The drugstore was beginning to close for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, who worked in the store was putting on his coat, getting ready to go home. On his way out, he passed Mr. Carr, the little gray-haired man who owned the store. Mr. Carr looked up at Alfred as he passed, and said in a very soft voice, "Just one moment, Alfred. One moment before you go." Mr. Carr spoke so quietly that he worried Alfred.
天晚了，杂货店即将打烊，在店里工作的年轻的艾尔弗雷德·希金斯穿上大衣准备回家。出门时，他碰上了店主卡尔先生。卡尔先生是个小个子，头发灰白。当艾尔弗雷德经过时卡尔先生抬头看着他，然后低声说：“等一下，艾尔弗雷德。等一下再走。”卡尔先生的声音那么低沉，使艾尔弗雷德不禁紧张起来。
"What is it, Mr. Carr?"
“什么事，卡尔先生？”
"Maybe, you'd be good enough to take a few things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go." said Mr. Carr.
“你也许在走之前会把兜里的东西拿出来，放在这儿。”卡尔先生说。
"What -- What things? What are you talking about?"
“什么——什么东西？你在说些什么呀？”
"You've got a compact and a lipstick and at least two tubes of toothpaste in your pockets, Alfred,"
“你拿了一个粉盒，一支口红还有至少两管牙膏在你衣兜里，艾尔弗雷德。”
"What do you mean?" Alfred answered.
“你这是什么意思？”艾尔弗雷德回答：“你以为我疯了吗？”他的脸红了。
"Do you think I' m crazy?" his face got red. Mr. Carr kept looking at Alfred coldly. Alfred did not know what to say, and tried to keep his eyes from meeting the eyes of his boss. After a few moments, he put his hand into his pockets and took out the things he had stolen.
卡尔先生冷冷地直盯着艾尔弗雷德。艾尔弗雷德一时语塞，努力避开老板的目光、过了一会儿，他把手伸进口袋，把偷的东西拿了出来。
"Petty thieving, eh, Alfred." said Mr. Carr. "And maybe you'd be good enough to tell me how long this has been going on."
“小偷小摸，是吧，艾尔弗雷德？”卡尔先生发话了。“也许你能老实告诉我这种事已持续多久了？”
"This is the first time I ever took anything."
“这是我头一次从店里拿东西。”
Mr. Carr was quick to answer, "So now you think you'll tell me a lie, eh? What kind of fool I look like, huh? I don't know what goes on in my own store, eh? I tell you, you've been doing this for a long time." Mr. Carr had a strange smile on his face. "I don' t like to call the police," he said, "but maybe I should call your father, and let him know I'm going to have you put in jail."
卡尔先生当即反驳道：“你想骗我，嗯？看看我究竟有多傻，嗯？我会不知道我自己店里发生的事情，嗯？我告诉你，你这种行为已经持续很长一段时间了。”卡尔先生睑上露出了怪异的笑。“我不想叫警察，”他说，“但我也许应该给你父亲打个电话，让他知道我得把你送到监狱里去。”
"My father is not home. He is a printer. He works nights."
“我父亲不在家。他是个印刷工，上夜班。”
"Who is at home?" Carr asked.
“那么谁在家？”卡尔问道。
"My mother, I think."
“我想，我母亲大概在吧。”
| 问天词典 |
