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定定地看著我，斟酌片刻，終於說“好”，答應了下來，“實際上送行的旺季也快過去了。我可以給你上幾堂課。目前我的門下子弟還真不少；不過還是這樣吧，”說著，他查了查他那漂亮的記事簿，“定為每週四和每週五，一次一小時。”
他開出的學費，坦白說，實在是不低的。但既然是學本領，我也就不會嫌貴。
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就如作者所說，我們大家都有同感：送行是世界上最難做好的事情之一。作者以自己的親身體驗為我們講述了他的一次送行的經歷，筆調清新，通俗易懂。
Seeing People Off
Max Beerbohm
I am not good at it。 To do it well seems to me one of the most difficult things in the world； and probably seems so to you； too。
To see a friend off from Waterloo to Vauxhall were easy enough。 But we are never called on to perform that small feat。 It is only when a friend is going on a languish journey； and will be absent for a languish time； that we turn up at the railway station。 The dearer the friend and the longer the journey； and the longer the likely absence； the earlier do we turn up； and the more lamentably1 do we fail。 Our failure is in exact ratio to the seriousness of the occasion； and to the depth of our feeling。
In a room； or even on a doorstep； we can make the farewell quite worthily。 We can express in our faces the genuine sorrow we feel。 Nor do words fail us。 There is no awkwardness； no restraint； on either side。 The thread of our intimacy2 has not been snapped。 The leave…taking is an ideal one。 Why not； then； leave the leave…taking at that？ Always； departing friends implore us not to bother to e to the railway station next morning。 Always； we are deaf to these entreaties； knowing them to be not quite sincere。 The departing friends would think it very odd of us if we took them at their word。 Besides； they really do want to see us again。 And that wish is heartily reciprocated。 We duly turn up。 And then； oh then； what a gulf yawns！ We stretch our arms vainly across it。 We have utterly lost touch。 We have nothing at all to say。 We gaze at each other as dumb anima
