欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版(完美打印版).doc
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欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版(完美打印版).doc
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外语下载中心
"Girl"
INGILTlettersonthegroundglassofthedoorofroomNo.962werethewords:
"Robbins&Hartley,Brokers."Theclerkshadgone.Itwaspastfive,andwiththesolidtrampofadroveofprizePercherons,scrub-womenwereinvadingthecloud-cappedtwenty-storyofficebuilding.Apuffofred-hotairflavouredwithlemonpeelings,soft-coalsmokeandtrainoilcameinthroughthehalf-openwindows.
Robbins,fifty,somethingofanoverweightbeau,andaddictedtofirstnightsandhotelpalm-rooms,pretendedtobeenviousofhispartner'scommuter'sjoys.
"Goingtobesomethingdoinginthehumiditylineto-night,"hesaid."Youout-of-townchapswillbethepeople,withyourkatydidsandmoonlightandlongdrinksandthingsoutonthefrontporch."
Hartley,twenty-nine,serious,thin,good-looking,ner-vous,sighedandfrownedalittle.
"Yes,"saidhe,"wealwayshavecoolnightsinFloral-hurst,especiallyinthewinter."
AmanwithanairofmysterycameinthedoorandwentuptoHartley.
"I'vefoundwhereshelives,"heannouncedintheportentoushalf-whisperthatmakesthedetectiveatworkamarkedbeingtohisfellowmen.
Hartleyscowledhimintoastateofdramaticsilenceandquietude.ButbythattimeRobbinshadgothiscaneandsethistiepintohisliking,andwithadebonairnodwentouttohismetropolitanamusements.
"Hereistheaddress,"saidthedetectiveinanaturaltone,beingdeprivedofanaudiencetofoil.
Hartleytooktheleaftornoutofthesleuth'sdingymemorandumbook.Onitwerepencilledthewords"VivienneArlington,No.341East--thStreet,careofMrs.McComus."
"Movedthereaweekago,"saidthedetective."Now,ifyouwantanyshadowingdone,Mr.Hartley,Icandoyouasfineajobinthatlineasanybodyinthecity.Itwillbeonly$7adayandexpenses.Cansendinadailytypewrittenreport,covering--"
"Youneedn'tgoon,"interruptedthebroker."Itisn'tacaseofthatkind.Imerelywantedtheaddress.HowmuchshallIpayyou?
"
"Oneday'swork,"saidthesleuth."Atennerwillcoverit."
Hartleypaidthemananddismissedhim.ThenhelefttheofficeandboardedaBroadwaycar.Atthefirstlargecrosstownarteryoftravelhetookaneastboundcarthatdepositedhiminadecayingavenue,whoseancientstructuresonceshelteredtheprideandgloryofthetown.
Walkingafewsquares,hecametothebuildingthathesought.Itwasanewflathouse,bearingcarveduponitscheapstoneportalitssonorousname,"TheVallambrosa."Fire-escapeszigzaggeddownitsfront--theseladenwithhouseholdgoods,dryingclothes,andsquallingchildrenevictedbythemidsummerheat.Hereandthereapalerubberplantpeepedfromthemiscellaneousmass,asifwonderingtowhatkingdomitbelonged--vegetable,animalorartificial.
Hartleypressedthe"McComus"button.Thedoorlatchclickedspasmodically--nowhospitably,nowdoubt-fully,asthoughinanxietywhetheritmightbeadmittingfriendsorduns.Hartleyenteredandbegantoclimbthestairsafterthemannerofthosewhoseektheirfriendsincityflat-houses--whichisthemannerofaboywhoclimbsanapple-tree,stoppingwhenhecomesuponwhathewants.
OnthefourthfloorhesawViviennestandinginanopendoor.Sheinvitedhiminside,withanodandabright,genuinesmile.Sheplacedachairforhimnearawindow,andpoisedherselfgracefullyupontheedgeofoneofthoseJekyll-and-Hydepiecesoffurniturethataremaskedandmysteriouslyhooded,unguessablebulksbydayandinquisitorialracksoftorturebynight.
Hartleycastaquick,critical,appreciativeglanceatherbeforespeaking,andtoldhimselfthathistasteinchoosinghadbeenflawless.
Viviennewasabouttwenty-one.ShewasofthepurestSaxontype.Herhairwasaruddygolden,eachfilamentoftheneatlygatheredmassshiningwithitsownlustreanddelicategraduationofcolour.Inperfectharmonywereherivory-clearcomplexionanddeepsea-blueeyesthatlookedupontheworldwiththeingenuouscalmnessofamermaidorthepixieofanundiscoveredmountainstream.Herframewasstrongandyetpossessedthegraceofabsolutenaturalness.AndyetwithallherNorth-ernclearnessandfranknessoflineandcolouring,thereseemedtobesomethingofthetropicsinher--somethingoflanguorinthedroopofherpose,ofloveofeaseinheringeniouscomplacencyofsatisfactionandcomfortinthemereactofbreathing--somethingthatseemedtoclaimforherarightasaperfectworkofnaturetoexistandbeadmiredequallywitharareflowerorsomebeauti-ful,milk-whitedoveamongitssober-huedcompanions.
Shewasdressedinawhitewaistanddarkskirt-thatdiscreetmasqueradeofgoose-girlandduchess.
"Vivienne,"saidHartley,lookingatherpleadingly,"youdidnotanswermylastletter.Itwasonlybynearlyaweek'ssearchthatIfoundwhereyouhadmovedto.WhyhaveyoukeptmeinsuspensewhenyouknewhowanxiouslyIwaswaitingtoseeyouandhearfromyou?
