English Original
A Charcoal-Burner carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him. He said that they should be far better neighbors and that their housekeeping expenses would be lessened.
The Fuller replied, "The arrangement is impossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you would immediately blacken again with your charcoal."
Like will draw like.
中文翻译
一位烧炭人在自己家里经营着他的生意。一天，他遇到了一位朋友，一位漂布匠，便恳求他搬来同住。他说，这样他们就能成为更好的邻居，并且日常开销也会减少。
漂布匠回答说：“这个安排对我来说是不可能的。因为无论我把什么东西漂白，你都会立刻用你的炭把它再次熏黑。”
物以类聚。