The Luncheon.docx
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The Luncheon.docx
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TheLuncheon
Unit7
Ayoungmanfindsitverydifficulttosaynotoawomanandasaresulthegetsintotrouble.
Therestauranttowhichhehasagreedtotakehisluncheondateisfartooexpensiveforhis
smallpocketbook.How,then,willhebeabletoavoidanembarrassingsituation?
W.SomersetMaugham
Theluncheon
W.SomersetMaugham
1.
Icaughtsightofherattheplay,andinanswertoherbeckoningIwentoverduring
theintervalandsetdownbesideher.ItwaslongsinceIhadlastseenher.andifsomeonehadnotmentionedhernameIhardlythinkIwouldhaverecognizedher.Sheaddressedmebrightly.
2.
“well,”it’smanyyearssincewefirstmet.Howtimedoesfly!
We’renoneofusgettinganyyounger.DoyourememberthefirsttimeIsawyou?
Youaskedmetoluncheon.
3.
DidIremember?
4.
ItwastwentyyearsagoandIwaslivinginParis.IhadatinyapartmentintheLatinQuarteroverlookingacemetery,andIwasearningbarelyenoughmoneytokeepbodyandsoul
together.Shehadreadabookofmineandhadwrittentomeaboutit.Ianswered,thankingher,andpresentlyIreceivedfromheranotherlettersayingthatshewaspassingthroughParisandwouldliketohaveachatwithme.Buthertimewaslimited,andtheonlyfreemomentshehadwasonthefollowingThursday;shewasspendingthemorningattheLuxembourgandwouldIgiveheralittleluncheonatFoyot’safterwards?
Foyot’sisarestaurantatwhichtheFrenchsenatorseat,anditwassofarbeyondmymeansthatIhadneverthoughtofgoingthere.ButIwasflattered,andIwastooyoungtohavelearnedtosaynotoawoman.(Fewmen,Imayadd,learnthisuntiltheyaretoooldtomakeitofanyconsequencetoawomanwhattheysay.)Ihadeightyfrancs(goldfrancs)tolastmetherestofthemonth,andamodestluncheonshouldnotcostmorethanfifteen.IfIcutoutcoffeeforthenexttwoweeksIcouldmanagewellenough.
5.
IansweredthatIwouldmeetmyfriend—bycorrespondence—atFoyot’sonThursdayathalfpasttwelve.ShewasnotsoyoungasIexpectedandinappearanceimposingratherthanattractive.Shewas,infact,awomanofforty(acharmingage,butnotonethatexcitesasuddenanddevastatingpassionatfirstsight),andshegivemetheimpressionofhavingmoreteeth,whiteandlargeandeven,thanwerenecessaryforanypracticalpurpose.Shewastalkative,butsincesheseemedinclinedtotalkaboutmeIwaspreparedtobeanattentivelistener.
6.
Iwasstartledwhenthebilloffarewasbrought,forthepriceswereagreatdealhigherthanIhadanticipated.Butshereassuredme.
7.
“Inevereatanythingforluncheon,”shesaid.
8.
“Oh,don’tsaythat!
”Iansweredgenerously.
9.
“Inevereatmorethanonething.Ithinkpeopleeatfartoomuchnowadays.Alittle
fish,perhaps.Iwonderiftheyhaveanysalmon.”
10.
Well,itwasearlyintheyearforsalmonanditwasnotonthebilloffare,butIaskedthewaiteriftherewasany,Yes,abeautifulsalmonhadjustcomein,itwasthefirsttheyhadhad.Iordereditformyguest.Thewaiteraskedherifshewouldhavesomethingwhileitwasbeingcooked.
11.
“No,sheanswered,Inevereatmorethanonething.Unlessyouhavelittlecaviare.Inevermindcaviare.”
12.
Myheartsankalittle.IknewIcouldnotaffordcaviare.ButIcouldnotverywelltellherthat.Itoldthewaiterbyallmeanstobringcaviare.FormyselfIchosethecheapestdishonthemenuandthatwasamuttonchop.
13.
“Ithinkyouareunwisetoeatmeat,”shesaid.Idon’tknowhowyoucanexpecttoworkaftereatingheavythinglikechops.Idon’tbelieveinoverloadingmystomach.”
14.
Thencamethequestionofdrink.
15.
“Ineverdrinkanythingforluncheon,”shesaid.
