登陆注册
6106400000006

第6章 After Twenty YearsO。Henry

Introduction:Bob and Jimmy were very close friends。When Bob was going to the West to make fortune,they made an appointment to meet each other at“Big Joe”Brady’s restaurant twenty years later。Can both of them keep the appointment?

1.The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively。The impressiveness was habitual and not for show,for spectators were few。The time was barely 10 o’clock at night,but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh depeopled the streets。

2.Trying doors as he went,twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements,turning now and then to cast his watchful eye down the pacificthoroughfare,the officer,with his stalwart form and slight swagger,made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace。The vicinity was one that kept early hours。Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all-night lunch counter but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long sincebeen closed。

on the beat:执勤

habitual:adj。习惯性的,惯常的

spectator:n。参观者,观众

barely:adv。仅仅

depeople:v。使人减少

twirl:v。迅速转动

club:n。警棍

intricate:adj。复杂的

artful:adj。巧妙的

pacific:adj。平静的

thoroughfare:n。大道,大街

stalwart:adj。健壮的,坚定的

swagger:n。昂首阔步的行为

guardian:n。保护人

vicinity:n。邻近、附近地区

3.When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk。In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned,with an unlighted cigar in his mouth。As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly。

4.“It’s all right,officer,”he said,reassuringly。“I’m just waiting for a friend。It’s an appointment made twenty years ago。Sounds a little funny to you,doesn’t it?Well,I’ll explain if you’d like to make certain it’s all straight。About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands-‘Big Joe’Brady’s restaurant。”

5.“Until five years ago,”said the policeman。“It was torn downthen。”

6.The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar。Thelight showed a pale,square-jawed face with keen eyes,and a little white scarnear his right eyebrow。His scarf-pin was a large diamond,oddly set。

评注:第6段对Bob脸上疤痕和领带夹上钻石的描写为他后来的身份埋下了伏笔。

7.“Twenty years ago tonight,”said the man,“I dined here at‘Big Joe’Brady’swith Jimmy Wells,my best chum,and the finest chap in the world。He and I wereraised here in New York,just like two brothers,together。I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty。The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune。You couldn’t have dragged Jimmy out of New York he thought it was the only place on earth。Well,we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time,no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come。We figured that in twenty years each ofus ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made,whatever they were going to be。”

评注:第7段中Bob讲述了他与Jimmy之约的来龙去脉。在讲述的过程中Bob暗示了他与Jimmy性格上的差别和不同的世界观。

hardware:n。五金器具

reassuringly:adv。安慰地,令人安心地

keen:adj。敏锐的

oddly:adv。奇怪地

chum:n。密友,挚友

chap:n。人,伙计

destiny:n。命运

8.“It sounds pretty interesting,”said the policeman。“Rather a long time between meets,though,it seems to me。Haven’t you heard from your friend since youleft?”

9.“Well,yes,for a time we corresponded,”said the other。“But after a year or two we lost track of each other。You see,the West is a prettybig proposition,and I kept hustling around overit pretty lively。But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive,for he always was the truest,staunchest old chap in the world。He’ll never forget。I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight,and it’s worth it if my old partner turns up。”

10.The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch,the lids of itset with small diamonds。

11.“Three minutes to ten,”he announced。“It was exactly ten o’clock when we parted here at the restaurant door。”

12.“Did pretty well out West,didn’t you?”asked the policeman。

13.“You bet!I hope Jimmy has done half as well。He was a kindof plodder,though,good fellow as he was。I’ve had to compete with some of the sharpest wits going to get my pile。A man gets in a groove in New York。It takes the West to put a razor-edge on him。”

lose track of:失去了联系

proposition:n。好地方

hustle:v。奔忙

staunch:adj。可信赖的,可靠的

plodder:n。缓慢而不停的步行者、工作者

get my pile:挣钱

groove:n。墨守成规的人

razor-edge:n。锋利,精明

14.The policeman twirled his club and took a step or two。

15.“I’ll be on my way。Hope your friend comes around all right。Going to calltime on him sharp?”

