《101 Classic Short Stories：经典短篇小说》

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　　　　英语学习爱好者全面提升语言能力的红宝书！世界三大短篇小说之王及其他著名作家的经典名篇101篇故事，每日读，天天听，训练纯正的英语。西方流行POCKETBOOK，英语学习随身带！　　

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　　英语学习爱好者全面提升语言能力的红宝书！世界三大短篇小说之王及其他著名作家的经典名篇101篇故事，每日读，天天听，训练纯正的英语。西方流行POCKETBOOK，英语学习随身带！

内容简介

　　这本《101ClassicShortStories：经典小说101篇》按全英文版出版，西方流行口袋本。共收集了欧·亨利、杰克·伦敦、霍桑、契诃夫等数十位西方著名短篇小说家的代表作与经典名篇，《101 Classic Short Stories：经典短篇小说101篇》共101篇。读者可以通过书上指定的网址，通过微盘免费下载配套的英文朗读文件，边听边读，感受地道英语文学之乐趣。对于英语学习者来讲，这是一本优秀的英语文学精读手册。

　　Thisoutstandingcollectionfeatures101shortstoriesbygreatwritersfromAmerica，theUnitedKingdom，Russian，andothercountries.Rangingfromthe19thtothe20thcenturies，writersincludeO.Henry，JackLondon，NathanielHawthorne，MarkTwain，EdgarAllenPoe，AntonChekhov，JamesJoyce，AmbroseBierce，FranzKafka，andothermajorwritersofworldliterature.Suchawonderfullywide-rangingandenjoyableanthology！

　　Investjustafewminutesinagreatshortstoryandyoumayberewardedwithalessonormemorythatlastsalifetime.Andit’snotjusttheshortstories；theauthorscanalsosurpriseyou.Wehopethatyouwillreturntothiscollectionagainandagain；tore-readtheseclassicfavoritesandtrainyourliteraturemind.

精彩书摘

　　AFTERTWENTYYEARS

　　ByO.Henry

　　Thepolicemanonthebeatmoveduptheavenueimpressively.Theimpressivenesswashabitualandnotforshow,forspectatorswerefew.Thetimewasbarely10o’clockatnight,butchillygustsofwindwithatasteofraininthemhadwellnighde-peopledthestreets.

　　Tryingdoorsashewent,twirlinghisclubwithmanyintricateandartfulmovements,turningnowandthentocasthiswatchfuleyeadownthepacificthoroughfare,theofficer,withhisstalwartformandslightswagger,madeafinepictureofaguardianofthepeace.Thevicinitywasonethatkeptearlyhours.Nowandthenyoumightseethelightsofacigarstoreorofanall-nightlunchcounter;butthemajorityofthedoorsbelongedtobusinessplacesthathadlongsincebeenclosed.

　　Whenaboutmidwayofacertainblockthepolicemansuddenlyslowedhiswalk.Inthedoorwayofadarkenedhardwarestoreamanleaned,withanunlightedcigarinhismouth.Asthepolicemanwalkeduptohimthemanspokeupquickly.

　　“It’sallright,officer,”hesaid,reassuringly.“I’mjustwaitingforafriend.It’sanappointmentmadetwentyyearsago.Soundsalittlefunnytoyou,doesn’tit?Well,I’llexplainifyou'dliketomakecertainit’sallstraight.Aboutthatlongagothereusedtobearestaurantwherethisstorestands—'BigJoe’Brady’srestaurant.”

　　“Untilfiveyearsago,”saidthepoliceman.“Itwastorndownthen.”

　　Themaninthedoorwaystruckamatchandlithiscigar.Thelightshowedapale,square-jawedfacewithkeeneyes,andalittlewhitescarnearhisrighteyebrow.Hisscarfpinwasalargediamond,oddlyset.

　　“Twentyyearsagoto-night,”saidtheman,“Idinedhereat‘BigJoe’Brady’swithJimmyWells,mybestchum,andthefinestchapintheworld.HeandIwereraisedhereinNewYork,justliketwobrothers,together.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwastostartfortheWesttomakemyfortune.Youcouldn’thavedraggedJimmyoutofNewYork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.Well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.Wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohaveourdestinyworkedoutandourfortunesmade,whatevertheyweregoingtobe.”

　　“Itsoundsprettyinteresting,”saidthepoliceman.“Ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,itseemstome.Haven’tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?”

　　“Well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,”saidtheother.“Butafterayearortwowelosttrackofeachother.Yousee,theWestisaprettybigproposition,andIkepthustlingaroundoveritprettylively.ButIknowJimmywillmeetmehereifhe’salive,forhealwayswasthetruest,stanchestoldchapintheworld.He'llneverforget.Icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoorto-night,andit’sworthitifmyoldpartnerturnsup.”

