By seven o'clock the orchestra has arrived--no thin five-piece affair
七点钟的时候,乐队已经到了——决不是什么五人小乐队。
but a whole pitiful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolos and low and high drums.
而是一整支乐队,包括双簧管、长号、萨克斯管、短号、短笛和高低鼓。
The last swimmers have come in from the beach now and are dressing upstairs;
最后一批游泳的人已经从海滩上回来了,正在楼上穿衣服。
the cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive,
纽约来的轿车五辆一排停在车道上,
and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with primary colors
大厅、客室和阳台已经是色彩缤纷了
and hair shorn instrange new ways and shawls beyond the dreams of Castile.
女客们的发型争奇斗妍,披的纱巾令卡斯蒂尔的纱巾也黯然失色。
The bar is in full swing and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside
酒吧里热闹极了,鸡尾酒的味道弥漫在花园里,
until the air is alive with chatter and laughter and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot
到后来,空气中充满了欢声笑语,以及脱口而出,转眼就忘的打趣和寒暄,
and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each others names.
彼此不相识的女人们亲热无比的会见。
The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music
太阳逐渐西沉,灯光越来越亮,现在乐队正在演奏鸡尾酒音乐,
and the opera of voices pitches a key higher.
客人们像大合唱般升高了音调。
Laughter is easier, minute by minute,spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word.
笑声越来越频繁,没一会儿功夫便出现一阵笑声,只要一句笑话就会引起哄然大笑。
The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath--already there are wanderers, confident girls
人群聚散得更快,有时随着新人的到来而扩大,没一会儿又解散并重组——因为又来了新的开朗的女孩子
who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group and then excited with triumph glide on
她们在人群中东绕西绕,在片刻的欢腾中成为人群的中心,又激动地带着胜利的喜悦继续前进;
through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.
她们得意洋洋,在不断变化的灯光下穿过变幻不定的面孔、声音和色彩扬长而去。
Suddenly one of these gypsies in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air,
忽然间,这些吉卜赛人似的姑娘中,有一个满身的珠光宝气,伸手就抓来一杯鸡尾酒,
dumps it down for courage and moving her hands like Frisco dances out alone on the canvas platform.
为了壮胆,她把它一饮而尽,像跳弗里斯科舞那样在舞池中间独自跳舞。
A momentary hush; the orchestra leader varies his rhythm obligingly for her
短暂的安静;乐队指挥亲切地为她变换着节奏,
and there is a burst of chatter as the erroneous news goes around that she is Gilda Gray's understudy from the "Follies."
之后便有谣言传开,说她是速演剧团里吉尔德·格雷的替角。引起了一阵议论。
The party has begun.
晚会开始了。