Reading Skills
Reading Skills
ENGLISH
READING FOR COMMUNICATION
I YEAR
E. MANASYAN
S. MARGARYAN
A. JRAGHATSPANYAN
§ÈÇÝ·í³¦ Ññ³ï.
ºðºì²Ü
2007
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Ⱥ¼ì²´²Ü²Î²Ü вزÈê²ð²Ü
лÕÇݳÏÝ»ñª º. سݳëÛ³Ý
ê. سñ·³ñÛ³Ý
². æñ³Õ³óå³ÝÛ³Ý
3
BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY
KEY WORDS
KATE CHOPIN
4
most women lived only for their families. Because the stories were
shocking, people did not read them for many years after her death in
1904. Now Kate Chopin’s writing has been discovered again. People
are interested in her life and work.
5
Slowly she became excited. Her heart beat faster. She began
to see this thing. It wanted to find her and take her. She tried to fight
against it. But she could not. Her mind was as weak as her two small
white hands. Then she stopped fighting against it. A little word broke
from her lips.
“Free,” she said. “Free, free, free!” The emptiness and fear
left her. Her eyes showed her excitement. Blood warmed her body. A
sudden feeling of joy excited her.
She did not stop to ask if her joy was wrong. She saw her
freedom clearly. She could not stop to think of smaller things.
She knew the tears would come again when she saw her
husband’s body. The kind hands, now dead and still. The loving face,
now still and gray. But she looked into the future. She saw many
long years to come that would belong to her alone. And now she
opened her arms wide to those years in welcome.
There would be no one else to live for during those years.
She would live for herself alone. There would be no strong mind
above hers. Men and women always believe they can tell others what
to do and how to think. Suddenly Louise understood that this was
wrong. She could break away and be free of it.
And yet, she loved him – sometimes. Often she did not.
What did love mean now? Now she understood that freedom is
stronger than love.
“Free! Body and mind free!” she said again.
Her sister, Josephine, was waiting outside the door.
“Please open the door,” Josephine cried. “You will make
yourself sick. What are you doing in there, Louise? Please, please, let
me in!”
“Go away. I am not sick.” No, she was drinking in life
through that open window.
She thought joyfully of all those days before her. Spring
days, summer days. All kinds of days that would be her own. She
began to hope life would be long. And just yesterday, life seemed too
long!
After a while she got up and opened the door. Her eyes were
bright, her cheeks were red. She didn’t know how strong and well
she looked – so full of joy. They went downstairs, where Richards
was waiting.
6
A man was opening the door. It was Brently Mallard. He
was dirty and tired. He carried a suitcase and an umbrella. He was
not killed in the train accident. He was surprised at Josephine’s
sudden cry. He didn’t understand why Richards moved suddenly
between them, to hide Louise from her husband.
But Richards was too late.
When the doctors came, they said it was her weak heart.
They said she died of joy – of joy that kills.
Vocabulary
7
break away (adv) – to escape (from someone): The criminal broke
away from the policemen who were holding him.
break down (adv) – to destroy; to reduce or be reduced to pieces:
They broke the door down. The old cars were broken down for their
metal and parts.
break off (adv) – to end; to interrupt: The two countries have broken
off relations.
break up (adv) – 1. to divide into smaller pieces: The ice will break
up when the warm weather comes. 2. to come to an end: Their
marriage broke up.
8
excite (v) – 1. to cause to lose calmness and to have strong feelings,
often pleasant: The story excited the little girl very much. 2. to cause
(smth to happen) by raising strong feelings: The court case has
excited a lot of public interest.
excited (adj.) – full of strong, pleasant feelings; not calm: The
excited children were opening their Christmas presents.
excitedly (adv) – She excitedly opened the letter hoping to learn
smth about her parents.
shock (n) – 1. smth unexpected and usually very unpleasant: The bad
news left us all speechless from shock. His death came as a great
shock. 2. violent force, as from a hard blow, crash, explosion: The
shock of the explosion was felt far away. 3. the sudden violent effect
of electricity passing through the body: The doctors used electric
shoch to make the patient’s heart beat.
shock (v) – to cause unpleasant or angry surprise: I was shocked by
his sudden death.
shocking (adj.) – 1. very improper, wrong, sad: e.g. a shocking
accident. 2. very bad though not evil: What a shocking waste of time!
shock-proof – not easily damaged by being dropped, hit: She bought
a shock-proof watch for her husband.
9
weight of; support without moving: This pillar carries the whole
roof. 4. to contain: All the newspapers carried articles about the
government plans. 5. to have as a usual or necessary result: Such a
crime carries a serious punishment. 6. be carried away – to be
excited: She got carried away by the music of the concert and started
to sing it herself.
carry off (adv) – 1. to perform or do easily and successfully: She
carried off her part in the plan with no difficulty. 2. to win (the prize,
honour, etc.): She carried off all the prizes.
carry on (adv) – to continue in spite of an interruption or difficulties:
We’ll carry on with our discussion tomorrow.
freedom (n) – 1. the state of being free; the state of not being under
control: The people are fighting to gain freedom from foreign
control. 2. the power to do, say, think or write as one pleases: Two of
the freedoms spoken of by President Roosevelt in 1941 are freedom
of speech and freedom of religion.
die (v) – 1. (of creatures and plants) to stop living: She is very ill and
I am afraid she is dying. 2. be dying for/to – to have a great wish
for/to: I am dying for a cup of coffee.
die away (adv) – (esp. of sounds, wind, light) to fade and become
less and less and cease: Close to midnight the sound of the music
died away.
die down (adv) – to become less strong and violent: The excitement
of the crowd died down.
die off (adv) – to die one by one: As she got older and older, her
relations all died off.
die out (adv) – (of families, races, practices, ideas) to disappear
completely: The practice of children working in factories has nearly
died out.
10
death (n) – 1. the end of life, time or manner of dying: He was happy
till the day of his death. 2. put to death – to kill with official
permission: The prisoners were all put to death.
Discussion
1. Look at this sentence: “Now she understood that freedom is
stronger than love.” What do you think of this idea? Does it
shock you? What kind of freedom did Louise find? Where did she
find it? What kind of love was weaker than this freedom?
2. Louise thinks, “Men and women always believe they can tell
others what to do and how to think.” Why do you think she
believes this? Do you agree with her? How do people try to tell
other people what to do and how to think?
3. What does Louise mean when she says, “Free, free, free!” Free
from what? Today, are women more free than men, or less free?
Why? Are women freer in some countries than in others? Why?
11
4. At first, Louise (welcomed / fought against) the strange feeling
that came to her.
5. She understood that freedom is (stronger / weaker) than love.
6. She knew she could live her life (with Josephine / alone).
7. After her husband died, she hoped that her life would be (short /
long).
8. Richards tried to hide Brently from (Louise / Josephine).
Example:
It was a very bad accident. Two people died when the car left the
road and hit a tree.
12
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
Example:
13
B3. Fill in prepositions or adverbs.
1. Nobody expected that the news … her divorce would spread so fast.
2. We went to the university to check if my brother’s name was …
the list … the admitted.
3. … the football match fighting broke … … the rival groups … fans.
4. The night was cool and the air smelled … spring rain.
5. Ann did her best but couldn’t close her heart … the evil news.
6. Alex tried to express his feelings but only a little word broke …
his lips.
7. The criminal broke … … the policemen who were holding him.
8. She was drinking … life … the open window as if it was her last
day … earth.
9. The instructor closed the day saying they would carry … … the
workshop the next day.
10. … the result … mass cutting … many species … trees have
nearly died … .
11. The journalist reported that five people were injured … a car
crash … the highway.
12. There is statistics that most men die … heart attack.
13. We were all listening … him though we knew his stories were
always … belief.
14. She got carried … … the music … the concert and started to
whistle it herself.
15. He broke … the shop and stole the money … the cashier’s desk.
16. During the trial he behaved as if he was … … his mind.
17. The breaking news left us all speechless … shock.
In the section “Before You Read the Story,” Exercise B asked you to
think about the way marriages have in the past 100 years. Keeping
those thoughts in mind, work with a partner or small group from
your class, if possible. Think of magazines, newspapers, or television
programs that show you something about the role of women in
today’s world. What do the want ads (job advertisements) tell you?
What do advertisements for clothes tell you? What do TV programs
about families tell you? Choose an old movie or TV show that your
14
partner or group has seen. What do these things say about the role of
women? Have women’s roles changed? How, and how much?
Report to the class on what you find. If you have a problem finding
information, use what you know about your sisters, mothers, and
grandmothers. Is the role of women different in different countries?
You are Louise’s sister, Josephine. Every day, you write in a diary.
You write what happened that day, and how you feel about it. Here,
you are writing about what happened on the day Louise died.
Complete each sentence in Josephine’s diary with your own words.
Dear Diary,
Our friend Richards brought the saddest news today.
_________________________________________.
After Louise heard about it, she ____________________________.
Then she _________________________________.
I was so worried about her! I called and called outside her door, and
____________________________.
I couldn’t understand why she looked ________________________.
We went downstairs to see Richards. Suddenly, the door opened, and
Brently _____________________.
We couldn’t understand what had happened. I _________________.
Richards ____________________, and Louise _____________.
Later, the doctors _______________________________________.
I don’t know what Brently thought. But I think _________________.
15
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16
GETTING KNOWN
D. H. BARBER
The latest book of my poems has not been selling very well -
in fact 122 of my personal friends and relations tell me they’ve
bought it, but the publishers say only 84 copies have been sold. So
the general public seem to have received it rather coldly.
“The trouble is,” said Edith, “that nobody has ever heard of
you; and those who have heard of you don’t want to1 again. What
you need is a little advertisement 2. Let people know that you exist
and that you write poetry, and they will rush along to the libraries
and ask for your latest book.”
“But I can’t just put an advertisement in the newspaper saying
I’m a poet.”
Edith thought for a moment and then she said she had a bright
idea.
“Why not put an advertisement in The Times3” she said,
“saying that you recommend as butler 4 in a small family a man who
has been in your employment 5 for twenty years? ”
“But I haven’t had anybody in my employment for twenty
years,” I said. “ and I’ve never kept a butler of any sort, as you know
very well. And how can I sell more copies of my poems by
pretending that I wanted to find work for a non-existent butler who
hasn’t been in my employment for twenty years? ”
“You’re not very bright this morning,” said Edith.
“Don’t you know that the most successful6 sort of
advertisement is the sort that doesn’t look like an advertisement?
You ought to do something like this.”
She got a piece of paper and a pen and wrote the following:
“Mr. L. Conkleshill, the poet (author of Raspberry Bushes and Other
Poems), strongly recommends as butler in a small family his present
head man, who has been with him for twenty years.”
“The idea is not bad,” I said, “but I refuse to do anything so
dishonest.7 And if the plan didn’t work, it would mean money
thrown away. I won’t do it myself, and moreover I absolutely forbid
you to do it ...”
17
As a matter of fact I secretly rather liked the idea; and I
thought that when I absolutely forbade Edith to do it, she would pay
the money herself and send in the advertisement. I could then speak
to her severely about disobeying my orders, save my money and sell
my books.
For some days, however, she did nothing, although I was
careful to keep reminding her that I absolutely forbade her to send in
the advertisement.
