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There was another thing that Paulobserved. Mr Feeder, after imbibing several custard-cups of negus, began to enjoy himself. The dancing in general was ceremonious, and the music rather solemn—a little like church music in fact—but after the custard-cups, Mr Feeder told Mr Toots that he was going to throw a little spirit into the thing. After that, Mr Feeder not only began to dance as if he meant dancing and nothing else, but secretly to stimulate the music to perform wild tunes.
保羅還注意到另一件事情。菲德先生喝了幾杯倒在乳黃色玻璃杯里的尼格斯酒之后，開始享受樂趣。舞蹈總的來說是拘泥禮儀的，音樂相當(dāng)嚴(yán)肅——實(shí)際上有些像教堂音樂——，但是菲德先生幾杯下肚之后，對(duì)圖茨先生說，他打算把晚會(huì)搞得熱鬧有趣一些。在這之后，菲德先生不僅開始跳舞，仿佛他只是想跳舞，而不想做別的事情，而且還在暗中鼓動(dòng)樂隊(duì)演奏狂熱的曲調(diào)。
Further, he became particular in his attentions to the ladies; and dancing with Miss Blimber, whispered to her—whispered to her!—though not so softly but that Paul heard him say this remarkable poetry：Had I a heart for falsehood framed,I never could injure You!' This, Paul heard him repeat to four young ladies, in succession. Well might Mr Feeder say to Mr Toots, that he was afraid he should be the worse for it tomorrow!
另外，他開始對(duì)女士們特別獻(xiàn)殷勤；當(dāng)他跟布林伯小姐跳舞的時(shí)候，他還在她耳邊悄悄地說——在她耳邊悄悄地說——但是聲音并不是輕到使保羅聽不到他念了這首美妙的詩：“如果我有一顆心完全虛偽，那么傷害您我卻永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)！” 保羅聽到他把這首詩連續(xù)重復(fù)念給四位年輕的女士聽。菲德先生對(duì)圖茨先生說，他擔(dān)心明天他將因此而遭受懲罰，這話也許是很有道理的。 這種相對(duì)說來放蕩的行為，特別是音樂格調(diào)的改變（它開始把街上流行的低級(jí)庸俗的曲調(diào)也包括進(jìn)來了）。
Mrs Blimber was a little alarmed by this—comparatively speaking—profligate behaviour; and especially by the alteration in the character of the music, which, beginning to comprehend low melodies that were popular in the streets, might not unnaturally be supposed to give offence to Lady Skettles. But Lady Skettles was so very kind as to beg Mrs Blimber not to mention it; and to receive her explanation that Mr Feeder's spirits sometimes betrayed him into excesses on these occasions, with the greatest courtesy and politeness; observing, that he seemed a very nice sort of person for his situation, and that she particularly liked the unassuming style of his hair—which (as already hinted) was about a quarter of an inch long.
布林伯夫人有些驚慌，因?yàn)檫@自然是會(huì)使斯克特爾斯夫人感到生氣的。但是斯克特爾斯夫人十分和善，她請(qǐng)布林伯夫人不必介意，而且極為親切極有禮貌地接受了布林伯夫人的解釋：菲德先生有時(shí)在這種場(chǎng)合下興奮起來，就會(huì)做出過火的事情來；她說，就他的身份來說，他似乎是個(gè)很討人喜歡的人；還說，她特別喜歡他那質(zhì)樸的發(fā)型（前面已經(jīng)提到過，那只有四分之一英寸長(zhǎng)）。
Once, when there was a pause in the dancing, Lady Skettles told Paul that he seemed very fond of music. Paul replied, that he was; and if she was too, she ought to hear his sister, Florence, sing. Lady Skettles presently discovered that she was dying with anxiety to have that gratification; and though Florence was at first very much frightened at being asked to sing before so many people, and begged earnestly to be excused, yet, on Paul calling her to him, and saying, 'Do, Floy! Please! For me, my dear!'
有一次，當(dāng)跳舞中間停歇的時(shí)候，斯克特爾斯夫人對(duì)保羅說，他似乎很喜歡音樂。保羅回答說，是的；如果她也喜歡，那么她應(yīng)當(dāng)聽他姐姐弗洛倫斯唱歌。斯克托爾斯夫人立刻發(fā)現(xiàn)，她真愿意她的這個(gè)渴望能得到滿足，簡(jiǎn)直渴望得要死了；弗洛倫斯雖然起初聽到要她在這么多的人們面前唱歌十分驚慌，因此懇切地請(qǐng)求原諒她不唱；可是保羅把她喊到他那里，說，“唱吧，弗洛伊！請(qǐng)唱吧！為了我，我親愛的！”
She went straight to the piano, and began. When they all drew a little away, that Paul might see her; and when he saw her sitting there all alone, so young, and good, and beautiful, and kind to him; and heard her thrilling voice, so natural and sweet, and such a golden link between him and all his life's love and happiness, rising out of the silence; he turned his face away, and hid his tears. Not, as he told them when theyspoketo him, not that the music was too plaintive or too sorrowful, but it was so dear to him.
這時(shí)候，她就逕直地走向鋼琴，開始唱起來。所有的人全都往旁邊閃開一些，讓保羅可以看到她；他看到她獨(dú)自一人坐在那里，那么年輕，善良，美麗，對(duì)他那么親切；他聽到她的響亮動(dòng)人的聲音那么自然、甜美；同時(shí)，一個(gè)在他與他一生的一切愛情和幸福之間的金環(huán)，正從寂靜中升起來；這時(shí)候他把臉轉(zhuǎn)開，掩藏他的眼淚。