16.
“NeitherdoI.”Iansweredpromptly.
17.
“Expectwhitewine,”sheproceededasthoughIhadnotspoken.“TheseFrenchwhitewinesaresolight.They’rewonderfulforthedigestion.”
18.
“Whatwouldyoulike?
”Iaskhospitablestill,butnotexactlyeffusive.
19.
Shegivemeabrightandamicableflashofherwhiteteeth.
20.
“Mydoctorwon’tletmedrinkanythingbutchampagne.”
21.
IfancyIturnedatriflepale.Iorderedhalfabottle.Imentionedcasuallythatmydoctorhadabsolutelyforbiddenmetodrinkchampagne.
22.
“Whatareyougoingtodrink,then?
”
23.
“water.”
24.
Sheatethecaviareandsheatethesalmon.Shetalkedgailyofartandliteratureandmusic.ButIwonderedwhatthebillwouldcometo.Whenmymuttonchoparrivedshetookmequiteseriouslytotask.
25.
“Iseethatyou‘reinthehabitofeatingaheavyluncheon.I’msureit’samistake.Whydon’tyoufollowmyexampleandjusteatonething?
I’msureyou’dfeeleversomuchbetterforit.”
26.
“Iamonlygoingtoeatonething.”Isaid,asthewaitercameagainwiththebilloffare.
27.
Shewavedhimasidewithanairygesture.
28.
“No,no,Inevereatanythingforluncheon.Justabite,Ineverwantmorethanthat,andIeatthatmoreasanexcuseforconversationthananythingelse.Icouldn’tpossiblyeatanythingmoreunlesstheyhadsomeofthosegiantasparagus.IshouldbesorrytoleavePariswithouthavingsomeofthem.”
29.
Myheartsank.Ihadseenthemintheshops,andIknewthattheywerehorriblyexpensive.Mymouthhadoftenwateredatthesightofthem.
30.
“Madamewantstoknowifyouhaveanyofthosegiantasparagus,”Iaskedthewaiter.
31.
Itriedwithallmymighttowillhimtosayno.Ahappysmilespreadoverhisbroad,priest-likeface,andheassuredmethattheyhadsomesolarge,sosplendid,sotenderthatitwasamarvel.
32.
“I’mnotintheleasthungry,”myguestsighed,butifyouinsistIdon’tmindhavingsomeasparagus.”
33.
Iorderedthem.
34.
“aren’tyougoingtohaveany?
”
35.
“NoInevereatasparagus.”
36.
“Iknowtherearepeoplewhodon’tlikethem.Thefactis,yourunyourtastebyallthemeatyoueat.”
37.
Wewaitedfortheasparagustobecooked.Panicseizedme.ItwasnotaquestionnowhowmuchmoneyIshouldhaveleftoverortherestofthemouth,butweatherIhadenoughtopaythebill.Itwouldbeembarrassingtofindmyselftenfrancsshortandbeobligedtoborrowfrommyguest.Icouldnotbringmyselftodothat.IknowexactlyhowmuchIhad,andifthebillcometomoreImadeupmymindthatIwouldputmyhandinmypocketandwithadramaticcrystartupandsayithadbeenpicked.Ofcourse,itwouldbeawkwardifshehadnotmoneyenougheithertopaythebill.ThentheonlythingwouldbetoleavemywatchandsayIwouldcomebackandpaylater.
38.
Theasparagusappeared.Theywereenormous,juicyandappetizing.Iwatchedthewickedwomanthrustthemdownherthroatinlargemouthfuls,andinmypolitewayIspokeabouttheconditionofthedramaintheBalkans.Atlastshefinished.
39.
“Coffee?
”Isaid.
40.
“Yes,justanice-creamandcoffee,”sheanswered.
41.
Iwaspastcaringnow,soIorderedcoffeeformyselfandice-creamandcoffeeforher.
42.
“Youknow,there’sonethingIthoroughlybelievein,”shesaid,assheateice-cream.“oneshouldalwaysgetupfromamealfeelingonecouldeatalittlemore.”
43.
“Areyoustillhungry?
”Iaskedfaintly.
44.
“Oh,no,I’mnothungry;yousee,Idon’teatluncheon.Ihaveacupofcoffeeinthemorningandthendinner,butInevereatmorethanonethingforluncheon.Iwasspeakingforyou.”
