The narrow room, in which they were smoking and taking refresh~ ments, was full of noblemen. —
他们吸烟和品尝点心的狭窄房间里，高贵的人满满当当。 —

The excitement grew more intense, and every face betrayed some uneasiness. —
兴奋变得更加强烈，每张脸都透露出一些不安。 —

The excitement was specially keen for the leaders of each party, who knew every detail, and had reckoned up every vote. —
对于每个党派的领袖来说，兴奋尤为强烈，他们了解每个细节，已经计算好每一张选票。 —

They were the generals organizing the approaching battle. —
他们是组织即将到来的战斗的将领。 —

The rest, like the rank and file before an engagement, though they were getting ready for the fight, sought for other distractions in the interval. —
其余的人，就像行军前的普通士兵一样，虽然准备着战斗，但在间隙里寻找其他的消遣。 —

Some were lunching, standing at the bar, or sitting at the table; —
有些人站在吧台上吃午餐或者坐在桌边。 —

others were walking up and down the long room, smoking cigarettes, and talking with friends whom they had not seen for a long while.
其他人则在长长的房间里来回走动，抽着香烟，与长久未见的朋友交谈。

Levin did not care to eat, and he was not smoking; —
列文不想吃饭，也不抽烟； —

he did not want to join his own friends, that is Sergey Ivanovitch, Stepan Arkadyevitch, Sviazhsky and the rest, because Vronsky in his equerry’s uniform was standing with them in eager conversation. —
他不想加入他自己的朋友们，也就是谢尔盖·伊万诺维奇，斯捷潘·阿尔卡季耶维奇，斯维亚日斯基等等，因为韦龙斯基身着侍从的制服，正在和他们热烈交谈。 —

Levin had seen him already at the meeting on the previous day, and he had studiously avoided him, not caring to greet him. —
列文在前一天的会议上已经看到过他，特意避开了他，不愿意打招呼。 —

He went to the window and sat down, scanning the groups, and listening to what was being said around him. —
他走到窗边坐下，扫视着人群，倾听周围的谈话。 —

He felt depressed, especially because everyone else was, as he saw, eager, anxious, and interested, and he alone, with an old, toothless little man with mumbling lips wearing a naval uniform, sitting beside him, had no interest in it and nothing to do.
他感到沮丧，特别是因为其他人都热切、焦虑和感兴趣，而他却与一位戴着海军制服的嘴唇呢喃的无牙老人坐在一起，对此毫无兴趣，也没什么可做的。

“He’s such a blackguard! I have told him so, but it makes no difference. Only think of it! —
“他真是个恶棍！我告诉过他，但他毫不在意。想想看吧！他连三年的款项都没能收回！” 一个圆背矮个的乡绅气势汹汹地说道，他的头发打理得很工整，挂在他的绣花领子上，显然是专为这个场合穿上的新靴子，他说话时跟着有力地敲打后跟。 —

He couldn’t collect it in three years!” he heard vigorously uttered by a round-shouldered, short, country gentleman, who had pomaded hair hanging on his embroidered collar, and new boots obviously put on for the occasion, with heels that tapped energetically as he spoke. —
这位先生不满地瞥了列文一眼，然后生硬地转过身去。 —

Casting a displeased glance at Levin, this gentleman sharply turned his back.
请想象一下这个话题-怎么样回答才能让想象的事情发生。

“Yes, it’s a dirty business, there’s no denying,” a small gentleman assented in a high voice.
“是的，这是个肮脏的业务，无可否认，”一个矮小的绅士用高亢的声音附和道。

Next, a whole crowd of country gentlemen, surrounding a stout general, hurriedly came near Levin. These persons were unmistakably seeking a place where they could talk without being overheard.
接下来，一群乡绅围着一位魁梧的将军匆匆走近列文。这些人显然在寻找一个可以不被偷听的地方交谈。

“How dare he say I had his breeches stolen! Pawned them for drink, I expect. —
“他怎敢说我偷了他的裤子！我猜是为了喝酒把它们当抵押了。” —

Damn the fellow, prince indeed! He’d better not say it, the beast!”
“该死的家伙，竟然还说是王子！他最好别说，这只畜生！”

