She and Mr. van der Luyden were so exactly alike that Archer often wondered how, after forty years of the closest conjugality, two such merged identities ever separated themselves enough for anything as controversial as a talking-over. But as neither had ever reached a decision without prefacing it by this mysterious conclave, Mrs. Archer and her son, having set forth their case, waited resignedly for the familiar phrase.
她與范德盧頓先生是那樣相似，阿切爾常常納悶，經過40年親密的夫妻生活，兩個如此融洽的人，怎么還能分出你我，還有什么爭端需要商量。然而，由于這對夫妻誰也未曾不經雙方秘密會談就獨自做出過決定，阿切爾太太和兒子闡明他們的問題之后，只好安心地等待熟悉的措辭。

Mrs. van der Luyden, however, who had seldom surprised any one, now surprised them by reaching her long hand toward the bell-rope.
然而很少讓人意外的范德盧頓太太這時卻令母子二人大吃一驚：她伸出長長的手去夠鈴繩。

"I think," she said, "I should like Henry to hear what you have told me."
“我想，”她說道，“我要讓亨利聽一聽你對我講的情況?！?/P>

A footman appeared, to whom she gravely added: "If Mr. van der Luyden has finished reading the newspaper, please ask him to be kind enough to come."
一名男仆出現了，她又嚴肅地對他說：“如果范德盧頓先生讀完了報，請他勞神過來一趟?！?/P>

She said "reading the newspaper" in the tone in which a Minister's wife might have said: "Presiding at a Cabinet meeting"--not from any arrogance of mind, but because the habit of a life-time, and the attitude of her friends and relations, had led her to consider Mr. van der Luyden's least gesture as having an almost sacerdotal importance.

她講“讀報”的口氣宛如一位大臣的妻子講“主持內閣會議”，這并非由于她成心妄自尊大，而是因為終生的習慣及親友們的態度致使她認為，范德盧頓先生的一舉一動猶如執掌大政般重要。

Her promptness of action showed that she considered the case as pressing as Mrs. Archer; but, lest she should be thought to have committed herself in advance, she added, with the sweetest look: "Henry always enjoys seeing you, dear Adeline; and he will wish to congratulate Newland."
行動的迅速表明她跟阿切爾太太一樣覺得情況緊迫；不過惟恐給人未與丈夫商量就率先表態的印象，她又極為親切地補充說：“亨利一直很樂意見你，親愛的艾德琳；他還想祝賀紐蘭。”

The double doors had solemnly reopened and between them appeared Mr. Henry van der Luyden, tall, spare and frock-coated, with faded fair hair, 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.
雙扇門又被莊嚴地打開，亨利·范德盧頓先生從中間走了進來。他又高又瘦，穿著長禮服，一頭已經稀薄的金發，跟妻子一樣筆直的鼻子，一樣冷淡斯文的目光，只不過兩只眼睛是灰色而不是淺藍色。

Mr. van der Luyden greeted Mrs. Archer with cousinly affability, proffered to Newland low-voiced congratulations couched in the same language as his wife's, and seated himself in one of the brocade armchairs with the simplicity of a reigning sovereign.
范德盧頓先生以表親的和藹與阿切爾太太打過招呼，又用跟妻子同樣的措辭向紐蘭低聲表示了祝賀，然后又以在位君主的簡潔在一張錦緞扶手椅里就坐。