If the theme were hackneyed, I should be obliged to deal gently with the reader.是什么意思？

If the theme were hackneyed, I should be obliged to deal gently with the reader.

假如这是个老生常谈的题目, 我只消向读者轻描淡写一番就行了.

if

conj. 如果，倘若，即使，〈口〉是否，假设；n. 条件，设想；

例句
She was old enough to absent herself from the lunch table if she chose...
她长大了，可以自己做主不来吃午餐了。

the

art. 指已提到的人（物），指说话人与听者已知的人（物），用于独一无二的事物前，与形容词最高级和序数词连用；

例句
He did have a real knowledge of the country...
他对该国的确知之甚多。

theme

n. [乐]主题，主旋律，题目，话题，（学生的）作文；adj. 以奇想主题布置的；

例句
Recent events have made his central theme even more apposite...
新近发生的事情使得他的中心主题显得更加有的放矢。

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

hackneyed

adj. （词语、引语等）使用过于频繁的，陈腐的，老一套的，滥；

例句
Power corrupts and absolute power absolutely corrupts. That's the old hackneyed phrase, but it's true.
权力导致腐败，绝对权力导致绝对腐败。这虽是老生常谈，但却是真理。

should

应该，将会，可能，本应；

例句
The older child should be able to prepare a simple meal...
那个年纪稍大的孩子应当会做一顿简单的饭菜。

be

v. 是，有，存在，做，成为，发生；aux. 用来表示某人或某物即主语本身，用来表示某人或某物属于某一群体或有某种性质；

例句
The older child should be able to prepare a simple meal...
那个年纪稍大的孩子应当会做一顿简单的饭菜。

obliged

adj. 感激的，感谢的；v. 迫使做（ oblige的过去式和过去分词 ），使负义务，满足请求，施惠；

例句
He did not feel obliged to conform to the rules that applied to ordinary men...
他觉得自己不必遵守那些适用于普通人的规定。

to

prep. 向，朝着，到，关于，属于；adv. 朝一个方向的，到某种状态，关闭；

例句
I suggest you leave it to an expert...
我建议你把它留给专家来解决。

deal

vt. [牌戏]分，分配，经营，施予；n. （一笔）交易，许多，待遇，发

例句
The government is taking emergency action to deal with a housing crisis...
政府正采取紧急措施解决住房危机。

gently

adv. 温柔地，轻轻地，有礼貌地，文雅地；

例句
All you need to do is gently agitate the water with a finger or paintbrush...
你只需要用手指或刷子轻轻地搅动水。

with

prep. 和，跟，随着，关于，和…一致；

例句
A waiter entered with a tray...
侍者端着托盘进来了。

reader

n. 读者，朗读者，读本，讲读者，讲师，审稿人；

例句
This book is intended for the general reader rather than the student.
这本书面向一般读者而非学生。