新概念二册 40－Food and Talk

进餐与交谈

Last week at a dinner-party, the hostess asked me to sit next to Mrs Rumbold. Mrs Rumbold was a large, unsmiling lady in a tight black dress. She did not even look up when I took my seat beside her. Her eyes were fixed on her plate and in a short time, she was busy eating. I tried to make conversation.  

' A new play is coming to" The Globe" soon,' I said. 'Will you be seeing it ?' ' No,' she answered. 'Will you be spending your holidays abroad this year ?' I asked. ' No,' she answered.

' Will you be staying inEngland?' I asked. ' No,' she answered.

In despair, I asked her whether she was enjoying her dinner.

' Young man,' she answered,' if you ate more and talked less, we would both enjoy our dinner !'