欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版（完美打印版）.doc

欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版（完美打印版）.doc

《欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版（完美打印版）.doc》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《欧亨利120篇短篇小说英文版（完美打印版）.doc（561页珍藏版）》请在冰点文库上搜索。

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