有些人抽出他们手指碰到的第一张纸条；其他人似乎怀疑命运企图将某一张纸条强加于他们，所以他们刚刚从鞋里抽出一张就又扔回去，再另换一张。时间过得惊人的慢，那个叫Voisin的人靠墙坐着，嘴里叼着尚未点燃的香烟， 对他们毫不在意。
SOME MEN DREW THE FIRST SLIP WHICH TOUCHED THEIR FINGERS; OTHERS SEEMED TO SUSPECT THAT FATE WAS TRYING TO FORCE ON THEM A PARTICULAR SLIP AND WHEN THEY HAD DRAWN ONE A LITTLE WAY FROM THE SHOE WOULD LET IT DROP AGAIN AND CHOOSE ANOTHER. TIME PASSES WITH INCREDIBLE SLOWNESS, AND THE MAN CALLED VOISIN SAT AGAINST THE WALL WITH THE UNLIGHTED CIGARETTE IN HIS MOUTH PAYING THEM NO ATTENTION AT ALL.
