Norman Gortsby sat on a bench in the Park, with his back to a strip of bush-planted sward, fenced by the park railings, and the Row fronting him across a wide stretch of carriage drive. Hyde Park Corner, with its rattle1 and hoot2 of traffic, lay immediately to his right. It was some thirty minutes past six on an early March evening, and dusk had fallen heavily over the scene, dusk mitigated3 by some faint moonlight and many street lamps. There was a wide emptiness over road and sidewalk, and yet there were many unconsidered figures moving silently through the half-light, or dotted unobtrusively on bench and chair, scarcely to be distinguished4 from the shadowed gloom in which they sat.
The scene pleased Gortsby and harmonised with his present mood. Dusk, to his mind, was the hour of the defeated. Men and women, who had fought and lost, who hid their fallen fortunes and dead hopes as far as possible from the scrutiny5 of the curious, came forth6 in this hour of gloaming, when their shabby clothes and bowed shoulders and unhappy eyes might pass unnoticed, or, at any rate, unrecognised.
A king that is conquered must see strange looks, So bitter a thing is the heart of man.
The wanderers in the dusk did not choose to have strange looks fasten on them, therefore they came out in this bat-fashion, taking their pleasure sadly in a pleasure-ground that had emptied of its rightful occupants. Beyond the sheltering screen of bushes and palings came a realm of brilliant lights and noisy, rushing traffic. A blazing, many-tiered stretch of windows shone through the dusk and almost dispersed7 it, marking the haunts of those other people, who held their own in life’s struggle, or at any rate had not had to admit failure. So Gortsby’s imagination pictured things as he sat on his bench in the almost deserted8 walk. He was in the mood to count himself among the defeated. Money troubles did not press on him; had he so wished he could have strolled into the thoroughfares of light and noise, and taken his place among the jostling ranks of those who enjoyed prosperity or struggled for it. He had failed in a more subtle ambition, and for the moment he was heartsore and disillusionised, and not disinclined to take a certain cynical9 pleasure in observing and labelling his fellow wanderers as they went their ways in the dark stretches between the lamp-lights.
On the bench by his side sat an elderly gentleman with a drooping10 air of defiance11 that was probably the remaining vestige12 of self-respect in an individual who had ceased to defy successfully anybody or anything. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby, at least they passed muster13 in the half-light, but one’s imagination could not have pictured the wearer embarking14 on the purchase of a half-crown box of chocolates or laying out ninepence on a carnation15 buttonhole. He belonged unmistakably to that forlorn orchestra to whose piping no one dances; he was one of the world’s lamenters who induce no responsive weeping. As he rose to go Gortsby imagined him returning to a home circle where he was snubbed and of no account, or to some bleak16 lodging17 where his ability to pay a weekly bill was the beginning and end of the interest he inspired. His retreating figure vanished slowly into the shadows, and his place on the bench was taken almost immediately by a young man, fairly well dressed but scarcely more cheerful of mien18 than his predecessor19. As if to emphasise20 the fact that the world went badly with him the new-corner unburdened himself of an angry and very audible expletive as he flung himself into the seat.
“You don’t seem in a very good temper,” said Gortsby, judging that he was expected to take due notice of the demonstration21.
The young man turned to him with a look of disarming22 frankness which put him instantly on his guard.
“You wouldn’t be in a good temper if you were in the fix I’m in,” he said; “I’ve done the silliest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
“Yes?” said Gortsby dispassionately.
“Came up this afternoon, meaning to stay at the Patagonian Hotel in Berkshire Square,” continued the young man; “when I got there I found it had been pulled down some weeks ago and a cinema theatre run up on the site. The taxi driver recommended me to another hotel some way off and I went there. I just sent a letter to my people, giving them the address, and then I went out to buy some soap — I’d forgotten to pack any and I hate using hotel soap. Then I strolled about a bit, had a drink at a bar and looked at the shops, and when I came to turn my steps back to the hotel I suddenly realised that I didn’t remember its name or even what street it was in. There’s a nice predicament for a fellow who hasn’t any friends or connections in London! Of course I can wire to my people for the address, but they won’t have got my letter till tomorrow; meantime I’m without any money, came out with about a shilling on me, which went in buying the soap and getting the drink, and here I am, wandering about with twopence in my pocket and nowhere to go for the night.”
There was an eloquent23 pause after the story had been told. “I suppose you think I’ve spun24 you rather an impossible yarn,” said the young man presently, with a suggestion of resentment25 in his voice.