45.
“Oh,Isee!
”
46.
Thenaterriblethinghappened.Whilewewerewaitingforthecoffeetheheadwaiter,withaningratiatingsmileonhisfalseface,cameuptousbearingalargebasketfullofhugepeaches.Theyhadtheblushofaninnocentgirl;theyhadtherichtoneofanItalianlandscape.Butsurelypeacheswerenotseasonthen?
Lordknewwhattheycost.Iknewtoo—alittlelater,formyguest,goingonwithherconversation,absentmindedlytookone.
47.
“Yousee,you’vefilledyourstomachwithalotofmeat”—myonemiserablelittlechop—“andyoucan’teatanymore.ButI’vejusthadsnackandIshallenjoyapeach.”
48.
Thebillcame,andwhenIpaiditIfoundthatIhadonlyenoughforaquiteinadequatetip.HereyesrestedforaninstantonthethreefrancsIleftforthewaiter,andIknewthatshethoughtmemean.ButwhenIwalkedoutoftherestaurantIhadthewholemouthbeforemeandnotapennyinmypocket.
49.
“Followmyexample,”shesaidasweshookhands,“andnevereatmorethanonethingforluncheon.”
50.
“Iwilldobetterthanthat,”Iretorted.“I’lleatnothingfordinnertonight.”
51.
“Humorist!
”shecriedgaily,jumpingintoacab.“You’requiteahumorist!
”
52.
ButIhavehadmyrevengeatlast.IdonotbelievethatIamavindictiveman,butwhentheimmortalgodstakeahandinthematteritispardonabletoobservetheresultwithcomplacency.Todaysheweighstwenty-onestone.
译文:
一个年轻人发现很难拒绝一位女士,他因此陷入了困境。
他同意进行午餐聚会的那家餐厅对他可怜的荷包来说实在太贵了。
那怎么样才能避免这种尴尬的处境呢?
午餐
萨默赛特·毛姆
我是在看戏的时候见到她的。
暮间休息时,我应她的招呼走了过去,在她旁边坐下,我上次见到她已是很久以前的事了,要不是有人提起她的名字,我想几乎会认不出她来。
她兴致勃勃地跟我谈了起来。
“瞧,自从我们初次相见已经好多年了。
真是光阴似箭啊!
我们都不年轻啦,你还记得我初次见到你吗?
你请我吃的午餐。
”
“我能不记得吗?
”
那是20年前的事了,当时我正在巴黎。
我在拉丁区租了一套小小的公寓,从那里往下看去是一个公墓。
我挣得钱只够勉强维持生活。
她读过我的一本书,并曾跟我写信谈论该书,我回信向她致谢。
随即我又收到她的一封信,她说路过巴黎,想跟我谈谈,但她的时间有限,只有下星期四有空,那天上午我想要去卢森堡宫,问我是不是愿意中午请她在福伊约餐厅吃顿放。
福伊约餐厅是法国参议院光顾的地方,去那儿吃饭远远超过我的经济能力,所以以前连想都没想过。
但当时我受宠若惊,况且年纪太轻,还没有学会对一个女生说个“不”字(附带说一句。
没有几个男人学会这一招,而到他们学会时,往往年事已高,他们说什么对女人来说已无足轻重了。
)我当时的生活费还有八十法郎,一顿便餐花不了15法郎。
如果我下两个星期不喝咖啡是可以对付过去的。
我回信说,我将于下星期四十二点半在福伊约餐厅会见我的朋友。
她并不如我想象的那么你年轻。
她的外貌与其说美貌动人,毋宁说丰腴魁伟,气概非凡。
事实上她已有40多岁了,这是一个有魅力的年龄,但不是初次相见就能令你激情迸发,神魂颠倒的那种年纪,长着一口洁白整齐的大牙齿,给我留下的印象是,其数目之多,已经超过实际需要。
她很健谈,不过因为她想谈的话题似乎总是关于我的事,所以我便洗耳恭听。
菜单拿来时我大吃一惊,价格比我预料的要高出许多,但她的话使我宽了心。
“我午餐从不吃什么东西,”她说。
“哦,可别这么说!
”我慷慨地回答。
“我从来只吃一道菜。
我认为现在人们吃得太多。
或许来道鱼还行。
我不知道他们有鲑鱼没有。
”
啊,吃鲑鱼的季节还没有
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