The triangular romance, however, is but a come-hither [6] to the novel's weightier themes, which are all about rust, ruin and decay-all metaphors for ageing.

然而，这段三角恋情的描写无非是要将读者引向那些更为沉重的主题，包括锈蚀、废墟以及腐朽在内一切的一切都隐喻着年华的逝去。

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All four of them seemed to be standing at the four corners of old age, which are decrepitude, decay, ruin, and sadness.

她们四个仿佛是在人生晚年的枯竭、凋残、衰颓、 愁惨这四只角上，各占一角。

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But as that hope faded and the need to remove the steadily-decreasing decay heat remained, operators at Fukushima-Daiichi took measures that would cool the reactors but would ruin them for future operation, such as the decision to try to cool the reactors with seawater.

FORBES: Explainer: What Caused The Incident At Fukushima-Daiichi