In the bar inwhich Strickland and Nichols sat a mechanical piano was loudly grinding outdance music. Round the room people were sitting at table, here half a dozensailors uproariously drunk, there a group of soldiers; and in the middle,crowded together, couples were dancing. Bearded sailors with brown faces andlarge horny hands clasped their partners in a tight embrace. The women worenothing but a shift. Now and then two sailors would get up and dance together.The noise was deafening. People were singing, shouting, laughing; and when aman gave a long kiss to the girl sitting on his knees, cat-calls from theEnglish sailors increased the din. The air was heavy with the dust beaten up bythe heavy boots of the men, and gray with smoke. It was very hot. Behind thebar was seated a woman nursing her baby. The waiter, an undersized youth with aflat, spotty face, hurried to and fro carrying a tray laden with glasses ofbeer.

In a littlewhile Tough Bill, accompanied by two huge negroes, came in, and it was easy tosee that he was already three parts drunk. He was looking for trouble. Helurched against a table at which three soldiers were sitting and knocked over aglass of beer. There was an angry altercation, and the owner of the bar steppedforward and ordered Tough Bill to go. He was a hefty fellow, in the habit ofstanding no nonsense from his customers, and Tough Bill hesitated. The landlordwas not a man he cared to tackle, for the police were on his side, and with anoath he turned on his heel. 

在思特里克兰德和尼柯尔斯坐的酒吧间里摆着一架自动钢琴，机械地演奏着喧噪聒耳的舞曲。屋子四周人们围坐在小桌旁边，这边六七个水手已经喝得半醉，吵吵嚷嚷，那边坐着的是一群士兵。屋子中央人们正一对对地挤在一起跳舞。留着大胡子、面色黝黑的水手用粗硬的大手使劲搂着自己的舞伴。女人们身上只穿着内衫。不时地也有两个水手站起来互相搂着跳舞。喧闹的声音震耳欲聋。没有一个人不在喝，不在叫，不在高声大笑；当一个人使劲吻了一下坐在他膝头上的女人时，英国的水手中就有人嘘叫，更增加了屋子的嘈杂。男人们的大靴子扬起的尘土和口里喷出的烟雾弄得屋子乌烟瘴气。空气又闷又热。卖酒的柜台后面坐着一个女人在给孩子喂奶。一个身材矮小、生着一张长满雀斑的扁脸年轻侍者，托着摆满啤酒杯子的托盘不住脚地走来走去。

过了不大一会儿工夫，硬汉子彼尔在两个高大黑人的陪同下走了进来。一眼就可以看出，他已经有七八分醉意了。他正在故意寻衅闹事。一进门彼尔就东倒西歪地撞在一张台子上，把一杯啤酒打翻了。坐在这张桌子边上的是三个士兵，双方马上争吵起来。酒吧间老板走出来，叫硬汉子彼尔走出去。老板脾气暴烈，从来不容顾客在他的酒馆闹事。硬汉子彼尔气焰有些收敛，他不太敢同酒吧间老板冲突，因为老板有警察作后盾。彼尔骂了一句，掉转了身躯。