The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression表情 come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.

Of the guests宾客当中, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.

The American comes to（to不是介词而是副词） 一下子领悟with a start大吃一惊. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but they are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course一道菜. There is only one place left -- under the table.

His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.

"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minutes -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"

The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when正在这时, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.

widen
v. make or become wider
bait
n. food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that they may be caught 诱饵
cobra
n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa 眼镜蛇
likely
a. probable 可能的
impulse adj. impulsive
n. sudden wish to do sth. 冲动
commotion =confusion=disorder
n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱;骚动
tone
n. quality of voice or music 语气;音调
commanding v.command命令 commander指挥者
a. authoritative 威严的 authority n. 权威
forfeit
vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作为惩罚而)失去
rupee
n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比
image
n. statue 雕像
emerge
vi. come or appear (from somewhere)
emergence
n.
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上