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135.A Short Visit
135.短暫的拜訪
"Keep the pot boiling, honey. And bear in mind that they're just neighbors!" Mr. Benz said as he went to the door.
"好好干吧，親愛的。記住他們不過是鄰居！"本茲先生邊說邊朝門口走去。
"Howdy!" Mr. Collins said. "We've got to kill some time so we thought we'd visit! You know, keep up with the times!"
"你好！"柯林斯先生說。"我們要打發掉一些時間，所以我們想過來拜訪一下。你知道的，要跟上時代嘛！"
"That's so kind of you!" Mr. Benz said as he escorted Mr. Collins and his wife into the living room.
"您太客氣了！"本茲先生說，他陪柯林斯先生和他太太來到起居室。
He could see them looking around his house, keeping track of each item and each piece of dirt!
他看得出他們在四處打量他的房子，看清每樣東西和每片垃圾！
Both the Collins sat down, keeping together on the couch.
柯林斯夫婦坐了下來，倆人在沙發上緊挨在一起。
They didn't look happy. Mr. Benz sat on his chair and kicked up his heels!
他們看上去不怎么髙興。本茲先生則坐在椅子上顯得輕松愉快！
He decided to keep a level head and not give the Collins a hard time.
他決定保持清醒的頭腦，不讓柯林斯夫婦難受。
They had never liked the simple conditions of his house, thinking rather that everyone should have a perfect lawn,
他們從來就不喜歡他那簡單的家，認為每個人都應該擁有完美的草坪、
the newest car, and the best furniture in order to keep up with the Joneses. But Mr. Benz thought that was kind of silly.
最新的車和最好的家具，這樣才能與較富裕的左鄰右舍比排場。但本茲先生認為這樣有點兒愚蠢。
"So how've you been lately?" Mr. Collins asked.
"你們最近怎么樣？"柯林斯先生問。
"Oh fine. You know we like to keep to ourselves. We're knit together like two peas in a pod.
"很好，我們不喜歡與他人交往，這你是知道的。我們倆形影不離。
But we started a vegetable garden. That's enough to keep up with for us!"
不過我們搞了一塊菜園。這對我們來說足以讓我們跟上潮流了！"
Mr. Benz replied as his wife started putting knives and forks on the table.
本茲先生說, 他的妻子開始在桌上擺放刀和叉。
"Here, try one of these cucumbers!" Mr. Benz said as he bit into a fresh cucumber.
"來，嘗一根這種黃瓜！"本茲先生咬著一根鮮黃瓜說。
"Oh honey, knock it off. You know the Collins like to have their food cleaned before they eat it!"
"噢，親愛的，住手！你知道柯林斯夫婦吃東西之前是要洗干凈的！"
"What? It's just from the garden!"
"什么？可這是剛從菜園里摘來的！"
But the Collins couldn't keep up with the "Simple Life".
可是柯林斯夫婦無法跟上這種"純樸生活"的潮流。
They said that they had forgotten about another appointment and left!
說他們把另外一個約會給忘了，然后就走了。
"You keep up like that and we'll never have friends!" Mr. Benz's wife said! "Who cares?"
"你要再堅持那樣，我們就永遠沒有朋友了！"本茲先生的妻子說。"誰管呢？"