"
Thegirllookedoutthewindowdreamily.
"Mr.Hartley,"shesaidhesitatingly,"Ihardlyknowwhattosaytoyou.Irealizealltheadvantagesofyouroffer,andsometimesIfeelsurethatIcouldbecontentedwithyou.But,again,Iamdoubtful.Iwasbornacitygirl,andIamafraidtobindmyselftoaquietsub-urbanlife."
"Mydeargirl,"saidHartley,ardently,"haveInottoldyouthatyoushallhaveeverythingthatyourheartcandesirethatisinmypowertogiveyou?
Youshallcometothecityforthetheatres,forshoppingandtovisityourfriendsasoftenasyoucareto.Youcantrustme,canyounot?
"
"Tothefullest,"shesaid,turningherfrankeyesuponhimwithasmile."Iknowyouarethekindestofmen,andthatthegirlyougetwillbealuckyone.IlearnedallaboutyouwhenIwasattheMontgomerys'."
"Ah!
"exclaimedHartley,withatender,reminiscentlightinhiseye;"IrememberwelltheeveningIfirstsawyouattheMontgomerys'.Mrs.Montgomerywassound-ingyourpraisestomealltheevening.Andshehardlydidyoujustice.Ishallneverforgetthatsupper.Come,Vivienne,promiseme.Iwantyou.You'llneverregretcomingwithme.Nooneelsewillevergiveyouaspleasantahome."
Thegirlsighedandlookeddownatherfoldedhands.
AsuddenjealoussuspicionseizedHartley.
"Tellme,Vivienne,"heasked,regardingherkeenly,"isthereanother--istheresomeoneelse?
"
Arosyflushcreptslowlyoverherfaircheeksandneck.
"Youshouldn'taskthat,Mr.Hartley,"shesaid,insomeconfusion."ButIwilltellyou.Thereisoneother--buthehasnoright--Ihavepromisedhimnothing."
"Hisname?
"demandedHartley,sternly.
"Townsend."
"RaffordTownsend!
"exclaimedHartley,withagrimtighteningofhisjaw."Howdidthatmancometoknowyou?
AfterallI'vedoneforhim--"
"Hisautohasjuststoppedbelow,"saidVivienne,bendingoverthewindow-sill."He'scomingforhisanswer.OhIdon'tknowwhattodo!
"
Thebellintheflatkitchenwhirred.Viviennehurriedtopressthelatchbutton.
"Stayhere,"saidHartley."Iwillmeethiminthehall."
Townsend,lookinglikeaSpanishgrandeeinhislighttweeds,Panamahatandcurlingblackmustache,cameupthestairsthreeatatime.HestoppedatsightofHartleyandlookedfoolish.
"Goback,"saidHartley,firmly,pointingdownstairswithhisforefinger.
"Hullo!
"saidTownsend,feigningsurprise."What'sup?
Whatareyoudoinghere,oldman?
"
"Goback,"repeatedHartley,inflexibly."TheLawoftheJungle.DoyouwantthePacktotearyouinpieces?
Thekillismine."
"Icameheretoseeaplumberaboutthebathroomconnections,"saidTownsend,bravely.
"Allright,"saidHartley."Youshallhavethatlyingplastertostickuponyourtraitoroussoul.But,goback."Townsendwentdownstairs,leavingabitterwordtobewaftedupthedraughtofthestaircase.Hartleywentbacktohiswooing.
"Vivienne,"saidhe,masterfully."Ihavegottohaveyou.Iwilltakenomorerefusalsordilly-dallying."
"Whendoyouwantme?
"sheasked.
"Now.Assoonasyoucangetready."
Shestoodcalmlybeforehimandlookedhimintheeye.
"Doyouthinkforonemoment,"shesaid,"thatIwouldenteryourhomewhileHéloiseisthere?
"
Hartleycringedasiffromanunexpectedblow.Hefoldedhisarmsandpacedthecarpetonceortwice.
"Sheshallgo,"hedeclaredgrimly.Dropsstooduponhisbrow."WhyshouldIletthatwomanmakemylifemiserable?
NeverhaveIseenonedayoffreedomfromtroublesinceIhaveknownher.Youareright,Vivienne.HéloisemustbesentawaybeforeIcantakeyouhome.Butsheshallgo.Ihavedecided.Iwillturnherfrommydoors."
"Whenwillyoudothis?
"askedthegirl.
Hartleyclinchedhisteethandbenthisbrowstogether.
"To-night,"hesaid,resolutely."Iwillsendherawayto-night."
"Then,"saidVivienne,"myansweris'yes.'Comeformewhenyouwill."
Shelookedintohiseyeswithasweet,sincerelightinherown.Hartleycouldscarcelybelievethathersur-renderwastrue,itwassoswiftandcomplete.
"Promiseme,"hesaidfeelingly,"onyourwordandhonour."
"Onmywordandhonour,"repeatedVivienne,softly.
Atthedoorheturnedandgazedatherhappily,butyetasonewhoscarcelytruststhefoundationsofhisjoy.
"To-morrow,"hesaid,withaforefingerofreminderuplifted.
"To-morrow,"sherepeatedwithasmileoftruthandcandour.
InanhourandfortyminutesHartleysteppedoffthetrainatFloralhurst.Abriskwalkoftenminutesbroughthimtothegateofahandsometwo-storycottagesetuponawideandwell-tendedlawn.Halfwaytothehousehewasmetbyawomanwithjet-blackbraidedhairandflowingwhitesummergown,whohalfstrangledhimwithoutapparentcause.
Whentheysteppedintothehallshesaid:
"Mamma'shere.Theautois
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