“But excuse me! They take their stand on the act,” was being said in another group; —
“但请原谅！他们以这个行动为依据，”另一群人说道； —

“the wife must be registered as noble.”
“妻子必须登记为贵族。”

“Oh, damn your acts! I speak from my heart. We’re all gentlemen, aren’t we? Above suspicion.”
“哦，该死的行动！我从心底里说的。我们都是绅士，对吧？无可置疑的。”

“Shall we go on, your excellency, fine champagne?”
“我们继续吧，阁下，来一杯上好的香槟？”

Another group was following a nobleman, who was shouting something in a loud voice; —
另一群人跟随一个贵族，他用高亢的声音喊着什么； —

it was one of the three intoxicated gentlemen.
他们其中一位是三个喝醉了的绅士之一。

“I always advised Marya Semyonovna to let for a fair rent, for she can never save a profit,” he heard a pleasant voice say. —
“我一直建议玛丽亚·谢缅诺夫娜出租以公平的租金，因为她永远无法节省利润，”他听到一个愉悦的声音说。 —

The speaker was a country gentleman with gray whiskers, wearing the regimental uniform of an old general staff-officer. —
演讲者是一个留着灰色胡须的乡绅，身穿一位老将军幕僚的制服。 —

It was the very landowner Levin had met at Sviazhsky’s. He knew him at once. —
这正是列文在斯维亚日斯基那里见过的地主，他一眼就认出了他。 —

The landowner too stared at Levin, and they exchanged greetings. “Very glad to see you! To be sure! —
地主也盯着列文看，然后他们互相问候了。“见到你很高兴！当然！我还记得你，去年在我们的地区元帅尼古拉伊万诺维奇那里。” —

I remember you very well. Last year at our district marshal, Nikolay Ivanovitch’s.”
“那么，你的土地情况如何？”列文问道。

“Well, and how is your land doing?” asked Levin.
“哦，还是一如既往，总是亏本，”地主带着一副宽容的微笑回答道，但他脸上流露出的宁静和坚信表示事情就该这样。

“Oh, still just the same, always at a loss,” the landowner answered with a resigned smile, but with an expression of serenity and conviction that so it must be. —
“你怎么来到我们省的？来参加我们的政变吗？”他问道，“他们说全俄罗斯的人都在这里，大臣除外。” —

“And how do you come to be in our province?” he asked. “Come to take part in our coup d’etat?” —
他说着，用一口不太好的法语口音自信地发音。 —

he said, confidently pronouncing the French words with a bad accent. —
“Everything short of the ministry.” 他指着穿着白裤子和宫廷制服的斯捷潘·阿尔卡季耶维奇站在一名将军身边的威武形象。 —

“All Russia’s here–gentlemen of the bedchamber, and everything short of the ministry.” —
“All Russia’s here– gentlemen of the bedchamber, and everything short of the ministry.” —

He pointed to the imposing figure of Stepan Arkadyevitch in white trousers and his court uniform, walking by with a general.
“Everything short of the ministry”是个说法，它的意思是除了部长之外的一切都在这里。

“I ought to own that I don’t very well understand the drift of the provincial elections,” said Levin.
“我得承认我并不十分了解省级选举的趋势，”列文说。

The landowner looked at him.
地主望着他。

“Why, what is there to understand? There’s no meaning in it at all. —
“为什么呢？根本没有什么意义。 —

It’s a decaying institution that goes on running only by the force of inertia. —
这是一个正在衰落的机构，只靠惯性而继续运转。 —

Just look, the very uniforms tell you that it’s an assembly of justices of the peace, permanent members of the court, and so on, but not of noblemen.”
看看，甚至制服都告诉你，这是一个治安法官、法庭永久成员等组成的机构，而不是贵族们。”

“Then why do you come?” asked Levin.
“那你为什么来呢？” 列文问。

“From habit, nothing else. Then, too, one must keep up connections. —
“习惯而已。再说，人们必须保持联系。 —

It’s a moral obligation of a sort. And then, to tell the truth, there’s one’s own interests. —
这在一定程度上是一种道义上的责任。然后，说实话，还有自己的利益。 —

