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The journey was pleasant once she got over the shock of being strapped down for the take-off. As they went higher and higher she looked out at the very white, waspish cloud and thought of the wash tub and hoped her husband would remember to change his shirt while she was away.
飛機起飛前系上安全帶的時候她有些驚慌，但此后一路都十分愉快。當飛機越飛越高的 時候，她向窗外望了望細細的白云，想到家里的洗衣盆，希望她不在的時候丈夫會記得換襯衣。
Claire met her mother at the airport and they kissed warmly, not having seen each other for over a year.
克萊爾到機場接她的母親，她們一年多沒有見面了，兩人熱情地親吻。
"Have you stones in it?" Claire said, taking the suitcase. It was doubly secured with a new piece of binding twine. Her mother wore a black straw hat with clusters of cherries on both sides of the brim.
“你在里面裝了石頭嗎？ ”克萊爾接過手提箱時說。那箱子用一條新的麻繩加固捆綁著。 她的母親戴著一頂黑色草帽，帽檐兩側各有一串櫻桃飾品。
"You were great to meet me," the mother said.
“你能來接我，太好了，”母親說。
"Of course I'd meet you," Claire said, easing her mother right back on the taxi seat. It was a long ride and they might as well be comfortable.
“我當然會來接你，”克萊爾說，同時一面幫她母親在出租車后面的座位上舒坦地坐好。到她的住處路程不短，她們最好還是坐得舒服些。
"I could have navigated," the mother said, and Claire said nonsense a little too brusquely. Then to make amends she asked gently how the journey was.
“我本來也可以乘船來的，”母親說。克萊爾有些無禮地說了句“胡說”。為了彌補剛才的失禮，她馬上又柔聲地問母親旅途怎么樣。
"Oh I must tell you, there was this very peculiar woman and she was screaming."
“哦，我得給你說說，飛機上有個非常怪的女人，她一直高聲尖叫。”
Claire listened and stiffened, remembering her mother's voice that became low and dramatic in a crisis.
克萊爾聽著，身體突然繃緊了，她想起她母親每次遇到危機的時候，說話的聲音就會很低，很夸張。
"But otherwise?" Claire said. This was a holiday, not an expedition into the past.
“不過其他還好吧？”克萊爾說道，心想，這是在度假，不是在探索過去。
"We had tea and sandwiches. I couldn't eat mine, the bread was buttered."
“飛機上供應茶和三明治，但是我的那一份沒法吃，因為面包上涂了黃油。”
"Still faddy?" Claire said. Her mother got bilious if she touched butter, fish, olive oil, or eggs.
“你還那么挑食啊？”克萊爾說道。她知道她母親如果碰一下黃油、魚、橄欖油或雞蛋， 就會感到惡心得要吐。
