评论
打印
The double doors had solemnly reopened and between them appeared Mr. Henry van der Luyden,
双扇门又被庄严地打开，亨利·范德卢顿先生从中间走了进来。
tall, spare and frock-coated, with faded fair hair,
他又高又瘦，穿着长礼服，一头已经稀薄的金发，
a straight nose like his wife's and the same look of frozen gentleness in eyes that were merely pale grey instead of pale blue.
跟妻子一样笔直的鼻子，一样冷淡斯文的目光，只不过两只眼睛是灰色而不是浅蓝色。
Mr. van der Luyden greeted Mrs. Archer with cousinly affability,
范德卢顿先生以表亲的和蔼与阿切尔太太打过招呼，
proffered to Newland low-voiced congratulations couched in the same language as his wife's,
又用跟妻子同样的措辞向纽兰低声表示了祝贺，
and seated himself in one of the brocade armchairs with the simplicity of a reigning sovereign.
然后又以在位君主的简洁在一张锦缎扶手椅里就坐。
"I had just finished reading the Times," he said, laying his long finger-tips together.
“我刚刚读完《纽约时报》，”他说，一面把长长的指尖收拢在一起。
"In town my mornings are so much occupied that I find it more convenient to read the newspapers after luncheon."
“在城里上午事情太多，我发现午饭后读报更合适。”
"Ah, there's a great deal to be said for that plan—
“噢，这样安排是很有道理的——
indeed I think my uncle Egmont used to say he found it less agitating not to read the morning papers till after dinner,"
我想我舅舅埃格蒙特过去确实常常说，他发现把晨报留到晚餐后读，不会使人心烦意乱，”
said Mrs. Archer responsively.
阿切尔太太附和地说。
"Yes: my good father abhorred hurry. But now we live in a constant rush,"
“不错。我亲爱的父亲就讨厌忙乱，可我们如今却经常处于紧张状态，”
said Mr. van der Luyden in measured tones,
范德卢顿先生很有分寸地说，
looking with pleasant deliberation about the large shrouded room which to Archer was so complete an image of its owners.
一边从容而又愉快地打量着遮蔽严实的大房间。阿切尔觉得这屋子是其主人完美的化身。
"But I hope you HAD finished your reading, Henry?" his wife interposed.
“我希望你真的已经读完报纸了，亨利？”他妻子插言道。
"Quite--quite," he reassured her.
“完了——读完了，”他向她保证说。
"Then I should like Adeline to tell you--"
“那么，我想让艾德琳对你讲一讲——”
"Oh, it's really Newland's story," said his mother smiling;
“哦，其实是纽兰的事，”母亲面带笑容地说，
and proceeded to rehearse once more the monstrous tale of the affront inflicted on Mrs. Lovell Mingott.
接着又复述了一遍洛弗尔·明戈特太太蒙受公开侮辱的咄咄怪事。
"Of course," she ended, "Augusta Welland and Mary Mingott both felt that,
“当然，”她最后说，“奥古斯塔·韦兰跟玛丽·明戈特都认为——
especially in view of Newland's engagement, you and Henry OUGHT TO KNOW."
尤其是考虑到纽兰的订婚——你和亨利是应当知道的。”
"Ah--" said Mr. van der Luyden, drawing a deep breath.
“噢——”范德卢顿先生深深吸了一口气说。
There was a silence during which the tick of the monumental ormolu clock on the white marble mantelpiece grew as loud as the boom of a minute-gun.
接下来是一阵沉默，白色大理石壁炉台上那架巨大的镀金时钟发出的嘀嗒声变得像葬礼上一分钟鸣放一次的炮声那样轰轰隆隆。