“I expect to be obeyed in such matters,” I said several times a
day. Nearly always this sort of treatment produces the desired effect,
but you can never depend on a woman. Although I looked in The
Times every morning, the advertisement didn’t appear. Edith went
away to stay with a sick aunt, and I forgot all about the matter.
Then came the event of The Man With The Dog.
He was a big man, and the dog was a big dog, and they both
stood outside the front door and made noises at me.
“I’ll take the money now,” said the man in a bad-tempered
voice.
“What money is this?” I said politely. “Something due for
milk supplied?”
“Nonsense,” said the man. “Two pounds I want for the dog.”
“I don’t want a dog,” I said uncertainly. 8 Ours was a lonely
sort of road, and the man was a big sort of man, and it would perhaps
be wiser to buy the dog.
“Don’t want the dog!” said the man in an unpleasant voice.
“You calmly let me come here all the way from Hampstead 9 with
this cursed dog, and then tell me that you don’t want him ...”
At last I bought the dog for thirty shillings. I was weak,
perhaps, but Edith had been saying for a long time that we ought to
have a dog. In any case, I was in the middle of writing a poem, and if
the man had knocked me down I shouldn’t have been able to catch
the five o’clock post.
I gave the dog some meat and locked him in the kitchen, and
went back to my poem. Then the bell rang again, and I found two
men on the step, both with large dogs.
This time I didn’t argue. I just shut the door and went and
looked at myself in the glass. I was worried. Were the dogs real, or
were they the result of that last glass of whisky? I went up to my
18
bedroom 10 and looked down the long road that leads to the station. I
could see six men with six dogs.
Then the solution of the problem came to me, and I looked at
the Lost and Found advertisements 11 in The Times.
“Mr. L. Conkleshill offers £ 2 reward for the return of his
faithful dog Ogo, who first awakened the ideas in Faithful Eyes in
his new book of poems.”
Edith said afterwards that I hadn’t told her she mustn’t put in
an advertisement about a dog.
NOTES
19
10. I went up to my bedroom: An ordinary English one-family
house has two storeys: downstairs and upstairs. The bedrooms
are usually upstairs.
11. Lost and Found advertisements: a special column in the
newspaper.
EXERCISES
1. How did the general public receive the author’s latest book of
poems? 2. How did Edith, the author’s wife, explain his failure? 3.
What did the author need to win popularity? 4. What kind of
advertisement did Edith advise him to put in The Times? 5. Why did
she suggest The Times? 6. What objections did the author have to the
plan? 7. What were the author’s secret hopes? 8. Why was the author
unprepared for the visit of the man with the dog? 9. What made him
think that it would perhaps be wiser to buy the dog? 10. Why did he
get worried when he found another two men with dogs on his door-
step? 11. What made the author think of looking up the Lost and
Found advertisements in The Times? 12. How did the advertisements
about a dog find its way into the newspaper?
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
1. “You’re not very bright this morning,” said Edith. 2. “Don’t you
know that the most successful sort of advertisement is the sort that
doesn’t look like an advertisement?” 3. Nearly always this kind of
treatment produces the desired effect, but you can never depend on a
woman. 4. “What money is this?” I said politely. “Something due for
milk supplied?” 5. Ours was a lonely sort of road, and the man was a
big sort of man, and it would perhaps be wiser to buy the dog. 6.
Then the solution of the problem came to me.
20
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Çñ³Ï³ÝáõÙ, ã»ÝóñÏí»É Ññ³Ù³ÝÝ»ñÇÝ, ÑáõÛëÁ ¹Ý»É Ù»ÏÇ íñ³,
Çñ³¹³ñÓáõÃÛáõÝ, ¹Å·áÑ Ó³ÛÝáí, í»ñç³å»ë, Ý³Û»É Ñ³Û»Éáõ Ù»ç,
³é³ç³ñÏ»É å³ñ·¨³ïñáõÙ:
e.g. 1. The letter got lost in the post. 2. By the look he gave us I
could see that he was beginning to get interested in the discussion.
e.g. 1. The matter was that he had forgotten about the arrangement.
2. The difficulty was that she had lost the address.
e.g. 1. Why not go there at once? 2. Why take the matter to heart so
much?
keep (on) doing smth.
e.g. 1. The child kept asking one and the same question. 2. He kept
on writing her though she never answered.
e.g. 1. He wouldn’t let anyone see the painting until it was finished.
2. The woman let the children come and play in her garden any time
they liked.
21
1. The book was a great success. 2. He promised to handle the
package with care. 3. I could read doubt in his look. 4. The book
may be a great help to you in your work. 5. There was hope in her
voice. 6. It was a time full of events. 7. She often forgets things.
1. I went back to my poem. 2. Why don’t you sit back and relax a
moment? 3. If you miss the bus you’ll have to walk back the whole
way. 4. How dare you talk back? 5. He stepped back to let the
woman pass. 6. The crowd was ordered to keep back from the fire. 7.
She looked back on those years with regret. 8. We wanted him to
take back what he had said. 9. When they got back it was already
past midnight.
1. Who keeps house for you? 2. What a fine piece of work! Keep it
up! 3. He’s rather difficult to get along with. He’s the kind who
keeps himself to himself. 4. You can always depend on her to keep a
secret. 5. Promises are usually made to be kept, not broken. 6. Where
22
have you been keeping yourself? I haven’t seen you for ages! 7. I
should advise you to keep out of the game. It’s getting dangerous. 8.
Surprisingly enough he kept his head. He never gave way to fear or
panic. 9. The neighbour promised to keep an eye on our place while
we were away. 10. You must learn to keep your temper. 11. I should
keep out of his way if I were you. 12. It’s a constant wonder to me
how he keeps all those facts and figures in his head.
23
A SAD STORY
GEORGE SHEFFIELD
24
“May I mention that there is a certain sameness5 in your
remarks? Let me finish, and then you can say “but” as often as you
like. I turned from painting people to painting the country6. Nine
times I painted the view from the back window, and seven times I
painted the view from the front window. But could I sell the seven
pictures of the view from the front window, or the nine of the view
from the back window? I could not. I had little money left, and I
decided, after a severe struggle with myself, to forget my soul and
paint for money. I determined to draw funny pictures for the
newspapers. Remember that I was without hope and almost hungry,
and do not think of me too severely...”
“But...”
“I know what you are going to say - if I had had the soul of a
true artist, I would have died rather than do such a thing. But
remember that my wife and children were crying for bread – or
would have been crying for bread if I had had a wife and children.
And was it my fault that I hadn’t a wife and little children? So I
made thirty or forty funny drawings every day and sent them to the
papers. I soon found that selling one’s soul for money is not so easy
as it sounds. Believe it or not, I got no money. I just got my drawings
back...’’
“But... ”
“You may well ask why they were sent back. I cannot tell you.
I tested them on the cat. I had often heard the expression ‘funny
enough to make a cat laugh1’ and so I placed them in a line and
carried the cat along in front of them. He laughed until he was sick...
in any case he was sick.
“Then I sank lower and lower. I tried drawing for
advertisements. Clothes, pianos, bottles. Immensely tall ladies with
foolish smiles. I sent them off by the hundred, and all I received was
a sample bottle or two, and a sample card of wool. I rather expected
to get a sample tall lady with a foolish smile, but probably she got
lost in the post...”
“But...”
“So I gave up the struggle. My heart was broken, and I
determined to take to my bed, never to rise again. You cannot help
me, doctor. No skill of yours can help me. I feel it in my bones11 that
I shall never rise from this bed...”
25
“And I feel it in my bones that you will,” said the stranger,
carefully placing Augustus Pokewhistle on the carpet, “because I’ve
come to take it away. I’m from the furniture shop, and the bed isn’t
paid for.”
NOTES
EXERCISES
26
Augustus became a painter? 5 What were the stages in his artistic
career? 6 How did Augustus explain his failure? 7 Why did the
stranger keep interrupting him? 8 What was the purpose of the
stranger’s visit? 9 What was actually wrong with Augustus?
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
e.g. 1. There’s something wrong with the lock. It won’t open. 2. Her
plans went wrong.
have (get) smth. done
e.g. 1. You must get this work done by Monday at the latest. 2. He
wondered where he could have the report typed.
get a story (facts, information, etc.) out of smb., smth.
27
e.g. 1. I couldn’t get a word out of him. 2. She complained she had
got very little out of the book.
e.g. 1. Which would you rather have, tea or coffee? 2. She said she
would rather stay at home and watch TV than go out. 3. He would
give away his books rather than sell them.
e.g. 1. He’s sure to give up the idea sooner or later. 2. They had
given him up at last.
28
Medicine may do you a lot of harm if you take it without consulting
a doctor first. 5. You should have shown greater mercy to the boy. 6.
He had no mercy for those whom he considered to be his enemies. 7.
I found the information to be of great use. 8. She tore up the picture.
She had no future use for it. 9. There’s really no hope that he’ll ever
understand what he had done. 10. She was full of hope about her
boy’s future. 11. She couldn’t thank us enough for the help we gave
her. 12. You won’t be getting any thanks for doing the job.
1. The house wants a new coat of paint. The old paint has all peeled
off. 2. The notice read: “Keep off the grass”. 3. The boy has run off to
play. 4. The first group of climbers set off at dawn to be almost
immediately followed by a second group. 5. The doctor advised him
to keep off alcohol and fats. 6. He tore off a strip of gauze and
bandaged up the bleeding finger. 7. She took off her coat and hung it
on a peg.
Model: She put her hand into the bag and found that the book wasn’t
there any more.
29
She put her hand into the bag to find that the book wasn’t
there any more.
1. When he came into the office he found a stranger waiting for him
there. 2. The woman looked up from her book and saw that she had
missed her stop. 3. His mind was made up. He would leave and never
return. 4. When he arrived at the station he learned that the last train
had left but five minutes ago. 5. When she woke up she discovered
that she was quite alone in the flat. 6. He opened the door and found
himself face to face with his brother.
Model: If I had had the soul of a true artist, I would have died rather
than do such a thing.
1. That’s a job after my own heart. 2. If you don’t put your heart into
your work you’ll never achieve any worthwhile results. 3. The
children had set their hearts on a trip into the mountains. There was
no end of tears when it had to be called off. 4. The story you told us
is sad enough to break anyone’s heart. 5. He was a kind man at
heart. 6. Don’t take your failure so much to heart. 7. He was the kind
of man who easily lost heart.
30
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31
COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS
CITE (v) quote as an example. In her term paper, Janis had to cite
many references.
SITE (n) location. The corner of North Main and Mimosa Streets
will be the site of the new shopping center.
SIGHT a) (n) aim (of a gun or telescope). Through the sight of the
rifle, the soldier spotted the enemy. b) (n) view. Watching the
landing of the space capsule was a pleasant sight. c) (v) see. We
sighted a ship in the bay.
32
LATER (adv) a time in the future or following a previous action.
We went to the movies and later had ice cream at Dairy Isle.
LATTER (adj) last of two things mentioned. Germany and England
both developed dirigibles for use during World War II, the latter
primarily for coastal reconnaissance. (latter - England) ,
LOOSE (adj) opposite of tight. After dieting, Mary found that her
clothes had become so loose that she had to buy a new wardrobe.
LOSE (v) a) to be unable to find something. Mary lost her glasses
last week. b) opposite of win. If Harry doesn’t practice his tennis
more, he may lose the match.
PASSED (v) past tense of pass a) elapse. Five hours passed before
the jury reached its verdict. b) go by or beyond. While we were
sitting in the park, several of our friends passed us. c) succeed. The
students are happy that they passed their exams.
