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VOA慢速英语--《财神与爱神》 by 欧亨利

时间:2020-07-26 23:57来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

'Mammon and the Archer1' by O. Henry

We present the short story "Mammon and the Archer" by O. Henry. The story was originally2 adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.

Old Anthony Rockwall, who made millions of dollars by making and selling Rockwall's soap, stood at the window of his large Fifth Avenue3 house. He was looking out at his neighbor, G. Van Schuylight Suffolk-Jones. His neighbor is a proud member of a proud old New York family. He came out of his door and got into a cab4. He looked once quickly, as usual, at Anthony Rockwall's house. The look showed that Suffolk-Jones was a very important man, while a rich soapmaker was nothing.

"I will have this house painted red, white, and blue next summer," said the Soap King to himself. "And we'll see how he likes that."

And then Anthony Rockwall turned around and shouted, "Mike!" in a loud voice. He never used a bell to call a servant.

"Tell my son," he said when the servant came, "to come to me before he leaves the house."

When young Rockwall entered the room, the old man put down the newspaper he had been reading. "Richard," said Anthony Rockwall, "what do you pay for the soap that you use?"

Richard had finished college six months before, and he had come home to live. He had not yet learned5 to understand his father. He was always being surprised.

He said, "Six dollars for twelve pieces."

"And your clothes?"

"About sixty dollars, usually."

"You are a gentleman," said his father. "I have heard of young men who pay twenty-four dollars for twelve pieces of soap, and more than a hundred for clothes. You have as much money to throw away as anyone else has. But what you do is reasonable. I myself use Rockwall Soap, because it is the best. When you pay more than ten cents for a piece of soap, you are paying for a sweet strong smell and a name.

"But fifty cents is good for a young man like you. You are a gentleman. People say that if a man is not a gentleman, his son can't be a gentleman; but perhaps his son's son will be a gentleman. But they are wrong. Money does it faster than that. Money has made you a gentleman. It has almost made me a gentleman. I have become very much like the two gentlemen who own the houses on each side of us. My manners6 are now almost as bad as theirs. But they still can't sleep at night because a soapmaker lives in this house."

"There are some things that money can't do," said the young man rather sadly.

"Don't say that," said old Anthony. "Money is successful every time. I don't know anything you can't buy with it. Tell me something that money can't buy. And I want you to tell me something more. Something is wrong with you. I've seen it for two weeks. Tell me. Let me help you. In twenty-four hours I could have eleven million dollars here in my hands. Are you sick?"

"Some people call it sickness."

"Oh!" said Anthony. "What's her name? Why don't you ask her to marry you? She would be glad to do it. You have money, you are good-looking, and you are a good boy. Your hands are clean. You have no Rockwall Soap on them."

"I haven't had a chance to ask her," said Richard.

"Make a chance," said Anthony. "Take her for a walk in the park. Or walk home with her from church."

"You don't know the life of a rich girl, father. Every hour and minute of her time is planned. I must have her, or the world is worth nothing to me. And I can't write to say I love her. I can't do that."

"Do you tell me," said the old man, "that with all my money you can't get an hour or two of a girl's time?"

"I've waited too long. She's going to Europe the day after tomorrow. She's going to be there two years. I'm allowed to see her alone tomorrow evening for a few minutes. She's coming to the city on a train. I'm going to meet her with a cab. Then we'll drive fast to the theater where she must meet her mother and some other people. Do you think she would listen to me then? No. Or in the theater? No. Or after the theater? No! No, father, this is one trouble that your money can't help. We can't buy one minute of time with money. If we could, rich people would live longer. There's no hope of talking with Miss Lantry before she sails."

"Richard, my boy," said old Anthony, "I'm glad you're not really sick. You say money won't buy time? Perhaps it won't buy all of time, but I've seen it buy some little pieces."

That evening his sister Ellen came to Anthony, to talk about the troubles that lovers7 have.

"He told me all about it," said brother Anthony. "I told him he could have all the money he wanted. Then he began to say that money was no use to him. He said money couldn't help."

"Oh, Anthony," said Ellen, "I wish you wouldn't think so much of money. Money is no help for love. Love is all powerful8. If he had only spoken to her earlier! She could never say no to our Richard. But now I fear it is too late. All your gold cannot buy happiness for your son."

At eight the next evening Ellen took an old gold ring and gave it to Richard.

