2级-《欧·亨利短篇小说集》-第5课

前情提要 

冬天要到了，索比想要找一个监狱过冬。他的第一个计划是在一家高级餐馆吃一顿霸王餐，希望因此入狱。可是服务员看到索比脏兮兮的样子，根本不让他进去。随后索比看到一个橱窗，他捡起石头把玻璃砸碎了……

故事原文 

O. Henry's Short Stories L5

欧·亨利短篇小说集 L5

The policeman came up to Soapy, 'Who did that?' he asked.

警察走到索比面前问道：“谁干的？”

'Perhaps I did,' Soapy replied.

“也许是我。”索比回答说。

But the policeman knew that people who break windows do not stop to talk to policemen.(1) They run away. And just then the policeman saw another man, who was running to catch a bus. So the policeman ran after him. Soapy watched for a minute. Then he walked away. No luck again! He began to feel cross.(2)

但是警察知道，砸了玻璃的人是不会等在那儿跟警察说话的。他们早跑了。就在这时，警察看到另一个人正跑着，想赶上一辆公共汽车。于是，警察就去追那个人了。索比看了一会儿，然后走开了。又不走运！他开始有点恼怒了。

But on the opposite side of the road he saw a little restaurant.(3) 'Ah, that'll be all right,' he thought, and he went in. This time nobody looked at his trousers and his shoes. He enjoyed his meal, and then he looked up at the waiter, smiled and said, 'I haven't got any money, you know. Now, call the police. And do it quickly. I'm tired!'

不过，他在路对面看到了一家小餐馆。“啊，正好。”他想着便走了进去。这次没人看他的长裤和鞋子。他享用了晚餐，然后抬头看看服务员。微笑着说：“我一个钱也没有。明白吗？现在叫警察吧。快点儿，我累了！”

'No police for you!' the waiter answered.

“不用叫警察！”服务员回答，

 'Hey! Jo!"

“嘿！乔！”

Another waiter came, and together they threw Soapy out into the cold street.(4) Soapy lay there, very angry. With difficulty, he stood up. His nice warm prison was still far away, and Soapy was very unhappy. He felt worse because a policeman, who was standing near, laughed and walked away.

又过来一个服务员，他们俩一起把索比扔了出去，丢在冰冷的街上。索比躺在那儿，气极了。他艰难地站了起来。他所期盼的那温暖宜人的监狱仍然遥不可及，索比沮丧极了。一个警察就站在近旁，可是他却大笑着走开了，这叫索比更为懊恼。

Soapy moved on, but he walked for a long time before he tried again. This time it looked easy.

索比继续往前走去，但这一次他走了很久才去做再一次的尝试。这一次似乎很容易。

A nice young woman was standing in front of a shop window. Not very far away there was also a policeman. Soapy moved nearer to the young woman. He saw that the policeman was watching him. Then he said to the young woman, with a smile, 'Why don't you come with me, my dear? I can give you a good time,'

一位漂亮的年轻女人站在一家商店的橱窗前。离那儿不远的地方就有一个警察。索比朝那位年轻女人走近了一些。他看到警察在看着他。然后他笑咪咪地对那女人说：“跟我来吧，宝贝儿？我会叫你快活的。”

The young woman moved away a little and looked more carefully into the shop window. Soapy looked at the policeman. Yes, he was still watching. Then he spoke to the young woman again. In a minute she would call the policeman.(5) Soapy could almost see the prison doors. Suddenly, the young woman took hold of his arm.

那年轻女人走开了一点儿，更认真地看着橱窗里面。索比瞧了瞧警察。没错，他还在往这边儿看。于是，他又去跟那年轻女人搭话。不消一分钟，她就会叫警察。索比几乎都看见监狱的大门了。突然，那年轻女人抱住了他的手臂。

'OK,' She said happily. 'If you buy me a drink. Let's go before that policeman sees us. '

“好啊，”她快活地说，“只要你给我买一杯喝的。我们走吧，别叫那警察看见。”

And poor Soapy walked away with the young woman, who still held on to his arm. He was very unhappy.

可怜的索比只好跟这个年轻女人走开了，她还抱着他的手臂不放。他感到难过极了。

 （原文中出现高光标示内容请见核心语言点）

核心语言点 

1. stop to do sth. 停下来去做某事

    stop doing sth. 停止做某事

拓展：Stop talking. 停止说话。

Stop to talk. 停下来去说话。

2. cross

    v. 穿过

    adj. 恼怒的，生气的

    其他表示生气的词： angry， unhappy， feel worse

3. on the opposite side of sth. 在某事的对面/另一面

拓展：on the opposite side of the river 在河的对面

4. throw sb. out into the street 把某人扔到马路上

5. in a minute 立刻，马上

    =right now

例句：I’ll do it in a minute.

我马上就做这件事。

6. take hold of 抓住，握住

例句：The idea took hold of my brain.

我的大脑已经被这个想法占据了。