"Perhaps," young Thorley hazarded, "she's too unhappy to be left at home."
“也許，”那位小索利冒險地說，“她太不快活了，不會愿意一個人被晾在家里。”

This was greeted with an irreverent laugh, and the youth blushed deeply, and tried to look as if he had meant to insinuate what knowing people called a "double entendre."
這話引來一陣無禮的笑聲，年輕人臉色深紅，竭力裝出是想巧妙使用聰明人所說的“雙關語”的樣子。

"Well--it's queer to have brought Miss Welland, anyhow," some one said in a low tone, with a side- glance at Archer.
“唔——不管怎么說，把韋蘭小姐帶來總是令人費解，”有人悄悄地說，一面斜視了阿切爾一眼。

"Oh, that's part of the campaign: Granny's orders, no doubt," Lefferts laughed. "When the old lady does a thing she does it thoroughly."
“噢，這是運動的一個組成部分嘛：肯定是老祖宗的命令，”萊弗茨笑著說。“老夫人要是干一件事，總要干得完全徹底。”

The act was ending, and there was a general stir in the box. Suddenly Newland Archer felt himself impelled to decisive action. The desire to be the first man to enter Mrs. Mingott's box, to proclaim to the waiting world his engagement to May Welland, and to see her through whatever difficulties her cousin's anomalous situation might involve her in; this impulse had abruptly overruled all scruples and hesitations, and sent him hurrying through the red corridors to the farther side of the house.
這一幕結束了，包廂里一陣普遍的騷動。紐蘭·阿切爾突然感到必須采取果斷行動。他要第一個走進明戈特太太的包廂，第一個向期望中的社交界宣布他與梅·韋蘭的訂婚消息，第一個去幫助她度過表姐的異常處境可能使她卷人的任何困難。這一沖動猛然間壓倒了一切顧慮與遲疑，促使他匆匆穿過一節節紅色走廊，向劇院較遠的一端走去。

As he entered the box his eyes met Miss Welland's, and he saw that she had instantly understood his motive, though the family dignity which both considered so high a virtue would not permit her to tell him so. The persons of their world lived in an atmosphere of faint implications and pale delicacies, and the fact that he and she understood each other without a word seemed to the young man to bring them nearer than any explanation would have done. Her eyes said: "You see why Mamma brought me," and his answered: "I would not for the world have had you stay away."
進入包廂的時候，他的眼睛遇到了韋蘭小姐的目光，而且他發現她立即明白了他的來意，盡管家族的尊嚴不允許她對他明講——兩個人都認為這是一種很高尚的美德。他們這個圈子的人都生活在一種含而不露、稍顯矜持的氣氛中，年輕人覺得，他與她不用說一句話就能互相溝通，任何解釋都不能使他們更加貼近。她的眼睛在說：“你明白媽媽為什么帶我來。”他的眼睛則回答：“無論如何我都不肯讓你離開這兒。”

"You know my niece Countess Olenska?" Mrs. Welland enquired as she shook hands with her future son- in-law. Archer bowed without extending his hand, as was the custom on being introduced to a lady; and Ellen Olenska bent her head slightly, keeping her own pale-gloved hands clasped on her huge fan of eagle feathers. Having greeted Mrs. Lovell Mingott, a large blonde lady in creaking satin, he sat down beside his betrothed, and said in a low tone: "I hope you've told Madame Olenska that we're engaged? I want everybody to know--I want you to let me announce it this evening at the ball."
“你認識我的侄女奧蘭斯卡伯爵夫人嗎？”韋蘭太太與她未來的女婿握手時問道。按照引見給女士的習慣，阿切爾欠一下身子，沒有伸出手；埃倫·奧蘭斯卡輕輕低一下頭，兩只戴淺色手套的手繼續握著那把大鷹毛扇子。與洛弗爾·明戈特太太打過招呼——她是個大塊頭的金發女人，穿一身悉索作響的緞子衣裙——他在未婚妻的身旁坐下，低聲說：“我希望你已經告訴奧蘭斯卡夫人我們訂婚了吧？我想讓每個人都知道——我要你允許我今晚在舞會上宣布。”