　　Thewaitingmanpulledoutahandsomewatch,thelidsofitsetwithsmalldiamonds.

　　“Threeminutestoten,”heannounced.“Itwasexactlyteno’clockwhenwepartedhereattherestaurantdoor.”

　　“DidprettywelloutWest,didn’tyou?”askedthepoliceman.

　　“Youbet!IhopeJimmyhasdonehalfaswell.Hewasakindofplodder,though,goodfellowashewas.I’vehadtocompetewithsomeofthesharpestwitsgoingtogetmypile.AmangetsinagrooveinNewYork.IttakestheWesttoputarazor-edgeonhim.”

　　Thepolicemantwirledhisclubandtookasteportwo.

　　“I’llbeonmyway.Hopeyourfriendcomesaroundallright.Goingtocalltimeonhimsharp?”

　　“Ishouldsaynot!”saidtheother.“I’llgivehimhalfanhouratleast.IfJimmyisaliveonearthhe'llbeherebythattime.Solong,officer.”

　　“Good-night,sir,”saidthepoliceman,passingonalonghisbeat,tryingdoorsashewent.

　　Therewasnowafine,colddrizzlefalling,andthewindhadrisenfromitsuncertainpuffsintoasteadyblow.Thefewfootpassengersastirinthatquarterhurrieddismallyandsilentlyalongwithcoatcollarsturnedhighandpocketedhands.Andinthedoorofthehardwarestorethemanwhohadcomeathousandmilestofillanappointment,uncertainalmosttoabsurdity,withthefriendofhisyouth,smokedhiscigarandwaited.

　　Abouttwentyminuteshewaited,andthenatallmaninalongovercoat,withcollarturneduptohisears,hurriedacrossfromtheoppositesideofthestreet.Hewentdirectlytothewaitingman.

　　“Isthatyou,Bob?”heasked,doubtfully.

　　“Isthatyou,JimmyWells?”criedthemaninthedoor.

　　“Blessmyheart!”exclaimedthenewarrival,graspingboththeother’shandswithhisown.“It’sBob,sureasfate.IwascertainI’dfindyouhereifyouwerestillinexistence.Well,well,well!—twentyyearsisalongtime.Theoldrestaurant’sgone,Bob;Iwishithadlasted,sowecouldhavehadanotherdinnerthere.HowhastheWesttreatedyou,oldman?”

　　“Bully;ithasgivenmeeverythingIaskeditfor.You’vechangedlots,Jimmy.Ineverthoughtyouweresotallbytwoorthreeinches.”

　　“Oh,IgrewabitafterIwastwenty.”

　　“DoingwellinNewYork,Jimmy?”

　　“Moderately.Ihaveapositioninoneofthecitydepartments.Comeon,Bob;we'llgoaroundtoaplaceIknowof,andhaveagoodlongtalkaboutoldtimes.”

　　Thetwomenstartedupthestreet,arminarm.ThemanfromtheWest,hisegotismenlargedbysuccess,wasbeginningtooutlinethehistoryofhiscareer.Theother,submergedinhisovercoat,listenedwithinterest.

　　Atthecornerstoodadrugstore,brilliantwithelectriclights.Whentheycameintothisglareeachofthemturnedsimultaneouslytogazeupontheother’sface.

　　ThemanfromtheWeststoppedsuddenlyandreleasedhisarm.

　　“You’renotJimmyWells,”hesnapped.“Twentyyearsisalongtime,butnotlongenoughtochangeaman’snosefromaRomantoapug.”

　　“Itsometimeschangesagoodmanintoabadone,”saidthetallman.“You’vebeenunderarrestfortenminutes,‘silky’Bob.Chicagothinksyoumayhavedroppedoverourwayandwiresusshewantstohaveachatwithyou.Goingquietly,areyou?That’ssensible.Now,beforewegoontothestationhere’sanoteIwasaskedtohandyou.Youmayreadithereatthewindow.It’sfromPatrolmanWells.”

　　ThemanfromtheWestunfoldedthelittlepieceofpaperhandedhim.Hishandwassteadywhenhebegantoread,butittrembledalittlebythetimehehadfinished.Thenotewasrathershort.

　　Bob:Iwasattheappointedplaceontime.WhenyoustruckthematchtolightyourcigarIsawitwasthefaceofthemanwantedinChicago.SomehowIcouldn’tdoitmyself,soIwentaroundandgotaplainclothesmantodothejob.

　　JIMMY.

　　……