PAST a) (adj) a time or event before the present. This past week has
been very hectic for the students returning to the university. b) (n)
time before the present. In the past, he had been a cook, a teacher,
and a historian.
QUIET (adj) serene, without noise. The night was so quiet that you
could hear the breeze blowing.
QUITE (adv) a) completely. Louise is quite capable of taking over
the household chores while her mother is away. b) somewhat or
rather. He was quite tired after his first day of classes.
33
QUIT (v) stop. Herman quit smoking on his doctor’s advice.
STATIONARY (adj) non-movable, having a fixed location. The
weatherman said that the warm front would be stationary for several
days.
STATIONERY (n) special writing paper. Lucille used only
monogrammed stationery for correspondence.
THEIR (adj) plural possessive adjective. Their team scored the most
points during the game.
THERE (adv) a) location away from here. Look over there between
the trees. b) used with the verb be to indicate existence. There is a
book on the teacher’s desk.
THEY’RE (pron + v) contraction of they + are. They’re leaving on
the noon flight to Zurich.
TO (prep) toward, until, as far as. Go to the blackboard and write out
the equation.
TWO (n or adj) number following one. Two theories have been
proposed to explain that incident.
TOO (adv) a) excessively. This morning was too cold for the
children to go swimming. b) also. Jane went to the movie, and we did
too.
34
BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY
B. Thinking about it
1. Did your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents ever
“change countries”? That is, did your family, sometimes in the past,
move from one country to another to live? From where to where?
2. Do you like living where you are now? If you could choose
another place to live in, where would it be? Why?
3. Which do you like better: going to new places, or staying at
home? Why?
C. Scanning
How fast can you find the following information from the paragraph
about William Saroyan? Time yourself.
1. The year Saroyan was born: ____
2. The year he died: ____
3. The place he was born: ____
4. The place he died: ____
5. The name of the book of stories by Saroyan: ____
6. The place where he lived after 1958: ____
KEY WORDS
praise, perfect, punish Son, if you do this job perfectly, without any
mistakes, I will praise you with golden words. But if you do this job
badly, I will punish you by keeping you at home every night this
week.
rice, swill In this story, a boy cooks rice – small white grains
that he cooks in water. If he adds too much water, the rice will
35
become like swill – that is more like a bad soup than well-cooked
grains. Real swill is made of leftover food mixed with water or bad
milk, and fed to pigs.
WILLIAM SAROYAN
36
“Away with him and his zither both,” my grandfather said.
”You will read in a book that a man can sit all day under a tree and
play music on a zither and sing. Believe me, that writer is a fool.
Money, that’s the thing. Let him go and work under the sun for a
while. In the watermelons. Him and his zither both.”
“You say that now,” my grandmother said, “but wait a week.
Wait and you will need music again.”
“Foolish words!” my grandfather said. “But that writer is a
dreamer, not a businessman in a thousand years. Let him go. It is
twenty-seven miles to Hanford. That is a very good distance.”
“You speak that way now,” my grandmother said.” But in
three days you will be a sad man. I will see you walking around like
a tiger. I will see you roar with anger. I am the one who will see that.
Seeing that, I am the one who will laugh.”
“You are a woman,” said my grandfather. “You will read in
a book that a woman is a perfect and beautiful thing. Believe me, that
writer is not looking for his wife. He is dreaming.”
“It is just that you are no longer young,” my grandmother
said. ”That is why you are roaring.”
“Close your mouth,” my grandfather roared.” Close it right
now!”
My grandfather looked around the room at his children and
grandchildren. ”I say he goes to Hanford on his bicycle,” he said.
“What do you say?”
Nobody spoke.
“Then it is done,” my grandfather said. “Now, who shall we
send with him on this journey? Which of our children shall we
punish by sending him with Jorgi to Hanford? You will read in a
book that a journey to a new city is a great thing for a young man.
That writer is probably a fool of eighty or ninety. His only journey
was two miles from home once when he was a little child. Who shall
we punish? Vask? Shall Vask be the one? Step up here, boy.”
My cousin Vask got up from the floor and stood in front of
the old man. My grandfather put his hand over Vask’s face. His hand
almost covered the whole head.
“Shall you go with your uncle Jorgi to Hanford?” my
grandfather said.
“If it pleases my grandfather, I will,” Vask said.
37
The old man began to make faces, thinking about it.
“Let me think a minute,” he said. “Jorgi is one of the foolish
ones in our family. Vask is another. Is it wise to put two fools
together? Let me hear your spoken thoughts on this.”
“I think it is the right thing to do,” my uncle Zorab said. “A
fool and a fool. One to work, the other to clean the house and cook.”
“Perhaps,” my grandfather said. “Can you cook, boy?”
“Of course he can cook,” my grandmother said. “Rice, at
least.”
“Let the boy speak for himself,” my grandfather said. “Is that
true, boy, about the rice? Four cups of water, one cup of rice, a little
spoon of salt. Do you know how to make it taste like food, and not
swill, or am I dreaming?”
“I have cooked rice,” Vask said. “It tasted like food. But it
was salty. We had to drink water all day and all night.”
“All right. It was salty,” my grandfather said. “Of course you
had to drink water all day and all night. We’ve all eaten rice like
that.” He turned to the others. He began to make faces again. “I think
this is the boy to go,” he said.
“On second thought,” my uncle Zorab said, “two fools, one
after the other, perhaps not. We have Aram here. I think he should
go. Without question he must be punished.”
Everyone looked at me.
“Aram?” my grandfather said. “You mean the boy who
laughs? You mean loud-laughing Aram Garoghlanian? What has the
boy done to be punished like this?”
“He knows,” my uncle Zorab said.
My grandfather looked at me. “What have you done, boy?”
I know he was not angry with me. I began to laugh,
remembering the things I had done. My grandfather listened for a
minute, then began laughing with me. We were the only
Garoghlanians in the world who laughed that way.
“Aram Garoghlanian,” he said. “I say again: What have you
done?”
“Which one?” I said.
“You know which one,” my uncle Zorab said.
“Do you mean,” I said, “telling all our friends that you are
out of your mind?”
38
My uncle Zorab said nothing.
“Or do you mean,” I said, “going around talking the way to
talk?”
“This is the boy to send with Jorgi,” uncle Zorab said.
“Can you cook rice?” my grandfather said.
I understood perfectly now. If I could cook rice, I could go
with Jorgi to Hanford. I forgot about the writer who said a journey
was a great thing. Fool or old or anything else, I wanted to go.
“I can cook rice,” I said.
“Salty or swill, or what?” my grandfather said.
“Sometimes salty,” I said. “Sometimes swill. Sometimes
perfect.”
“Let us think about this,” my grandfather said. “Sometimes
salty. Sometimes swill. Sometimes perfect. Is this the boy to send to
Hanford?”
“Yes,” my uncle Zorab said. “The only one.”
“Then it is done,” my grandfather said. “That will be all. I
want to be alone.”
I started to go. My grandfather took me by the neck. “Stay a
minute,” he said. When we were alone, he said, “Talk the way your
uncle Zorab talks.”
I did, and my grandfather roared with laughter. “Go to
Hanford,” he said. “Go to the fool Jorgi and make it salty or make it
swill or make it perfect.”
II
We left the following morning before the sun was up.
Sometimes Jorgi rode the bicycle and I walked, and sometimes I rode
and Jorgi walked. We got to Hanford in the late afternoon.
The idea was for us to stay until Jorgi’s job ended. So we
looked around town for a house to live in. We found one that Jorgi
liked and moved in that night. The house had eleven rooms, running
water, and a kitchen. One room had two beds in it, and all the other
rooms were empty. After we moved in, Jorgi took out his zither, sat
on the floor, and began to play and sing. It was beautiful. It was sad
sometimes and sometimes funny, but it was always beautiful. I don’t
know how long he played, but suddenly he got up off the floor and
said, “Aram, I want rice.”
39
I made rice that night that was both salty and swill, but my
uncle Jorgi said, “Aram, this is wonderful.”
The birds got us up with the sun.
“The job,” I said. “You begin today, you know.”
“Today,” my uncle Jorgi said in a low, sad voice.
He walked slowly out of the empty house. I looked around
for something to clean with, but found nothing. So I went out and sat
on the steps to the front door. It seemed to be a nice part of the world
in daylight. It was a street with only four houses. There was a church
across the street from one of the houses. I sat on the steps for about
an hour. My uncle Jorgi came up the street on his bicycle. The
bicycle was going all over the place, my uncle Jorgi was laughing
and singing.
“Not this year, thank God,” he said. He fell off the bicycle
into a large plant covered with flowers.
“What?” I said.
“There is no job,” he said. “No job, thank God.”
He smelled a flower.
“No job?” I said.
“No job, praise our Father above us.”
“Why not?” I said.
“The watermelons,” he said.
“What about them?” I said.
“The season is over,” he said
“That isn’t true,” I said.
“The season is over,” my uncle Jorgi said. “Believe me, it is
finished. Praise God, the watermelons are all gone. They have all
been taken up.”
“Who said so?” I said.
“The farmer himself. The farmer himself said so,” my uncle
Jorgi said.
“He just said that,” I said. “He didn’t want to hurt you. He
just said that because he knew your heart wouldn’t be in your work.”
“Praise God,” my uncle Jorgi said, “the whole season is
over. All the big, beautiful watermelons have been taken up and put
in the barn.”
“Your father will break your head,” I said. “What will we
do? The season is just beginning.”
40
“It’s ended,” my uncle Jorgi said. “We will live in this house
a month and then go home. We have paid six dollars for the house
and we have money enough for rice. We will dream here a month
and then go home.”
My uncle Jorgi danced into the house to his zither. Before I
could decide what to do about him, he was playing and singing. It
was beautiful. I didn’t try to make him leave the house and go back
to the farm. I just sat on the steps and listened.
We stayed in the house a month and then went home. My
grandmother was the first to see us.
“You two came home just in time,” she said. “He’s been
roaring like a tiger. Give me the money.”
“There is no money,” I said.
“Did he work?” my grandmother said.
“No,” I said. “He played and sang the whole time.”
“How was your rice?” she said.
“Sometimes salty,” I said. “Sometimes swill. Sometimes
perfect. But he didn’t work”
“His father mustn’t know,” she said. “I have money.”
She got some money out of a pocket and put it in my hands.
“When he comes home,” she said, “give him this money.”
“I will do as you say,” I said.
When my grandfather came home he began to roar.
“Home already?” he said. “Is the season ended so soon?
Where is the money he got?”
I gave him the money.
“I won’t have him singing all day,” my grandfather roared.
“Some things simply have to stop, in the end. You will read in a
book that a father loves a foolish son more than his wise sons.
Believe me, that writer is not married, and also he has no sons.”
In the yard, under the flowering tree, my uncle Jorgi began
to play and sing. My grandfather came to a dead stop and began to
listen. He sat down in his big chair, and began to make faces.
I went into the kitchen to get three or four glasses of water
because of last night’s rice. When I came back to the living room, the
old man was sitting back in his chair, asleep and smiling. His son
Jorgi was singing praises to the whole world at the top of his sad,
beautiful voice.
