丈夫去上班之后，里查兹太太送孩子们去了学校，然后上楼回到卧室。
After her husband had gone to work, Mrs. Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom.
那天早上她兴奋得什么家务也做不了，因为当天晚上她将和丈夫一起去参加一个化装舞会。
She was too excited to do any housework that morning, for in the evening she would be going to a fancy-dress party with her husband.
她打算打扮成一个鬼，而且因为她前一晚已经做好了戏服，她迫不及待地想试穿。
She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on.
尽管戏服只不过是一张床单，但效果却非常好。
Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective.
穿上之后，里查兹太太下楼去了。
After putting it on, Mrs. Richards went downstairs.
她想弄清楚穿起来是否舒适。
She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.
就在里查兹太太正要走进饭厅的那一刻，前门传来了一阵敲门声。
Just as Mrs. Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door.
她知道那一定是面包师。
She knew that it must be the baker.
她曾经告诉他，万一她没来开门，就直接进来，把面包放在厨房的桌子上。
She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table.
因为不想吓到那个可怜的人，里查兹太太迅速躲进了楼梯下面的小储藏室。
Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs. Richards quickly hid in the small storeroom under the stairs.
她听见前门被推开，然后是走廊里沉重的脚步声。
She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall.
突然，储藏室的门被打开了，一个男人走了进来。
Suddenly the door of the storeroom was opened and a man entered.
里查兹太太意识到，这一定是电力局来抄电表的那个人。
Mrs. Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the metre.
她试图解释一下情况，说"只是我而已"，但已经太迟了。
She tried to explain the situation, saying 'It's only me', but it was too late.
那个男人大叫一声，向后跳开了好几步。
The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces.
当里查兹太太向他走过去时，他夺门而逃，砰地把身后的门甩上了。
When Mrs. Richards walked towards him, he fled, slamming the door behind him.