Oliver, it turned out, knew more about all manner of foods, cheeses, and wines than all of us put together. Even Mafalda was wowed and would, on occasion, defer to his opinion—Do you think I should lightly fry the paste with either onions or sage? Doesn’t it taste too lemony now? I ruined it, didn’t I? I should have added an extra egg—it’s not holding! Should I use the new blender or should I stick to the old mortar and pestle? My mother couldn’t resist throwing in a barb or two. Like all caubois, she said: they know everything there is to know about food, because they can’t hold a knife and fork properly. Gourmet aristocrats with plebian manners. Feed him in the kitchen.
結(jié)果我們發(fā)現(xiàn),奧利弗對食物、奶酪、酒這些東西的了解,比我們?nèi)康娜思悠饋磉€多,連瑪法爾達也大為驚嘆,偶爾還詢問他的意見:你覺得該用洋蔥或鼠尾草炒意大利面?檸檬味會不會太重了?我搞砸了,是吧?我應(yīng)該多加一顆蛋的——它不成形了!我應(yīng)該用新的攪拌器,還是繼續(xù)用舊的臼和杵?母親忍不住說話帶點兒刺:“牛仔”到底都一樣?。凰敲戳私馐澄?,知道關(guān)于食物的一切,是因為連刀叉也拿不好。美食家貴族卻只有平民的禮儀。直接在廚房里喂他吃就行了。
With pleasure, Mafalda would have replied. And indeed, one day when he arrived very late for lunch after spending the morning with his translator, there was Signor Ulliva in the kitchen, eating spaghetti and drinking dark red wine with Mafalda, Manfredi, her husband and our driver, and Anchise, all of them trying to teach him a Neapolitan song. It was not only the national hymn of their southern youth, but it was the best they could offer when they wished to entertain royalty.
Everyone was won over.
“樂意之極”,瑪法爾達會這么回答。的確,有天早上“奧立法先生”去找譯者,很晚才回來吃午餐,于是他就進廚房里和瑪法爾達、瑪法爾達的丈夫,也是我們家的司機,曼弗雷迪,還有安喀斯一起吃意大利面、喝紅酒。他們都想教他唱一首那不勒斯歌謠。那不只是他們南方人青春時期的圣歌,也是款待王室時的最佳獻禮。
他贏得了每個人的心。
《請以你的名字呼喚我》