Once， late at night， an Englishman came out of his room into the corridor of a hotel and asked the servant to bring him a glass of water. The servant did as he was asked. The Englishman re-entered his room， but a few minutes later he came into the corridor again and once more asked the servant for a glass of water. The servant brought him another glass of water. Every few minutes the Englishmen would come out of his room and repeat his request. After a half-hour the astonished servant decided to ask the Englishman what he was doing with the water. "Nothing，" the Englishman answered imperturbably， "It’s simply that my room is on fire."

　　一天晚上，一個英國人從他住的旅店房間里走出來。來到走廊上，叫旅店的服務(wù)員給他拿一杯水來。服務(wù)員按他的要求做了。英國人回到了他的房間里，幾分鐘后他又來到走廊上，讓服務(wù)員再給他送一杯水。服務(wù)員又給他送了一杯水。每隔幾分鐘。英國人就走出房間重復他的要求。半小時之后．這位感到驚訝的服務(wù)員決定問問房客要這些水干什么，英國人不謊不忙地回答：”沒什么．只不過是我的房間里起火了。“