“Its good as that， but better as seasoning.” said Hetty. “You come and stand outside the door till I ask my lady friend if she has any objections. And dont run away with that letter of recommendationrecommendationn.推荐， 介绍（信）， 劝告， 建议 before I come out.”
“作证书也成，不过作为配料更好。”赫蒂说。“你先站在门外等一会儿，让我问问我的女朋友有没有反对意见。你得等我出来，别带了介绍信溜掉。”
Hetty went into her room and closed the door. The young man waited outside.
赫蒂进了房间，关上门。年轻人等在门外。
“Cecilia， kid，” said the shopgirl， oiling the sharp saw of her voice as well as she could， “theres an onion outside. With a young man attached. Ive asked him in to dinner. You aint going to kick， are you？”
“塞西莉亚，小妹妹，”她尽可能把她尖刻的声调放得柔和一些，“外面有个洋葱头。附带一个年轻人。我已经请他来吃饭了。你不至于反对吧？”
“Oh， dear！” said Cecilia， sitting up and patting her artistic hair.She cast a mournful glance at the ferryboat poster on the wall.
“哎呀！”塞西莉亚坐坐直，拍拍她那带艺术气息的头发。她朝墙上那幅有轮渡的招贴画忧郁地瞥了一眼。
“Nit.” said Hetty. “It aint him. Youre up against real life now.I believe you said your hero friend had money and automobiles. This is a poor skeezicks thats got nothing to eat but an onion. But hes easyspoken and not a freshly. I imagine hes been a gentleman， hes so low down now. And we need the onion. Shall I bring him in？ Ill guarantee his behavior.”
“不，”赫蒂说，“不是他。你这会儿面临的是现实生活。我记得你说过你那位英雄朋友有钱有汽车。现在这个是穷光蛋，除了一个洋葱之外没有吃的。但是他谈吐大方，一点儿也不冒失。我看他也是好出身，不过现在落魄了。我把他带进来好不好？我保证他规规矩矩。”
“Hetty， dear，” sighed Cecilia， “Im so hungry. What difference does it make whether hes a prince or a burglar？ I dont care. Bring him in if hes got anything to eat with him.”
“赫蒂，亲爱的，”塞西莉亚叹口气说，“我饿坏了。他是王子也好，窃贼也好，又有什么差别？我顾不了这么多。既然他带着吃的东西，就让他进来吧。”
Hetty went back into the hall. The onion man was gone. Her heart missed a beat， and a gray look settled over her face except on her nose and cheekbones. And then the tides of life flowed in again， for she saw him leaning out of the front window at the other end of the hall. She hurried there. He was shouting to some one below. The noise of the street overpowered the sound of her footsteps. She looked down over his shoulder， saw whom he was speaking to， and heard his words. He pulled himself in from the windowsill and saw her standing over him. Hettys eyes bored into him like two steel gimletsgimlet n.手钻adj.有钻孔能力的 v.用手钻钻。
赫蒂回到过道里。那个有洋葱的人不见了。她的心往下一沉，她的脸除了鼻子和颧骨之外全笼罩在一阵阴霾下面。不多久她又恢复了生气，因为她看到他在过道另一头，身子正探出窗外。她急忙赶过去。他正朝楼下什么人嚷嚷。街上的噪声盖过了她的脚步声。她从他肩后望下去，看到了同他说话的人，听熟了他说的话。他从窗口缩回来时，发现她站在面前。 赫蒂的眼光像两把钢钻似的钻透了他。
“Dont lie to me.” she said， calmly. “What were you going to do with that onion？”
“老实告诉我，”她平静地说，“你那个洋葱是干什么用的？”
The young man suppressedsuppressvt.镇压， 抑制， 查禁， 使止住 a cough and faced her resolutely. His manner was that of one who had been bearded sufficiently.
年轻人忍住咳嗽，坚定地面对着她。他的神情像是被惹急了。
“I was going to eat it，” said he， with emphaticemphaticadj.语势强的， 用力的， 显著的， 断然的 slowness； “just as I told you before.”
“我打算吃掉它，”他故意一字一顿地说；“刚才已经对你说过了。”
“And you have nothing else to eat at home？”
“你家里没有别的可吃吗？”
“Not a thing.”
“什么都没有。”
“What kind of work do you do？”
“你是干什么工作的？”
“I am not working at anything just now.”
“这会儿什么都不在干。”
“Then why，” said Hetty， with her voice set on its sharpest edge， “do you lean out of windows and give orders to chauffeurs in green automobiles in the street below？”