So did the woman with the raffle tickets. And what about you, young lady? she said. It’s for Anjie’s kidney machine. She’s retiring you see. Yes? She hoisted the little smile even further up her face. She would have to stop and let it go soon or the skin would surely split. Er, look, here you are, said Arthur, and pushed a fifty pence piece at her in the hope that that would see her off. Oh, we are in the money, aren’t we? said the woman, with a long smiling sigh. Down from London are we? No, that’s all right, really, he said with a wave of his hand, and she started with an awful deliberation to peel off five tickets, one by one. Oh, but you must have your tickets, insisted the woman, or you won’t be able to claim your prize. They’re very nice prizes, you know. Very suitable. Arthur snatched the tickets, and said thank you as sharply as he could. The woman turned to Fenny once again. And now, what about… No! Arthur nearly yelled. These are for her, he explained, brandishing the five new tickets. Oh, I see! How nice! She smiled sickeningly at both of them. Well, I do hope you… Yes, snapped Arthur, thank you. The woman finally departed to the table next to theirs. Arthur turned desperately to Fenny, and was relieved to see that she was rocking with silent laughter. He sighed and smiled. Where were we? You were calling me Fenny, and I was about to ask you not to. What do you mean? She twirled the little wooden cocktail stick in her tomato juice. It’s why I asked if you were a friend of my brother’s. Or halfbrother really. He’s the only one who calls me Fenny, and I’m not fond of him for it. So what’s?… Fenchurch. What? Fenchurch. Fenchurch. She looked at him sternly. Yes, she said, and I’m watching you like a lynx to see if you’re going to ask the same silly question that everybody asks me until I want to scream. I shall be cross and disappointed if you do. Plus I shall scream. So watch it. She smiled, shook her hair a little forward over her face and peered at him from behind it. Oh, he said, that’s a little unfair, isn’t it? Yes. Fine. 那個買彩票的女人也做了同樣的事。 “您呢，年輕女士？”她說，“爲了安潔的人工腎。您看，她退休了是不？她把自己臉上的微笑又提升了一級。如果她再不停下來的話臉上的皮膚就得散架了。 “呃，這裏，”阿瑟說着，掏出五十便士希望能把她送走。 “哦，咱很富裕是不？”那個女人說道，微笑着嘆了口氣。“咱們是倫敦來的是不？” “不是，這樣就成了，真的，”他一邊說着一邊擺擺手，而那個女人用令人作嘔的沉着態度開始一張一張地撕下五張彩票。 “哦，但您可必須拿着您的彩票，”那個女人堅持着，“要不您就不能去兌獎了。獎品非常的好，您要明白。非常的適合您。” 阿瑟一把抓過彩票，用他最快的速度說謝謝。 那個女人再一次轉向了芬妮。 “那麼現在，您怎麼樣......” “不！”阿瑟幾乎在大吼了。“那些是替她買的，”他一邊解釋一邊揮舞着五張新買的彩票。 “哦，我明白了！多麼貼心啊！” 她向兩人顯露出令人噁心的微笑。 “那麼，我真心希望您......” “是的，”阿瑟打斷她，“謝謝你。” 那個女人終於離開了，轉向鄰近的桌子。阿瑟鬱悶地轉向芬妮，很欣慰地看到她正在拼命地忍着，不出聲地發笑，身體卻在不住搖晃。 他舒了一口氣然後微笑。 “我們剛纔說到哪兒了？” “你正叫我芬妮，而我正要告訴你不要這麼叫。” “什麼意思？” 她用木質雞尾酒小棍飛快地攪動着番茄汁。 “這就是爲什麼我問你是不是跟我哥一夥兒的。或者準確的說他是我半個哥哥。他是唯一一個叫我芬妮的人，而我對這一點很不爽。” “那麼應該是......？” “芬琪詩。” “什麼？” “芬琪詩。” “芬琪詩。” 她嚴厲地盯着他。 “是的，”她說，“而我會像猞猁一樣盯着你，看你會不會問出每個人都會問的一樣的蠢問題讓我尖叫。如果你這麼做了，我不光會生氣和失望，還會尖叫。咱們看着辦。” 她微笑着把頭髮稍微攏到面頰前然後透過頭髮凝視阿瑟。 “哦，”他說，“這可有點兒不公平啊，不是麼？” “很公平。” “好吧。”