"Wear it tonight," she said. "Your mother gave it to me. She asked me to give it to you when you had found the girl you loved."

Young Rockwall took the ring and tried to put it on his little finger. It was too small. He put it inside his coat, in a place where he thought it would be safe. And then he called for his cab.

At the station he met Miss Lantry.

"We must not keep my mother and the others waiting," said she.

"To Wallack's Theater as fast as you can drive," said Richard to the cabby.

They rolled along Forty-second Street to Broadway and from there to Thirty-fourth Street.

Then young Richard quickly ordered the cabby to stop.

"I've dropped a ring," he said, getting out. "It was my mother's and I don't want to lose it. This will take only a minute. I saw where it fell."

In less than a minute he was again in the cab with the ring.

But within that minute, a wagon9 had stopped in front of the cab. The cabby tried to pass on the left, but a cab was there. He tried to pass on the right, but another cab was there. He could not go back. He was caught where he was and could not move in any direction.

These sudden10 stops of movement will happen in the city. Instead of moving along the street in their usual orderly11 way, all the wagons12 and cabs13 will suddenly be mixed together and stopped.

"Why don't you drive further?" said Miss Lantry. "We'll be late."

Richard stood up in the cab and looked around. He saw a stream of cabs and wagons and everything else on wheels rolling toward14 the corner where Broadway, Sixth Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street meet. They came from all directions. And more and more were rolling toward them. More and more were caught there. Drivers and cabbies shouted. Everyone on wheels in New York City seemed to be hurrying to this place.

"I'm very sorry," said Richard. He sat down again. "We can't move. They won't get this straight in an hour. If I hadn't dropped the ring, we—"

"Let me see the ring," said Miss Lantry. "Since we really can't hurry, I don't care. I didn't want to go to the theater. I don't like the theater."

At eleven that night someone stopped at the door of Anthony's room.

"Come in," shouted Anthony. He had been reading and he put down his book.

It was Ellen. "They are going to be married Anthony," she said. "She has promised to marry our Richard. On their way to the theater their cab was stopped in the street. It was two hours before it could move again.

"And oh, brother Anthony, don't ever talk about the power of money again. It was a little ring, a true love ring, that was the cause of our Richard finding15 his happiness. He dropped it in the street and had to get out and find it. And before they could continue, the cab was caught among the others. He told her of his love there in the cab. Money is nothing, Anthony. True love is everything."

"I'm glad the boy got what he wanted," said old Anthony. "I told him I didn't care how much money—"

"But, brother Anthony, what could your money do?"

"Sister," said Anthony Rockwall. "I'm reading a book with a good story in it. It's a wild adventure story, but I like it. And I want to find what happens next. I wish you would let me go on reading."

The story should end there. I wish it would. I'm sure you too wish it would end there. But we must go on to the truth.

The next day a person with red hands and a blue necktie, whose name was Kelly, came to Anthony Rockwall's house to see Anthony.

"That was good soap we made," said Anthony. "I gave you $5,000 yesterday."

"I paid out $300 more of my own money," said Kelly. "It cost more than I expected. I got the cabs, most of them, for $5, but anything with two horses was $10. I had to pay most to the cops16—$50 I paid to two, and the others $20 and $25. But didn't it work beautifully, Mr. Rockwall? They were all on time. And it was two hours before anyone could move."

"Thirteen hundred—there you are, Kelly," said Anthony, giving him the money. A thousand for you, and the $300 of your own money that you had to spend. You like money, do you, Kelly?"

"I do," said Kelly.

Anthony stopped Kelly when he was at the door.

"Did you see," asked he, "anywhere on the street yesterday a little fat boy with no clothes on? Carrying arrows17?"

Kelly looked surprised. "No. I didn't. But if he was like that, with no clothes, perhaps the cops caught him."

"I thought Cupid wouldn't be there," Anthony said, laughing. "Good-bye, Kelly."

Download activities to help you understand this story here.

