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Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
在座的客人中除了那位美国人以外谁也没有注意到这一幕，也没有看到那个男仆把一碗牛奶放在紧靠门边的走廊上。
The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing — bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters — the likeliest place — but they are bare. Three comers of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course. There is only one place left — under the table.
那个美国人突然醒悟过来。在印度，碗中的牛奶只有一个意思——引蛇的诱饵。他意识到餐室里一定有条眼镜蛇。他抬头看了看屋顶上的椽子——那是最可能有蛇藏身的地方——但那上面空荡荡的。室内的三个角落里也是空的，而在第四个角落里，仆人们正在等着上下一道菜。这样，剩下的就只有一个地方了——餐桌下面。
His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.
他首先想到的是往后一跳，并向其他人发出警告。但他知道这样会引起骚乱，致使眼镜蛇受惊咬人。于是他很快讲了一通话，其语气非常威严，竟使所有的人都安静了下来。
I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred — that's five minutes — and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready!
“我想了解一下在座的诸位到底有多大的克制能力，我数三百下——也就是五分钟——你们谁都不许动一动。动者将罚款五十卢比。准备好!”
The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when, out of the comer of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
在他数数的过程中，那二十个人都像一尊尊石雕一样端坐在那儿。当他数到“……二百八十……”时，突然从眼角处看到那条眼镜蛇钻了出来，向那碗牛奶爬去。在他跳起来把通往走廊的门全都砰砰地牢牢关上时，室内响起了一片尖叫声。
"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self—control."
“你刚才说得很对，少校!”男主人大声说。“一个男子刚刚为我们显示了从容不迫、镇定自若的范例。”
Just a minute, the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"
“且慢，”那位美国人一边说着一边转向女主人。“温兹太太，你怎么知道那条眼镜蛇是在屋子里呢?”
A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."
女主人的脸上闪现出一丝淡淡的微笑，回答说：“因为它当时正从我的脚背上爬过去。”
