I caught sight of her at the play, and in answer to her beckoning I went over
during the interval and sat down beside her. It was long since I had last seen
her, and if someone had not mentioned her name I hardly think I would have
recognised her. She addressed me brightly.
"Well, it's many years since we
first met. How time does fly! We're none of us getting any younger. Do you
remember the first time I saw you? You asked me to luncheon."
Did I
remember?
It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny
apartment in the Latin Quarter overlooking a cemetery, and I was earning barely
enough money to keep body and soul together. She had read a book of mine and had
written to me about it. I answered, thanking her, and presently I received from
her another letter saying that she was passing through Paris and would like to
have a chat with me; but her time was limited, and the only free moment she had
was on the following Thursday; she was spending the morning at the Luxembourg
and would I give her a little luncheon at Foyot's afterwards? Foyot's is a
restaurant at which the French senators eat, and it was so far beyond my means
that I had never even thought of going there. But I was flattered, and I was too
young to have learned to say no to a woman. (Few men, I may add, learn this
until they are too old to make it of any consequence to a woman what they say.)
I had eight francs (gold francs) to last me the rest of the month, and a modest
luncheon should not cost more than fifteen. If I cut out coffee for the next two
weeks I could manage well enough.
I answered that I would meet my friend --
by correspondence -- at Foyot's on Thursday at half past twelve. She was not so
young as I expected and in appearance imposing rather than attractive, she was,
in fact, a woman of forty (a charming age, but not one that excites a sudden and
devastating passion at first sight), and she gave me the impression of having
more teeth, white and large and even, than were necessary for any practical
purpose. She was talkative, but since she seemed inclined to talk about me I was
prepared to be an attentive listener.
I was startled when the bill of fare
was brought, for the prices were a great deal higher than I had anticipated. But
she reassured me.
"I never eat anything for luncheon," She said.
"Oh,
don't say that!" I answered generously.
"I never eat more than one thing. I
think people eat far too much nowadays. A little fish, perhaps. I wonder if they
have any salmon.
Well, it was early in the year for salmon and it was not on
the bill of fare, but I asked the waiter if there was any. Yes, a beautiful
salmon had just come in, it was the first they had had. I ordered it for my
guest. The waiter asked her if she would have something while it was being
cooked.
"No," she answered, "I never eat more than one thing. Unless you have
a little caviare. I never mind caviare."
My heart sank a little. I knew I
could not afford caviare, but I could not very well tell her that. I told the
waiter by all means to bring caviare. For myself I chose the cheapest dish on
the menu and that was a mutton chop.
" I think you are unwise to eat meat,"
she said. " I don't know how you can expect to work after eating heavy things
like chops. I don't believe in overloading my stomach."
Then came the
question of drink.
"I never drink anything for luncheon," she
said.
"Neither do I," I answered promptly.
"Except whiter wine," she
proceeded as though I had not spoken. "These French white wines are so light.
They're wonderful for the digestion."
"What would you like?" I asked,
hospitable still, but not exactly effusive.
She gave me a bright and amicable
flash of her white teeth.
"My doctor won't let me drink anything but
champagne."
I fancy I turned a trifle pale. I ordered half a bottle. I
mentioned casually that my doctor had absolutely forbidden me to drink
champagne.
"What are you going to drink, then?"
"Water."
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.
"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."
"I am only going to eat one thing." I said, as the waiter came again
with the bill of fare.
She waved him aside with an airy gesture.
"No, no,
I never eat anything for luncheon. Just a bite, I never want more than that, and
I 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."
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.
"Madame wants to know if you
have any of those giant asparagus," I asked the waiter.
I tried with all my
might too 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.
"I'm not in the least hungry," my guest sighed, "but if
you insist I don't mind having some asparagus."
I ordered them.
"Aren't
you going to have any?"
"No, I never eat asparagus."
"I know there are
people who don't like them. The fact is, you ruin your taste by all the meat you
eat."
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 be awkward 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.
The asparagus
appeared. They were enormous, juicy, and appetising. I watched the wicked woman
thrust 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 the
finished.
"Coffee?" I said.
"Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee," she
answered.
I was past caring now, so I ordered coffee for myself and an
ice-cream and coffee for her.