41
Vocabulary
taste (v) – 1. to test the taste of (food or drink) by taking a little into
the mouth: I always taste the wine before allowing the waiter to fill
my glass. 2. to experience the taste: I have got a cold so I can not
taste what I am eating. 3. to have a particular taste: These oranges
taste nice.
taste (n) – the sensation of saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, etc, that is
produced when food or drink is put in the mouth: Sugar has a sweet
taste. 2. a small quantity of food or drink: I had a taste of the soup to
see if it was nice. 3. the ability to enjoy and judge beauty, art, music,
etc: She has good taste in clothes.
tasteful (adj.) – having or showing good taste
tasteless (adj.) – having no taste
taster (n) – a person whose job is testing the quality of food and
drink by tasting them
tasty (adj.) – having a pleasant taste
42
journey (n) – a trip of some distance usually by land: He is going on/
making a long journey.
Usage: A journey is the time spent and the distance covered in going
from one place to another: I go to work by train and the journey
takes 40 minutes.
Although travel (v) is a general word for going from one place to
another, the nouns travel and travels usually suggest traveling for
long distances and long periods of time: He came home after years of
foreign travel.
Voyage is similar, but is used mainly of sea journeys (or sometimes
journeys in space) and a journey by plane is a flight: Take some
books to read on the journey/voyage/flight.
A journey made for religious reasons is a pilgrimage, and a difficult
and dangerous journey made by a group of people for a special
purpose is an expedition: e.g. a pilgrimage to Mecca, Scott’s famous
expedition to the South Pole.
forget (v) – 1. to fail to remember: I’ll never forget meeting you for
the first time. 2. to stop thinking (about); put out of one’s mind: Let’s
forget (about) our disagreements and be friends again. “I am sorry, I
broke your tea-pot.” “Forget it!” 3. forget oneself – to lose one’s
temper or self-control, or act in a way that is unsuitable or makes one
look silly: The little girl annoyed him so much that he forgot himself
and hit her.
forgetful (adj.) – having the habit of forgetting: My old aunt has
become rather forgetful.
forget-me-not (n) – a small plant with blue flowers
start (v) – to bring or come into being; begin: How did the trouble
start? 2. to put into or go into activity, operation: The film starts in
ten minutes. 3. (off, out, for) to begin a journey: It is a long trip;
we’ll have to start off/out early and start back for home in the
afternoon. 4. (at, from) to go from a particular point; to have a
beginning or lower limit: The railway line starts from Moscow and
goes all the way to Siberia. 5. to begin using: Start each page on the
second line. 6. (at) to make a quick uncontrolled movement, as from
sudden surprise; be startled: The touch on his shoulder made him
start. 7. to start with also for a start – (used before the first in a list
43
of facts, reasons) It won’t work; to start with, it is a bad idea, and
secondly it’ll cost too much.
start (n) – an act or place of starting: It is getting late; we must make
a start. 2. the beginning of smth: The start of the film was dull. 3. a
sudden uncontrolled movement: I woke up with a start.
starter (n) – 1. a person, car, horse, etc, in a race or match at the
start, 2. a person who gives the signal for a race to begin, 3. an
apparatus for starting an engine.
44
woke up in the middle of an exciting dream. 2. a state of mind in
which one does not pay much attention to the real world: John lives
in a dream. 3. smth imagined and hopefully desired: It was his dream
to play football for his country.
dream (v) – to have a dream about smth: I dreamt he would come.
Usage: for both the past tense and the past participle dreamed and
dreamt are both used in BrE, but Americans more often use
dreamed.
dreamer (n) – 1. a person who dreams, 2. a person who has ideas or
plans that are considered impractical.
idea (n) – 1. a picture in the mind: I have got a good idea of what he
wants. 2. an opinion; thought: He’ll have his own ideas about that. 3.
plan; suggestion: He is full of good ideas.
Discussion
1. The paragraph about Saroyan tells us that his family was a large
and loving one. Do you think the family in “The Journey to
Hanford” is a loving one? Why or why not?
2. The grandfather in the story is like the king of the family. His
word is law. And he is the king mostly because he is the oldest
man. Perhaps that was the way with families in his old country
(Armenia). Do you know a family where the oldest man is like
the king of the family? Do you think every family needs a king
(or queen)? Why or why not?
3. Did this story make you laugh or smile in places? Which places?
4. What kind of work do you like best? What do you like to do when
you are not working? What do you think about Jorgi’s music: Is it
play or work?
If the sentence is true, write T next to it. If it is not true, write F for
false. Then rewrite e the sentence to make it true.
45
___ 2. The grandfather believed that money was more important that
music.
___ 3. Uncle Zorab thought he could punish Aram by sending him to
Hanford with Jorgi.
___ 4. Aram thought that only a fool would go to Hanford.
___ 5. When Jofgi arrived in Hanford, the watermelon season was
already over.
___ 6. Jorgi spent the whole month in Hanford playing his zither and
singing.
___ 7. Aram’s grandmother gave Aram some money for the work he
did cleaning and cooking for Jorgi.
___ 8. Aram’s grandfather didn’t like Jorgi’s music.
___ 9. Aram’s rice was always salty.
46
According to the grandfather, how many journeys did that writer
probably make? What does the grandfather think about journeys to
new places, not in books, but in real life?
4. “You will read in a book that a father loves a foolish son more
than his wise sons. Believe me, that writer is not married, and also
he has no sons”
Does the grandfather love his foolish son, Jorgi? What does the
grandfather do, in real life, when Jorgi begins to play his music?
47
Study the chart below. Note the words that make nouns by adding –
tion, -ment, or –ness to the verb form. Note the words that have no
change between noun and verb form. Use the chart to help you
choose the correct form of the word in parentheses to put in the blank
space in the sentences below.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
Punishment punish punishing punishingly
Praise praise -- --
Perfection perfect perfect perfectly
Season -- seasonal --
Salt salt salty, salted --
Fool, foolishness fool foolish foolishly
1. (punish) For Aram, going on a journey with Jorgi was not a ____,
but a joy.
2. (praise) Aram’s rice that first night in Hanford was both salty and
swill, but Jorgi ____ it.
3. (perfect) “Aram,” he said, “this rice of yours was cooked to
____!” Then he went to the kitchen and drank three glasses of
water, one right after the other.
4. (season) “Watermelons are a ____ fruit,” the farmer said to Jorgi.
“And I’m sorry to say that now the ____ is over. It’s finished.
There is no job here for you.”
5. (salt) On their last night in Hanford, Aram said, “Uncle Jorgi, I
didn’t ____ the rice enough. Let’s add more!”
6. (fool) Who do you think was more ____: Zorab, Jorgi, the
grandfather, or Aram? Or perhaps the farmer?
1. He told his parents he was going … Russia saying there was a job
… him there … the building site.
2. The children were very naughty and the father sent them … the
camp to forget them … a while.
3. The boys decided to go … the Sevan … their bicycles.
48
4. The boss thought a lot but couldn’t decide who to send … him …
that tiring journey.
5. He made everyone think he was … … his mind, but … fact he
was planning something else.
6. The expedition started … Friday morning … the sun was … .
7. When I lived … the village every morning the cocks got me … …
the sun.
8. Alan saw a beggar woman, got some coins … … his pocket and
put them … her hands.
9. The investigator switched … the light, sat … … his chair and lit a
cigarette.
10. The nuns stood … line and sang praises … God … their tender
voices.
49
To the questions above, add at least three of your own. Write
down the questions you will ask. Write down at least parts of
the answers you get. Report back to the class.
C2. Writing: A Summary
To make a summary, we first read a piece of writing that has many
words. Then we write in few words the most important things that
the many words said. Below is an example of a summary. It is a
summary of Part I of “The Journey to Hanford.”
Example:
Aram’s family wanted Jorgi to go away for a while. The grandfather
of the family thought Jorgi was foolish to play music and not get
money. He sent Jorgi to Hanford to work in the watermelon fields.
The family had a big meeting to decide which boy would go with
Jorgi to cook and clean for him. The family almost decided that
Aram’s cousin Vask would go. Then Aram’s uncle Zorab chose
Aram. He thought that he could punish Aram by sending him. But
Aram wanted to go. He said he could cook rice for his uncle Jorgi,
sometimes salty, sometimes swill, and sometimes perfect. The
grandfather chose Aram.
Now write a paragraph that is a summary of Part II of “The Journey
to Hanford.” Put in your summary the parts of the story you think are
the most important. Your summary should include at least the
following parts of the story:
• how they went to Hanford
• the kind of house they found to live in
• their first night there
• what Jorgi said when he came back from the farmer the next day
• how they spent the month on Hanford
• the grandmother and the money when they get home again
• the grandfather roaring
• then Jorgi playing his music
Add your own ideas of what is important in Part II. Try to write 80 to
120 words.
50
C3. Translate the following sentences into English using the
active vocabulary.
51
AT DOVER1
NIGEL BALCHIN
1
Balchin, Nigel (1908 -), an English writer. Among his more important
works are Mine Own Executioner, The Small Back Room.
52
I had the greatest difficulty myself in understanding what she
said, and the waiter soon gave it up and brought her whatever he had
ready. One was forced to believe that Miss Bradley was not only
very ugly, but very stupid too.
I think we may have exchanged half a dozen words at dinner,
when passing the sugar or the bread to one another. It is difficult to
dine endlessly opposite somebody without making a few polite
sounds. But they were certainly all that we exchanged, and after we
left the dining car I did not see Miss Bradley again until we reached
Calais.5
She was then trying very hard to get out of the train at Calais
Town, where we stopped for a moment, and a man was trying
equally hard to explain that she must get out at Calais Port.
This time I certainly spoke to Miss Bradley. I said, “It’s the
next stop. This is Calais Town.” And Miss Bradley, with a red face,
said, “Oh, I see. Thank you.”
And then, when we reached the sea, we really began to know
each other, and it was my fault. There were plenty of porters to carry
the bags, and I called one from the window of the train without
difficulty. But as I got out I saw Miss Bradley standing on the station
platform. She had two large very old cardboard suit-cases, one of
which seemed to be held together by a thick string.
She was standing there saying “Porter!” rather weakly and the
stream of porters was dividing round her, and passing her by, like
water dividing past a rock, looking for richer people.
It was at this moment I went towards her. I am quite sure that
if she had been less ugly I should not have done it. But she was so
ugly and she looked so sad and helpless standing there with her
baggage tied together with a string, crying “Porter!” that I was filled
with pity - a thing which seldom happens.
I smiled at her with a real and pleasant sense of virtue and said,
“My porter can take your cases, if you like.” Miss Bradley turned
and looked at me.
She was even uglier than I had thought. “Oh - thank you,” she
said. “It is very kind of you.”
My porter unwillingly added her baggage to mine and in a few
minutes we found ourselves on board the ship. Our cases were placed
53
side by side, and Miss Bradley and myself were naturally side by
side also.
I hope it will be agreed that up to this point I had acted like a
gentleman, though perhaps at no great personal sacrifice. I say I hope
it will be agreed, because there is no doubt that from this point my
usual bad qualities began to take control.
In less than ten minutes I realized that Miss Bradley, quite
apart from her ugliness was very, very dull. With hesitation, but
continually, she talked about nothing, and said nothing interesting
about it.
I learned that she had been in Italy for two weeks, visiting her
sister, who was married to an Italian. She had never been out of
England before.
At home she was a clerk in an office. The work was quite
interesting, but travelling to and from the office was tiring.
I do not suggest that any of this in itself was duller than most
conversations, but somehow Miss Bradley managed to make it
duller.
