One man's meat is another man's poison一个人的佳肴，另一个人的毒药。
What was it about snails that made the writer collect them for his friend on that day in particular?究竟是蜗牛的什么特性，让作者在那天特意为他的朋友收集了它们呢？
People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten.当人们试图决定什么能吃、什么不能吃时，他们的想法会变得非常不合逻辑。
If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy.例如，如果你生活在地中海地区，你会认为章鱼是一种非常美味的佳肴。
You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive.你无法理解为什么有些人会觉得它令人反感。
On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat-the normally accepted practice in many northern countries.另一方面，一想到要用动物油脂来煎土豆，你就会感到恶心——而在许多北方国家，这种做法却是被普遍接受的。
The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives.令人遗憾的事实是，我们大多数人都被教导要吃某些特定的食物，并且一生都坚持吃这些食物。
No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail.没有哪种生物像普通的花园蜗牛那样，既备受赞誉，又饱受诟病。
Cooked in wine, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world.用葡萄酒烹制的蜗牛，在世界各地都被视为一种高级的美食。
There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food.有无数的人，从很小的时候起，就学会了将蜗牛与食物联系在一起。
My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised.我的朋友罗伯特住在一个人们非常厌恶蜗牛的国家。
As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own.由于他的公寓位于一个较大的城镇里，所以他并没有自己的花园。
For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him.多年来，他一直让我从我的花园里采集蜗牛，然后带给他。
The idea never appealed to me very much, but one day, after a heavy shower,这个想法我一直不太感兴趣，但有一天，在一场大雨之后……
I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants.我正好在花园里散步，突然发现大量的蜗牛正在我的那些珍贵的植物上爬来爬去。
Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paper bag, and took them to Robert.一时冲动之下，我收集了几十只蜗牛，把它们装进一个纸袋里，然后拿给了罗伯特。
Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift.罗伯特见到我非常高兴，对我的小礼物也同样感到满意。
I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living room where we talked for a couple of hours.我把袋子放在门厅里，然后和罗伯特一起进了客厅，我们在那里聊了两个小时。
I had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner.我完全把那些蜗牛的事给忘了，直到罗伯特突然说：“你必须留下来吃晚饭。”
Snails would, of course, be the main dish.当然，蜗牛会是主菜。
I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room.我并不喜欢这个主意，但还是不情愿地跟着罗伯特走出了房间。
To our dismay, we saw that there were snails everywhere: they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall! I have never be able to look at a snail since then.令我们惊恐的是……我们发现到处都有蜗牛。它们从那个纸袋里逃出来了。并且完全占领了门厅！从那以后，我再也没法看蜗牛了。