The smoking-room was almost empty and they chose a small table away from the platform where the Chief Steward was laying out the auctioneer's paraphernalia, the box for the numbered slips, the hammer, the carafe of water.
吸烟室几乎空无一人,他们选了一张远离平台的小桌子,首席管家正在那里摆放拍卖师的用具、装编号单的盒子、锤子和水瓶。