小说园>最后一片叶子人物形象 > 第29章 the cu f tea（第1页）
第29章 the cu f tea（第1页）
foncoBotelho
NotverymanyyearsagothejourneyfromOortotoRegoahadtobemadeartlybystagecoachandartlybyrail，asthecountryermitted。
Thestagecoach，drawnbysixowerfulhorses，stoodattheointofdearturefromtheofficesoftheCoachingComanyinOorto，awaitingthefinalarrivals。Inthewildcrowdaroundthecoach，someassengersdeclaredthattheycouldnotgetthelacestheyhadbookedandotherscouldnotfindtheirluggage。Thegeneraldisturbancewasenetratedfromtimetotimebytheroughlanguageoftheorters。
Ayoungmansatinoneofthelacesnearthedoor。Hehadtakenhisseatearly，andhisluggagewasallinorder。Theotherlaceswereallfilledwiththeexcetionoftheoneoositehim;andthisoneaearedtobereservedforsomeassengerwhohadnotbeenabletoarriveintime。Thedrivergathereduthereins，andtheguardbegantosoundthesignalfordearture。
Suddenlyastrangesightcameroundthecomer-afatmanwalkinglikeaduck，breathinghard，andwavinganenormousumbrellainthedirectionofthecoach。Afterhimcametwoorterswithaloadofluggage。
Theguardusedsomestronglanguage，theluggagewasliftedu，andthefatassengerclimbedintotheemtylace。Withsomedifficultyhefoundroomforhisumbrellaandabigraincloak。
ThehorsessetoffalongthestonystreetsofOortointhedirectionoftheroadleadingtotherailwaystationoftheMinho-Douroline。Thefatassengerseemedannoyedaboutsomething，forhemutteredimatientlytohimself，andcouldnotsitstill。Atlasthecaughttheeyeoftheyoungmanoosite，JoaodeSousa。
"Itistoobad，sir，
"heexclaimed，
"Justthink:Icouldnotgetmycuoftea!
"
JoaodeSousadidnotanswer，butlookedquestioninglyatthefatman，whowenton:
"Yousee，ithasalwaysbeenmycustomtotakeacuofteaaftermylunch;justacuofstrongblacktea。IwasinsuchahurrytocatchthecoachthatIdidnotwaitforteajustnow。IcannottellyouhowImissit。Yousee，sir，whenamancomestomyage，habitsareeverything，anditisreallydreadfultohavetobreakyourhabits。NowIknowIshallbemiserablethroughoutthejourneybecauseIcouldnothavemycuoftea。Youareyoung，sir，buttaketheadviceofamanwhoisofregularhabits。Whenyouonceformasteadyhabit，letnothingutyouoffit。
"
JoaodeSousawasamused。
"Butwhenwegettotherailwaystation，
"hesaid，
"youwillbeabletogetteaintherefreshmentroom。
"
"Ofcourse!Ihadnotthoughtofthat!Itwillbealittlebitlateaftermylunch，butatleastitwillbesomething。
"
Whentheygottothestation，thetrainwasalreadyatthelatform。Everyonerushedintotherefreshmentroomtoreareforthetrainjourney，somebydrinkingaglassofwineandeatingsomebreadandfruit，othersbyurchasingfoodtoeatinthetrain。
Thefatmansatdownatoneofthetablesandlookedroundforawaiter。Buttherewerefewofthem，anditwassometimebeforeheattractedtheattentionofoneandorderedacuoftea。Hewasabouttogivedetailsoftheteathathewanted，butthebusywaiterhadtoattendtootherorders。AtlastJoaodeSousa，whengoingofftotakehislaceinthetrain，sawthefatmanrearingtoenjoyhisfavouritedrink。
Presentlyhecamerushingoutandclimbedintothetrainjustasthewhistlesounded，hesatdownoositeJoaodeSousa，andwiedhisfacewithabrilliantsilkhandkerchief。
"Well?
"JoaodeSousasmiled。
"Mydearboy，itwasgreenteathatthewaiterbroughtme。Icanneverdrinkgreentea!
"
Thetrainassedthroughthemagnificentmountains，astlittlefarm-housesandstreams。Nightwascomingonandthesettingsunhadgonedownbelowthehills。Thefatassengersawnobeautyinthescene。Heyawnedandutteredimatientexclamationsunderhisbreath。DeSousaheardamoanendingwiththeword
"tea
"。
