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We waited for the asparagus to be cooked. Panic seized me. It was not a question now how much money I should have left over for the rest of the month, but whether I had enough to pay the bill. It would be embarrassing to find myself ten francs short and be obliged to borrow from my guest. I could not bring myself to do that. I knew exactly how much I had, and if the bill came to more I made up my mind that I would put my hand in my pocket and with a dramatic cry start up and say it had been picked. Of course, it would beawkward if she had not money enough either to pay the bill. Then the only thing would be to leave my watch and say I would come back and pay later.
我們等著蘆筍烹制好送上來。我突然驚恐起來。現(xiàn)在的問題已不是我還能剩下幾個錢來維持這個月的生計(jì)了，而是我的錢夠不夠付賬。要是我差十法郎，不得不向客人借的話，那就太難堪了。我可做不出那樣的事來。身邊到底有多少錢，我心里有底，倘若賬單超過了這個數(shù)字，我就決心這么辦：伸手往口袋里一摸，隨即故意驚叫一聲，跳起來說錢給小偷扒了。當(dāng)然，如果她的錢也不夠付賬的話，那就尷尬了。那樣，唯一的辦法就是將我的手表留下，言明以后再來付。
The asparagus appeared. They were enormous, juicy, and appetising. I watched the wicked womanthrust them down her throat in large mouthfuls, and in my polite way I spoke about the condition of the drama in the Balkans. At last she finished.
蘆筍端上來了。又大汁又多，令人垂涎不止。我一面看著這個邪惡的女人大口大口地將蘆筍往肚里塞，一面彬彬有禮地談?wù)撝蜖柛砂雿u戲劇界的現(xiàn)狀。她終于吃完了。
"Coffee?" I said.
"喝點(diǎn)咖啡？"我說。
"Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee," she answered.
"好，就來一客冰淇淋和咖啡吧，"她回答說。
I was past caring now, so I ordered coffee for myself and an ice-cream and coffee for her.
到這時，我什么也不在乎了，為自己叫了咖啡，為她叫了一客冰淇淋和咖啡。
"You know, there's one thing I thoroughly believe in," she said, as she ate the ice-cream."One should always get up from a meal feeling one could eat a little more."
"你知道，我堅(jiān)信一點(diǎn)，"她邊吃冰淇淋邊說道。"當(dāng)一個人吃完一頓飯站起來時，他應(yīng)該感到還沒有吃得十分飽。"
"Are you still hungry?" I asked faintly.
"你還餓嗎？"我有氣無力地問道。
"Oh, no, I'm not hungry; you see, I don't eat luncheon. I have a cup of coffee in the morning and then dinner, but I never eat more than one thing for luncheon. I was speaking for you."
"噢，不，我不餓。你知道，我不吃午餐。我早晨一杯咖啡，然后到晚上用餐，但我午餐向來最多只吃一道菜。適才我這樣說是為了你啊。"
"Oh, I see!"
"哦，我明白啦！"