"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."
"Are you still hungry?" I asked
faintly.
"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."
"Oh, I see!"
Then a terrible thing
happened. While we were waiting for the coffee the head waiter, with an
ingratiating smile on his false face, came up to us bearing a large basket full
of huge peaches. They had the blush of an innocent girl; they had the rich tone
of an Italian landscape. But surely peaches were not in season then? Lord knew
what they cost. I knew too -- a little later, for my guest, going on with her
conversation, absentmindedly took one.
"You see, you've filled your stomach
with a lot of meat" -- my one miserable little chop -- "and you can't eat any
more. But I've just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach."
The bill came,
and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quite inadequate tip.
Her eyes rested for an instant on the three francs I left for the waiter, and I
knew that she thought me mean. But when I walked out of the restaurant I had the
whole month before me and not a penny in my pocket.
"Follow my example," she
said as we shook hands, "and never eat more than one thing for
luncheon."
"I'll do better than that," I retorted. "I'll eat nothing for
dinner tonight."
"Humorist!" she cried gaily, jumping into a cab. "You're
quite a humorist!"
But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I
am a vindictive man, but when the immortal gods take a hand in matter it is
pardonable to observe the result with complacency. Today she weighs twenty-one
stone.
New Words
luncheon n.& vi. (formal word for)
lunch
beckon vt. signal to (sb.) by a motion of the hand or head
向……招手或点头示意
apartment n. a single room; (AmE) flat or a set of rooms 房间；（美）一套公寓住房
Latin a. 拉丁的 n. 拉丁文
quarter n. division of a town, esp. one of a special class of people
（都市的）区，街
overlook vt. have a view of from above; fail to see or notice 俯视；忽略
presently ad. soon; (AmE) at the present time 不久；（美）目前
chat n., vi. (have) a friendly informal conversation 闲谈，聊天
senator n. a member of a senate 参议员，上议员
means n. money, income, or wealth, esp. large enough to afford all one
needs 财富，资产
franc n. the unit of money in France, Belgium. Switzerland, and some other
countries 法郎
modest a. not large in quantity, size, value, etc. 不太大的；适度的
imposing a. impressive because of size, appearance, or dignity
仪表堂堂的；宏伟的
attractive a. having the power to attract; pleasing 吸引人的；有魅力的
charming a. very pleasing; fascinating 有魅力的
devastating a. destructive; causing ruin; sweeping everything before it
毁灭性的；压倒一切的
passion n. strong feeling or enthusiasm, esp. of love or anger 激情
impression n. 印象
talkative a. having the habit of talking a great deal; fond of talking
好说话的；健谈的
inclined a. likely; tending(to); encouraged 有……倾向的
attentive a. listening carefully; doing acts to satisfy the needs of
another 专注的；体贴的，殷勤的
startle vt. give a shock of surprise to; cause to move of jump 使吃惊，使惊跳
fare n. food, esp. as provided at a meal 食物
bill of fare： a list of dishes; menu 菜单
reassure vt. set a person's mind at rest 使安心
generously ad. with readiness to give money, help, kindness, etc.
慷慨地，大方地
generous a.
nowadays ad. at the present time, now
salmon n. 鲑鱼
menu n. a list of courses at a meal or of dishes that can be served in a
restaurant 菜单
mutton n. meat from a fully grown sheep 羊肉
chop n. a small piece of meat with bone in it （连骨的）块肉
overload vt. put too large a load on or in; overburden 使过载消化
digestion n. 消化
hospitable a. generous in the treatment of a guest 好客的
effusive a. (of feelings, signs of pleasure, gratitude, etc.) pouring out
too freely; too demonstrative or emotional 热情洋溢的；感情（过多)流露的
amicable a. friendly; peaceful
flash n. a sudden, quick bright light; a sudden display 闪烁；闪现
champagne n. 香槟洒
fancy vt. suppose, imagine
trifle n. a thing, event, etc. of little value or importance 琐事
forbid (forbade or forbad, forbidden) vt. command(sb.) not to do sth.;
refuse to allow (sb.) to have, use, enter etc.禁止
gaily ad. in a happy and joyous manner
literature n. 文学（作品）
airy a. light-hearted; affected 轻盈的；做作的
bite n. piece cut off by biting
asparagus n. (sing. or pl.) 芦笋
water vi. (of the eyes or mouth) fill with watery liquid, esp. tears or
saliva
Madame n. use as a title of respect for a woman (esp. a foreign married
woman)夫人
might n. power, strength, force
will vt. influence or compel, by exercising the power of the mind
以意志力使
assure vt. tell firmly and with confidence esp. with the aim of removing
doubt 保证；使确信
tender a. delicate; not hard or difficult to bit through 柔弱的；柔嫩的
marvel n. a wonderful thing. sth. causing great surprise
sigh vi. let out a deep breath slowly and with a sound (indicating
sadness, tiredness, relief, etc.)叹气
ruin vt. destroy or spoil (completely) 毁灭
n. a condition of destruction
and decay
panic n. sudden, uncontrollable terror or anxiety 恐慌
oblige vt. compel; require, bind (sb.) by a promise, oath, etc.
