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文章总共2页
Pitman waved it from him with his hand. 'Don't let me lose all
self-respect,' he said.
'Anything to oblige a friend,' returned Michael. 'But I'm not
going to drink alone. Here,' he added to the waiter, 'you take
it.' And, then, touching glasses, 'The health of Mr Gideon
Forsyth,' said he.
'Meestare Gidden Borsye,' replied the waiter, and he tossed off
the liquor in four gulps.
'Have another?' said Michael, with undisguised interest. 'I never
saw a man drink faster. It restores one's confidence in the human
race.
But the waiter excused himself politely, and, assisted by some
one from without, began to bring in lunch.
Michael made an excellent meal, which he washed down with a
bottle of Heidsieck's dry monopole. As for the artist, he was far
too uneasy to eat, and his companionflatly refused to let him
share in the champagne unless he did.
'One of us must stay sober,' remarked the lawyer, 'and I won't
give you champagne on the strength of a leg of grouse. I have to
be cautious,' he added confidentially. 'One drunken man,
excellent business--two drunken men, all my eye.'
On the production of coffee and departure of the waiter, Michael
might have been observed to make portentous efforts after gravity
of mien. He looked his friend in the face (one eye perhaps a
trifle off), and addressed him thickly but severely.
'Enough of this fooling,' was his not inappropriate exordium. 'To
business. Mark me closely. I am an Australian. My name is John
Dickson, though you mightn't think it from my unassuming
appearance. You will be relieved to hear that I am rich, sir,
very rich. You can't go into this sort of thing too thoroughly,
Pitman; the whole secret is preparation, and I can get up my
biography from the beginning, and I could tell it you now, only I
have forgotten it.'
'Perhaps I'm stupid--' began Pitman.
'That's it!' cried Michael. 'Very stupid; but rich too--richer
than I am. I thought you would enjoy it, Pitman, so I've arranged
that you were to be literally wallowing in wealth. But then, on
the other hand, you're only an American, and a maker of
india-rubber overshoes at that. And the worst of it is--why
should I conceal it from you?--the worst of it is that you're
called Ezra Thomas. Now,' said Michael, with a really appalling
seriousness of manner, 'tell me who we are.'
The unfortunate little man was cross-examined till he knew these
facts by heart.
'There!' cried the lawyer. 'Our plans are laid. Thoroughly
consistent--that's the great thing.'
'But I don't understand,' objected Pitman.
'O, you'll understand right enough when it comes to the point,'
said Michael, rising.
'There doesn't seem any story to it,' said the artist.
'We can invent one as we go along,' returned the lawyer.
'But I can't invent,' protested Pitman. 'I never could invent in
all my life.'
'You'll find you'll have to, my boy,' was Michael's easy comment,
and he began calling for the waiter, with whom he at once resumed
a sparkling conversation.
It was a downcast little man that followed him. 'Of course he is
very clever, but can I trust him in such a state?' he asked
himself. And when they were once more in a hansom, he took heart
of grace.
'Don't you think,' he faltered, 'it would be wiser, considering
all things, to put this business off?'
'Put off till tomorrow what can be done today?' cried Michael,
with indignation. 'Never heard of such a thing! Cheer up, it's
all right, go in and win--there's a lion-hearted Pitman!'
At Cannon Street they enquired for Mr Brown's piano, which had
duly arrived, drove thence to a neighbouring mews, where they
contracted for a cart, and while that was being got ready, took
shelter in the harness-room beside the stove. Here the lawyer
presently toppled against the wall and fell into a gentle
slumber; so that Pitman found himself launched on his own
resources in the midst of several staring loafers, such as love
to spend unprofitable days about a stable. 'Rough day, sir,'
observed one. 'Do you go far?'
self-respect,' he said.
'Anything to oblige a friend,' returned Michael. 'But I'm not
going to drink alone. Here,' he added to the waiter, 'you take
it.' And, then, touching glasses, 'The health of Mr Gideon
Forsyth,' said he.
'Meestare Gidden Borsye,' replied the waiter, and he tossed off
the liquor in four gulps.
'Have another?' said Michael, with undisguised interest. 'I never
saw a man drink faster. It restores one's confidence in the human
race.
