🔊 On the thirty-first of December, New Year's Eve, 1809 - 10 an old grandee of Catherine's day was giving a ball and midnight supper. The diplomatic corps and the Emperor himself were to be present.

一八〇九至一八一〇年间的除夕,十二月三十一日,一位叶卡捷琳娜时代的老权贵正在举办舞会和午夜盛宴。外交使团和皇帝本人也将莅临。

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grandee /ɡrænˈdiː/

n. 大公,贵族（尤指旧时西班牙或葡萄牙的贵族）➕

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diplomatic /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/

adj. 外交的；从事外交的➕

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corps /kɔːr/

n. （外交）使团；军团➕

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Emperor /ˈempərər/

n. 皇帝➕

🔊 The grandee's well-known mansion on the English Quay glittered with innumerable lights. Police were stationed at the brightly lit entrance which was carpeted with red baize, and not only gendarmes but dozens of police officers and even the police master himself stood at the porch. Carriages kept driving away and fresh ones arriving, with red-liveried footmen and footmen in plumed hats. From the carriages emerged men wearing uniforms, stars, and ribbons, while ladies in satin and ermine cautiously descended the carriage steps which were let down for them with a clatter, and then walked hurriedly and noiselessly over the baize at the entrance.

这位权贵位于英国堤岸的豪宅灯火辉煌,光芒万丈。明亮的入口处铺着红呢地毯,警察早已布岗,不仅宪兵,还有数十名警官甚至警察局长本人站在门廊下。马车一辆接一辆驶离,新的马车又不断驶来,车上有穿红制服的仆人和戴羽饰帽的跟班。从马车里走出身穿制服、佩戴星章和绶带的男士,而身着缎袍和貂皮的女士们则小心翼翼地走下咔嗒作响放下的马车踏板,然后迅速而无声地走过入口的红呢地毯。

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innumerable /ɪˈnuːmərəbl/

adj. 无数的,数不清的➕

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gendarmes /ˈʒɒndɑːmz/

n. （法国等国家的）宪兵➕

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plumed /pluːmd/

adj. 有羽毛装饰的➕

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ermine /ˈɜːrmɪn/

n. 貂皮（尤用作衣饰）➕

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cautiously /ˈkɔːʃəsli/

adv. 谨慎地,小心地➕

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red-liveried /red ˈlɪvərid/

adj. 穿红色制服的➕

🔊 Almost every time a new carriage drove up a whisper ran through the crowd and caps were doffed.

几乎每有一辆新的马车驶来,人群中就会响起一阵低语,帽子也随之摘了下来。

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doffed /dɒft/

v. 脱下（帽子表示敬意）➕

🔊 "The Emperor?... No, a minister... prince... ambassador. Don't you see the plumes?..." was whispered among the crowd.

“是皇帝吗？……不,是一位大臣……公爵……大使。你没看见那羽饰吗？……”人群中窃窃私语道。

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ambassador /æmˈbæsədər/

n. 大使➕

🔊 One person, better dressed than the rest, seemed to know everyone and mentioned by name the greatest dignitaries of the day.

有一个穿戴比其他人更讲究的人,似乎认识所有的人,他一一报出当时最显赫的大人物的名字。

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dignitaries /ˈdɪɡnɪtəriz/

n. 显贵人物,要人➕

🔊 A third of the visitors had already arrived, but the Rostóvs, who were to be present, were still hurrying to get dressed.

三分之一的宾客已经到达,但罗斯托夫一家--他们也要出席--却还在匆忙打扮。

🔊 There had been many discussions and preparations for this ball in the Rostóv family, many fears that the invitation would not arrive, that the dresses would not be ready, or that something would not be arranged as it should be.

罗斯托夫家为这次舞会有过许多议论和准备,许多担忧:怕请柬没送到,怕衣服来不及做好,怕有什么安排不妥当。

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discussions /dɪˈskʌʃənz/

n. 讨论,商讨➕

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preparations /ˌprepəˈreɪʃənz/

n. 准备,预备➕

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invitation /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/

n. 邀请；请柬➕

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arranged /əˈreɪndʒd/

v. 安排；准备➕

🔊 Márya Ignátevna Perónskaya, a thin and shallow maid of honor at the court of the Dowager Empress, who was a friend and relation of the countess and piloted the provincial Rostóvs in Petersburg high society, was to accompany them to the ball.