I considered that I should certainly have to see Miss Bradley
safely off the boat at Dover and on to her train; and after that there
would be no reason, except rudeness, why we should not travel to
London together. That meant four hours of it.
I could not face this; so, excusing myself, I went along to the
office on board and bought myself a seat on the Golden Arrow.
Miss Bradley was travelling by the ordinary train, so this
would mean that we should separate at Dover. I went back to Miss
Bradley, who told me about the flat in London that she shared with
another girl from the office.
We reached Dover without any interruption in Miss Bradley’s
flow of conversation. I hired a man to carry our baggage. I had two
expensive suit-cases which had once been given to me as a present,
and she had her two pieces of ancient cardboard.
Usually passengers for the Golden Arrow are dealt with first,
because the train leaves twenty minutes before the ordinary train.
When the boy asked if we were going on the Golden Arrow, I
hesitated and then said, “Yes.”
54
It was too complicated to explain that one of us was and one of
us wasn’t, and in any case it would help Miss Bradley because they
would deal with her bags quickly.
As we went towards the hall I explained carefully to her that
my train left before hers, but that I would help her with her baggage
first. The boy could then take our cases to the right trains, and she
could sit comfortable in hers until it left. Miss Bradley said, “Oh,
thank you very much.”
The boy, of course, had put our suit-cases together, and Miss
Bradley and I went and stood before them. At the proper time the
examiner reached us, looked at the four suit-cases in that sharp way
which examiners must practice night and morning, and said, “This is
all yours?”
I was not quite sure whether he was speaking to me, or me and
Miss Bradley, who was standing slightly behind me, and I was just
about to say “Yes” for both of us. But suddenly the worst bits of
pride in my nature rose to the surface. I did not want to admit that
those terrible old cardboard suit-cases with the string were mine, and
I replied, “Well- mine and this lady’s.”
The examiner said, “But you’re together?”
“For the present time,” I said rather foolishly, smiling at Miss
Bradley. I did not want to hurt her feelings.
“Yes,” said the examiner patiently. “But are you travelling
together? Does this baggage belong to both of you?”
“Well, no. Not exactly. We’re just sharing a porter.”
“Then if you will show me which are your things,” said the
examiner very slowly and carefully, as if he were talking to a child,
“I’ll deal with them.”
I pointed to my cases. I had nothing valuable, and said so.
Without asking me to open them, the examiner chalked the cases and
then, instead of moving to my left and dealing with Miss Bradley, he
moved to the right and began to talk to a man whose baggage
covered a space of about seven feet.
Miss Bradley said: “Oh dear-” mildly. I started to say: “Listen
- could you do the lady’s too, so that -” but the examiner took no
notice of me. He was already examining the man on the right.
The boy swung my cases away, and more were immediately
put in the space. The owner gave me a gentle push in the back. I
55
hesitated for a moment, but there did not seem to be much advantage
in standing there waiting for Miss Bradley when we were about to
separate, so I said: “Well, I’ll say goodbye now, and go to find my
train. I expect he’ll come back to you next. The porter will bring all
our cases to the trains when you’ve finished. Good-bye.”
Miss Bradley said, “Oh ... good-bye and thank you so much.”
We shook hands and I left with some relief mixed with a feeling that
I was being slightly rude.
I found my seat in the Golden Arrow and began to read.
Twenty minutes later I suddenly realized that the train was going to
leave in five minutes and that the porter had still not brought my
cases. I was just setting off to look for him when he came, breathless,
carrying them. I asked him rather sharply what he had been doing.
“It was her,” he said shortly.
“Miss Bradley? Well, where is she and where’s her baggage?”
“She’s still there,” said the boy in a hard voice. “And will be
for some time, I guess. Examining her properly.”
“But why?”
“Well, they’d found forty watches when I came away, and that
is only the start. So I thought maybe you wouldn’t want me to wait.”
The sad part of the story is this: if I had been a nicer and kinder
person, and more patient, and had really decided to see Miss Bradley
safely to London, or if I had not been too proud about her baggage, it
would almost certainly have been carelessly passed with mine; or, if
it had been opened, I should have had some very awkward
explaining to do. In fact, I seem to have been rude just in time. But I
have often wondered whether, when Miss Bradley stood alone and
sad on the station at Calais, she had already chosen me as the person
to save her, or whether she was just quietly sure that someone would.
Looking back, I am fairly sure that she chose me, though I
have never understood exactly how she did so. I am quite sure she
never made the slightest effort to speak to me first or to get to know
me.
NOTES
56
3. steel-framed: the suffix -ed meaning “having,” “characterized
by” is often used to form compound adjectives, such as thin-lipped,
big-hearted, gold-plated, etc.
4. impossible: the negative prefix im- is a form of in- used before
the lip consonants b, m, p, as in impersonal, imbecile, immoral, etc.,
il- occurs before l, as in illegal and ir- before r, as in irregular.
5. Calais: a seaport in N. France; a cross-channel ferry port
opposite to and 33 kms distant from Dover
6. comfortable: -able is an adjective-forming suffix meaning
“possessing qualities of”, resembling”, as in comfortable, likeable,
valuable, etc., or “suitable for,” as in eatable, drinkable, readable,
etc.
7. examiner: a customs officer
EXERCISES
57
chosen by Miss Bradley as the person to see her through the
Customs?
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
e.g. 1. She couldn’t help smiling. It was all ridiculous. 2. I can’t help
thinking that it was all my fault.
58
be anxious to do (to please ,to practise, etc.) smth.
e.g. 1. They were all anxious to help. 2. She was most anxious to
hide her feelings.
e.g. 1. He’s got a keen sense of duty. 2. His sense of honor would
never let him be unjust.
deal with smth., smb.
e.g. 1. The more urgent matters were dealt with first. 2. I shouldn’t
say that he’s so easy to deal with.
1. Did you say he was a man of regular habits? 2. I’m terribly sorry;
I never meant it as a personal remark. 3. It was a most exciting story!
59
4. Was the order obeyed? 5. Rumors had it that it was a perfectly
legal business. 6. Only an honest person could act like this. 7. I
looked into his smiling face and tried to guess his thoughts. 8. It was
something definitely worthy of our attention. 9. He was used to
comfort. 10. I liked her at sight.
1. If you had shown a little more patience with your work, the result
would have been much better. 2. Hardly anybody knows the writer
nowadays. 3. It was a fact of little importance, so at least he had
thought at the time. 4. The play was performed with little success. 5.
What struck me most about her was utter lack of responsibility. 6. It
always pays to be polite. 7. In her new surroundings she felt far from
happy. 8. He was not at all fortunate in his choice. 9. The answer I
got was not exactly what I’d call definite. 10. It was only a seemingly
important detail. Actually there was nothing to it. 11. I saw no
reason for his anger.
60
channel. 7. a) His fingers are all thumbs. b) He thumbed through the
book.
1. a) It was a most ... story. b) The woman gave me an ... look. c) ...
results, to say the least. (astonishing, astonished) 2. a) He passed his
hand in a ... way over his face. b) It was a ... sort of conversation. c)
You would have also found her to be a most ... woman. (tiring,
tired) 3. a) She was a woman of ... ugliness. b) He wore a .. look.
(surprising, surprised) 4. a) She spoke to me in a ... voice. b) He
was obviously near ... point. (breaking, broken)
1. She wasn’t attentive enough, may be that’s why she failed to grasp
the idea. 2. Possibly she had asked the questions out of sheer
curiosity. 3. In all probability he would have accepted the invitation
if he had received it. 4. There’s just a chance that he had kept on
putting off things until it was too late. 5. It is quite possible that she
had never taken any real pleasure in her household duties and had
stayed on out of a false sense of duty. 6. Possibly she was
misinformed as to the requirements of the examination.
1. Our cases were placed side by side, and Miss Bradley and myself
were naturally side by side also. 2. They were walking along the
street hand in hand. 3. We never see eye to eye. 4. After the heart-to-
heart talk that we had with him over a cup of coffee, I felt much
easier in the mind. 5. Now he was face to face with real danger.
61
1. She’s got plenty of common sense. 2. He must have been out of
his senses to do a thing like that. 3. I reread the letter. Somehow it
didn’t make sense. 4. He is sure to appreciate the joke. He’s got a
fine sense of humor. 5. You had better listen to him. He’s talking
sense. 6. There’s no sense in going there. It’s too late. 7. A good
talking to will surely bring him to his senses. 8. The term was used in
a very broad sense.
62
THE USE OF FORCE
W. CARLOS WILLIAMS*
They were new patients to me, all I had was the name, Olson.
Please come down as soon as you can, my daughter is very sick.
When I arrived I was met by the mother, a big startled looking
woman, very clean and apologetic who merely said, Is this the
doctor? and let me in. In the back1, she added. You must excuse us,
doctor, we have her in the kitchen where it is warm. It is very damp
here sometimes.
The child was fully dressed and sitting on her father’s lap near
the kitchen table. He tried to get up, but I motioned to him not to
bother, took off my overcoat and started to look things over. I could
see that they were all very nervous, eyeing me up and down
distrustfully. As often, in such cases, they weren’t telling more than
they had to, it was up to me to tell them; that’s why they were
spending three dollars on me.
The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes,
and no expression to her face whatever .She didn’t move and
seemed, inwardly, quiet; an unusually attractive little thing, and as
strong as a heifer2 in appearance3. But her face was flushed, she was
breathing rapidly, and I realized that she had a high fever. She had
magnificent blonde hair, in profusion. One of those picture children
often reproduced in advertising leaflets and the photogravure
sections of the Sunday papers.
She’s had a fever for three days, began the father and we don’t
know what it comes from. My wife has given her things, you know,
like people do, but it don’t do no good4. And there’s been a lot of
sickness around. So we thought you’d better look her over and tell us
what is the matter.
As doctors often do I took a trial shot5 at it as a point of
departure. Has she had a sore throat?
Both parents answered me together, No... No, she says, her
throat doesn’t hurt her6.
Does your throat hurt you? added the mother to the child. But
the little girl’s expression didn’t change nor did she move her eyes
from my face.
63
Have you looked?
I tried to, said the mother, but I couldn’t see.
As it happens we had been having a number of cases of
diphtheria in the school to which this child went during that month
and we were all, quite apparently, thinking of that, though no one
had as yet spoken of the thing.
Well, I said, suppose we take a look at the throat first. I smiled
in my best professional7 manner and asking for the child’s first name
I said, come on, Mathilda, open your mouth and let’s take a look at
your throat.
Nothing doing8.
Aw9, come on, I coaxed, just open your mouth wide and let me
take a look. Look, I said opening both hands wide, I haven’t anything
in my hands. Just open up and let me see.
Such a nice man, put in the mother. Look how kind he is to
you. Come on, do what he tells you to. He won’t hurt you.
At that I ground my teeth in disgust. If only they wouldn’t use
the word “hurt” I might be able to get somewhere10. But I did not
allow myself to be hurried or disturbed by speaking quietly and
slowly I approached the child again.
As I moved my chair a little nearer suddenly with one catlike
movement both her hands clawed instinctively for my eyes and she
almost reached them too. In fact she knocked my glasses flying and
they fell, though unbroken, several feet away from me on the kitchen
floor.
Both the mother and father almost turned themselves inside out
in embarrassment and apology. You bad girl, said the mother, taking
her and shaking her by one arm. Look what you’ve done. The nice
man...
