吹小号的天鹅 第68期:里兹一夜(4)

Louis had never spent a night alone in a hotel.

路易斯以前从没在任何一家饭店里单独住过一宿。

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

起先，他在房间里转来转去，把电灯开了又关，查看着每样东西。

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

后来，在一个写字台上，他发现了几张带题头的信纸：

Ritz Carlton BOSTON

里兹·卡尔顿 波士顿

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

他感到身上又脏又乱，于是便走进浴室，

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

爬入浴缸，拉上浴室的帘子，洗了一个淋浴。

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

这让他感到很惬意，还让他想起了过去和哥哥姐姐们一起打水仗的情景。

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

他很小心，一点水都没溅到浴缸的外面。

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

洗完澡后，他站了一会儿，欣赏着浴室地面的垫子，然后又用嘴梳理了自己的羽毛。

Then he felt hungry.

这时他感到饿了。

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

他在卧室的墙上发现了一个上面写有“侍者”字样的按钮。

Louis put his beak against the button and pressed hard.

路易斯把他的嘴抵到那个按钮上使劲捅了一下。

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

几分钟后，传来了敲门声，一个侍者走了进来。

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

他穿得很不错，在发觉房间里有一位天鹅客人后尽量让自己显得不至于太惊奇。

"May I get you something?" he asked.

“我能为你做些什么?”他问。

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

路易斯衔起了他的石笔。“请来十二个水田芹三明治，”他在石板上写。

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

侍者想了一会儿。“你在等客人吗?”他问。

Louis shook his head.

路易斯摇摇头。

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

“你一个人要十二个水田芹三明治?” 路易斯点点头。

"Very good, sir," said the waiter.

“很好，先生，”这个侍者说，

"Do you wish them with mayonnaise?"

“你要给它们抹上蛋黄酱吗?”

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

路易斯并不知道蛋黄酱是什么味儿，不过他的脑子动得很快。

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

他擦去石板上的字，写道：“一个要。十一个不要。”

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

侍者弯着腰离开了房间。他在半小时后又回来了。

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

他推着一张桌子进了房间，那上面摆着一个巨大的盛有水田芹三明治的盘子，

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

边上还有一个盘子，一把小刀，餐叉，勺子，盐和胡椒，一杯水，一条叠得很漂亮的亚麻餐巾。

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

还有一个黄油碟，里面装着几片撒着碎冰的黄油。

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

侍者把这些东西都小心地摆好，然后递给路易斯一张需要签名的帐单，

The bill said: 12 wstc sandwiches: $18.00

帐单上说：12个水田芹三明治：$18.00

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

“上帝呀!”路易斯想。“这真是一个高消费的地方。

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

我希望那个游艇老板明早从帐单上看到这顿晚饭的花销后不至于疯掉。”

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

他从侍者手中借来一枝钢笔签了那张帐单：“天鹅路易斯。”

The waiter took the bill and stood there, waiting.

侍者接过帐单，站在那里等着。

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

“我猜他想要小费，”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.

于是他再次打开他的钱袋，叼出两美元，递给那个侍者。侍者谢了他，又弯了弯腰，转身离开了。