She hesitates, then reluctantly opens the door a little wider. I hesitate in turn, uncertain whether I'm supposed to give her a kiss or not. Almost certainly yes, since I'm now assumed to be on social terms with her. There's something about the remoteness of her cheek, though, and the emptiness of the house, that makes the kiss die on my lips.
"Ill have to leave you to get on with it on your own," she says. "I've got things to do."
"Of course. Just head me in the right direction."
While she fetches her handbag, I look round the hall with a different eye. Yes--a little fresh paint and a lot of fresh money and this house could make a very suitable country retreat for a couple of serious-minded art historians and their growing family...But already she's back and leading the way through the maze of discreetly shabby unimproved glooms. She's wearing not apron and rubber gloves this time, but another of her oversize sweaters, an abundance of emerald that contrasts strikingly with the worn browns all around, and shifts disconcertingly all over, I can't help noticing, with the lateral movement of her hips as she walks.
拙译：
她先犹豫了一下，然后才勉强地把门开大了一点。我也犹豫，不知道该不该给她一个吻。大概没问题吧，既然在社交上这是应当的话。不过，她那脸蛋遥不可及的，而这屋子又空荡荡的，我这吻到唇边便死掉了。
"我陪不了您，您自便吧。"她说道。"我还有事情要做。"
"没问题。带我去到就行啦。"
"我去拿钥匙。他把早餐室给锁上了。"
她去取包的时候，我拿与别不同的目光看了一下大厅周围。是呀-只要一点新油漆再加一大把新钞票，便可以把这屋子变成一间非常适合归隐的乡舍，让一对在艺术史上锲而不舍的夫妇和他们日益发展壮大的家庭住在里面……但她已经回来，领着我在这依旧阴郁并带有几分破败的迷宫中走着。这回她没戴围裙和橡胶手套，反而又穿了一件特大的毛衣。还有，偌大一块绿宝石，晃来晃去的，使人心烦意乱，与其周围衣服上褪去的褐色形成鲜明的对比。她走路时两臀左摇右摆的，我禁不住看了一眼。
注意：把“serious-minded”译成“锲而不舍”是因为“I”本身是学哲学的，却常常不安于本份，转而研究别的东西，甚至对艺术发生了兴趣，使研究艺术史的太太甚为不安。为把一幅名画搞到手，他无心研究哲学，于是不厌其烦地研究起艺术史来。这里的“serious-minded”颇有调侃意味。
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Meunique