The drugstore was beginning to close for the night. Young Alfred Higgins, who worked in the store was putting on his coat, getting ready to go home. On his way out, he passed Mr. Carr, the little gray-haired man who owned the store. Mr. Carr looked up at Alfred as he passed, and said in a very soft voice, "Just one moment, Alfred. One moment before you go." Mr. Carr spoke so quietly that he worried Alfred.

天晚了，杂货店即将打烊，在店里工作的年轻的艾尔弗雷德·希金斯穿上大衣准备回家。出门时，他碰上了店主卡尔先生。卡尔先生是个小个子，头发灰白。当艾尔弗雷德经过时卡尔先生抬头看着他，然后低声说：“等一下，艾尔弗雷德。等一下再走。”卡尔先生的声音那么低沉，使艾尔弗雷德不禁紧张起来。

"What is it, Mr. Carr?"

“什么事，卡尔先生？”

"Maybe, you'd be good enough to take a few things out of your pockets and leave them here before you go." said Mr. Carr.

“你也许在走之前会把兜里的东西拿出来，放在这儿。”卡尔先生说。

"What -- What things? What are you talking about?"

“什么——什么东西？你在说些什么呀？”

"You've got a compact and a lipstick and at least two tubes of toothpaste in your pockets, Alfred,"

“你拿了一个粉盒，一支口红还有至少两管牙膏在你衣兜里，艾尔弗雷德。”

"What do you mean?" Alfred answered.

“你这是什么意思？”艾尔弗雷德回答：“你以为我疯了吗？”他的脸红了。

"Do you think I' m crazy?" his face got red. Mr. Carr kept looking at Alfred coldly. Alfred did not know what to say, and tried to keep his eyes from meeting the eyes of his boss. After a few moments, he put his hand into his pockets and took out the things he had stolen.

卡尔先生冷冷地直盯着艾尔弗雷德。艾尔弗雷德一时语塞，努力避开老板的目光、过了一会儿，他把手伸进口袋，把偷的东西拿了出来。