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, saying 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
一位烧炭人在自己的房子里经营生意。一天，他遇到一位朋友，一位漂布人，便恳求对方搬来与自己同住，说这样他们能成为更好的邻居，并且日常开销也会减少。
漂布人回答说：“这个安排对我来说是不可能的。因为无论我把什么漂白，你都会立刻用你的木炭把它再次染黑。”
物以类聚。