Our village carpenter(木匠),John Hill,came one day and made a dining table for my wife.He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two windows.When I got home that evening,John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill(账单)for the job.My wife said to me,quietly,“That's his sixth cup of tea today.”But she said,in a loud voice,
“It's a beautiful table,dear.Isn't it?”
“I'll decide about that when I see the bill.”I said.
John laughed and gave me his bill for the work.I read:
One dining table 10 November 1989
Cost of wood(木头费用) $17.00
Paint(油漆) 1.50
Work,8 hour( $ 1 an hour) 8.00
Total(合计) $ 36.50
When I was looking at the bill,John said,“It's been a fine day,hasn't it?Quite sunny.”
“Yes,”I said.“I'm glad it's only the 10th of November.”
“Me,too.”Said John.“You wait—it'll be a lot colder by the end of the month.”
“Yes.Colder—and more expensive!Dining tables will be $ 20 more expensive on November 30th,won't they,John?”
John looked hard at me for half a minute.Was there a little smile in his two blue eyes?I gave his bill back to him.
“If it isn't too much trouble,John,”I said,“please add(加)it up again.You can forget the date棥?/P>
I paid him $ 26.50 and he was happy to get it.
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