The landlady said to the hard-up author: "When will you pay arrears（拖欠，滞付） of room rent?"

The author replied: "I will pay you as soon as I receive the check that the publisher will send me if he accepts the novel that I am about to start writing when I have found a suitable subject and the necessary inspiration. "

房东太太对手头拮据的作家说：“你欠交的房租什么时候付清呀？”

作家回答说：“等我找到了合适的主题，也有了必要的灵感，就立即着手写一本小说。只要出版商接受了，他就会给我送来支票。我一收到支票，马上就付清所欠的房租。”