"Are you still hungry？" I asked faintly.

    "Oh， no， I'm not hungry； you see， I don't eat luncheon. I have a cup of coffee in the morning and then dinner， but I never eat more than one thing for luncheon. I was speaking for you."

    "Oh， I see！"

    Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for the coffee the head waiter， with an ingratiating smile on his false face， came up to us bearing a large basket full of huge peaches. They had the blush of an innocent girl； they had the rich tone of an Italian landscape. But surely peaches were not in season then？ Lord knew what they cost. I knew too —— a little later， for my guest， going on with her conversation， absentmindedly took one.

    "You see， you've filled your stomach with a lot of meat" —— my one miserable little chop —— "and you can't eat any more. But I've just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach."

    The bill came， and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quite inadequate tip. Her eyes rested for an instant on the three francs I left for the waiter， and I knew that she thought me mean. But when I walked out of the restaurant I had the whole month before me and not a penny in my pocket.

    "Follow my example，" she said as we shook hands， "and never eat more than one thing for luncheon."

    "I'll do better than that，" I retorted. "I'll eat nothing for dinner tonight."

    "Humorist！" she cried gaily， jumping into a cab. "You're quite a humorist！"

    But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I am a vindictive man， but when the immortal gods take a hand in matter it is pardonable to observe the result with complacency. Today she weighs twenty-one stone.

    Phrase & Expressions

    catch sight of see suddenly or unexpectedly

    in answer to in response to

    keep body and soul together remain alive， esp. by  earning enough money to feed oneself 勉强维持生活

    pass through go through； experience 穿过；经历

    be beyond one's means be more than one can afford 付不起

    cut out leave out 停止使用，戒除

    at first sight when seen for the first time 乍看之下；第一眼就

    be inclined to be likely to； tend to 易于……的；倾向于，想

    come in become seasonable or available 上市；有供应

    can/could not very well can/could not reasonably  不好

    by all means certainly； at all costs 一定；务必

    a trifle somewhat， a little

    come to amount to 总计

    take（sb.） to task criticize （sb.）申斥（某）人

    be in the habit of have the habit of 习惯于

    （not） in the least leave as remainder （the best part having being consumed ）留下，剩下

    bring oneself to make oneself （do）； force oneself to 强迫自己

    make up one's mind choose what to do； decide 决定

    start up make a sudden movement due to surprise， alarm， pain， etc. 惊动，惊起

    speak for make a request for； speak on behalf of 要求得到；为……说话，为……辩护

    in season available， fresh for use as food 正在当令之时

    go on with continue doing

    take/have a hand in be partly responsible for； share （an activity） 参加，介入