16.“I should say not!”said the other。“I’ll give him half anhour at least。If Jimmy is alive on earth he’ll be here by that time。So long,officer。”

17.“Good night,sir,”said the policeman,passing on along hisbeat,trying doors as he went。

18.There was now a fine,cold drizzle falling,and the wind had risen from itsuncertain puffs into a steady blow。The few foot passengers astir in that quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands。And in the door of the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment,uncertain almost to absurdity,withthe friend of his youth,smoked his cigar and waited。

19.About twenty minutes he waited,and then a tall man in a long overcoat,with collar turned up to his ears,hurried across from the opposite side of the street。He went directly to the waiting man。

20.“Is that you,Bob?”he asked,doubtfully。

21.“Is that you,Jimmy Wells?”cried the man in the door。

22.“Bless my heart!”exclaimed the new arrival,grasping both the other’s hands with his own。“It’s Bob,sure as fate。I was certain I’d find you here if you were still in existence。Well,well,well!—twenty years is a long time。The old restaurant’s gone,Bob I wish it had lasted,so we could have had another dinner there。How has the West treated you,old man?”

23.“Bully it has given me everything I asked it for。You’ve changed lots,Jimmy。I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches。”

24.“Oh,I grew a bit after I was twenty。”

25.“Doing well in New York,Jimmy?”

26.“Moderately。I have a position in one of the city departments。Come on,Bob we’ll go around to a place I know of,and have a good long talk about old times。”

27.The two men started up the street,arm in arm。The man fromthe West,his egotism enlarged by success,was beginning to outline the history of his career。The other,submerged in his overcoat,listened with interest。

28.At the corner stood a drug store,brilliant with electric lights。When theycame into this glare each of them turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other’s face。

29.The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm。

30.“You’re not Jimmy Wells,”he snapped。“Twenty years isa long time,but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug。”

31.“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,”said the tall man。“You’vebeen under arrest for ten minutes,‘Silky’Bob。Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you。Going quietly,are you?That’s sensible。Now,before we go on to the station here’s a note Iwas asked to hand you。You may read it here at the window。It’s from Patrolman Wells。”

drizzle:n。细雨

astir:adv。在活动中地

absurdity:n。荒唐

bully:int。好,妙

egotism:n。自负,自大

submerge:v。浸没

snap:v。严厉地说话或说出某事

from a Roman to a pug:意为from long to short

patrolman:n。巡警

32.The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed to him。Hishand was steady when he began to read,but it trembled a little by the time he had finished。The note was rather short。

33.“Bob:I was at the appointed place on time。When you struckthe match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago。Somehow I couldn’t do it myself,so I went around and got a plain-clothes man to do the job。JIMMY。”

评注:欧·亨利擅长使用“surprising ending”,后人称之为欧·亨利式结尾。

Comprehension Exercises:

1.What kind of a person is Bob?Do you think he is a bad guy?

2.What kind of a person is Jimmy?Do you think he is faithful to his friend?

3.What does friendship mean?Can you find some evidence from this passage?

欧·亨利(1862—1910):原名是威廉·西德尼·波特(William Sydney Porter),美国最著名的短篇小说家之一,曾被评论界誉为曼哈顿桂冠散文作家和现代短篇小说之父。他的一生富有传奇色彩,当过药房学徒、会计员、土地局办事员、新闻记者以及银行出纳员等。他善于描写美国社会尤其是纽约百姓的生活。他的作品构思新颖,语言朴素诙谐,结局常常出人意料;又因描写了众多的人物,富于生活情趣,被誉为“美国生活的幽默百科全书”。代表作有小说集《白菜与国王》、《四百万》、《命运之路》等。其中的一些名篇像《麦琪的礼物》、《警察与赞美诗》、《最后一片叶子》等使他获得了世界声誉。本书之所以选择《二十年之后》,是因为与他的同类作品相比,本文更突出了一种少见的深沉的严肃性,具有不同寻常的吸引力。

同类推荐
  • 风里情怀

    风里情怀

    本书主要内容包括:种一粒诗的种子;我喜欢;给我一个空间;给我一把伞;新雪;雪的洗礼·雪的情怀等。
  • 像花儿般灿烂:女生雅楠的博客

    像花儿般灿烂:女生雅楠的博客

    本书是18岁女生冯雅楠的博客文字和全国各地的大学生网友留言的精彩选辑。在书中,你将看到一个美丽女孩真实感人的内心世界,那里包含着爱与自由、坚强与勇敢、友谊与亲情…… 而在这场与癌症抗争的搏斗中,在这个爱与勇气传递的过程中,那些与她相知相遇的孩子们也经历了生命面对重创的人生,他们突然间长大了。雅楠用心和生命奉献给我们的作品,充满了勇气、希望和生命的意义……
  • 苏轼文集2