“Not at all impossible,” said Gortsby judicially26; “I remember doing exactly the same thing once in a foreign capital, and on that occasion there were two of us, which made it more remarkable27. Luckily we remembered that the hotel was on a sort of canal, and when we struck the canal we were able to find our way back to the hotel.”
The youth brightened at the reminiscence. “In a foreign city I wouldn’t mind so much,” he said; “one could go to one’s Consul28 and get the requisite29 help from him. Here in one’s own land one is far more derelict if one gets into a fix. Unless I can find some decent chap to swallow my story and lend me some money I seem likely to spend the night on the Embankment. I’m glad, anyhow, that you don’t think the story outrageously30 improbable.”
He threw a good deal of warmth into the last remark, as though perhaps to indicate his hope that Gortsby did not fall far short of the requisite decency31.
“Of course,” said Gortsby slowly, “the weak point of your story is that you can’t produce the soap.”
The young man sat forward hurriedly, felt rapidly in the pockets of his overcoat, and then jumped to his feet.
“I must have lost it,” he muttered angrily.
“To lose an hotel and a cake of soap on one afternoon suggests wilful32 carelessness,” said Gortsby, but the young man scarcely waited to hear the end of the remark. He flitted away down the path, his head held high, with an air of somewhat jaded33 jauntiness34.
“It was a pity,” mused35 Gortsby; “the going out to get one’s own soap was the one convincing touch in the whole story, and yet it was just that little detail that brought him to grief. If he had had the brilliant forethought to provide himself with a cake of soap, wrapped and sealed with all the solicitude36 of the chemist’s counter, he would have been a genius in his particular line. In his particular line genius certainly consists of an infinite capacity for taking precautions.”
With that reflection Gortsby rose to go; as he did so an exclamation37 of concern escaped him. Lying on the ground by the side of the bench was a small oval packet, wrapped and sealed with the solicitude of a chemist’s counter. It could be nothing else but a cake of soap, and it had evidently fallen out of the youth’s overcoat pocket when he flung himself down on the seat. In another moment Gortsby was scudding38 along the dusk-shrouded path in anxious quest for a youthful figure in a light overcoat. He had nearly given up the search when he caught sight of the object of his pursuit standing39 irresolutely40 on the border of the carriage drive, evidently uncertain whether to strike across the Park or make for the bustling41 pavements of Knightsbridge. He turned round sharply with an air of defensive42 hostility43 when he found Gortsby hailing him.
“The important witness to the genuineness of your story has turned up,” said Gortsby, holding out the cake of soap; “it must have slid out of your overcoat pocket when you sat down on the seat. I saw it on the ground after you left. You must excuse my disbelief, but appearances were really rather against you, and now, as I appealed to the testimony44 of the soap I think I ought to abide45 by its verdict. If the loan of a sovereign is any good to you —”
The young man hastily removed all doubt on the subject by pocketing the coin.
“Here is my card with my address,” continued Gortsby; “any day this week will do for returning the money, and here is the soap — don’t lose it again it’s been a good friend to you.”
“Lucky thing your finding it,” said the youth, and then, with a catch in his voice, he blurted46 out a word or two of thanks and fled headlong in the direction of Knightsbridge.
“Poor boy, he as nearly as possible broke down,” said Gortsby to himself. “I don’t wonder either; the relief from his quandary47 must have been acute. It’s a lesson to me not to be too clever in judging by circumstances.”
As Gortsby retraced48 his steps past the seat where the little drama had taken place he saw an elderly gentleman poking49 and peering beneath it and on all sides of it, and recognised his earlier fellow occupant.
“Have you lost anything, sir?” he asked.
“Yes, sir, a cake of soap.”
收听单词发音 |
1
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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hoot
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| n.鸟叫声，汽车的喇叭声； v.使汽车鸣喇叭 | |
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mitigated
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| v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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7
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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9
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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14
embarking
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| 乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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carnation
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| n.康乃馨（一种花） | |
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bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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emphasise
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| vt.加强...的语气，强调，着重 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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22
disarming
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| adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒 | |
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23
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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judicially
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| 依法判决地，公平地 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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30
outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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31
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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34
jauntiness
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| n.心满意足；洋洋得意；高兴；活泼 | |
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35
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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36
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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38
scudding
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| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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39
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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irresolutely
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| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
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41
bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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42
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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43
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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44
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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45
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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46
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
quandary
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| n.困惑，进迟两难之境 | |
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48
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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49
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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