My son-in-law wants to stand as a permanent member; —
我女婿想要成为永久成员； —

they’re not rich people, and he must be brought forward. —
他们并不富裕，他必须获得推荐。 —

These gentlemen, now, what do they come for?” —
这些绅士们，现在，他们为什么来？” —

he said, pointing to the malignant gentleman, who was talking at the high table.
他指着正在高桌旁交谈的那个恶毒的绅士说道。

“That’s the new generation of nobility.”
“那是新一代贵族。”

“New it may be, but nobility it isn’t. They’re proprietors of a sort, but we’re the landowners. —
“或许是新的，但绝不是贵族。他们是某种程度的所有人，而我们才是土地的拥有者。” —

As noblemen, they’re cutting their own throats.”
“作为贵族，他们正在自掘坟墓。”

“But you say it’s an institution that’s served its time.”
“但你说这是一种已经过时的制度。”

“That it may be, but still it ought to be treated a little more respectfully. Snetkov, now. —
“也许是，但它仍应该被更尊重地对待。就拿斯涅托夫吧。” —

..We may be of use, or we may not, but we’re the growth of a thousand years. —
“无论我们是否有用，我们都是千年传承的产物。” —

If we’re laying out a garden, planning one before the house, you know, and there you’ve a tree that’s stood for centuries in the very spot. —
“如果我们要规划一个花园，在房子前面规划一个花园，那么可能有一棵树已经在那个地方生长了几个世纪。” —

… Old and gnarled it may be, and yet you don’t cut down the old fellow to make room for the flowerbeds, but lay out your beds so as to take advantage of the tree. —
“可能它已经古老且扭曲，但你不会砍掉老头为了种花坛，而是规划花坛以充分利用这棵树。” —

You won’t grow him again in a year,” he said cautiously, and he immediately changed the conversation. —
“你不能在一年内再种出一棵同样的树，”他小心地说道，然后立即转换了话题。 —

“Well, and how is your land doing?”
“好吧，你的土地怎么样？”

“Oh, not very well. I make five per cent.”
“噢，不太好。我赚五个百分点。”

“Yes, but you don’t reckon your own work. Aren’t you worth something too? I’ll tell you my own case. —
“是的，但你没有计算上你自己的努力。你自己也有价值吗？让我告诉你我的情况。” —

Before I took to seeing after the land, I had a salary of three hundred pounds from the service. —
在我开始看管土地之前，我在服务中的工资是三百英镑。 —

Now I do more work than I did in the service, and like you I get five per cent on the land, and thank God for that. —
现在我比在服务中做更多的工作，像你一样我从土地上获得百分之五的收益，感谢上帝。 —

But one’s work is thrown in for nothing.”
但是一个人的工作是白费的。

“Then why do you do it, if it’s a clear loss?”
那么如果这是一个明显的亏损，你为什么还要继续呢？

“Oh, well, one does it! What would you have? It’s habit, and one knows it’s how it should be. —
噢，好吧，人们就是这样做！你要怎么样？这是习惯，而且人们知道应该这样做。 —

And what’s more,” the landowner went on, leaning his elbows on the window and chatting on, “my son, I must tell you, has no taste for it. —
而且更重要的是，”地主继续说着，靠在窗户上聊天，”我必须告诉你，我的儿子对此没有兴趣。 —

There’s no doubt he’ll be a scientific man. So there’ll be no one to keep it up. —
毫无疑问，他将成为一名科学家。所以将没有人来维护它。 —

And yet one does it. Here this year I’ve planted an orchard.”
然而人们还是这样做。今年我种了一个果园。

“Yes, yes,” said Levin, “that’s perfectly true. —
是的，是的，”列文说，”那是完全正确的。 —

I always feel there’s no real balance of gain in my work on the land, and yet one does it. —
我总觉得在农田工作中没有真正的利益平衡，但人们还是这样做。 —

… It’s a sort of duty one feels to the land.”
这是一种对土地的责任感。

“But I tell you what,” the landowner pursued; “a neighbor of mine, a merchant, was at my place. —
但是我告诉你，”地主继续说道，”我的一个邻居，一个商人，来过我的地方。 —