    苏轼文集2

    苏轼作品集,历代有不同的编法。大致说来,主要有诗集、文集和诗文合集三种编法。
  • 张强文集·艺术个案与群体批评卷

    张强文集·艺术个案与群体批评卷

    当艺术表现成为一种生命内在需要的时候,精神便与纵情无羁的行动混合,使艺术传达成为义无返顾的冒险。王易罡的作品是他淋漓尽致地表达生命体验和袒露个人意志的深刻印迹。
  • 太阳有泪

    太阳有泪

    《太阳有泪》收录了“品味青藏花草”、“花泉”、“情断无人区”、“歌祭”、“永远的遗像”等作品,真实生动地再现了那里的自然景观,记叙了那一方土地上藏族同胞、解放军官兵等众多人物的生活现状。
热门推荐
  • 地球谜团

    地球谜团

    《破译天下谜团:地球谜团》分为地球迷宫、地球怪象、地球难题三部分,主要内容包括地球藏了多少秘密;地球有多大年龄;地球生命是如何来的;为何地球上有伤口等。
  • 魂灵苍穹

    魂灵苍穹

    日落西山识别人心东山再起壮志凌云金榜题名心智蜕变荣华富贵与君共享
  • 爱自有天意

    爱自有天意

    他和她的一见钟情,他和她的日久生情,他和她是欢喜冤家,他和她是命中注定,兜兜转转,才发现爱,自有天意……
  • 冒牌管理员

    冒牌管理员

    CO系统让虚拟世界和现实世界成为一个整体,几乎控制着人们生活中所接触到的一切东西。一位身患绝症的少年无意中获取到了这个系统中的管理权限,生存还是毁灭,希望或者绝望,他又会如何选择呢?
  • TFBOYS之奇宠宝贝

    TFBOYS之奇宠宝贝

    王俊凯抬起张依玲的下巴说“依玲,你常常不是问哥哥说哥哥有喜欢的人吗,我告诉你,哥哥喜欢的就是你”张依玲“凯哥哥……”王俊凯“我喜欢你,依玲”————————王源“小笨蛋,你怎么这么傻啊,连接吻都不会”张依玲“唔……源哥哥好坏,依玲不喜欢你了”张依玲羞涩的说————————易烊千玺“依玲,亲哥哥一个”张依玲跑过去“enmua,千玺哥哥满意吗?”亲的是脸蛋,易烊千玺宠溺的抱住张依玲
  • 中老年的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    中老年的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    随着经济的发展,在人类不断追求长寿的同时得要注重追求生活质量的提高,追求健康的长寿。但是,怎样才能健康。怎样才能使中老年人做到健康活过百岁,确实是广大中老年朋友需要了解的问题。了解这一问题的方法,就是学习保健的方法和切实遵循长寿之道。本书意在传播科学的中老年保健理念,揭示如何优化健康和提高生活质量的奥秘。紧密结合现代老年人在日常的生活,工作、学习中经常面临的各种现实问题和困惑,全面而又系统地介绍了作为一名现代老人必须了解和掌握的相关科学知识和有效应对办法。
  • 名模一族

    名模一族

    22岁的大学生,误打误撞,阴差阳错的进入了这个模特圈子。从一个餐厅打工仔,到闪光下的T台秀,还有那一帮坚实的“好基友”后盾,他从质疑中脱颖而出。青春这条路上,粉丝陪伴南派三叔5年,我希望也有一帮与我携手的“恋人”
  • 三界剑玄录

    三界剑玄录

    独家招式?不传之秘?对不起,看过你出招便能收录你的剑诀。意境高深?晦涩难懂?很抱歉,被收录的剑招即使资质要求再高,只要我将熟练度提升,一样修炼到最高境界。本是一款游戏的修改器,却随主角穿越到一个以武为尊的世界……
  • 自我爱情规则

    自我爱情规则

    浮躁的时代,病了的城市里,向往保留自我,实际无病呻吟的自以为的爱情故事,无鸡汤,很任性,想写就写,基本太监,烂尾属于人品爆发,
  • 资源

    资源

    “先生收到没看了没和不和您胃口!”“哈哈和太和了!”哈哈钱来啦!这堆老头钙片就喜欢这胃口啊以后多弄点哈哈!