在中文里，method是方式方法；madness是疯狂。我们说method to one’s madness，意思是“表面看似疯狂的举止，其实有它隐含的目的”。
There was a method to her madness.
在生活中，让人摸不着头脑的事情有很多，但是仔细分析，往往又会发现其中的道理。让我们一起看看下面这个孩子的回忆。
When I was a kid, my dad used to take long drives around the state I grew up in. I thought he wanted to go sightseeing. Then I realized he was looking around for the service station offering the cheapest price on gas. I should have known there was a reasonable explanation for those odd road trips. Yes, there was a method to his madness.
小时候，爸爸常常带我开车到处跑，我原来以为他是开车出去兜风，后来才明白，他是在找便宜的加油站。我早该明白，他开车莫名其妙地到处走不是没有目的的。
其实，很多人都干过这种事，开车到处跑，就为了找个便宜的加油站，特别是油价特别贵的时候。不过，也不能离家太远，否则花在路上的汽油钱刨去省下来的钱，也就所剩无几了。
说到省钱，我爷爷可不是一般人。我还记得小时候到爷爷家去，看到他攒了很多空的铁罐子，后来我才发现，他把这些铁罐子整齐地摆放在一起，上面铺块布，然后睬在上面够东西。虽说我肯定不会这样做，但至少：
I saw a method to one’s madness.
下面例子里有人别出心裁，为了涨工资而背水一战。
My colleagues assumed I’d gone crazy when I threatened to resign my position as assistant sales manager. What none of them suspected was that I wanted the boss to give me a promotion. And it worked. Within a week I was running the department. See, there was a method to one’s madness!
我宣布要辞去销售部副经理的职务，同事们都以为我疯了。没人会想到，我这样做其实是为了逼着老板给我升职。我的计划居然成功了。怎么样，我看似疯狂的举动其实是有目的的。
这个人可真够意思，不过我还是建议，想升职的朋友不要效仿他的做法，搞不好连饭碗都丢了。
有时候，大家也会听到有人说，method in one’s madness，特别是在英式英语里面。method in one’s madness跟method to one’s madness两种说法的意思是一样的。莎氏比亚的名著《哈姆雷特》里面就曾出现过这个习惯用语。
There was a method to her madness.
在生活中，让人摸不着头脑的事情有很多，但是仔细分析，往往又会发现其中的道理。让我们一起看看下面这个孩子的回忆。
When I was a kid, my dad used to take long drives around the state I grew up in. I thought he wanted to go sightseeing. Then I realized he was looking around for the service station offering the cheapest price on gas. I should have known there was a reasonable explanation for those odd road trips. Yes, there was a method to his madness.
小时候，爸爸常常带我开车到处跑，我原来以为他是开车出去兜风，后来才明白，他是在找便宜的加油站。我早该明白，他开车莫名其妙地到处走不是没有目的的。
其实，很多人都干过这种事，开车到处跑，就为了找个便宜的加油站，特别是油价特别贵的时候。不过，也不能离家太远，否则花在路上的汽油钱刨去省下来的钱，也就所剩无几了。
说到省钱，我爷爷可不是一般人。我还记得小时候到爷爷家去，看到他攒了很多空的铁罐子，后来我才发现，他把这些铁罐子整齐地摆放在一起，上面铺块布，然后睬在上面够东西。虽说我肯定不会这样做，但至少：
I saw a method to one’s madness.
下面例子里有人别出心裁，为了涨工资而背水一战。
My colleagues assumed I’d gone crazy when I threatened to resign my position as assistant sales manager. What none of them suspected was that I wanted the boss to give me a promotion. And it worked. Within a week I was running the department. See, there was a method to one’s madness!
我宣布要辞去销售部副经理的职务，同事们都以为我疯了。没人会想到，我这样做其实是为了逼着老板给我升职。我的计划居然成功了。怎么样，我看似疯狂的举动其实是有目的的。
这个人可真够意思，不过我还是建议，想升职的朋友不要效仿他的做法，搞不好连饭碗都丢了。
有时候，大家也会听到有人说，method in one’s madness，特别是在英式英语里面。method in one’s madness跟method to one’s madness两种说法的意思是一样的。莎氏比亚的名著《哈姆雷特》里面就曾出现过这个习惯用语。