同去的连主人一共是七位。
There were seven of us going together, including the host.
马路宽阔，但也有不少的窄巷和石板铺的小路。
The streets are wide, but there are quite a few narrow lanes and flagstones Hidden in the tightly packed dwellings were unfathomable mysteries of all sorts.
每天下午马路上出现了许 多服饰华丽的年轻女人，后面还跟着女佣S。
Every afternoon many gaudily dressed young women will be seen parading through the streets, escorted by their maid servants.
我们下了车，走进一条窄巷，路是石 板铺砌的，两旁是些矮小的房屋。
After parking our car by the side of a big street, we alighted and walked into a narrow flagged lane lined with small houses.
我们转了一个弯，走到一座大酒楼的门前。
We came to a big restaurant after taking a turning.
这样漂亮的酒楼立在 这条街上d就像一个奇迹，实在叫人不能相信。
The gorgeous restaurant, standing in such a lowly place, struck us as unusual and fantastic.
酒楼里面很宽敞，是旧式的建筑，有楼，有阁，有廊，有厅，有 天井，有树木，又像一个大公馆。
An old-style multi-storeyed building, with corridors, halls, courtyards and trees, it also looked like a VIP private mansion.
我们在里面走了一转，就登楼，在 一个名称很美的房间里坐了下来。
A fter walking about for a while, we went upstairs and took our seats at table in a beautifully-named room.
露台上摆了好几盆鲜花。
The balcony was decorated with potted flowers.
檐下垂着竹帘，遮住了阳光。
A bamboo shade under the eaves kept off the sun.
从外面不时送 来鸟声。
Birds Were heard again and again singing outside.
这个地方倒还清静。
The whole place was nice and quiet.
一个五十多岁的黄脸女人拿着一把伞在楼房门口出现了。
A sallow-faced woman in her early fifties appeared at the door of our room, umbrella in hand.
她起 先在门外徘徊了一阵，然后走进来，对我们说了几句话。
She paced about for a while before she came in and said a few words to all of us.
在她后面跟着一个年轻姑娘和一个中年妇人。
The woman reappeared shortly, with a young girl and a middle-aged woman following after her.
姑娘相貌平常，却打扮得很漂亮。
The young girl, though nicely dressed.
Was plain-looking.
她坐下来，并不说一句话。
She sat down without saying a word, and having her eyes dropped, kept waving a folding fan.
她在众人的陌生的眼光下 有点害羞。
She looked embarrassed with all eyes centered on her.
他们的谈话我也懂得一点。
I could understood a bit.
他问她多少价 钱，老妇人回答说，一千三百圆。
He wanted to know what price she was asking and the answer was, \*1,300 yuan." It was not until then that I realized what it was all about.
姑娘不过是一个候补姨太太，等待合意的主顾来把她买去。
The young girl was a potential concubine, waiting for a prospective buyer.
大家没有话说了。
All kept silent.
于是那个老妇人接了两毫银角（这是她应得的 数目），把姑娘带走了。
The old woman accepted a 20-cent silver coin (a sum due to her) and then left with the young girl.
走出房门，姑娘还回转身向我们微微鞠躬。
On leaving the room, the latter turned round to make a slight bow to us.