Words in This Story

soap – n. a substance18 that is used for washing something

avenue – n. a wide street

cab – n. a car that carries passengers to a place for an amount of money that is based on the distance traveled

theater – n. a building where plays or shows are performed on a stage

cabby – n. a person who drives a taxi

wagon – n. a vehicle19 with four wheels that is used for carrying heavy loads or passengers and that is usually pulled by animals

cop(s) – n. a person whose job is to enforce20 laws, investigate21 crimes22, and make arrests

Cupid – n. the god of sexual love in ancient Rome


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 archer KVxzP     
n.射手,弓箭手
参考例句:
  • The archer strung his bow and aimed an arrow at the target.弓箭手拉紧弓弦将箭瞄准靶子。
  • The archer's shot was a perfect bull's-eye.射手的那一箭正中靶心。
2 originally dJCxl     
adv.本来,原来,最初,就起源而论,独创地
参考例句:
  • Originally I didn't want to go.我本意不想去。
  • After much discussion they settled on the plan originally proposed.他们讨论了很久,然后确定了原来提出的那个计划。
3 avenue OeGyY     
n.林荫道;大街;途径,手段
参考例句:
  • This is a shady avenue.这是条林阴大道。
  • He drove slowly.The avenue was crowded with people.他慢慢地开车,因为大街上挤满了人。
4 cab ExWzHt     
n.计程车,出租车,出租单马车;vi.乘出租马车
参考例句:
  • The cab drove over his legs.马车从他腿上碾过。
  • Shall we walk or take a cab?我们步行还是坐出租车?
5 learned m1oxn     
adj.有学问的,博学的;learn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
  • In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里,他被视为有学问的人。
6 manners foJzbe     
n.礼貌;规矩
参考例句:
  • You should mend your manners.你的态度应当纠正。
  • His manners are rough,but he is a kind man at heart.他虽然举止粗鲁,但心地善良。
7 lovers 8dae58e3f282b974328d53f96753f4c1     
爱好者( lover的名词复数 ); 情人; 情夫; 情侣
参考例句:
  • They were off-screen lovers. 他们是真实生活中的情侣。
  • Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet 罗密欧和朱丽叶这一对莎士比亚笔下命运多舛的恋人
8 powerful E1Zzi     
adj.有力的,有权力的,强大的
参考例句:
  • The UN began to get more and more powerful.联合国开始变得越来越强大了。
  • Such are the most powerful voices of our times!这些就是我们时代的最有力的声音!
9 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
10 sudden YsSw9     
n.突然,忽然;adj.突然的,意外的,快速的
参考例句:
  • All of a sudden he turned about and saw me.他突然转过身来看见了我。
  • The horse was badly frightened by the sudden noise.那匹马被突然而来的嘈杂声吓坏了。
11 orderly s4Yzr     
adj.有秩序的,整齐的,一丝不苟的,和平的;adv.有秩序地,有条理地,依次地;n.勤务兵,(医院的)勤务工
参考例句:
  • It's an orderly room.这是个整洁的房间。
  • The books are in orderly rows on shelves.书籍整齐地排列在书架上。
12 wagons ff97c19d76ea81bb4f2a97f2ff0025e7     
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车
参考例句:
  • The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
  • They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。
13 cabs a2c16ec6ff87a69e522e2288235dcdde     
出租车( cab的名词复数 ); (公共汽车、火车等的)司机室; 驾驶室; 出租马车
参考例句:
  • Cabs and carriages, their lamps gleaming like yellow eyes, pattered by. 公共马车和私人马车嗒嗒地驶过,车灯像一双双黄色的眼睛闪闪发亮。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • Outside were cabs and taxis and a line of hotel runners. 外边停着出租的马车、汽车,还站着一排旅馆接待人。
14 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。
15 finding 5tAzVe     
n.发现,发现物;调查的结果
参考例句:
  • The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
  • That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。
16 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!
17 arrows arrows     
n.箭( arrow的名词复数 );矢;箭号;箭头
参考例句:
  • He shot arrows one by one, but each missed. 他射了一箭又一箭,但都未能射中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • They fired poisoned arrows at us. 他们向我们射出毒箭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 substance xskwv     
n.物质,实质,主旨
参考例句:
  • There isn't anything of real substance in her book.她的书中没有任何真正实质性的内容。
  • How long will the substance take to salt out?这种物质需要多长时间来盐析?
19 vehicle zivw0     
n.车辆,交通工具,运载工具;媒介,表现手段
参考例句:
  • Air is the vehicle of sound.空气是声音传播的媒介。
  • The power plant burns used vehicle tyres as fuel.这家电厂用废弃轮胎作燃料。
20 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。
21 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。
22 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。
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