到了Anthony和Cleopatra之间绝非金钱往来的关系那么简单,应该是照应了上面这一句。