Their attempt to bribe the clerk had failed.

他贿赂那位办企图没有成功。

Insolvent tenants openly defied the collector of the waterrate from their ten-roomed strongholds, and existed for weeks without any visible means of procuring that necessary fluid.

无偿付能力房客，公然反抗收缴他八居室要塞水费办，尽管看不出他有什么办法获得这种生活所必需液体，可他已经继续生存好几个礼拜了。