Their trembling hands couldn't even hold a rice bowl steady, let alone write legibly.

他们颤抖的手甚至连一碗米不稳，更别提得清楚了。

Notice I wrote this here, " write legibly" .

注意我在这里的，“得清楚”。

At that time the opinion existed that it was beneath a gentleman to write legibly, or with a hand in the least suitable to a clerk.

当时存在这样一种观点，即清晰或用最不适合职员的手字是绅士的下流。

" Copy me a line or two of that valuation, with the figures at the end." At that time the opinion existed that it was beneath a gentleman to write legibly, or with a hand in the least suitable to a clerk.

“给我抄一两行估价，最后是数字。”当时有一种观点认为，绅士得清晰，或者用最不适合办事员的手字。