For heaven’s sake, I broke in. Don’t call me a nice man to her.
I’m here to look at her throat on the chance that she might have
diphtheria and possibly die of it. But that’s nothing to her. Look here,
I said to the child, we’re going to look at your throat. You’re old
enough to understand what I’m saying. Will you open it now by
yourself or shall we have to open it for you?
Not a move. Even her expression hadn’t changed. Her breaths
however were coming faster and faster. Then the battle began. I had
to do it. I had to have a throat culture for her own protection. But
64
first I told the parents that it was entirely up to them. I explained the
danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so
long as they would take the responsibility.
If you don’t do what the doctor says you’ll have to go to
hospital, the mother admonished her severely.
On yeah?11 I had to smile to myself. After all, I had already
fallen in love with the savage brat12, the parents were contemptible to
me. In the ensuring struggle they grew more and more abject,
crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of
insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.
The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that
she was his daughter, his shame at her behaviour and his dread of
hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had
almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him. But his dread also
that she might have diphtheria made him tell me to go on, go on
though he himself was almost fainting, while the mother moved back
and forth behind us raising and lowering her hands in an agony of
apprehension.
Put her in front of you on your lap, I ordered, and hold both
her wrists.
But as soon as he did the child let out a scream. Don’t, you’re
hurting me. Let go of my hands. Let them go I tell you. Then she
shrieked terrifyingly, hysterically. Stop it! Stop it! You’re killing me!
Come on now, hold her, I said.
Then I grasped the child’s head with my left hand and tried to
get the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth. She fought, with
clenched teeth, desperately! But now I also had grown furious – at a
child. I tried to hold myself down but I couldn’t.
I know how to expose a throat for inspection. And I did my
best. When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and
just the point of it into the mouth cavity, she opened up for an instant
but before I could see anything she came down again and gripping
the wooden blade between her morals she reduced it to splinters
before I could get it out again.
Aren’t you ashamed, the mother yelled at her. Aren’t you
ashamed to act like that in front of the doctor?
Get me a smooth-handled spoon of some sort, I told the
mother. We’re going through with this13. The child’s mouth was
65
already bleeding. Her tongue was cut and she was screaming in wild
hysterical shrieks. Perhaps I should have desisted and come back in
an hour or more. No doubt it would have been better. But I have seen
at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases, and
feeling that I must get a diagnosis now or never I went at it again.
The damned little brat must be protected against her own
idiocy, one says to one’s self at such times. Others must be protected
against her. It is a social necessity.
In a final assault I overpowered the child’s neck and jaws. I
forced the heavy silver spoon back of her teeth and down her throat
till she gagged. And there it was – both tonsils covered with
membrane. She had fought valiantly to keep me from knowing her
secret.
NOTES
1. back: the back of the house with the windows usually facing the
back yard
2. heifer: a young cow
3. appearance: outward look. The suffix – ance (- ence) forms
abstract nouns of quality, action, etc., as in remembrance,
difference, etc.
4. but it don’t do no good (ungram.): but it (the medicine) didn’t
do her any good
5. took a trial shot (fig.):asked a question in an attempt to guess
what the girl was ill with.
6. her throat don’t hurt her (ungram.): her throat doesn’t hurt her
7. professional: characteristic of the profession of doctor. the
suffix – al forms adjectives with the meaning of “concerned
with”, “of the nature of”, as in practical, economical, classical,
cynical, etc.
66
8. Nothing doing (colloq.): an expression used either to confess
failure, disappointment or to refuse a request
9. Aw (colloq.): an interjection exceedingly common in speech and
signifying disapproval, disappointment, disbelief, etc.
10. get somewhere: to obtain some result
11. Oh yeah? (colloq.) Oh yes? Used in a questioning (rising) tone it
suggests disagreement.
12. brat: a child, a term of contempt
13. We’re going through with this: We shall go on doing this until
the examination is completed.
EXERCISES
1. What message did the doctor receive? 2. What did he know of his
new patients? 3. Who was ill? 4. Why was the little girl kept in the
kitchen? 5. What was the child like? 6. Why did the parents prefer to
have the doctor make his own conclusions about the girl’s illness? 7.
What could the doctor see at a glance? 8. What was his first
question? 9. What made the doctor think of diphtheria? 10. Why was
it important for the doctor to examine the little girl’s throat? 11. How
did he try to make her open her mouth? 12. Why were the parents
such a poor help for the doctor? 13. How did the doctor finally
succeed in examining the girl’s throat? 14. What confirmed his worst
suspicions? 15. Why did the girl refuse to open her mouth and have
her throat examined?
Ex 2. Explain or paraphrase.
1. ... I was met by the mother, a big startled looking woman, very
clean and apologetic. 2. The child was fairly eating me up with her
cold, steady eyes. 3. As doctors often do I took a trial shot at it as a
point of departure. Has she had a sore throat? 4. ... with one catlike
movement both her hands clawed instinctively for my eyes and she
almost reached them too. 5. Both the mother and father almost turned
themselves inside out in embarrassment and apology. 6. I explained
the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so
67
long as they would take the responsibility. 7. ... while she surely rose
to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of
me. 8. But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of
neglect in such cases. 9. It is a social necessity.
be up to smb.
e.g. 1. Have a cup of strong tea – it will do you good. 2. He had his
own way, and much good it did him!
e.g. 1. What had become of the letter? That was another point of
interest for me. 2. He‘s never late. It’s a point of honor with him.
68
e.g. 1. She threw me an amused look. 2. He took a look at the boy.
The little fellow was fast asleep.
e.g.1. The child let go of the toy balloon and up it went higher and
higher. 2. She’ll never let go of anything she might think belongs to
her, be it man or thing.
e.g.1. I tried my best to keep her from learning the truth, but in vain.
2. He kept me from doing my duty.
1. The young man has a fine ear for music, and a fine understanding
of it too. 2. The situation was worthy of a comedy. 3. It’s a truth. It’s
something that really happened in history. 4. You mustn’t be such a
cynic at your age! 5. When it came to putting the scheme into
practice many difficulties arose. 6. She’s a great believer in
economy. 7. The new developments in technology marked a great
step forward.
A. Model: The girl can take care of herself. She’s big enough.
69
The girl’s big enough to take care of herself.
1. You can put the book in your pocket. It’s small enough. 2. The
wind could have knocked you over. It was strong enough. 3. You
mustn’t let the girl carry that heavy bag. She isn’t strong enough. 4.
They said he wouldn’t be able to do the job properly and gave it to
another man. They said he wasn’t experienced enough. 5. He can
give us all the details. He is willing enough. 6. The joke made us all
laugh till we were weak. It was funny enough. 7. She never believed
a word of his story. She wasn’t foolish enough. 8. You can read the
book. Even with your knowledge of the language it’s easy enough.
1. The little girl’s expression didn’t change. She didn’t move her
eyes from my face either. 2. She didn’t notice it. You didn’t notice it
either. 3. He said he didn’t care and wasn’t interested in the subject
any longer. 4. He didn’t come in the morning. as a matter of fact he
never showed up at all that day. 5. She didn’t speak to me. She didn’t
look at me either.
70
his report. 3. He finally got through his exam, didn’t he? 4. I never
got through to him that day. Every time I picked up the phone the
line was busy. 5. She said she was through with him. She hated to
hear the sound of his name. 6. He wondered if he’d ever be able to
get through with the job. 7. She thumbed through the book on the
chance that she might find the letter she had hidden somewhere
between the pages. 8. His plans fell through. 9. It was a scheme as
yet to be put through. 10. He’s getting the best of medical care and
there’s no reason why he shouldn’t pull through.
1. I could see that they were all very nervous, eyeing me up and
down distrustfully. 2. You’ll get used to things by and by. 3. He has
been working here off and on for some time. 4. He walked to and fro
about the garden, evidently unable to make up his mind.
Grind (grit, clench) his teeth; knit his brows; wring his hands; purse
his lips; clench his fists; shake his head; screw up his face (eyes);
shrug his shoulders.
Ex 12. Study the phrases with thing and head. Use them in
sentences of your own.
71
B. 1. Two heads are better than one. 2. You may count on him to
keep his head in a moment of danger. 3. It was all so sudden. No
wonder they lost their heads. 4. The young man will go far. He’s got
a good head on his shoulders. 5. I expected her to nod agreement,
but she shook her head. 6. We were unable to make head or tail of
the story. It was so confusing. 7. His success must have gone to his
head. He behaved very strangely, to say the least. 8. Who put that
funny idea into your head? 9. Just give her a chance, and she’ll talk
your head off.
Ex 13. Translate the following into English using to, the verb
being understood.
72
CONFUSINGLY RELATED WORDS
These are words that cause problems when the speaker is not able to
distinguish between them. They are similar in meaning or
pronunciation but CANNOT be used interchangeably. Learn the
definition of each and its use before employing it in conversation.
ACCEPT (v) to take what is given. Professor Perez will accept the
chairmanship of the humanities department.
EXCEPT (prep) excluding or omitting a thing or person. Everyone
is going to the convention except Bob, who has to work.
AFFECT (v) to produce a change in. The doctors wanted to see how
the medication would affect the patient.
EFFECT a) (n) end result or consequence. The children suffered no
ill effects from their long plane ride. b) (v) to produce as a result. To
effect a change in city government we must all vote on Tuesday.
73
ALREADY (adv) an action that happened at an indefinite time
before the present. Jan’s plane had already landed before we got to
the airport.
ALL READY (n + adj) prepared to do something. We are all ready
to go boating.
BESIDE (prep) next to. There is a small table beside the bed.
BESIDES (prep or adv) in addition to, also, moreover. I have five
history books here besides the four that I left at home.
ASIDE (adv) to one side. Harry sets money aside every payday for
his daughter’s education.
74
CREDITABLE (adj) worthy of praise. The fireman’s daring rescue
of those trapped in the burning building was a creditable deed.
CREDULOUS (adj) gullible. Rita is so credulous that she will
accept any excuse you offer.
75
BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY
KEY WORDS
semi-barbaric This story begins: “A long, long time ago there was
a semi-barbaric king.” Semi- means “partly,” “somewhat,” “about
half.” Barbaric means “not following the usual rules of polite
behavior.” In this story the semi-barbaric king makes his own laws,
and loves making his own laws.
imagination Imagination is the power we have to make
pictures in our mind of things that are not present. We can use that
power in our work, or we can use it to dream of new ideas or things.
jealous In this story, a father is jealous of his daughter. This
means he wants to control her, especially her relations with young
men. And the daughter is jealous of the young man she loves. She
wants him for herself alone; she does not want to share him with
anyone else.
FRANK R. STOCKTON
76
in all of them his humor has an edge like a knife. When “The Lady or
the Tiger?” appeared in Century Magazine in 1882, it caused
excitement all over the country. Hundreds of people wrote letters to
the magazine or to their newspapers about it. Many letters demanded
an answer to the question that the story asks. Others asked if the
story was really about government, or psychology, or the battle of
the sexes, or something else. Wisely, Stockton never answered any
of the letters. The story remains as fresh today as it was then. Frank
Stockton died in 1902.
77
nothing and led by no one. Only Chance helped him – or didn’t help
him.
Behind one of the doors was a tiger. It was the wildest and
hungriest tiger that could be found. Of course, it quickly jumped on
the man. The man quickly died. After he died, sad bells rang, women
cried, and the thousands of people walked home slowly.
