英語故事 市政報(bào)告 歐亨利

英語故事市政報(bào)告歐亨利AMunicipalReportbyO.HenryOurstorytodayiscalled"AMunicipalReport."ItwaswrittenbyO.Henryandfirstpublishedin1904.HereisShepO'Nealwiththestory.ItwasrainingasIgotoffthetraininNashville,Tennessee-aslow,grayrain.IwastiredsoIwentstraighttomyhotel.Abig,heavymanwaswalkingupanddowninthehotellobby.Somethingaboutthewayhemovedmademethinkofahungrydoglookingforabone.Hehadabig,fat,redfaceandasleepyexpressioninhiseyes.HeintroducedhimselfasWentworthCaswell-MajorWentworthCaswell-from"afinesouthernfamily,"Caswellpulledmeintothehotel'sbarroomandyelledforawaiter.Weordereddrinks.Whilewedrank,hetalkedcontinuallyabouthimself,hisfamily,hiswifeandherfamily.Hesaidhiswifewasrich.Heshowedmeahandfulofsilvercoinsthathepulledfromhiscoatpocket.Bythistime,IhaddecidedthatIwantednomoreofhim.Isaidgoodnight.HotelinNashvilleIwentuptomyroomandlookedoutthewindow.Itwasteno'clockbutthetownwassilent."Anicequietplace,"IsaidtomyselfasIgotreadyforbed.Justanordinary,sleepysoutherntown."Iwasborninthesouthmyself.ButIliveinNewYorknow.Iwriteforalargemagazine.MybosshadaskedmetogotoNashville.ThemagazinehadreceivedsomestoriesandpoemsfromawriterinNashville,namedAzaleaAdair.Theeditorlikedherworkverymuch.Thepublisheraskedmetogethertosignanagreementtowriteonlyforhismagazine.Ileftthehotelatnineo'clockthenextmorningtofindMissAdair.Itwasstillraining.AssoonasIsteppedoutsideImetUncleCaesar.Hewasabig,oldblackmanwithfuzzygrayhair.UncleCaesarwaswearingthestrangestcoatIhadeverseen.Itmusthavebeenamilitaryofficer'scoat.Itwasverylongandwhenitwasnewithadbeengray.Butnowrain,sunandagehadmadeitarainbowofcolors.Onlyoneofthebuttonswasleft.Itwasyellowandasbigasafiftycentcoin.UncleCaesarstoodnearahorseandcarriage.Heopenedthecarriagedoorandsaidsoftly,"Steprightin,sir.flltakeyouanywhereinthecity.""Iwanttogotoeight-sixty-oneJasmineStreet,"Isaid,andIstartedtoclimbintothecarriage.Buttheoldmanstoppedme."Whydoyouwanttogothere,sir?""Whatbusinessisitofyours?"Isaidangrily.UncleCaesarrelaxedandsmiled."Nothing,sir.Butit'salonelypartoftown.JuststepinandI'lltakeyouthererightaway."Eight-sixty-oneJasmineStreethadbeenafinehouseonce,butnowitwasoldanddying.Igotoutofthecarriage."Thatwillbetwodollars,sir,"UncleCaesarsaid.Igavehimtwoone-dollarbills.AsIhandedthemtohim,Inoticedthatonehadbeentorninhalfandfixedwithapieceofbluepaper.Also,theupperrighthandcornerwasmissing.AzaleaAdairherselfopenedthedoorwhenIknocked.Shewasaboutfiftyyearsold.Herwhitehairwaspulledbackfromhersmall,tiredface.Sheworeapaleyellowdress.Itwasold,butveryclean.AzaleaAdairledmeintoherlivingroom.Adamagedtable,threechairsandanoldredsofawereinthecenterofthefloor.AzaleaAdairandIsatdownatthetableandbegantotalk.Itoldheraboutthemagazine'sofferandshetoldmeaboutherself.Shewasfromanoldsouthernfamily.Herfatherhadbeenajudge.AzaleaAdairtoldmeshehadnevertraveledorevenattendedschool.Herparentstaughtherathomewithprivateteachers.Wefinishedourmeeting.Ipromisedtoreturnwiththeagreementthenextday,androsetoleave.Atthatmoment,someoneknockedatthebackdoor.AzaleaAdairwhisperedasoftapologyandwenttoanswerthecaller.Shecamebackaminutelaterwithbrighteyesandpinkcheeks.Shelookedtenyearsyounger."Youmusthaveacupofteabeforeyougo,"shesaid.Sheshookalittlebellonthetable,andasmallblackgirlabouttwelveyearsoldranintotheroom.AzaleaAdairopenedatinyoldpurseandtookoutadollarbill.Ithadbeenfixedwithapieceofbluepaperandtheupperrighthandcornerwasmissing.ItwasthedollarIhadgiventoUncleCaesar."GotoMisterBaker'sstore,Impy,"shesaid,"andgetmetwenty-fivecents'worthofteaandtencents*worthofsugarcakes.Andpleasehurry."Thechildranoutoftheroom.Weheardthebackdoorclose.Thenthegirlscreamed.Hercrymixedwithaman'sangryvoice.AzaleaAdairstoodup.Herfaceshowednoemotionasshelefttheroom.Iheardtheman'sroughvoiceandhergentleone.Thenadoorslammedandshecamebackintotheroom."Iamsorry,butIwon'tbeabletoofferyouanyteaafterdll,”shesaid,"ItseemsthatMisterBakerhasnomoretea.Perhapshewillfindsomeforourvisittomorrow."Wesaidgood-bye.Iwentbacktomyhotel.Justbeforedinner,MajorWentworthCaswellfoundme.Itwasimpossibletoavoidhim.Heinsistedonbuyingmeadrinkandpulledtwoone-dollarbillsfromhispocket.AgainIsawatorndollarfixedwithbluepaper,withacornermissing.ItwastheoneIgaveUncleCaesar.Howstrange,Ithought.IwonderedhowCaswellgotit.UncleCaesarwaswaitingoutsidethehotelthenextafternoon.HetookmetoMissAdair'shouseandagreedtowaitthereuntilwehadfinishedourbusiness.AzaleaAdairdidnotlookwell.Iexplainedtheagreementtoher.Shesignedit.Then,asshestartedtorisefromthetable,AzaleaAdairfaintedandfelltothefloor.Ipickedherupandcarriedhertotheoldredsofa.IrantothedoorandyelledtoUncleCaesarforhelp.Herandownthestreet.Fiveminuteslater,hewasbackwithadoctor.ThedoctorexaminedMissAdairandturnedtotheoldblackdriver."UncleCaesar,"hesaid,"runtomyhouseandaskmywifeforsomemilkandsomeeggs.Hurry!"Thenthedoctorturnedtome,"Shedoesnotgetenoughtoeat,"hesaid,"Shehasmanyfriendswhowanttohelpher,butsheisproud.Mrs.Caswellwillaccepthelponlyfromthatoldblackman.Hewasonceherfamily'sslave.""Mrs.Caswell."Isaidinsurprise,"IthoughtshewasAzaleaAdair.""Shewas,"thedoctoranswered,"untilshemarriedWentworthCaswelltwentyyearsago.Buthe'sahopelessdrunkwhotakeseventhesmallamountofmoneythatUncleCaesargivesher."AfterthedoctorleftIheardCaesar'svoiceintheotherroom."DidhetakeallthemoneyIgaveyouyesterday,MissAzalea?""Yes,Caesar,"Iheardheranswersoftly."Hetookbothdollars."IwentintotheroomandgaveAzaleaAdairfiftydollars.Itoldheritwasfromthemagazine.ThenUncleCaesardrovemebacktothehotel.Afewhourslater,Iwentoutforawalkbeforedinner.Acrowdofpeopleweretalkingexcitedlyinfrontofastore.Ipushedmywayintothestore.MajorCaswellwaslyingonthefloor.Hewasdead.Someonehadfoundhisbodyonthestreet.Hehadbeenkilledinafight.Infact,hishandswerestillclosedintotightfists.ButasIstoodnearhisbody,CaswelTsrighthandopened.Somethingfellfromitandrollednearmyfeet.Iputmyfootonit,thenpickeditupandputitinmypocket.Peoplesaidtheybelievedathiefhadkilledhim.TheysaidCaswellhadbeenshowingeveryonethathehadfiftydollars.Butwhenhewasfound,hehadnomoneyonhim.IleftNashvillethenextmorning.Asthetraincrossedar