一杯茶 The Cup of Tea（第1页）

一杯茶TheCupofTea

阿方索·博略特AffoncoBotelho

阿方索·博略特是十九世纪葡萄牙作家，《一杯茶》是他最为人熟知的一部短篇小说。

Notverymahejourneyfroahadtobemadepartlybystagedpartlybyrail，asthetrypermitted。

&agecoabysixpowerfulhorses，stoodatthepoiurefromtheofficesofthegpanyinOporto，awaitingthefinalarrivals。Inthewildcrowdaroundtheepassehattheyotgettheplacestheyhadbookedandothersotfindtheirluggage。Thegeurbaedfromtimetotimebytheroughlaheporters。

Ayoungmansatiheplaearthedoor。Hehadtakeearly，andhisluggagewasalliherplaceswereallfilledwiththeexoftheoehim;andthisoobereservedforsomepassengerwhohadoarriveihedrivergatheredupthereins，andtheguardbegantosoundthesigure。

&radtheer—afatmanwalkinglikeaduck，breathinghard，andwavinganenormousumbrellaiionofthecoach。Afterhimcametwoporterswithaloadofluggage。

Theguardusedsuage，theluggagewasliftedup，apassengertotheemptyplace。Withsomedifficultyhefoundroomforhisumbrellaandabigraincloak。

ThehorsessetoffaloreetsofOportoiionoftheroadleadingtotherailwaystationoftheMinho-Dourolipassengerseemedasomethieredimpatientlytohimself，andotsitstill。Atlasthecaughttheeyeoftheyoungmanopposite，JoaodeSousa。

"Itistoobad，sir，"heexclaimed，"Justthink:Iycupoftea!"

JoaodeSousadidlookedquestioninglyatthefatmaon:

"Yousee，ithasalwaysbeenmytotakeacupofteaaftermylunch;justacupblacktea。IwasinsuchahurrytocatchthecoachthatIdidnotwaitforteajustnow。IottellyouhowImissit。Yousee，sir，whenamaomyage，habitsareeverything，anditisreallydreadfultohavetobreakyourhabits。NowIknowIshallbemiserablethroughoutthejourneybecauseIycupoftea。Y，sir，buttaketheadvianwhularhabits。Whenyouonasteadyhabit，letnothingputyouoffit。"

JoaodeSousawasamused。"Butwheherailwaystation，"hesaid，"youwillbeabletogetteairoom。"

"Ofcourse!Ihadnotthoughtofthat!Itwillbealittlebitlateaftermylunch，butatleastitwillbesomething。"

&heygottothestatioraiheplatform。Everyoherefreshmentroomtoprepareforthetrainjourney，saglassofwiingsomebreadandfruit，othersbypurgfoodtoeatirain。

&mansatdowablesandlookedroundforawaiter。Buttherewerefewofthem，anditwassometimebeforeheattractedtheattentionofoneandorderedacupoftea。Hewasabouttogivedetailsoftheteathathewahebusywaiterhadtoattendtootherorders。AtlastJoaodeSousa，whengoingofftotakehisplathetraimaoenjoyhisfavouritedrink。

&lyhecamerushingoutahetrainjustasthewhistlesoudownoppositeJoaodeSousa，andwipedhisfacewithabrilliantsilkhandkerchief。

"Well?"JoaodeSousasmiled。

"Mydearboy，itwasgreehewaiterbroughtme。Ieverdriea!"

&raihroughthemagains，pastlittlefarm-housesandstreams。Nightwasingoingsunhadgohehills。Thefatpassengersawhese。Heyaweredimpatieionsunderhisbreath。DeSousaheardamoahtheword"tea"。

"Youhaveyourcupoftea，"hesaid。

"Where?"

"Weleavethetrainatdtakeaagecoach。"

"Ah，sowedo!Ihadnotthoughtofit。Manythanksfme。Igetteaintheihecoachstarts。"

&passeosiohimselfuoaheavysleep，lulledbythemotioraiopeilJoaodeSousagavehimalittleshake。

"Whatisit?Wherearewe?"

"WeareatCahide。Wemustgetoffhereahecoach。"

"Youareverykind，sir。"Thefatmaogatheruphisluggage。

TwostagecoacheswerestandiheihewaytoVillaRealaoa。Passionhiswaytothecoaches，JoaodeSousafoupassengerarguihawaiter。HestoppedtoaskifhewasgoaortoVillaReal。

"Iamgoa，sir，justthinkofit!Aterriblething!Iycupoftea。"

"Thatisaveryseriousmatteri;saidtheyoungmangravely。

"Serious?Ibelieveyou。Whatsortofarestaurantisthis?Thereisnotaleafofblatheplace!"

"Allpassengersfoataketheirplaces，please，"calledouttheguard，aiheoldgdressoftheplace。