But, if the accused man opened the other door, a lady would
step out. She was the finest and most beautiful lady that could be
found. At that moment, there in the arena, she would be married to
the man. It didn’t matter if the man was already married. It didn’t
matter if he was in love with another woman. The king did not let
little things like that get in the way of his imagination. There was
music and dancing. Then happy bells rang, women cried, and the
thousands of people walked home singing.
The people of the country thought the law was a good one.
They went to the arena with great interest. They never knew if they
would see a bloody killing or a lovely marriage. This uncertainty
gave the day its fine and unusual taste. And they liked the fairness of
the law. Wasn’t it true that the accused man held his life in his own
hands?
This king had a daughter who was as beautiful as a flower in
the king’s imagination. She had a mind as wild and free as the king’s
and a heart like volcano. The king loved her deeply and was very
jealous of her. In his castle worked a young man. He was a good
worker, but he was of low birth. He was brave and handsome, and
the princess loved him, and was jealous of him. Because of the girl’s
semi-barbarism, her love was hot and strong. Of course, the young
man quickly returned it. The lovers were happy together for many
months. But one day the king discovered their love. Of course he did
not lose a minute, threw the young man into prison and named a day
for his appearance in the arena.
There had never been a day as important as that one. The
country was searched for the strongest and most dangerous tiger.
With equal care, the country was searched for the finest and most
beautiful woman. There was no question, of course, that the young
man had loved the princess. But the king didn’t let this stand in the
way of his excellent law.
78
And so the day arrived. Thousands and thousands of people
came to the arena. The king was high in his place, across from those
two doors that seemed alike but were truly very different.
All was ready. The sign was given. The door below the king
opened, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall,
handsome, fair, he seemed like a prince.
The young man came forward into the arena, and then turned
toward the king’s chair. But his eyes were not on the king. They
were on the princess. Perhaps it was wrong for the young lady to be
there. But remember that she was still semi-barbaric. Her wild heart
would not let her be away from her lover on this day. More
important, she now knew the secret of the doors. She had used all of
her power in the castle, and much of her gold to learn which door hid
the tiger, and which door hid the lady.
She knew more than this. She knew the lady. It was one of
the fairest and loveliest ladies in the castle. In fact, this lady was
more than fair and lovely. She was thoughtful, kind, loving, full of
laughter, and quick of mind. In her semi-barbaric heart, the princess
was jealous, and hated her.
Now, in the arena, her lover turned and looked at her. His
eyes met hers, and he saw at once that she knew the secret of the
doors. He had been sure that she would know it. At that moment, his
quick and worried look asked the question: “Which?” This question
in his eyes was as clear to the princess as spoken words. There was
no time to lose. The question had been asked in a second. It must be
answered in a second. Her right arm rested on the arm of her chair.
She lifted her hand and made a quick movement towards the right.
No one saw it except her lover. He turned and walked quickly across
the empty space. Every heart stopped beating. Without stopping for
even a second, he went to the door on the right and opened it.
Now, the question is this: Did the tiger come out of that
door, or did the lady?
As we think deeply about this question, it becomes harder to
answer. We must know the heart of the animal called man. And the
heart is difficult to know. Think of it, dear reader, and remember that
the decision is not yours. The decision belongs to that hot-blooded,
semi-barbaric princess. Her heart was at a white heat beneath the
79
fires of jealousy and painful sadness. She had lost him, but who
should have him?
Very often, in her thoughts and her dreams, she had cried out
in fear. She had imagined her lover as he opened the door to the
hungry tiger. And even more often she had seen him at the other
door! Her heart burned with pain and hatred when she imagined the
scene: He goes quickly to meet the woman. He leads her into the
arena. His eyes shine with new life. The happy bells ring wildly.
There is music, and thousands of people dance in the streets. And the
princess’s cry of sadness is lost in the sounds of happiness!
But the tiger, those cries of pain, that blood!
Her decision had been shown in a second. But it had been
made after days and nights of deep and painful thought. She had
known she would be asked. She had decided what to answer. She had
moved her hand to the right.
The question of her decision is not an easy one to think
about. Certainly I am not the one person who should have to answer
it. So I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door –
the lady, or the tiger?
Vocabulary
call (v) – 1. (to, for, out) to shout: speak or say in a loud clear voice:
He called for help. 2. to name: We’ll call the boy Jim. 3. to cause to
come by speaking loudly or officially or by sending an order or
message: He called me over to his desk. 4. to make a short visit to
someone: Let’s call on John for ten minutes. Do you think we should
call at Bob’s when we go to London? 5. to telephone or radio (to): I
called him this morning but he was out.
Usage: Telephone can be used as a noun or a verb, and so can the
short form phone. If you want to telephone your mother (or call her,
ring her up, give her a ring), you dial (phone) her number, which can
be found in the directory. If it is a long distance call, you may have
to ask the operator to connect you. The telephone will ring and if
your mother is at home she will answer it by picking up the receiver.
If she is busy she may ask you to call back later; if she doesn’t want
to speak to you, she may hang up; or if she is already on the phone
when you call her, her number is engaged / busy (AmE).
80
A telephone in a public place is a phone-box or a call-box.
call back (adv) – 1. to cause to return: Mrs. Jones was about to leave
when her secretary called her back. 2. to pay another visit: The
salesman will call back later. 3. to return a telephone call: I’ll call
you back.
call by – to visit when passing: I’ll call by at the shops on the way
home.
call for – 1. to demand: e.g. to call for the waiter, 2. to collect smb to
go somewhere: I’ll call for you at 9 o’clock.
call off – 1. to cause not to take place: The football match was called
off because of the snow.
call (n) – 1. a shout, cry: They heard a loud call for help. 2. a
command to meet, come, do smth: The minister waited for a call to
the palace. 3. on call – not working but ready to work if needed: The
doctor is on call tonight.
turn (v) – 1. to go round: She turned the key in the lock. 2. to bend
round; to look round: She turned and waved. 3. to change aim: We
must turn our attention to the coming elections. 4. (in, down, back)
to fold: He turned the corner of the page down so that he could find
his place. 5. to become; to reach: He has turned forty.
turn against – to become opposed
turn off – to stop a flow of (water, gas, electricity) – opposite turn
on
turn over – to think about; consider; to turn an idea over in one’s
mind
turn (n) – 1. an act of turning; a turn for the worse (= things have
become worse): How do you explain this strong turn of events?
(=this strong happening). We took turns at driving the car (= first
she did it, then I did it, then he, etc). We visited the old lady in turn
(= one after the other). I hope I haven’t spoken out of turn? (=
spoken when I should have remained silent).
a good turn – a useful or helpful action: He did me a good turn
when he sold me his car cheaply.
to a turn – perfectly cooked: This meal is done to a turn.
81
make (v) – 1. to produce by work or action: Will you make me a cup
of coffee? 2. to force or cause (someone to do something): They
made her wait. 3. to earn money: He makes a lot in his job.
Usage: 1. compare do and make: Do and make are used in many
fixed expressions like do a favor, make war, and there is no rule
about these. Usually, however, you do an action, make something
that was not there before: to make a noise, a fire, to do the shopping,
one’s exercises: What are you doing? – Cooking. What are you
making? – A cake. 2. compare make from and make of: We use from
when the original substance has been completely changed, and of
when something simpler has been done and we are naming the
materials used: Paper is made from wood. The bag is made of
leather. 3. When ‘make’ means ‘to force’ or ‘cause’, do not use to
before a following verb, unless the sentence is passive: It made me
cry. He was made to walk home.
82
marriage (n) – 1. the union of a man and a woman by a ceremony in
law: The marriage took place in church. 2. the state of being so
united: Her first marriage was not so happy.
lose (v) – 1. to come to be without; fail to find: He lost his way in the
mist. 2. have no longer, as a result of death, time, or destruction: I
have lost all interest in football. 3. to fail to win, gain or obtain:
England lost to Australia.
loser (n) – a person or animal who has been defeated: He always gets
annoyed when I beat him at cards: he is a bad loser.
loss (n) – 1. the act or fact of losing possession: Did you report the
loss of your car to the police? 2. a person, thing, or amount that is
lost or taken away: His death was a great loss to his friends. 3. at a
loss – confused, uncertain what to do
83
become informed (of): His mother learnt of her son’s success in the
newspaper.
Usage: For the past tense and past participle learned and learnt are
equally common in BrE, but the usual AmE form is learned.
Compare know and learn. To know is to be conscious of (a fact), to
have skill in (a subject), or to have met (a person) before: She knows
all about the computers. To learn is to get to know (a fact or subject),
not a person: I learnt that I had passed the test.
except (prep., conj) – leaving out; not including: He answered all the
questions except the last one.
Usage: Compare except and besides. Besides means as well as, but
except means leaving out; but not: “Besides the British Museum we
also visited several others.” means that in addition to the British
Museum we visited other museums. “We visited several museums
except the British Museum.” means we left out the British Museum
(with the exception of).
exception (n) – being excepted: You must answer all the questions
without exception.
exceptional (adj.) – unusual, in a good sense: All the children are
clever, but the youngest boy is really exceptional.
Discussion
1. Which came out of the open door – the lady or the tiger? What
do you think? Did the princess send her lover to the lady or to
the tiger? Why?
2. The end of the story is about the princess’s decision: whether to
send her lover to the lady or to the tiger. But doesn’t the lover,
too, have a decision to make? When the lover is about to open
one of the doors, he turns and takes a final look at the princess.
With a movement of her hand, she has told him to open the door
on the right. This leads us to a final question. Remember, the
lover knows that the princess knows which door hides the lady,
and which door hides the tiger. How well does the lover know
the princess? Will he open the door she has chosen? Or,
84
believing it hides the tiger, will he open the other one? Why,
finally did he open the door on the right?
3. Do you think people are less barbaric now than they were
hundreds of years ago? In what ways? Are they more barbaric?
In what ways? Are they exactly the same? Give specific
examples to help others understand your thoughts.
If the sentence is true, write T next to it. If it is not true, write F for
false. Then rewrite the sentence so that it is true.
In the following sentences, the words this, that and it have been
underlined. Find the sentence in the story. Then tell what words or
ideas are meant by this, that and it.
Examples:
“Of course, the young man quickly returned it.”
It means the princess’s love.
“She knew more than this.”
This means which door hid the tiger and which door hid the lady.
85
1. “The king did not let little things like that get in the way of
his imagination.”
2. “This was the way the law worked in the king’s semi-
barbaric country.”
3. “This uncertainty gave the day its fine and unusual taste.”
4. “But the king did not let this stand in the way of his excellent
law.”
5. “But how could the princess be sure of that?”
6. “He had been sure that she would know it.”
7. “Certainly I am not the one person who should have to
answer it.”
Choose the best words from the list to complete the sentences and
translate them.
86
8. Everyone thought the working of Chance was … because a
man’s life was in his own hands.
Use the chart to help you choose the correct form of the word to put
in the blank spaces in the sentences.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
87
1) He did his best, but couldn’t turn his lifetime dream … a fact. 2)
They agreed … the price of the car. 3) The slaves saw Spartacus …
the act of bravery and joined him … struggle for freedom. 4) Annie
fainted … the sight … blood. 5) We do not see many laws … our
country … work. 6) The man was accused … breaking … the shop
and stealing money. 7) The boy was … deep love … the girl, their
parents were against any relations … them. 8) John would never let
anything get … the way of his ambitious plan. 9) Nobody expected
him to be so jealous … his pretty wife. 10) Joan searched the shop …
the finest silk but couldn’t find it. 11) In the first part of the
conference they did not talk … anything important. 12) Every eye …
his was … the man … the arena. 13) Every night she could hear her
brother cry … … fear in the next room.
