"Dearest mother, I really don't see how we're concerned in the matter. The Duke took Madame Olenska to Mrs. Struthers's--in fact he brought Mrs. Struthers to call on her. I was there when they came. If the van der Luydens want to quarrel with anybody, the real culprit is under their own roof."
“親愛的媽媽，我真不明白，我們與這件事有什么相干。是公爵帶奧蘭斯卡夫人到斯特拉瑟斯太太家去的——實際上是他先帶了斯特拉瑟斯太太去拜訪了她。他們去的時候我在那兒。假如范德盧頓夫婦想跟誰吵架，真正的教唆犯就在他們自己家。”

"Quarrel? Newland, did you ever know of cousin Henry's quarrelling? Besides, the Duke's his guest; and a stranger too. Strangers don't discriminate: how should they? Countess Olenska is a New Yorker, and should have respected the feelings of New York."
“吵架？紐蘭，你聽說過，亨利表兄吵過架嗎？而且，公爵是他的客人，又是個外國人，外國人不見怪，他們怎么會吵架呢？奧蘭斯卡伯爵夫人是個紐約人，她倒是應該尊重紐約人的感情的。”

"Well, then, if they must have a victim, you have my leave to throw Madame Olenska to them," cried her son, exasperated. "I don't see myself--or you either-- offering ourselves up to expiate her crimes."
“嗯，如果他們一定要找一個犧牲品，那我同意你把奧蘭斯卡夫人交給他們，”兒子惱怒地喊道。“我是不會——你也未必會——自動替她抵罪的。”

"Oh, of course you see only the Mingott side," his mother answered, in the sensitive tone that was her nearest approach to anger.
“你當然只會為明戈特一方考慮了，”母親回答說，她語氣很敏感，眼看就要發怒了。

The sad butler drew back the drawing-room portieres and announced: "Mr. Henry van der Luyden."
臉色陰郁的管家拉起了客廳的門簾，通報說：“亨利·范德盧頓先生到。”

Mrs. Archer dropped her needle and pushed her chair back with an agitated hand.
阿切爾太太扔下手中的針，用顫抖的手把椅子向后推了推。

"Another lamp," she cried to the retreating servant, while Janey bent over to straighten her mother's cap.
“再點一盞燈，”她向退出去的仆人喊道，詹尼這時正低頭撫平母親的便帽。

Mr. van der Luyden's figure loomed on the threshold, and Newland Archer went forward to greet his cousin.
范德盧頓先生的身影出現在門口，紐蘭·阿切爾走上前去歡迎這位表親。

"We were just talking about you, sir," he said.
“我們正在談論你呢，大人，’他說。

Mr. van der Luyden seemed overwhelmed by the announcement. He drew off his glove to shake hands with the ladies, and smoothed his tall hat shyly, while Janey pushed an arm-chair forward, and Archer continued: "And the Countess Olenska."
范德盧頓先生聽了這一消息似乎深受感動，他脫掉手套去跟女士們握手，然后小心地撫平他的高禮帽，這時詹尼將一把扶手椅推到前邊，阿切爾則接著說：“還說到奧蘭斯卡伯爵夫人。”

Mrs. Archer paled.
阿切爾太太臉色煞白。

"Ah--a charming woman. I have just been to see her," said Mr. van der Luyden, complacency restored to his brow. He sank into the chair, laid his hat and gloves on the floor beside him in the old-fashioned way, and went on: "She has a real gift for arranging flowers. I had sent her a few carnations from Skuytercliff, and I was astonished. Instead of massing them in big bunches as our head-gardener does, she had scattered them about loosely, here and there . . . I can't say how. The Duke had told me: he said: `Go and see how cleverly she's arranged her drawing-room.' And she has. I should really like to take Louisa to see her, if the neighbourhood were not so--unpleasant."
“啊——一個迷人的女子。我剛去看過她，”范德盧頓先生說，得意的神情又回到他的臉上。他坐到椅子上，按老習慣把禮帽和手套放在身旁的地板上，接著說： “她布置鮮花可真有天才，我給她送去一點斯庫特克利夫的石竹花。讓我吃了一驚的是，她不是像園丁那樣把它們集成一束一束的，而是隨意地把它們散開，這兒一些，那兒一些……我不知道她怎么那么靈巧。公爵事前告訴過我，他說：‘去瞧瞧她布置客廳有多巧吧。’確實不錯。我本想帶路易莎去看她來著，若不是周圍環境那樣——不愉快。”

A dead silence greeted this unusual flow of words from Mr. van der Luyden. Mrs. Archer drew her embroidery out of the basket into which she had nervously tumbled it, and Newland, leaning against the chimney-place and twisting a humming-bird-feather screen in his hand, saw Janey's gaping countenance lit up by the coming of the second lamp.
迎接范德盧頓先生非同尋常的滔滔話語的是一陣死寂。阿切爾太太從籃子里抽出她剛才緊張地塞在里面的刺繡，阿切爾倚在壁爐邊，擰著手中的蜂鳥羽毛簾子，他看見詹尼目瞪口呆的表情被送來的第二盞燈照得一清二楚。