So what exactly is “hard” water, and how does it actually differ from “soft” water?

那么底什么是“硬”水，与“软”水有什么？

Coming out of his cabin in the sunlight and looking along that soft blue water and seeing in his mind what was under it and what was happening to it.

在阳光下走出他的船舱， 沿那柔和的蓝色水面望去， 在他的脑海中下面是什么， 正在发生什么。

And Dixon is washing my muslins and laces, and there is no soft water with these horrid east winds, which I suppose we shall have all the year round in Milton'.

迪克森正在洗我的平纹细布和鞋带， 这些可怕的东风没有软水， 我想我们在米尔顿一年四季都会这样。