玛丽亚·伊格纳季耶夫娜·佩龙斯卡娅--皇太后宫廷里一位身材瘦削、见识肤浅的女侍官,她是伯爵夫人的朋友和亲戚,也是从外省来到彼得堡上流社会的罗斯托夫一家的领路人--将陪同他们去参加舞会。

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shallow /ˈʃæloʊ/

adj. 浅薄的；肤浅的➕

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maid of honor /meɪd əv ˈɒnər/

n. （女王或公主的）宫廷女侍；女傧相➕

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Dowager /ˈdaʊədʒər/

n. （贵族的）遗孀；太后（用于头衔）➕

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Empress /ˈemprɪs/

n. 女皇；皇后➕

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countess /ˈkaʊntɪs/

n. 伯爵夫人；女伯爵➕

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piloted /ˈpaɪlətɪd/

v. 带领；引导（过去式）➕

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provincial /prəˈvɪnʃl/

adj. 外省的；地方的；土气的➕

🔊 They were to call for her at her house in the Taurida Gardens at ten o'clock, but it was already five minutes to ten, and the girls were not yet dressed.

他们约好十点钟到她在塔夫利达花园的家里接她,可现在已经差五分十点,姑娘们还没穿戴好。

🔊 Natásha was going to her first grand ball. She had got up at eight that morning and had been in a fever of excitement and activity all day. All her powers since morning had been concentrated on ensuring that they all-she herself, Mamma, and Sónya-should be as well dressed as possible. Sónya and her mother put themselves entirely in her hands. The countess was to wear a claret-colored velvet dress, and the two girls white gauze over pink silk slips, with roses on their bodices and their hair dressed à la grecque.

娜塔莎是第一次参加盛大的舞会。她早上八点就起了床,一整天都处于激动和忙乱的亢奋之中。从早晨起,她全部精力都集中在确保她们三个--她自己、妈妈和索尼娅--都能穿得尽可能体面。索尼娅和母亲完全听她摆布。伯爵夫人要穿一件紫红色的丝绒裙,两个姑娘则穿粉红绸衬裙上罩白色薄纱,胸前别着玫瑰,头发梳成希腊式。

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claret-colored /ˈklærɪt ˌkʌlərd/

adj. 紫红色的,酒红色的➕

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velvet /ˈvelvɪt/

n. 天鹅绒➕

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gauze /ɡɔːz/

n. 薄纱；纱布➕

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slips /slɪps/

n. 衬裙（slip的复数）➕

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bodices /ˈbɒdɪsɪz/

n. （连衣裙的）上半身部分；紧身胸衣（bodice的复数）➕

🔊 Everything essential had already been done; feet, hands, necks, and ears washed, perfumed, and powdered, as befits a ball; the openwork silk stockings and white satin shoes with ribbons were already on; the hairdressing was almost done. Sónya was finishing dressing and so was the countess, but Natásha, who had bustled about helping them all, was behindhand. She was still sitting before a looking-glass with a dressing jacket thrown over her slender shoulders. Sónya stood ready dressed in the middle of the room and, pressing the head of a pin till it hurt her dainty finger, was fixing on a last ribbon that squeaked as the pin went through it.

所有要紧的事都已办妥:脚、手、脖子和耳朵都洗过、洒过香水、扑过粉,合乎舞会的要求；镂空丝袜和白缎鞋配着缎带已经穿上；发型也差不多做好了。索尼娅和伯爵夫人已经快要打扮好,但一直在忙着帮大家的娜塔莎反而落后了。她还坐在镜子前,一件化妆披肩披在瘦削的肩上。索尼娅已经穿戴整齐,站在房间中央,用力地别着一只别针,针尖刺痛了她纤巧的手指,她正在固定最后一条缎带,针穿过去时带子发出吱吱的声响。

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essential /ɪˈsenʃl/

adj. 基本的；必要的➕

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befits /bɪˈfɪts/

v. 适合；相称（第三人称单数）➕

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openwork /ˈoʊpənwɜːrk/

n. 透雕工艺；镂空织物➕

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bustled /ˈbʌsld/

v. 忙碌；奔忙（过去式）➕

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behindhand /bɪˈhaɪndhænd/

adj. 迟的；落后的➕

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slender /ˈslendər/

adj. 苗条的；纤细的➕

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dainty /ˈdeɪnti/

adj. 精致的；娇嫩的➕

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squeaked /skwiːkt/

v. 吱吱作响（过去式）➕

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looking-glass /ˈlʊkɪŋ ɡlæs/

n. 镜子➕

🔊 "That's not the way, that's not the way, Sónya!" cried Natásha turning her head and clutching with both hands at her hair which the maid who was dressing it had not time to release. "That bow is not right. Come here!"

