The Ballad of the Sad Café and Other Stories 精彩片段：
A Domestic Dilemma-2
"Marianne!" Martin called, for even the recollection of that time brought the need for reassurance. The baby girl, no longer hurt, but no less precious to her father, came into the kitchen with her brother. Martin went on with the preparations for the meal. He opened a can of soup and put two chops in the frying pan. Then he sat down by the table and took his Marianne on his knees for a pony ride. Andy watched them, his fingers wobbling the tooth that had been loose all that week.
"Andy-the-candyman!" Martin said. "Is that old critter still in your mouth? Come closer, let Daddy have a look."
"I got a string to pull it with." The child brought from his pocket a tangled thread. "Virgie said to tie it to the tooth and tie the other end of the doorknob and shut the door real suddenly."
Martin took out a clean handkerchief and felt the loose tooth carefully. "That tooth is coming out of my Andys mouth tonight. Otherwise Im awfully afraid well have a tooth tree in the family."
"A what?"
"A tooth tree," Martin said. "Youll bite into something and swallow that tooth. And the tooth will take root in poor Andys stomach and grow into a tooth tree with sharp little teeth instead of leaves."
"Shoo, Daddy," Andy said. But he held the tooth firmly between his grimy little thumb and forefinger. "There aint any tree like that. I never seen one."
"There isnt any tree like that and I never saw one."
Martin tensed suddenly. Emily was coming down the stairs. He listened to her fumbling footsteps, his arm embracing the little boy with dread. When Emily came into the room he saw from her movements and her sullen face that she had again been at the sherry bottle. She began to yank open drawers and set the table.
"Condition!" she said in a furry voice. "You talk to me like that. Dont think Ill forget. I remember every dirty lie you say to me. Dont you think for a minute that I forget."
"Emily!" he begged. "The children --"
"The children -- yes! Dont think I dont see through your dirty plots and schemes. Down here trying to turn my own children against me. Dont think I dont see and understand."
"Emily! I beg you -- please go upstairs."
"So you can turn my children -- my very own children --" Two large tears coursed rapidly down her cheeks. "Trying to turn my little boy, my Andy, against his own mother."