汽车等待的时候英文短篇小说.docx
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汽车等待的时候英文短篇小说.docx
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汽车等待的时候英文短篇小说
汽车等待的时候英文短篇小说
Promptlyatthebeginningoftwilight,cameagaintothatquietcornerofthatquiet,smallparkthegirlingray.Shesatuponabenchandreadabook,fortherewasyettocomeahalfhourinwhichprintcouldbeaccomplished.
Torepeat:
Herdresswasgray,andplainenoughtomaskitsimpeccancyofstyleandfit.Alargemeshedveilimprisonedherturbanhatandafacethatshonethroughitwithacalmandunconsciousbeauty.Shehadcomethereatthesamehouronthedayprevious,andonthedaybeforethat;andtherewasonewhoknewit.
Theyoungmanwhoknewithoverednear,relyinguponburntsacrificestothegreatjoss,Luck.Hispietywasrewarded,for,inturningapage,herbookslippedfromherfingersandboundedfromthebenchafullyardaway.
Theyoungmanpounceduponitwithinstantavidity,returningittoitsownerwiththatairthatseemstoflourishinparksandpublicplaces-acompoundofgallantryandhope,temperedwithrespectforthepolicemanonthebeat.Inapleasantvoice,beriskedaninconsequentremarkupontheweatherthatintroductorytopicresponsibleforsomuchoftheworldsunhappiness-andstoodpoisedforamoment,awaitinghisfate.
Thegirllookedhimoverleisurely;athisordinary,neatdressandhisfeaturesdistinguishedbynothingparticularinthewayofexpression.
Youmaysitdown,ifyoulike,shesaid,inafull,deliberatecontralto.Really,Iwouldliketohaveyoudoso.Thelightistoobadforreading.Iwouldprefertotalk.
ThevassalofLuckslidupontheseatbyhersidewithcomplaisance.
Doyouknow,besaid,speakingtheformulawithwhichparkchairmenopentheirmeetings,thatyouarequitethestunningestgirlIhaveseeninalongtime?
Ihadmyeyeonyouyesterday.Didntknowsomebodywasbowledoverbythoseprettylampsofyours,didyou,honeysuckle?
Whoeveryouare,saidthegirl,inicytones,youmustrememberthatIamalady.Iwillexcusetheremarkyouhavejustmadebecausethemistakewas,doubtless,notanunnaturaloneinyourcircle.Iaskedyoutositdown;iftheinvitationmustconstitutemeyourhoneysuckle,consideritwithdrawn.
Iearnestlybegyourpardon,pleadedtheyoungran.Hisexpressionofsatisfactionhadchangedtooneofpenitenceandhumility.Itwasmyfault,youknow-Imean,therearegirlsinparks,youknow-thatis,ofcourse,youdontknow,but--
Abandonthesubject,ifyouplease.Ofcourse,Iknow.Now,tellmeaboutthesepeoplepassingandcrowding,eachway,alongthesepaths.Wherearetheygoing?
Whydotheyhurryso?
Aretheyhappy?
Theyoungmanhadpromptlyabandonedhisairofcoquetry.Hiscuewasnowforawaitingpart;hecouldnotguesstherolebewouldbeexpectedtoplay.
Itisinterestingtowatchthem,hereplied,postulatinghermood.Itisthewonderfuldramaoflife.Somearegoingtosupperandsometo--er--otherplaces.Onewonderswhattheirhistoriesare.
Idonot,saidthegirl;Iamnotsoinquisitive.Icomeheretositbecausehere,only,canIbetearthegreat,common,throbbingheartofhumanity.Mypartinlifeiscastwhereitsbeatsareneverfelt.CanyousurmisewhyIspoketoyou,Mr.--?
Parkenstacker,suppliedtheyoungman.Thenbelookedeagerandhopeful.
No,saidthegirl,holdingupaslenderfinger,andsmilingslightly.Youwouldrecognizeitimmediately.Itisimpossibletokeeponesnameoutofprint.Orevenonesportrait.Thisveilandthishatofmymaidfurnishmewithanincognito.YoushouldhaveseenthechauffeurstareatitwhenhethoughtIdidnotsee.Candidly,therearefiveorsixnamesthatbelongintheholyofholies,andmine,bytheaccidentofbirth,isoneofthem.Ispoketoyou,Mr.Stackenpot--
Parkenstacker,correctedtheyoungman,modestly.
--Mr.Parkenstacker,becauseIwantedtotalk,foronce,withanaturalman--oneunspoiledbythedespicableglossofwealthandsupposedsocialsuperiority.Oh!
youdonotknowhowwearyIamofit--money,money,money!
Andofthemenwhosurroundme,dancinglikelittlemarionettesallcutbythesamepattern.Iamsickofpleasure,ofjewels,oftravel,ofsociety,ofluxuriesofallkinds.
Ialwayshadanidea,venturedtheyoungman,hesitatingly,thatmoneymustbeaprettygood
thing.
Acompetenceistobedesired.Butwhenyouleavesomanymillionsthat--!
Sheconcludedthesentencewithagestureofdespair.Itisthemonotonyofitshecontinued,thatpalls.Drives,dinners,theatres,balls,suppers,withthegildingofsuperfluouswealthoveritall.Sometimestheverytinkleoftheiceinmychampagneglassnearlydrives
memad.
Mr.Parkenstackerlookedingenuouslyinterested.