“不是这样的,不是这样的,索尼娅！”娜塔莎叫道,转过头来,双手抓住自己的头发--梳头的女仆还没来得及松开手。“那个蝴蝶结不对。到这儿来！”

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clutching /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/

v. 抓住；紧握（现在分词）➕

🔊 Sónya sat down and Natásha pinned the ribbon on differently.

索尼娅坐下,娜塔莎把缎带重新别好。

🔊 "Allow me, Miss! I can't do it like that," said the maid who was holding Natásha's hair.

“小姐,请允许我！我不能这样弄。”为娜塔莎挽头发的女仆说。

🔊 "Oh, dear! Well then, wait. That's right, Sónya."

“哎呀！那就等等吧。这样就好了,索尼娅。”

🔊 "Aren't you ready? It is nearly ten," came the countess' voice.

“你们还没准备好吗？快十点了。”伯爵夫人的声音传来。

🔊 "Directly! Directly! And you, Mamma?"

“马上就好！马上就好！妈妈,您呢？”

🔊 "I have only my cap to pin on."

“我只剩下别帽子了。”

🔊 "Don't do it without me!" called Natásha. "You won't do it right."

“别不等我就戴！”娜塔莎喊道,“您戴不好。”

🔊 "But it's already ten."

“可已经十点了。”

🔊 They had decided to be at the ball by half-past ten, and Natásha had still to get dressed and they had to call at the Taurida Gardens.

他们决定十点半到舞会,娜塔莎还得穿衣服,而且他们还要到塔夫利达花园去接人。

🔊 When her hair was done, Natásha, in her short petticoat from under which her dancing shoes showed, and in her mother's dressing jacket, ran up to Sónya, scrutinized her, and then ran to her mother. Turning her mother's head this way and that, she fastened on the cap and, hurriedly kissing her gray hair, ran back to the maids who were turning up the hem of her skirt.

头发弄好后,娜塔莎穿着短衬裙--舞鞋从裙下露出来--和母亲的化妆披肩,跑到索尼娅跟前,仔细打量了她一番,然后又跑到母亲身边。她转动母亲的头,这边看看那边看看,别好帽子,匆匆吻了一下母亲的灰白头发,又跑回正给她缝裙摆的女仆们那里。

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scrutinized /ˈskruːtɪnaɪzd/

v. 仔细检查,细看➕

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fastened /ˈfɑːsənd/

v. 系牢,固定➕

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hem /hɛm/

n. （衣服的）褶边,边缘➕

🔊 The cause of the delay was Natásha's skirt, which was too long. Two maids were turning up the hem and hurriedly biting off the ends of thread. A third with pins in her mouth was running about between the countess and Sónya, and a fourth held the whole of the gossamer garment up high on one uplifted hand.

耽搁的原因是娜塔莎的裙子太长了。两个女仆正忙着卷起裙摆,匆匆咬断线头。第三个女仆嘴里衔着别针,在伯爵夫人和索尼娅之间来回跑,第四个女仆用一只举起的手高高托着整件薄纱衣裳。

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gossamer /ˈɡɒsəmər/

n. 轻而薄的织物；薄纱➕

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garment /ˈɡɑːrmənt/

n. （一件）衣服➕

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uplifted /ʌpˈlɪftɪd/

adj. 被举起的,抬高的➕

🔊 "Mávra, quicker, darling!"

“玛芙拉,快点儿,亲爱的！”

🔊 "Give me my thimble, Miss, from there..."

“小姐,把顶针给我,从那儿……”

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thimble /ˈθɪmbəl/

n. 顶针,缝纫用的护指套➕

🔊 "Whenever will you be ready?" asked the count coming to the door. "Here is some scent. Perónskaya must be tired of waiting."

