A heated discussion about whether men are braver than women is settled in a rather unexpected way.

The Dinner Party

I first heard this tale in India, where is told as if true -- though any naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.
The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their guests -- officers and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist -- in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.
A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they haven't.
"A woman's reaction in any crisis," the major says, "is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts."
The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.
Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but they are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course. There is only one place left -- under the table.
His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.
"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minutes -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"
The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self-control."
"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"
A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."

NEW WORDS

heated
a. with strong, excited, and often angry feelings 熱烈的；激烈的
unexpected
a. not expected 意外的
naturalist
n. one who makes a special study of plants or animals outdoors 博物學(xué)家（尤指直接觀察動植物者）
shortly
ad. Soon; (in) a little time 不久，馬上
colonial]
a. of or related to a colony or colonies 殖民地的
spacious
a. big; having much space 廣闊的；寬闊的
dining
n. 餐廳
bare
a. not covered (with a carpet); empty 不鋪地毯的；赤裸的；光禿的
marble
n. 大理石
rafter
n. one of the sloping beams that support 椽
onto
prep. to a position or point on 到...之上; 向...之上
veranda
n. 陽臺
spirited
a. full of spirit; lively
outgrow
vt. leave behind, as one grows older or more mature 長大得使...不再適用; 成長得不再要
mouse
n. 鼠
era
n. 時代，年代
major
n. 少校
crisis
n. time of difficulty, danger, etc. 危機
ounce
n. 盎司;少量
argument
n. discussion by persons who disagree; dispute 爭論;辯論
hostess
n. 女主人
muscle
n. 肌肉
contract
vi. become shorter or smaller 收縮
contraction
n.
slightly
ad. a little 稍微地
slight
a.
motion
vi. give a signal by moving the hand or head 打手勢;點(或搖)頭示意
widen
v. make or become wider
bait
n. food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that they may be caught 誘餌
cobra
n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa 眼鏡蛇
likely
a. probable 可能的
impulse
n. sudden wish to do sth. 沖動
commotion
n. noisy confusion or excitement 混亂;騷動
tone
n. quality of voice or music 語氣;音調(diào)
commanding
a. authoritative 威嚴(yán)的
forfeit
vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作為懲罰而)失去
rupee
n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 盧比
image
n. statue 雕像
emerge
vi. come or appear (from somewhere)
emergence
n.
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地關(guān)上
host
n. man who receives guests 男主人
faint
a. weak, indistinct 微弱的;不明顯的
crawl
vi move slowly by pulling the body along the ground 爬行