評論
打印
She ate the caviare and she ate the salmon. She talked gaily of art and literature and music. But I wondered what the bill would come to. When my mutton chop arrived she took me quite seriously to task.
她吃了魚子醬，又吃鮭魚。她興高采烈，大談藝術、文學、音樂。但我心里卻在嘀咕，不知這頓飯要花多少錢。當我的羊排上來時，她一本正經地教訓起我來。
"I see that you're in the habit of eating a heavy luncheon. I'm sure it's a mistake. Why don't you follow my example and just eat one thing? I'm sure you'd feel ever so much better for it."
"我看你習慣中午吃得很多。我肯定這樣不好，你為什么不效法我的樣子，只吃一道菜呢？我相信那樣你會感覺好得多。"
"I am only going to eat one thing." I said, as the waiter came again with the bill of fare.
"我是打算只吃這一道菜，"我說。這時侍者又拿著菜單走了過來。
She waved him aside with an airy gesture.
她輕輕地一揮手，讓他走開。
"No, no, I never eat anything for luncheon. Just a bite, I never want more than that, andI eat that more as an excuse for conversation than anything else. I couldn't possibly eat anything more unless they had some of those giant asparagus. I should be sorry to leave Paris without having some of them."
"我可不這樣，我午餐從不吃東西。要吃，也只是稍許吃一點，從不多吃。而我吃這么一點，主要也是為了借此機會閑談而已。我可不能再吃什么東西了，除非他們有那種大蘆筍。到了巴黎，不吃點蘆筍，那就太遺憾了。"
My heart sank. I had seen them in the shops, and I knew that they were horribly expensive. My mouth had often watered at the sight of them.
我的心一沉。我曾在店里見過蘆筍，我知道它貴得可怕。過去我每見蘆筍，常常饞涎欲滴。
"Madame wants to know if you have any of those giant asparagus," I asked the waiter.
"夫人想知道你們有沒有那種大蘆筍，"我問侍者。
I tried with all my might to will him to say no. A happy smile spread over his broad, pries-like face, and he assured me that they had some so large, so splendid, so tender, that it was a marvel.
我竭盡全力想使他說沒有。他那張寬闊的教士般虔誠的臉上展露出愉快的笑容，他用肯定的語氣對我說，他們有又大、又好、又嫩的蘆筍，簡直是罕見的珍品。
"I'm not in the least hungry," my guest sighed, "but if you insist I don't mind having some asparagus."
"我一點也不餓，"我的客人嘆道，"不過如果你執意要請我吃，我也不反對吃點蘆筍。"
I ordered them.
我便點了這道菜。
"Aren't you going to have any?"
"你不吃點嗎？"
"No, I never eat asparagus."
"不，我從不吃蘆筍。"
"I know there are people who don't like them. The fact is, you ruin your taste by all the meat you eat."
"我知道有人不喜歡蘆筍。事實是，你吃肉太多，傷了胃口。"
