“I don't like to inquire too curiously¹ into your affairs，”said the lady to her husband．“But something's been bothering me for days．”

“So？” said the husband．“Tell me all about it．”

“You got a letter last Friday，”the lady said．“It was perfumed．It was in a girl's handwriting．I saw you oped it：you broke into a sweat．You turned white．Your hands trembled…For goodness'sake，who was it from and what did it say？”

“Oh，that，”said the husband．“I decided² it was best for both of us not to talk about it at the time．”

“For heaven's sake，”screamed the woman．“Tell me who it was from and what it said．”

“Okay，”said the husband．“It was from your dress shop．It said you owe them＄740.00．”

“我不想过分好奇地打听你的事情，”妻子对她的丈夫说。“但是有件事已经困扰我好几天了。”

“是吗？”丈夫说。“你说给我听听。”

“上星期五你收到了一封信，”妻子说。“信是洒了香水的。是女孩的字迹。我见你打开信：你突然冒出一身冷汗，你的脸变得煞白，你的手颤抖着……。天哪，是谁写的信？信上都说了些什么？”

“噢，是这事儿。”丈夫说。“我当时决定我们俩最好不要谈论它。”

“天哪！”那女人尖叫起来，“告诉我谁写的，都写了些什么。”

“好吧。”丈夫说。“是从你的服装店寄来的，说你欠他们七百四十美元。”