Ihavealwaysliked,hesaid,toreadandhearaboutthewaysofwealthyandfashionablefolks.IsupposeIamabitofasnob.ButIliketohavemyinformationaccurate.Now,Ihadformedtheopinionthatchampagneiscooledinthebottleandnotbyplacingiceintheglass.
Thegirlgaveamusicallaughofgenuineamusement.
Youshouldknow,sheexplained,inanindulgenttone,thatweofthenon-usefulclassdependforouramusementupondeparturefromprecedent.Justnowitisafadtoputiceinchampagne.TheideawasoriginatedbyavisitingPrinceofTartarywhilediningattheWaldorf.Itwillsoongivewaytosomeotherwhim.JustasatadinnerpartythisweekonMadisonAvenueagreenkidglovewaslaidbytheplateofeachguesttobeputonandusedwhileeatingolives.
Isee,admittedtheyoungman,humbly.
Thesespecialdiversionsoftheinnercircledonotbecomefamiliartothecommonpublic.
Sometimes,continuedthegirl,acknowledginghisconfessionoferrorbyaslightbow,IhavethoughtthatifIevershouldloveamanitwouldbeoneoflowlystation.Onewhoisaworkerandnotadrone.But,doubtless,theclaimsofcasteandwealthwillprovestrongerthanmyinclination.JustnowIambesiegedbytwo.OneisaGrandDukeofaGermanprincipality.Ithinkhehas,orhasbad,awife,somewhere,drivenmadbyhisintemperanceandcruelty.TheotherisanEnglishMarquis,socoldandmercenarythatIevenpreferthediabolismoftheDuke.Whatisitthatimpelsmetotellyouthesethings,Mr.Packenstacker?
Parkenstacker,breathedtheyoungman.Indeed,youcannotknowhowmuchIappreciateyourconfidences.
Thegirlcontemplatedhimwiththecalm,impersonalregardthatbefittedthedifferenceintheirstations.
Whatisyourlineofbusiness,Mr.Parkenstacker?
sheasked.
Averyhumbleone.ButIhopetoriseintheworld.Wereyoureallyinearnestwhenyousaidthatyoucouldloveamanoflowlyposition?
IndeedIwas.ButIsaidmight.ThereistheGrandDukeandtheMarquis,youknow.Yes;no
callingcouldbetoohumblewerethemanwhatIwouldwishhimtobe.
Iwork,declaredMr.Parkenstacker,inarestaurant.
Thegirlshrankslightly.
Notasawaiter?
shesaid,alittleimploringly.Laborisnoble,butpersonalattendance,youknow--valetsand--
Iamnotawaiter.Iamcashierin--onthestreettheyfacedthatboundedtheoppositesideoftheparkwasthebrilliantelectricsignRESTAURANT--Iamcashierinthatrestaurantyouamthere.
Thegirlconsultedatinywatchsetinabraceletofrichdesignuponherleftwrist,androse,hurriedly.Shethrustherbookintoaglitteringreticulesuspendedfromherwaist,forwhich,however,thebookwastoolarge.
Whyareyounotatwork?
sheasked.
Iamonthenightturn,saidtheyoungman;itisyetanhourbeforemyperiodbegins.MayInothopetoseeyouagain?
Idonotknow.Perhaps-butthewhimmaynotseizemeagain.Imustgoquicklynow.Thereisadinner,andaboxattheplay--and,oh!
Thesameoldround.Perhapsyounoticedanautomobileattheuppercorneroftheparkasyoucame.Onewithawhitebody
Andredrunninggear?
askedtheyoungman,knittinghisbrowsreflectively.
Yes.Ialwayscomeinthat.Pierrewaitsformethere.Hesupposesmetobeshoppinginthedepartmentstoreacrossthesquare.Conceiveofthebondageofthelifewhereinwemustdeceiveevenourchauffeurs.Good-night.
Butitisdarknow,saidMr.Parkenstacker,andtheparkisfullofrudemen.MayInotwalk--
Ifyouhavetheslightestregardformywishes,saidthegirl,firmly,youwillremainatthisbenchfortenminutesafterIhaveleft.Idonotmeantoaccuseyou,butyouareprobablyawarethatautosgenerallybearthemonogramoftheirowner.Again,good-night
Swiftandstatelyshemovedawaythroughthedusk.Theyoungmanwatchedhergracefulform
asshereachedthepavementattheparksedge,andturnedupalongittowardthecornerwherestoodtheautomobile.Thenhetreacherouslyandunhesitatinglybegantododgeandskimamongtheparktreesandshrubberyinacourseparalleltoherroute,keepingherwellinsight.
Whenshereachedthecornersheturnedherheadtoglanceatthemotorcar,andthenpassedit,conturningonacrossthestreet.Shelteredbehindaconvenientstandingcab,theyoungmanfollowedhermovementscloselywithhiseyes.Passingdownthesidewalkofthestreetoppositethepark,sheenteredtherestaurantwiththeblazingsign.Theplacewasoneofthosefranklyglaringestablishments,allwhite,paintandglass,whereonemaydinecheaplyand
conspicuously.Thegirlpenetratedtherestauranttosomeretreatatitsrear,whenceshequicklyemergedwithoutherbatandveil.
Thecashiersdeskwaswelltothefront.Ared-headgirlanthestoolclimbeddown,glancingpointedlyattheclockasshedidso.Thegirlingraymountedinherplace.
Theyoungmanthrusthishandsintohispocketsandwalkedslowlybackalongthesidewalk.Atthecornerhisfootstruckasmall,paper-cove
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