“你到底什么时候能准备好？”伯爵走到门口问,“这儿有香水。佩龙斯卡娅一定等得不耐烦了。”

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scent /sɛnt/

n. 气味,香味,香水➕

🔊 "It's ready, Miss," said the maid, holding up the shortened gauze dress with two fingers, and blowing and shaking something off it, as if by this to express a consciousness of the airiness and purity of what she held.

“小姐,好了。”女仆说着,用两个手指拎起缩短了的薄纱裙,吹了吹又抖了抖什么,仿佛以此表达她手中这件东西的轻盈和洁净。

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consciousness /ˈkɒnʃəsnəs/

n. 意识,知觉➕

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airiness /ˈɛərinəs/

n. 通风,轻盈；空灵➕

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purity /ˈpjʊərəti/

n. 纯净,纯洁➕

🔊 Natásha began putting on the dress.

娜塔莎开始穿裙子。

🔊 "In a minute! In a minute! Don't come in, Papa!" she cried to her father as he opened the door-speaking from under the filmy skirt which still covered her whole face.

“马上就好！马上就好！爸爸,别进来！”她对推门进来的父亲喊道--声音从那仍蒙着她整个脸庞的薄纱裙下传来。

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filmy /ˈfɪlmi/

adj. 薄膜般的,薄而透明的➕

🔊 Sónya slammed the door to. A minute later they let the count in. He was wearing a blue swallow-tail coat, shoes and stockings, and was perfumed and his hair pomaded.

索尼娅砰地关上门。一分钟后,他们让伯爵进来了。他穿着蓝色燕尾服、皮鞋和袜子,洒了香水,头发抹了发油。

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slammed /slæmd/

v. 猛地关上（门等）,砰地放下➕

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swallow-tail /ˈswɒloʊ teɪl/

n. 燕尾服➕

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perfumed /pərˈfjuːmd/

adj. 有香味的,洒了香水的➕

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pomaded /pəˈmeɪdɪd/

adj. 抹了润发油的,涂了发蜡的➕

🔊 "Oh, Papa! how nice you look! Charming!" cried Natásha, as she stood in the middle of the room smoothing out the folds of the gauze.

“哦,爸爸！您多好看啊！太迷人了！”娜塔莎站在房间中央抚平薄纱的皱褶时喊道。

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Charming /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/

adj. 迷人的,有吸引力的➕

🔊 "If you please, Miss! allow me," said the maid, who on her knees was pulling the skirt straight and shifting the pins from one side of her mouth to the other with her tongue.

“小姐,请允许我。”女仆跪在地上扯平裙子,把别针从嘴的一侧换到另一侧,用舌头帮忙。

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maid /meɪd/

n. 女仆；侍女➕

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shifting /ˈʃɪftɪŋ/

v. 转移；移动➕

🔊 "Say what you like," exclaimed Sónya, in a despairing voice as she looked at Natásha, "say what you like, it's still too long."

“随你怎么说,”索尼娅望了望娜塔莎,绝望地叫道,“随你怎么说,还是太长了。”

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exclaimed /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

v. 惊叫；呼喊➕

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despairing /dɪˈsperɪŋ/

adj. 绝望的；无望的➕

🔊 Natásha stepped back to look at herself in the pier glass. The dress was too long.

娜塔莎后退几步,在穿衣镜前打量自己。裙子确实太长了。

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pier glass /pɪər ɡlæs/

n. 穿衣镜；大镜子➕

🔊 "Really, madam, it is not at all too long," said Mávra, crawling on her knees after her young lady.

“真的,夫人,一点也不长。”玛芙拉跪着跟在小姐后面爬动。

🔊 "Well, if it's too long we'll tack it up... we'll tack it up in one minute," said the resolute Dunyásha taking a needle that was stuck on the front of her little shawl and, still kneeling on the floor, set to work once more.

“嗯,如果太长,我们就把它缝上去……一分钟就缝好。”果断的杜尼亚莎说着,从披肩前襟上取下一根针,仍然跪在地板上,重新干了起来。

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tack /tæk/

v. 用粗针脚缝；暂时缝上➕

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resolute /ˈrezəluːt/

adj. 坚决的；坚定的➕

🔊 At that moment, with soft steps, the countess came in shyly, in her cap and velvet gown.

