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VOA慢速英语-- 'After Twenty Years,' by O.Henry

时间:2017-08-27 17:03来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

 

The cop1 moved along the street, looking strong and important. This was the way he always moved. He was not thinking of how he looked. There were few people on the street to see him. It was only about ten at night, but it was cold. And there was a wind with a little rain in it.

He stopped at doors as he walked along, trying each door to be sure that it was closed for the night. Now and then he turned and looked up and down the street. He was a fine-looking cop, watchful2, guarding the peace.

People in this part of the city went home early. Now and then you might see the lights of a shop or of a small restaurant. But most of the doors belonged to business places that had been closed hours ago.

Then the cop suddenly slowed his walk. Near the door of a darkened shop a man was standing3. As the cop walked toward4 him, the man spoke5 quickly.

“It’s all right, officer,” he said. “I’m waiting for a friend. Twenty years ago we agreed to meet here tonight. It sounds strange to you, doesn’t it? I’ll explain if you want to be sure that everything’s all right. About twenty years ago there was a restaurant where this shop stands. ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant.”

“It was here until five years ago,” said the cop.

The man near the door had a colorless square face with bright eyes, and a little white mark near his right eye. He had a large jewel in his necktie.

“Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “I had dinner here with Jimmy Wells. He was my best friend and the best fellow in the world. He and I grew up together here in New York, like two brothers. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West. I was going to find a job and make a great success. You couldn’t have pulled Jimmy out of New York. He thought it was the only place on earth.

“We agreed that night that we would meet here again in twenty years. We thought that in twenty years we would know what kind of men we were, and what future waited for us.”

“It sounds interesting,” said the cop. “A long time between meetings, it seems to me. Have you heard from your friend since you went West?”

“Yes, for a time we did write to each other,” said the man. “But after a year or two, we stopped. The West is big. I moved around everywhere, and I moved quickly. But I know that Jimmy will meet me here if he can. He was as true as any man in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand here tonight. But I’ll be glad about that, if my old friend comes too.”

The man waiting took out a fine watch, covered with small jewels.

“Three minutes before ten,” he said. “It was ten that night when we said goodbye here at the restaurant door.”

“You were successful in the West, weren’t you?” asked the cop.

“I surely6 was! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a slow mover. I’ve had to fight for my success. In New York a man doesn’t change much. In the West you learn how to fight for what you get.”

The cop took a step or two. “I’ll go on my way,” he said. “I hope your friend comes all right. If he isn’t here at ten, are you going to leave?”

“I am not!” said the other. “I’ll wait half an hour, at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth, he’ll be here by that time. Good night, officer.”

“Good night,” said the cop, and walked away, trying doors as he went.

There was now a cold rain falling and the wind was stronger. The few people walking along that street were hurrying, trying to keep warm. At the door of the shop stood the man who had come a thousand miles to meet a friend. Such a meeting could not be certain. But he waited.

About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long coat came hurrying across the street. He went directly7 to the waiting man.

“Is that you, Bob?” he asked, doubtfully8.

“Is that you, Jimmy Wells?” cried the man at the door.

The new man took the other man’s hands in his. “It’s Bob! It surely is. I was certain I would find you here if you were still alive. Twenty years is a long time. The old restaurant is gone, Bob. I wish it were here, so that we could have another dinner in it. Has the West been good to you?”

“It gave me everything I asked for. You’ve changed, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall.”

“Oh, I grew a little after I was twenty.”

“Are you doing well in New York, Jimmy?”

“Well enough. I work for the city. Come on, Bob, We’ll go to a place I know, and have a good long talk about old times.”

The two men started along the street, arm in arm. The man from the West was beginning to tell the story of his life. The other, with his coat up to his ears, listened with interest.

At the corner stood a shop bright with electric lights. When they came near, each turned to look at the other’s face.

The man from the West stopped suddenly and pulled his arm away. “You’re not Jimmy Wells,” he said. “Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change the shape of a man’s nose.”

