VOA慢速英语 短篇故事: 'Athenaise' 凯特•肖邦

　　Madame Miche was sitting on the porch outside the house. She stood up to greet Cazeau. She was short and fat with a cheery face. But she was clearly tense as Cazeau arrived.

　　Monteclin was there too. But he was not uneasy. He made no effort to hide his dislike of Cazeau.

　　"Dirty pig!" He said under his breath as Cazeau climbed the stairs to the porch. Monteclin disliked Cazeau for refusing to lend him money long ago. Now that this man was his sister's husband, he disliked him even more.

　　Miche and his oldest son were away. They both respected Cazeau and talked highly of him.

　　Cazeau shook hands with Madame Miche who offered him a chair. Athenaise had shut herself in her room.

　　"You know, nothing would do last night," Madame Miche said. "Athenaise just had to stay for a little dance. The boys would not let their sister leave!"

　　Cazeau shrugged his shoulders to show he knew nothing about last night.

　　"Didn't Monteclin tell you we were going to keep Athenaise?" she asked. But Monteclin had told him nothing.

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