He tried not to let his mind wander nor to let his impression of the music be marred by looking at the white-tied conductor's arm-waving, which always so unpleasantly distracts one's attention from the music; nor by the ladies with their bonnets, the ribbons of which were so carefully tied over their ears for the concert, nor by all those other persons who were either not interested in anything or were interested in all sorts of things other than music.
Cercava di non distrarsi e di non sciupare l’impressione guardando il gesticolare delle mani del direttore d’orchestra dalla cravatta bianca, che sempre così spiacevolmente distrae l’attenzione musicale, le signore in cappello, che per il concerto s’erano fasciate con cura le orecchie con nastri, e tutti quei visi oziosi, o presi dagli interessi più vari, tranne quello della musica.