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They all loved Florence. How could they help it! Paul had known beforehand that they must and would; and sitting in his cushionedcorner, with calmly folded hands; and one leg loosely doubled under him, few would have thought what triumph and delight expanded his childish bosom while he watched her, or what a sweet tranquillity he felt. Lavish encomiums on 'Dombey's sister' reached his ears from all the boys: admiration of the self-possessed and modest little beauty was on every lip: reports of her intelligence and accomplishments floated past him, constantly; and, as if borne in upon the air of the summer night, there was a half intelligible sentiment diffused around, referring to Florence and himself, and breathing sympathy for both, that soothed and touched him.
他們全都愛弗洛倫斯！他們怎么能不愛呢！保羅事先就知道，他們一定會愛她而且將會愛她的。當他坐有坐墊中間角落里，平靜地交叉著雙手，松弛地向下蜷曲著一條腿的時候，很少人會想到，當他注視她時，是什么樣的得意與喜悅使他幼稚的胸膛擴張，同時的又感覺到一種什么樣的甜蜜與平靜啊！對“董貝的姐姐”的熱情洋溢的贊揚從所有的男孩子那里傳到他的耳朵里；對這位沉著與謙遜的小美人的羨慕從每張嘴中說出；對她的智慧與才能的評論不斷在他身旁散布；同時，可以模糊地覺察到，有一種與弗洛倫斯與他本人有關的、對他們兩人表示同情的情感，仿佛擴散在夏夜的空氣中似的，在他四周傳播開來，安慰著他并使他感動。
He did not know why. For all that the child observed, and felt, and thought, that night—the present and the absent; what was then and what had been—were blended like the colours in the rainbow, or in the plumage of rich birds when the sun is shining on them, or in the softening sky when the same sun is setting. The many things he had had to think of lately, passed before him in the music; not as claiming his attention over again, or as likely evermore to occupy it, but as peacefully disposed of and gone. A solitary window, gazed through years ago, looked out upon an ocean, miles and miles away; upon its waters, fancies, busy with him only yesterday, were hushed and lulled to rest like broken waves. The same mysterious murmur he had wondered at, when lying on his couch upon the beach, he thought he still heard sounding through his sister's song, and through the hum of voices, and the tread of feet, and having some part in the faces flitting by, and even in the heavy gentleness of Mr Toots, who frequently came up to shake him by the hand. Through the universal kindness he still thought he heard it, speaking to him; and even his old-fashioned reputation seemed to be allied to it, he knew not how. Thus little Paul sat musing, listening, looking on, and dreaming; and was very happy.
他不知道為什么。因為這孩子這天夜里所觀察到的，感覺到的和想到的一切——不論是在呈現出來的還是沒有呈現出來的，現在的還是過去的——就像那彩虹中的顏色一樣，或太陽照耀下彩色鳥的羽毛的顏色一樣，或太陽沉落時光線淡弱的天空中的顏色一樣，全都混合在一起了。他最近不得不想到的許多事情在音樂中，在他眼前掠過；它們不再引起他的注意，今后也未必能讓他去耗費心思；它們好像已經平靜地處理過了，已經過去了。他幾年前注視過的一個幽靜的窗子面對著幾英里以外的海洋；他昨天還在海浪上翻騰著的幻想就像平息的波濤一樣，消釋了，安靜了。當他躺在海灘上的搖籃車中曾經感到奇怪的那神秘的、同樣的低語聲，他想他仍舊可以通過他姐姐的歌聲，通過嘈雜的人聲和通過腳步聲聽得出來，而且在輕輕走過去的臉孔中，甚至在時常前來跟他握手的圖茨先生的深切的溫存中，也多少反映了這一點。他通過周圍普遍存在的親切氣氛，仍舊認為它在對他說話。他不知怎么的，甚至他的老氣的名聲似乎也與它聯系著。小保羅就這樣坐在那里沉思著，聽著?？粗鲋鴫?，感到很快樂。
Until the time arrived for taking leave: and then, indeed, there was a sensation in the party. Sir Barnet Skettles brought up Skettles Junior to shake hands with him, and asked him if he would remember to tell his good Papa, with his best compliments, that he, Sir Barnet Skettles, had said he hoped the two young gentlemen would become intimately acquainted. Lady Skettles kissed him, and patted his hair upon his brow, and held him in her arms; and even Mrs Baps—poor Mrs Baps! Paul was glad of that—came over from beside the music-book of the gentleman who played the harp, and took leave of himquiteas heartily as anybody in the room.
一直到告別的時間來到：這時候，晚會中確實出現了一片激動的感情。巴尼特·斯克特爾斯爵士領著小斯克特爾斯來跟保羅握手，問他，他是否記得告訴他的好爸爸，他巴尼特·斯克特爾斯爵士說過，他希望這兩位年輕的先生會成為親密的朋友，并向他轉達他的最親切的問候。斯克特爾斯夫人吻了他，把他的頭發在前額上分開，并把他抱在手中；甚至巴普斯夫人也從演奏豎琴的年輕人的樂譜旁邊走過來，像房間里所有的人一樣，十分熱情地向他告別——可憐的巴普斯夫人！小保羅看到她這樣做，感到很高興。
'Good-bye, Doctor Blimber,' said Paul, stretching out his hand.
“再見，布林伯博士，”保羅伸出手，說道。
'Good-bye, my little friend,' returned the Doctor.
“再見，我的小朋友，”博士回答道。
'I'm very much obliged to you, Sir,' said Paul, looking innocently up into his awful face. 'Ask them to take care of Diogenes, if you please.'
“我很感謝您，先生，”保羅天真地仰起頭來，望著他那可怕的臉?！盁┱埬愿浪麄兒煤谜樟洗鲓W吉尼斯?！?