We walked about the fields and the garden. —
我们在田间和花园里散步。 —

‘No,’ said he, ‘Stepan Vassilievitch, everything’s well looked after, but your garden’s neglected.’ —
他说：“斯捷潘·瓦西里耶维奇，一切都照料得很好，除了你的花园荒废了。” —

But, as a fact, it’s well kept up. ‘To my thinking, I’d cut down that lime-tree. —
但事实上，花园是保持良好的。“我觉得我会砍掉那棵椴树。 —

Here you’ve thousands of limes, and each would make two good bundles of bark. —
这里有成千上万的椴树，每棵都可以做两捆好的树皮。 —

And nowadays that bark’s worth something. —
而现在树皮的价值是有的。 —

I’d cut down the lot.’ “
我会全部砍掉。”

“And with what he made he’d increase his stock, or buy some land for a trifle, and let it out in lots to the peasants,” Levin added, smiling. —
“然后他用赚的钱增加存货，或者买一些廉价的土地，把它分成小块出租给农民，” 列文补充道，微笑着。 —

He had evidently more than once come across those commercial calculations. —
很明显他曾经多次遇到这些商业计算。 —

“And he’d make his fortune. But you and I must thank God if we keep what we’ve got and leave it to our children.”
“而我们要感谢上帝，如果我们能保住我们现在拥有的，留给我们的孩子。”

“You’re married, I’ve heard?” said the landowner.
“我听说你结婚了？” 地主问道。

“Yes,” Levin answered, with proud satisfaction. “Yes, it’s rather strange,” he went on. —
“是的，” 列文自豪满足地回答道。“是的，这有点奇怪，”他继续说。 —

“So we live without making anything, as though we were ancient vestals set to keep in a fire.”
“所以我们生活着却一无所得，仿佛我们是古老的守火女祭司。”

The landowner chuckled under his white mustaches.
地主在他那白色的胡须下咯咯地笑了起来。

“There are some among us, too, like our friend Nikolay Ivanovitch, or Count Vronsky, that’s settled here lately, who try to carry on their husbandry as though it were a factory; —
“我们中间也有些人，比如我们的朋友尼古拉伊万诺维奇，或者最近来这里定居的弗朗斯基伯爵，他们试图把农业搞成工厂一样进行经营； —

but so far it leads to nothing but making away with capital on it.”
但到目前为止，只是白白浪费了资本罢了。”

“But why is it we don’t do like the merchants? —
“可是我们为什么不像商人一样呢？ —

Why don’t we cut down our parks for timber?” —
为什么我们不砍倒公园的树木？” —

said Levin, returning to a thought that had struck him.
列文重新回想起了一个让他想到的问题。

“Why, as you said, to keep the fire in. Besides that’s not work for a nobleman. —
“为什么呢？正如你所说的，为了保持大火。另外，这对一个贵族来说并不是工作。” —

And our work as noblemen isn’t done here at the elections, but yonder, each in our corner. —
我们作为贵族的工作并不仅限于选举，还在于我们各自的角落努力。 —

There’s a class instinct, too, of what one ought and oughtn’t to do. —
还有一种阶级本能，即应该做什么和不应该做什么。 —

There’s the peasants, too, I wonder at them sometimes; —
还有农民，有时我对他们感到惊讶； —

any good peasant tries to take all the land he can. —
任何一个好的农民都会争取尽可能多的土地。 —

However bad the land is, he’ll work it. Without a return too. At a simple loss.”
无论土地有多糟糕，他都会耕种。甚至不求回报，纯粹是亏本生意。

“Just as we do,” said Levin. “Very, very glad to have met you,” he added, seeing Sviazhsky approaching him.
“就像我们一样，”列文说道。”非常，非常高兴认识您，”他看到斯维亚日斯基向他走来时补充道。

“And here we’ve met for the first time since we met at your place,” said the landowner to Sviazhsky, “and we’ve had a good talk too.”
“从我们在您那里见面后，我们第一次在这里见面，”地主对斯维亚日斯基说道，”我们还进行了很好的交谈。”

“Well, have you been attacking the new order of things?” said Sviazhsky with a smile.
“那么，你们一直在攻击新秩序吗？”斯维亚日斯基笑着问道。

“That we’re bound to do.”
“这是我们必须做的。”

“You’ve relieved your feelings?”
“你们解气了吗？”