吹小號的天鵝 第68期:里茲一夜(4)

Louis had never spent a night alone in a hotel.

路易斯以前從沒在任何一家飯店里單獨住過一宿。

First he walked round and around, switching lightson and off, examining everything.

起先，他在房間里轉(zhuǎn)來轉(zhuǎn)去，把電燈開了又關(guān)，查看著每樣東西。

In the writing desk, he found a few sheets of letterpaper that said:

后來，在一個寫字臺上，他發(fā)現(xiàn)了幾張帶題頭的信紙：

Ritz Carlton BOSTON

里茲·卡爾頓 波士頓

He felt mussy and dirty, so he went into the bathroom,

他感到身上又臟又亂，于是便走進浴室，

climbed into the tub, pulled the shower curtain across, and took a shower bath.

爬入浴缸，拉上浴室的簾子，洗了一個淋浴。

It felt good and reminded him of the water fights he used to have with his brothers and sisters.

這讓他感到很愜意，還讓他想起了過去和哥哥姐姐們一起打水仗的情景。

He was careful not to splash any water out of the tub.

他很小心，一點水都沒濺到浴缸的外面。

When he was finished, he stood for a while, admiring the bath mat and preening his feathers.

洗完澡后，他站了一會兒，欣賞著浴室地面的墊子，然后又用嘴梳理了自己的羽毛。

Then he felt hungry.

這時他感到餓了。

On the wall of the bedroom, he found a button that said WAITER.

他在臥室的墻上發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個上面寫有“侍者”字樣的按鈕。

Louis put his beak against the button and pressed hard.

路易斯把他的嘴抵到那個按鈕上使勁捅了一下。

In a few minutes, there was a knock at the door and a waiter entered.

幾分鐘后，傳來了敲門聲，一個侍者走了進來。

He was nicely dressed and tried not to show surprise at finding a swan in the room.

他穿得很不錯，在發(fā)覺房間里有一位天鵝客人后盡量讓自己顯得不至于太驚奇。

"May I get you something?" he asked.

“我能為你做些什么?”他問。

Louis picked up his chalk pencil. "Twelve watercress sandwiches, please," he wrote on the slate.

路易斯銜起了他的石筆。“請來十二個水田芹三明治，”他在石板上寫。

The waiter thought for a moment. "Are you expecting guests?" he asked.

侍者想了一會兒。“你在等客人嗎?”他問。

Louis shook his head.

路易斯搖搖頭。

"And you want twelve watercress sandwiches?" Louis nodded.

“你一個人要十二個水田芹三明治?” 路易斯點點頭。

"Very good, sir," said the waiter.

“很好，先生，”這個侍者說，

"Do you wish them with mayonnaise?"

“你要給它們抹上蛋黃醬嗎?”

Louis didn't know what mayonnaise tasted like, but he thought fast.

路易斯并不知道蛋黃醬是什么味兒，不過他的腦子動得很快。

He cleaned his slate and wrote: "One with. Eleven without."

他擦去石板上的字，寫道：“一個要。十一個不要。”

The waiter bowed and left the room. Half an hour later he was back.

侍者彎著腰離開了房間。他在半小時后又回來了。

He rolled a table into the room, placed a huge platter of watercress sandwiches on it,

他推著一張桌子進了房間，那上面擺著一個巨大的盛有水田芹三明治的盤子，

along with a plate, a knife, a fork, a spoon, salt and pepper, a glass of water, and a linennapkin, nicely folded.

邊上還有一個盤子，一把小刀，餐叉，勺子，鹽和胡椒，一杯水，一條疊得很漂亮的亞麻餐巾。

There was also a butter dish, with several pieces of butter covered with cracked ice.

還有一個黃油碟，里面裝著幾片撒著碎冰的黃油。

The waiter arranged everything carefully, then handed Louis a bill to sign.

侍者把這些東西都小心地擺好，然后遞給路易斯一張需要簽名的帳單，

The bill said: 12 wstc sandwiches: $18.00

帳單上說：12個水田芹三明治：$18.00

"Goodness!" thought Louis. "This is an expensive place.

“上帝呀!”路易斯想。“這真是一個高消費的地方。

I hope the Boatman won't be mad when he sees this supper charge on the bill tomorrowmorning."

我希望那個游艇老板明早從帳單上看到這頓晚飯的花銷后不至于瘋掉。”

He borrowed a pencil from the waiter and signed the bill: "Louis the Swan."

他從侍者手中借來一枝鋼筆簽了那張帳單：“天鵝路易斯。”

The waiter took the bill and stood there, waiting.

侍者接過帳單，站在那里等著。

"I guess he wants a tip," thought Louis.

“我猜他想要小費，”路易斯想。

So he opened his moneybag again, drew out two dollars, and handed it to the waiter, whothanked him, bowed again, and went away.

于是他再次打開他的錢袋，叼出兩美元，遞給那個侍者。侍者謝了他，又彎了彎腰，轉(zhuǎn)身離開了。