喬絲告訴我她小時候常和母親出來下午茶,幾十年前,這也是澳洲中產階級婦女的日常活動。下午茶原是英國的傳統,她說,你聽過有一首英文歌嗎?叫:Everything Stops for Tea(放下所有的事,喝茶)?這是一首三十年代的歌曲,很有名,喬絲右手拿著香檳,晃著頭輕聲唱到“。。。when the clock strikes four,everything stops for tea (當鍾表敲上四下,放下所有的事喝茶)”。。。沒聽過,我說。
兩人份的點心和茶水上來了,茶是英國紅茶,泡在壺裏;點心擺成三層塔式。因為今天點下午茶的人不多,一名叫Craig的西點師特意過來給我們介紹點心的種類:最下麵一層是四種三明治:雞蛋沙拉,古典火腿格魯耶爾奶酪加第戎介沫,煙熏三文魚和雞肉油果泥;中間一層是兩種英式鬆餅,其中一種是帶幹果的,兩種果醬和奶油另外上來;最上麵一層是五種五顏六色的小點心:兩種澳洲的:熱情果杷芙露(Passion Fruit Pavlova)和萊明頓奶油蛋糕( Lamington);另外還有法式起士蛋糕,馬克龍和巧克力蛋糕。我慶幸中飯沒吃,打算把所有這三大盤都幹掉。
Every nation in creation has its favourite drink
France is famous for its wine, it's beer in Germany
Turkey has its coffee and they serve it blacker than ink
Russians go for vodka and England loves its tea
Oh, the factories may be roaring
With a boom-a-lacka, zoom-a-lacka, wee
But there isn't any roar when the clock strikes four
Everything stops for tea
Oh, a lawyer in the courtroom
In the middle of an alimony plea
Has to stop and help 'em pour when the clock strikes four
Everything stops for tea
It's a very good English custom
Though the weather be cold or hot
When you need a little pick-up, you'll find a little tea cup
Will always hit the spot
You remember Cleopatra
Had a date to meet Mark Anthony at three
When he came an hour late she said "You'll have to wait"
For everything stops for tea
Oh, they may be playing football
And the crowd is yelling "Kill the referee!"
But no matter what the score, when the clock strikes four
Everything stops for tea
Oh, the golfer may be golfing
And is just about to make a hole-in-three
But it always gets them sore when the clock yells "four!"
Everything stops for tea
It's a very good English custom
And a stimulant for the brain
When you feel a little weary, a cup'll make you cheery
And it's cheaper than champagne
Now I know just why Franz Schubert
Didn't finish his unfinished symphony
He might have written more but the clock struck four
And everything stops for tea