Once a group of tourists who were staying at a hotel in Birmingham were having dinner in the restaurant. Fish was brought in and while they were 16eating it, some of them told interesting stories about 17finding pearls and other 18valuable things inside fish.
An old gentleman, who up to now had 19listened quietly to their conversation, at last said,
“ I’ve heard all your stories, now I’ll tell you 20one . When I was a young man I was working in a large importing factory in New York, and 21 as is usual with young persons, I fell in 22 love with a pretty young girl. Very 23 soon we were engaged（订婚）. About two months 24before our marriage was to take place, I was suddenly 25send to Birmingham on a very important business. I left my sweetheart, 26promising to write to her. ”
“ I had to stay in Birmingham longer than I had 27expected . At last my work was done and I could leave Birmingham. But just before I 28left for New York, I bought a beautiful and very expensive diamond 29ring , planning to give it to my sweetheart. ”
“ On my way to New York, I was 30looking through the morning newspaper, which had been brought on board by the sailor. Suddenly I 31saw an announcement of my sweetheart’s 32marriage with another. This made me so angry that I threw the ring overboard. A few days 33later , when I was eating fish, I bit(咬) on something 34hard. What do you think it was ? ”
“ The diamond ring, ” cried his companions. “ No ” , said the old gentleman 35sadly , “ it was a fish-bone.”
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