But the waiter excused himself politely, and, assisted by some
one from without, began to bring in lunch.
Michael made an excellent meal, which he washed down with a
bottle of Heidsieck's dry monopole. As for the artist, he was far
too uneasy to eat, and his companionflatly refused to let him
share in the champagne unless he did.
'One of us must stay sober,' remarked the lawyer, 'and I won't
give you champagne on the strength of a leg of grouse. I have to
be cautious,' he added confidentially. 'One drunken man,
excellent business--two drunken men, all my eye.'
On the production of coffee and departure of the waiter, Michael
might have been observed to make portentous efforts after gravity
of mien. He looked his friend in the face (one eye perhaps a
trifle off), and addressed him thickly but severely.
'Enough of this fooling,' was his not inappropriate exordium. 'To
business. Mark me closely. I am an Australian. My name is John
Dickson, though you mightn't think it from my unassuming
appearance. You will be relieved to hear that I am rich, sir,
very rich. You can't go into this sort of thing too thoroughly,
Pitman; the whole secret is preparation, and I can get up my
biography from the beginning, and I could tell it you now, only I
have forgotten it.'
'Perhaps I'm stupid--' began Pitman.
'That's it!' cried Michael. 'Very stupid; but rich too--richer
than I am. I thought you would enjoy it, Pitman, so I've arranged
that you were to be literally wallowing in wealth. But then, on
the other hand, you're only an American, and a maker of
india-rubber overshoes at that. And the worst of it is--why
should I conceal it from you?--the worst of it is that you're
called Ezra Thomas. Now,' said Michael, with a really appalling
seriousness of manner, 'tell me who we are.'
The unfortunate little man was cross-examined till he knew these
facts by heart.
'There!' cried the lawyer. 'Our plans are laid. Thoroughly
consistent--that's the great thing.'
'But I don't understand,' objected Pitman.
'O, you'll understand right enough when it comes to the point,'
said Michael, rising.
'There doesn't seem any story to it,' said the artist.
'We can invent one as we go along,' returned the lawyer.
'But I can't invent,' protested Pitman. 'I never could invent in
all my life.'
'You'll find you'll have to, my boy,' was Michael's easy comment,
and he began calling for the waiter, with whom he at once resumed
a sparkling conversation.
It was a downcast little man that followed him. 'Of course he is
very clever, but can I trust him in such a state?' he asked
himself. And when they were once more in a hansom, he took heart
of grace.
'Don't you think,' he faltered, 'it would be wiser, considering
all things, to put this business off?'
'Put off till tomorrow what can be done today?' cried Michael,
with indignation. 'Never heard of such a thing! Cheer up, it's
all right, go in and win--there's a lion-hearted Pitman!'
At Cannon Street they enquired for Mr Brown's piano, which had
duly arrived, drove thence to a neighbouring mews, where they
contracted for a cart, and while that was being got ready, took
shelter in the harness-room beside the stove. Here the lawyer
presently toppled against the wall and fell into a gentle
slumber; so that Pitman found himself launched on his own
resources in the midst of several staring loafers, such as love
to spend unprofitable days about a stable. 'Rough day, sir,'
observed one. 'Do you go far?'
