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Newland Archer, as became a young man of his position, strolled in somewhat late.
纽兰·阿切尔到达稍微晚了一点，这符合他这样的年轻人的身份。
He had left his overcoat with the silk-stockinged footmen (the stockings were one of Beaufort's few fatuities),
他把大衣交给穿长丝袜的男仆，这些长袜是博福特为数不多的蠢事之一，
had dawdled a while in the library hung with Spanish leather and furnished with Buhl and malachite,
在挂着西班牙皮革、用工艺品和孔雀石镶嵌装饰的书房里磨赠了一会儿——
where a few men were chatting and putting on their dancing-gloves,
那儿有几位男子一面闲聊一面戴跳舞的手套——
and had finally joined the line of guests whom Mrs. Beaufort was receiving on the threshold of the crimson drawing-room.
最后才加入到博福特太太在深红色客厅门口迎接的客人之中。
Archer was distinctly nervous.
阿切尔显然有些紧张不安。
He had not gone back to his club after the Opera (as the young bloods usually did),
看完歌剧他没有回俱乐部，就像公子哥儿们通常那样，
but, the night being fine, had walked for some distance up Fifth Avenue before turning back in the direction of the Beauforts' house.
而是趁着美好的夜色沿第五大街向上走了一段，然后才回过头朝博福特家的方向走去。
He was definitely afraid that the Mingotts might be going too far; that,
他肯定是担心明戈特家的人可能会做得太过，
in fact, they might have Granny Mingott's orders to bring the Countess Olenska to the ball.
生怕他们会执行明戈特老太太的命令，把奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人带到舞会上来。
From the tone of the club box he had perceived how grave a mistake that would be;
从俱乐部包厢的气氛中，他已经意识到那将是多么严重的错误。
and, though he was more than ever determined to "see the thing through,"
而且，虽然他无比坚决地要“坚持到底”，
he felt less chivalrously eager to champion his betrothed's cousin than before their brief talk at the Opera.
但他觉得，他要保护未婚妻的表姐的豪侠热情，没有在歌剧院与她简短交谈之前那么高涨了。
Wandering on to the bouton d'or drawing-room
阿切尔漫步走到金黄色客厅
(where Beaufort had had the audacity to hang "Love Victorious," the much-discussed nude of Bouguereau)
博福特大胆地在里面挂了一幅引起不少争议的裸体画《得胜的爱神》，
Archer found Mrs. Welland and her daughter standing near the ball-room door.
只见韦兰太太和她的女儿站在舞厅门口。
Couples were already gliding over the floor beyond:
那边，一对对的舞伴已经在地板上滑步，
the light of the wax candles fell on revolving tulle skirts,
烛光撒落在旋转的纱裙上，
on girlish heads wreathed with modest blossoms,
撒落在少女们头上戴的雅致的花环上，
on the dashing aigrettes and ornaments of the young married women's coiffures,
撒落在少妇们头上浮华的枝形宝石饰品及装饰物上，
and on the glitter of highly glazed shirt-fronts and fresh glace gloves.
撒落在光亮的衬衫前胸与上光的新手套上。
Miss Welland, evidently about to join the dancers, hung on the threshold,
韦兰小姐显然正准备加入跳舞的人群，她待在门口，
her lilies-of-the-valley in her hand (she carried no other bouquet),
手中握着铃兰（她没带别的花），
her face a little pale, her eyes burning with a candid excitement.
脸色有点苍白，真切的兴奋使她两眼灼灼发光。
A group of young men and girls were gathered about her,
一群男青年和姑娘聚在她的周围，
and there was much hand-clasping, laughing and pleasantry
不少人与她握手，笑着与她寒暄，
on which Mrs. Welland, standing slightly apart, shed the beam of a qualified approval.
稍稍站开一点的韦兰太太笑容满面，表达出得体的赞赏。
