Cranford — Page 13

克兰福德的聚会是庄重的节日盛事，女士们穿着最华美的礼服坐在一起，心中涌起一种肃穆而愉悦的情感。

Parties in Cranford were solemn festivities, making the ladies feel gravely elated as they sat together in their best dresses.

一旦有三位女士到齐，我们便坐下来玩"优先"牌戏，而我则不幸充当第四位。

As soon as three had arrived, we sat down to "Preference," I being the unlucky fourth.

随后到来的四位客人立刻被安排到另一张桌子；不多时，我早上经过储藏室时看到摆放好的茶盘，被分别置于每张牌桌的正中央。

The next four comers were put down immediately to another table; and presently the tea-trays, which I had seen set out in the store-room as I passed in the morning, were placed each on the middle of a card-table.

瓷器薄如蛋壳，精致典雅；老式银器经过擦拭，闪闪发光；然而餐桌上的食物却极为简单。

The china was delicate egg-shell; the old-fashioned silver glittered with polishing; but the eatables were of the slightest description.

茶盘还摆在桌上时，布朗上尉和布朗小姐们走了进来；我看得出来，不知为何，上尉深受在场所有女士的喜爱。

While the trays were yet on the tables, Captain and the Miss Browns came in; and I could see that, somehow or other, the Captain was a favourite with all the ladies present.

皱起的眉头舒展开来，尖锐的声音在他走近时也变得柔和了。

Ruffled brows were smoothed, sharp voices lowered at his approach.

布朗小姐神情憔悴，忧郁得近乎沉闷。

Miss Brown looked ill, and depressed almost to gloom.

杰西小姐一如既往地面带微笑，似乎也和她父亲一样深受众人喜爱。

Miss Jessie smiled as usual, and seemed nearly as popular as her father.

他立刻悄然地承担起室内男主人的职责，照顾每一位客人的需求，为空杯续茶、为没有黄油面包的女士们殷勤服务，从而减轻了那位漂亮女仆的劳累。

He immediately and quietly assumed the man's place in the room; attended to every one's wants, lessened the pretty maid-servant's labour by waiting on empty cups and bread-and-butterless ladies;

然而他做这一切时举止从容而得体，仿佛强者照顾弱者本是理所当然之事，因此他自始至终都是一位真正的君子。

and yet did it all in so easy and dignified a manner, and so much as if it were a matter of course for the strong to attend to the weak, that he was a true man throughout.