- governor [´gʌvənə]
n.总督；州长 (初中英语单词) - impression [im´preʃən] n.印刷；印象；效果 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- disguise [dis´gaiz] vt.假装；隐瞒 n.伪装 (初中英语单词)
- bother [´bɔðə] v.打扰 n.麻烦(事) (初中英语单词)
- lawyer [´lɔ:jə] n.律师；法学家 (初中英语单词)
- thence [ðens] ad.从那里；因此 (初中英语单词)
- cannon [´kænən] n.大炮 (初中英语单词)
- adjust [ə´dʒʌst] vt.调整；校准；使适应 (初中英语单词)
- reflection [ri´flekʃən] n.反射；映象；想法 (初中英语单词)
- novelist [´nɔvəlist] n.小说家 (初中英语单词)
- childhood [´tʃaildhud] n.幼年(时代)；早期 (初中英语单词)
- countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)
- departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开，出发 (初中英语单词)
- essential [i´senʃəl] a.必需的 n.要素，要点 (初中英语单词)
- barrel [´bærəl] n.(琵琶)桶；圆筒 (初中英语单词)
- strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- trifle [´traifəl] n.琐事，小事；少量 (初中英语单词)
- celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
- terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)
- commander [kə´mɑ:ndə] n.指挥员，司令员 (初中英语单词)
- restaurant [´restərɔnt] n.饭店，菜馆 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- gratitude [´grætitju:d] n.感激，感谢 (初中英语单词)
- scarce [skeəs, skers] a.缺乏的；稀有的 (初中英语单词)
- drunken [´drʌŋkən] a.喝醉的；常醉的 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- luncheon [´lʌntʃ(ə)n] n.午餐，午宴 (初中英语单词)
- oblige [ə´blaidʒ] vt.责成；迫使；使感激 (初中英语单词)
- liquor [´likə] n.酒类；(溶)液 (初中英语单词)
- preparation [,prepə´reiʃən] n.准备；预习(时间) (初中英语单词)
- beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)
- stupid [´stju:pid] a.愚蠢的；糊涂的 (初中英语单词)
- wealth [welθ] n.财富，财产 (初中英语单词)
- conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)
- unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit] a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词)
- invent [in´vent] vt.发明；捏造 (初中英语单词)
- stable [´steibəl] n.马棚 a.稳固的 (初中英语单词)
- eminent [´eminənt] a.卓越的；杰出的 (高中英语单词)
- dispatch [di´spætʃ] vt.&n.发送；派遣；调度 (高中英语单词)
- awkward [´ɔ:kwəd] a.笨拙的；为难的 (高中英语单词)
- hitherto [,hiðə´tu:] ad.至今，迄今 (高中英语单词)
- umbrella [ʌm´brelə] n.伞 (高中英语单词)
- assumption [ə´sʌmpʃən] n.掌握；担任；假定 (高中英语单词)
- studio [´stju:diəu] n.画室；照相室 (高中英语单词)
- philosopher [fi´lɔsəfə] n.哲学家；思想家；哲人 (高中英语单词)
- historic [his´tɔrik] a.有历史意义的 (高中英语单词)
- distrust [dis´trʌst] n.&vt.不信任，怀疑 (高中英语单词)
- positively [´pɔzətivli] ad.确实；断然；绝对 (高中英语单词)
- tragic [´trædʒik] a.悲剧的；悲惨的 (高中英语单词)
- politely [pə´laitli] ad.温和地；文雅地 (高中英语单词)
- uneasy [ʌn´i:zi] a.不安的；不自在的 (高中英语单词)
- thickly [´θikli] ad.厚厚地；密密地 (高中英语单词)
- literally [´litərəli] ad.逐字地；实际上 (高中英语单词)
- indignation [,indig´neiʃən] n.愤慨；气愤 (高中英语单词)
- brandy [´brændi] n.白兰地酒 (英语四级单词)
- abominable [ə´bɔminəbəl] a.可憎的；极坏的 (英语四级单词)
- humorous [´hju:mərəs] a.富于幽默的，诙谐的 (英语四级单词)
- drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)
- guidance [´gaidəns] n.向导，指导，领导 (英语四级单词)
- blessed [´blesid] a.享福的；神圣的 (英语四级单词)
- waiter [´weitə] n.侍者，服务员 (英语四级单词)
- touching [´tʌtʃiŋ] a.动人的 prep.提到 (英语四级单词)
- grouse [graus] n.松鸡 vi.&n.抱怨 (英语四级单词)
- cheerfulness [´tʃiəfulnis] n.高兴，愉快 (英语六级单词)
- inconsistent [,inkən´sistənt] a.不一致的 (英语六级单词)
- battlefield [´bætlfi:ld] n.战场 (英语六级单词)
- seminary [´seminəri] n.发源地；高等中学 (英语六级单词)
- champagne [ʃæm´pein] n.香槟酒；微黄色 (英语六级单词)
- deceitful [di´si:tful] a.欺骗的，骗人的 (英语六级单词)
- flatly [´flætli] ad.平淡地；断然地 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- downcast [´daunkɑ:st] a.沮丧的；向下看的 (英语六级单词)
- unprofitable [ʌn´prɔfitəbl] a.没有利润的；无益的 (英语六级单词)
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文章标签:名著
章节正文
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