"I think I had better just look in upon her before any of the ladies go," said Colonel Dent.
"我想女士们进去之前还是让我先去瞧一瞧她吧,"登特上校说。
Tell her, Sam, a gentleman is coming.
告诉她,萨姆,一位绅士来了。
Sam went and returned.
萨姆去了又回来了。
She says, sir, that she'll have no gentlemen. They need not trouble themselves to come near her, nor,
她说,先生,她不见男士。他们不必费心去接近她了,还有,
he added,with difficulty suppressing a titter, "any ladies either, except the young, and single."
他好不容易忍住不笑出声来,补充道"女士们除了年轻单身的也不必见了。"
"By Jove, she has taste!" exclaimed Henry Lynn.
"天呐!,她倒还挺有眼力呢!"亨利.林恩嚷道。
Miss Ingram rose solemnly: "I go first," she said,
英格拉姆小姐一本正经地站了起来:"我先去,"她说,
in a tone which might have befitted the leader of a forlorn hope, mounting a breach in the van of his men.
那口气好像她是一位带领部下突围的敢死队队长。
"Oh, my best! oh, my dearest! pause — reflect!" was her mama's cry.
"呵,我的好人儿!呵,我最亲爱的!等一等——三思而行!"她妈妈喊道。
But she swept past her in stately silence, passed through the door which Colonel Dent held open, and we heard her enter the library.
但是她堂而皇之一声不吭地从她身边走过,进了登特上校为她开着的门,我们听见她进了图书室。
A comparative silence ensued.
接着是一阵相对的沉寂。
Lady Ingram thought it "le cas" to wring her hands, which she did accordingly.
英格拉姆太太认为该是搓手的‘lecas’了,于是便搓起手来。
Miss Mary declared she felt, for her part, she never dared venture.
玛丽小姐宣布,她觉得换了她是不敢冒险的。
Amy and Louisa Eshton tittered under their breath, and looked a little frightened.
艾米和路易莎.埃希顿在低声窃笑,面有惧色。
The minutes passed very slowly. Fifteen were counted before the library-door again opened.
分分秒秒过得很慢。图书室的门再次打开时,才数到十五分钟。
Miss Ingram returned to us through the arch.
英格拉姆小姐走过拱门回到了我们这里。
Would she laugh? Would she take it as a joke?
她会嗤之以鼻吗?她会一笑了之?
All eyes met her with a glance of eager curiosity, and she met all eyes with one of rebuff and coldness.
众人都带着急切好奇的目光迎着她,她报之以冷漠的眼神。
She looked neither flurried nor merry.
她看上去既不慌张也不愉快。
She walked stiffly to her seat, and took it in silence.
扳着面孔走向自己的座位,默默地坐了下来。