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He passed for an Englishman, was agreeable, handsome, ill-tempered, hospitable and witty.
他被认为是个英国人，彬彬有礼，仪表堂堂，脾气很坏，但却诙谐好客。
He had come to America with letters of recommendation from old Mrs. Manson Mingott's English son-in-law, the banker,
他原是带着老曼森·明戈特太太那位英国银行家女婿的推荐信来到美国的，
and had speedily made himself an important position in the world of affairs;
并很快在社交界赢得了重要地位；
but his habits were dissipated, his tongue was bitter, his antecedents were mysterious;
然而他生性放荡，言辞尖刻，而他的履历又很神秘。
and when Medora Manson announced her cousin's engagement to him
当梅多拉·曼森宣布她表妹与他订婚的消息时，
it was felt to be one more act of folly in poor Medora's long record of imprudences.
人们认定，在可怜的梅多拉长长的鲁莽纪录中又增加了一次愚蠢行动。
But folly is as often justified of her children as wisdom,
然而愚蠢与聪明一样，常常会给她带来良好的结果。
and two years after young Mrs. Beaufort's marriage it was admitted that she had the most distinguished house in New York.
年轻的博福特太太结婚两年之后，人们已公认她拥有了纽约最引人注目的住宅。
No one knew exactly how the miracle was accomplished.
没有人知道这一奇迹究竟是怎样发生的。
She was indolent, passive, the caustic even called her dull;
她懒散驯服，刻薄的人甚至称她愚笨。
but dressed like an idol, hung with pearls, growing younger and blonder and more beautiful each year,
但她打扮得像个玩偶，金发碧眼，珠光宝气，变得一年比一年年轻，一年比一年漂亮。
she throned in Mr. Beaufort's heavy brown-stone palace,
她在博福特先生深棕色的石头宫殿里登上宝座，
and drew all the world there without lifting her jewelled little finger.
无须抬一抬戴钻戒的小手指便能把整个社交界的名人都吸引到身边。
The knowing people said it was Beaufort himself who trained the servants,
知情的人说，博福特亲自训练仆役，
taught the chef new dishes,
教厨师烹调新的菜肴，
told the gardeners what hot-house flowers to grow for the dinner-table and the drawing-rooms,
吩咐园丁在温室中栽培适宜餐桌与客厅的鲜花。
selected the guests,
他还亲自挑选宾客，
brewed the after-dinner punch
酿制餐后的潘趣酒，
and dictated the little notes his wife wrote to her friends.
并口授妻子写给朋友的便函。
If he did, these domestic activities were privately performed,
假若他果真如此，那么，这些家务活动也都是私下进行的；
and he presented to the world the appearance of a careless and hospitable millionaire
在社交界面前出现的他，却是一位漫不经心、热情好客的百万富翁，
strolling into his own drawing-room with the detachment of an invited guest,
像贵宾一样潇洒地走进自己的客厅，
and saying: "My wife's gloxinias are a marvel, aren't they? I believe she gets them out from Kew."
赞不绝口地说：“我妻子的大岩桐真令人叫绝，不是吗？我相信她是从伦敦邱园弄来的。”
Mr. Beaufort's secret, people were agreed, was the way he carried things off.
人们一致认为，博福特先生的秘密在于他成功的处事方法。
