A Curious Decision

A poor chimney-sweeper, who had not enough money to buy a meal, stopped one hot summer day at noon before an eating-house, and remained regaling his nose with the smell of the victuals¹. The master of the shop told him several times to go away, but the sweep(1) could not leave the savory² smell, though  unable  to  purchase  the  taste  of  the  food.  At  last  the  cook  came out  of  the  shop,  and  taking  hold  of  the  sweep,  declared  that,  as  he  had been  feeding  upon(2)  the  smell  of  his  victuals,  he  should  not  go  away without  paying  half  the  price  of  a  dinner.  The  poor  fellow  said  that  he neither  could  nor  would  pay,  and  that  he  would  ask  the  first  person  who should  pass,  whether  it  was  not  an  unreasonable  and  un-  just  demand. The case was referred to a policeman,(3)  who  happened  to  pass  at  that moment. He said to the sweep:  "As you have been feasting one of your senses with the odor of this man's meat(4), it is but just you should make him some recompense; therefore you shall(5), in your turn, regale³ one of his senses, which seems to be more insatiable than your appetite. How much money  have  you  ?" "I have but two pence in all the world, sir, and I must buy me some bread." "Never  mind,"  answered  tile  officer,  "take  your two pence between  your hands;  now  rattle  them  loudly." The sweep did so, and the officer, turning to the cook, said: "Now, sir,I think he has paid you: the smell of you victuals regaled his nostrils⁴; the  sound  of  his  money  has  tick-  led  your  ears." This decision gave more satisfaction to the bystanders than to the cook, but  it  was  the  only  payment  he  could  obtain.

1 victuals   

n.食物；食品

参考例句：

• A plateful of coarse broken victuals was set before him.一盘粗劣的剩余饭食放到了他的面前。
• There are no more victuals for the pig.猪没有吃的啦。

2 savory   

adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的

参考例句：

• She placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat.她将一大盘热气腾腾、美味可口的肉放在他面前。
• He doesn't have a very savory reputation.他的名誉不太好。

3 regale   

v.取悦，款待

参考例句：

• He was constantly regaled with tales of woe.别人老是给他讲些倒霉事儿来逗他开心。
• He loved to regale his friends with tales about the many memorable characters he had known as a newspaperman.他喜欢讲些他当记者时认识的许多名人的故事给朋友们消遣。

4 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。