就在这时,伯爵夫人轻手轻脚地走了进来,戴着帽子,穿着丝绒裙,显得有些羞涩。

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gown /ɡaʊn/

n. 长袍；礼服➕

🔊 "Oo-oo, my beauty!" exclaimed the count, "she looks better than any of you!"

“哦--哦,我的美人！”伯爵叫道,“她比你们谁都好看！”

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count /kaʊnt/

n. 伯爵（欧洲贵族头衔）➕

🔊 He would have embraced her but, blushing, she stepped aside fearing to be rumpled.

他本想拥抱她,但她红着脸躲开了,怕把衣服弄皱。

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embraced /ɪmˈbreɪst/

v. 拥抱；包含➕

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blushing /ˈblʌʃɪŋ/

v. 脸红；羞愧➕

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rumpled /ˈrʌmpld/

adj. 皱巴巴的；凌乱的➕

🔊 "Mamma, your cap, more to this side," said Natásha. "I'll arrange it," and she rushed forward so that the maids who were tacking up her skirt could not move fast enough and a piece of gauze was torn off.

“妈妈,您的帽子,再往这边偏一点。”娜塔莎说,“我来弄。”她冲上前去,正在缝她裙摆的女仆来不及躲开,一块薄纱被撕了下来。

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tacking /ˈtækɪŋ/

v. 用粗针脚缝；暂时固定➕

🔊 "Oh goodness! What has happened? Really it was not my fault!"

“哦,老天！出什么事了？真不是我的错！”

🔊 "Never mind, I'll run it up, it won't show," said Dunyásha.

“没关系,我把它缝上,看不出来的。”杜尼亚莎说。

🔊 "What a beauty-a very queen!" said the nurse as she came to the door. "And Sónya! They are lovely!"

“真美--简直像个女王！”保姆走到门口说,“还有索尼娅！她们真可爱！”

🔊 At a quarter past ten they at last got into their carriages and started. But they had still to call at the Taurida Gardens.

十点一刻,他们终于坐上马车出发了。但他们还得去塔夫利达花园接人。

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carriages /ˈkærɪdʒɪz/

n. 马车；（火车）车厢➕

🔊 Perónskaya was quite ready. In spite of her age and plainness she had gone through the same process as the Rostóvs, but with less flurry-for to her it was a matter of routine. Her ugly old body was washed, perfumed, and powdered in just the same way. She had washed behind her ears just as carefully, and when she entered her drawing room in her yellow dress, wearing her badge as maid of honor, her old lady's maid was as full of rapturous admiration as the Rostóvs' servants had been.

佩龙斯卡娅已经准备好了。尽管她年纪大又不漂亮,她也像罗斯托夫一家那样折腾了一番,但没那么慌慌张张--因为这对她来说是家常便饭。她那衰老丑陋的身体也同样洗过、洒过香水、扑过粉。她同样仔细地洗了耳朵后面,当她穿着黄色连衣裙、佩戴着女侍官徽章走进客厅时,她的老女仆也和罗斯托夫家的仆人一样,充满了狂喜的赞叹。

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plainness /ˈpleɪnnɪs/

n. 朴素；平凡➕

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flurry /ˈflɜːri/

n. 慌乱；一阵忙乱➕

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routine /ruːˈtiːn/

n. 常规；例行公事➕

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powdered /ˈpaʊdərd/

adj. 扑了粉的；粉末状的➕

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drawing room /ˈdrɔːɪŋ ruːm/

n. 客厅；休息室➕

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badge /bædʒ/

n. 徽章；标志➕

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rapturous /ˈræptʃərəs/

adj. 狂喜的；兴高采烈的➕

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admiration /ˌædməˈreɪʃn/

n. 钦佩；赞赏➕

🔊 She praised the Rostóvs' toilets. They praised her taste and toilet, and at eleven o'clock, careful of their coiffures and dresses, they settled themselves in their carriages and drove off.

她称赞了罗斯托夫一家的衣着。他们也称赞了她的品味和打扮。十一点钟,他们小心翼翼地护着发型和衣裙,在马车里坐定,驱车而去。

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coiffures /kwɑːˈfjʊərz/

n. 发型,发式（复数形式）➕

Book Six: 1808 - 10 – Chapter fourteen (第十四章)

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