强迫，使不得不
dramatic a. of drama; sudden or exciting, like an event in a stage
play
pick vt. steal
juicy a. having a lot of juice 多液汁的
appetising a. arousing or exciting the desire for food 引起食欲的，美味可口的
wicked a. very bad, evil 邪恶的
thrust vt. push suddenly or violently; make a forward stoke with a sword,
knife, etc. 猛推；刺，戳
throat n. 咽喉
mouthful n. as much (food or drink) as fills the mouth
drama n. a play for the theatre, radio or TV; composition, presentation
and performance of such plays 戏剧
head waiter n. a man in charge of the waiters in a restaurant hotel, or
dining car
ingratiating a. making oneself very pleasant to sb. in order to gain
favour 讨好的，奉承的
peach n. 桃子
blush n. reddening of the face, from shame or confusion
innocent a. (of people) simple, not able to recognize evil; not guilty
天真的；无罪的
landscape n. a wide view of natural scenery; a picture of such a scene
风景；风景画
Lord n. God 上帝，主
snack n. a small, usu. hurriedly eaten meal 小吃
instant n. a moment of time
mean a. ungenerous; unkind 吝啬的；刻薄的
retort vt. make a quick, angry and often amusing answer 反驳
humorist n. a person who makes jokes in speech or writing
humor n. 幽默
cab n. a carriage for public hire; taxi
revenge n. 报仇，报复 vt. 替……报仇
vindictive a. unforgiving; having or showing a desire for revenge
immortal a. living for ever 不朽的
pardonable a. that can be forgiven
complacency n. self-satisfaction 自鸣得意
stone n. the British unit of weight equal to 14 pounds (6.35 kilos)
Phrase & Expressions
catch sight of： see suddenly or
unexpectedly
in answer to： in response to
keep body and soul together： remain alive, esp. by earning enough money to
feed oneself 勉强维持生活
pass through： go through; experience 穿过；经历
be beyond one's means： be more than one can afford 付不起
cut out： leave out 停止使用，戒除
at first sight： when seen for the first time 乍看之下；第一眼就
be inclined to： be likely to; tend to 易于……的；倾向于，想
come in： become seasonable or available 上市；有供应
can/could not very well： can/could not reasonably 不好
by all means：certainly; at all costs 一定；务必
a trifle：somewhat, a little
come to ：amount to 总计
take(sb.) to task：criticize (sb.)申斥（某）人
be in the habit of ：have the habit of 习惯于
(not) in the least：leave as remainder (the best part having being consumed
)留下，剩下
bring oneself to ：make oneself (do); force oneself to 强迫自己
make up one's mind：choose what to do; decide 决定
start up：make a sudden movement due to surprise, alarm, pain, etc.
惊动，惊起
speak for：make a request for; speak on behalf of
要求得到；为……说话，为……辩护
in season：available, fresh for use as food 正在当令之时
go on with：continue doing
take/have a hand in：be partly responsible for; share (an activity)
参加，介入
Proper Names
Paris 巴黎（法国首都）
the Luxemb(o)urg 卢森堡宫（巴黎）
Foyot 福伊约（巴黎一餐馆）
the Balkans 巴尔干半岛各国；巴尔干山脉
Lord God; Jesus Christ
<下一页>