“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man. “You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes, Bob. Chicago cops9 thought you might be coming to New York. They told us to watch for you. Are you coming with me quietly? That’s wise. But first here is something I was asked to give you. You may read it here at the window. It’s from a cop named Wells.”

The man from the West opened the little piece of paper. His hand began to shake a little as he read.

“Bob: I was at the place on time. I saw the face of the man wanted by Chicago cops. I didn’t want to arrest you myself. So I went and got another cop and sent him to do the job.

JIMMY.”

Words in This Story

cop – n. a person whose job is to enforce10 laws, investigate11 crimes12, and make arrests

shop – n. a building or room where goods and services are sold

necktie –n. a long piece of cloth that is worn13 by men around the neck and under a collar14 and that is tied in front with a knot15 at the top

coat – n. an outer piece of clothing that can be long or short and that is worn to keep warm or dry


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 cop Jvlzkp     
n.警察;vt.抓住
参考例句:
  • The cop told him to button his lip.警察叫他闭嘴。
  • The robber was overpowered by the cop.抢劫犯被警察制伏。
2 watchful tH9yX     
adj.注意的,警惕的
参考例句:
  • The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
  • It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。
3 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
4 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
5 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
6 surely yrRwj     
adv.确实地,无疑地;必定地,一定地
参考例句:
  • It'should surely be possible for them to reach an agreement.想必他们可以达成协议。
  • Surely we'll profit from your work.我们肯定会从你的工作中得到益处。
7 directly DPIzn     
adv.直接地,径直地;马上,立即
参考例句:
  • I will telephone you directly I hear the news.我一听到消息,马上打电话给你。
  • She answered me very directly and openly.她非常坦率地、开门见山地答复了我。
8 doubtfully doubtfully     
adv.怀疑地;含糊地
参考例句:
  • His eyes rested on her doubtfully. 他可疑地注视她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She doubtfully led him the way to the hallroom-nursery. 她迟疑不决地把他领到楼上婴儿室去。 来自辞典例句
9 cops 2a0b059e51cc7166bec7f81b0985a1d4     
n.堆,顶;警察( cop的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • As usual, the cops get the baddies in the end. 跟平常一样,警察最后把坏人都抓起来了。
  • Somebody call the cops! 去个人报警啊!
10 enforce Fp0xP     
vt.实施,执行;强制,强迫;加强,坚持
参考例句:
  • You have no right to enforce your own views on me.你无权把你自己的观点强加给我。
  • They tried to enforce agreement with their plans.他们企图迫使人们同意他们的计划。
11 investigate mRlzq     
vt.调查,调查研究;vi.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • Police investigate the cause of car accident.警察调查车祸的原因。
  • The government of the United States began at once to investigate the case.美国政府立即开始调查此案。
12 crimes 0bd47a8787cff9913f6efe85aa8272bf     
n.罪,罪行,犯罪( crime的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The courts were empowered to impose the death sentence for certain crimes. 法院有权因某些罪行判处罪犯死刑。
  • The two crimes are apparently unconnected. 这两起犯罪显然没有关联。
13 worn seCzJu     
adj.用旧的,疲倦的;vbl.wear的过去分词
参考例句:
  • The child's trousers have worn through at the knees.孩子裤子的膝盖处磨破了。
  • My shoes are worn out.我的鞋子穿坏了。
14 collar cWZyF     
n.衣领,项圈;vt.抓住,为...戴上项圈
参考例句:
  • The collar was cut away according to the fashion.领子是根据流行的款式剪成的。
  • He turned up the collar of his coat.他把大衣领子翻起来。
15 knot G9vzx     
n.结,难题,一小群;vi.打结;vt. 把...打成结,系牢,捆扎
参考例句:
  • He made a knot in the rope.他在绳子上打了个结。
  • The knot has come untied.扣儿开了。
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