With a partner, read over the instructions for the Writing exercise
(next exercise) below. Share the ideas you have about each of the
three paragraphs. Take notes as you talk. Plan each paragraph
separately. Next, working alone, write the three paragraphs. Then,
exchange paragraphs with your partner and discuss them. For
example, are the “reasons” given in paragraphs 1 and 2 good ones?
What do you think about your partner’s personal choice in paragraph
3? Is it clear to you? Does it make good sense? Discuss the
suggestions your partner makes for your paragraphs. Then rewrite
them.
C2. Writing
1. “Which came out of the opened door – the lady, or the tiger?”
Write down this question. Then write a paragraph that begins
with the sentence “Perhaps it was the lady who came out.”
Give at least three reasons why the princess chose the lady for
her lover.
2. Write a second paragraph that begins “On the other hand,
perhaps it was the tiger.” Give at least three reasons why the
princess chose the tiger.
88
3. Write a third paragraph that begins with the words “Personally,
I think …” Give your own choice. Which of the reasons that
you have written is the most important to you? Why?
89
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90
RECIPE FOR MURDER
G. P. DONNEL, JR.
Just as the villa, clamorous with1 flowers, was not what he had
expected, so was its owner a new quality in his calculations. Madame
Chalon, at forty, fitted no category of murderers; she was neither
Cleopatra2 nor beldame3. A Minerva4 of a woman, he told himself
instantly, whose large, liquid eyes were but a shade lighter than the
cobalt blue of the Mediterranean twinkling outside the tall windows
of the salon5 where they sat.
“Dubonnet6, Inspector Miron?” As he spoke, she prepared to
pour. His reflex of hesitation lit a dim glow of amusement in her
eyes, which her manners prevented from straying to her lips.
“Thank you.” Annoyed with himself, he spoke forcefully.
Madam Chalon made a small, barely perceptible point of
drinking first, as though to say, ”See, M.7 Miron, you are quite safe.”
It was neat8. Too neat?
With a tiny smile now: you have called about my poisoning of
my husbands,” she stated flatly.
“Madame!” Again he hesitated, nonplused. “Madame, I...”
“You must already have visited the Prefecture. All
Villefranche believes it,” she said placidly.
He adjusted his composure to an official calm. ”Madame, I
come to ask permission to disinter the body of M. Charles Wesser,
deceased January 1939, and Mr. Etienne Challon, deceased May
1946, for official analysis of certain organs. You have already
refused Sergeant Luchaire of the local station this permission. Why?”
“Luchaire is a type without politeness. I found him repulsive.
He is, unlike you, without finesse9. I refuse the attitude of the man,
not the law.” She raised the small glass to her full lips. “I shall not
refuse you, Inspector Miron.” Her eyes were almost admiring.
“You are most flattering.”
“Because,” she continued gently, “I am quite sure, knowing the
methods of you Paris police, that the disinterment has already been
conducted secretly.” She waited for his colour to deepen, affecting
not to notice the change. “And the analyses,” she went on, as though
91
there had been no break, completed. “You are puzzled. You found
nothing. So now you, new to the case, wish to estimate me, my
character, my capacity for self-control - and incidentally your own
chances of maneuvering me into talk that will guide you in the
direction of my guilt.”
So accurately did these darts strike home10 that it would be the
ultimate stupidity11 to deny the wounds. Better a disarming
frankness, Miron decided quickly. “Quite true, Madame Chalon.
True to the letter12. But - ” he regarded her closely -“ when one loses
two husbands of some age - but not old - to a fairly violent gastric
disturbance, each within two years of marriage, each of a substantial
fortune and leaving all to the widow ... you see ...?”
“Of course.” Madame Chalon went to the window, let her soft
profile, the grand line of her bosom be silhouetted against the blue
water. “Would you care for a full confession, Inspector Miron?” She
was very much woman, provocative woman, and her tone, just short
of13 caressing, warned Miron to keep a grip on himself.
“If you would care to make one, Madame Chalon” he said, as
casually as he could. A dangerous woman. A consumedly dangerous
woman.
“Then I shall oblige.” Madame Charlon was not smiling.
Through the open window a vagrant whiff of air brought him the
scent of her. Or was it the scent of the garden? Caution kept his hand
from his notebook. Impossible that she would really talk so easily.
And yet ...
“You know something of the art of food, M. Miron?”
“I am from Paris, you remember?”
“And love, too?”
“As I said, I am from Paris.”
“Then - ” the bosom swelled with her long breath – “I can tell
you that I, Hortense Eugenie Villerois Wesser Chalon, did slowly
and deliberately, with full purpose, kill and murder my first husband,
M. Wesser, aged 57, and likewise my second, M. Chalon, aged 65.”
“For some reason, no doubt.” Was this a dream? Or insanity?
“M. Wesser I married through persuasion of family, M.Wesser,
I learned within a fortnight, was a pig – a pig of insatiable appetites.
A crude man, inspector; a belcher14, a braggart, cheater of the poor,
deceiver of the innocent. A gobbler of food, an untidy man of
92
unappetizing habits - in short, with all the revolting faults of
advancing age and none of its tenderness or dignity. Also because of
these things, his stomach was no longer strong.’’
Having gone thoroughly into the matter of M. Wesser in Paris
and obtained much the same picture, he nodded. “And M. Chalon?”
“Older- as I was older when I wed him.”
With mild irony.” And also with a weak stomach?”
“No doubt. Say, rather a weak will. Perhaps less brutish15 than
Wesser. Perhaps, au fond16, worse, for he knew too many among the
Germans here. Why did they take pains to see that we had the very
best, the most unobtainable of foods and wines, when, daily, children
fainted in the street? Murderess I may be, Inspector, but also a
Frenchwoman.So I decided without remorse that Chalon should die,
as Wesser died.”
Very quietly, not to disturb the thread. ”How, Madame
Chalon?”
She turned, her face illuminated by a smile. “You are familiar,
perhaps, with such dishes as ‘Dindonneau Forci aux Marrons17’? Or
‘Supremes de Volaille a l’Indienne’? Or ‘Tournedos Mascotte’? Or
‘Omellete en Surprise a la Napolitaine17’? Or ‘Potage Bagration
Gras’, ‘Aubergines a la Turque17’, ‘Chaud-Froid de Cailles en Belle
Vue17’, or... ”
“Stop, Madame Chalon! I am simultaneously ravenous and
smothering in food. Such richness of food! Such... ”
“You asked my methods, Inspector Miron. I used these dishes
and a hundred others. And in each of them, I concealed a bit of... ”
Her voice broke suddenly.
Inspector Miron, By a mighty effort, studied his hand as he
finished his Dubonnet. “You concealed a bit of what, Madame
Chalon?”
“You have investigated me. You know who my father was.”
“Jean-Marie Villerois, chief18 superb, matchless disciple of the
matchless Escoffier. Once called Escoffier’s sole worthy successor.”
“Yes. And before I was twenty-two, my father - just before his
death - admitted that outside of a certain negligible weakness in the
matter of braising19, he would not be ashamed to own me as his
equal.”
93
“Most interesting. I bow to you. ” Miron’s nerves tightened at
this handsome woman’s faculty for irrelevancy. “But you said you
concealed in each of these incomparable dishes a bit of ...”
Madame Chalon turned her back to him. “A bit of my art, and
no more. That and no more, Inspector. The art of Escoffier, or
Villerois. What man like Wesser or Chalon could resist? Three, four
times a day I fed them rich food of the richest; varied irresistibly. I
forced them to gorge to bursting, sleep, gorge again; and drink too
much wine that they might gorge still more. How could they, at their
ages, live – even as long as they did?”
A silence like the ticking of a far-off clock. Inspector Miron
stood up, so abruptly that she started, whirled. She was paler.
“You will come with me to Nice this evening, Madame
Chalon.”
“To the police station, Inspector Miron?”
“To the Casino,20 Madame Chalon. For champagne and music.
We shall talk some more.”
“But Inspector Miron ...!”
“Listen to me, Madame. I am a bachelor. Of forty-four. Not
too bad to look at, I have been told. I have a sum put away. I am not
a great catch, but still, not one to be despised”. He looked into her
eyes. “I wish to die.”
“The diets,” said Madame Chalon finally and thoughtfully, “if
used in moderation, are not necessarily fatal. Would you care to kiss
my hand, Inspector Miron?”
NOTES
1. clamorous with: full of, abounding in. The suffix –ous forms
adjectives meaning “full of”, as in joyous, enormous, vigorous,
etc.
2. Cleopatra (69-30 B. C.), daughter of Ptolemy XI, the sixth
queen of Egypt by that name, a brilliant, ambitious woman of
great charm
3. beldame: an ugly, filthy old woman
4. Minerva: the Roman goddess of wisdom; a Minerva of a
woman: a clever woman
5. salon: a drawing-room
94
6. Dubonnet: a French aperitif
7. M. (Fr.): Monsieur
8. neat: very skillfully done
9. finesse: skill in dealing with a difficult or delicate situation, so
that one gets what one wants without making people angry.
10. so accurately did these darts strike home: so accurate was
Madame Chalon in stating the purpose of his visit ...
11. stupidity: the suffix -ty (-ity, -ety) forms abstract nouns, as in
cruelty, necessity, etc.
12. true to the letter: true in every detail
13. just short of: almost, a little less than
14. belcher (fig.}: a person given to using violent, obscene language
15. brutish: like an animal. The adjective-forming suffix -ish has
here the meaning of "having the qualities of", as in brownish,
womanish, etc.
16. au-fond (Fr.): at bottom
17. Dindonneau Forci aux Marrons: ß³·³Ý³ÏÝ»ñáí ÉóáݳÍ
Ñݹϳѳí
Supremes de Volatille a 1'lndienne: ÏáïÉ»ïÝ»ñ §¹»í³É³Û¦
ÑÝ¹Ï³Ï³Ý Ó¨áí,
Tournedos Mascotte: áõï»ëï §EñÇï³ë³ñ¹áõÃÛ³Ý ·³Õï-
ÝÇùÁ¦,
Omelette en Surprise a la Napolitaine: ³ÏÝϳÉáí ûÙÉ»ï
Ý»³åáÉÇï³Ý³Ï³Ý Ó¨áí,
Potage Bagrafion Gras: ÛáõÕáï ³åáõñ µ³·ñ³ïÇÝáíÛ³Ý
Ó¨áí,
Aubergines â la Turque: µ³¹ñÇç³ÝÝ»ñ Ãáõñù³Ï³Ý Ó¨áí,
Chaud-Froid de Cailles en Belle Vue: ï³å³Ï³Í ÉáñÇÏ
18. chef (Fr.): in full chef de cuisine, a head-cook
19. braise: stew in a closed vessel
20. casino: a public room or building for music, dancing, gambling,
entertainments, etc.
EXERCISES
Ex. 1. Answer the following questions.
1. How different were both the villa and its owner from what
Inspector Miron expected to see? 2. What was Madame Chalon like?
95
3. What was the nature of the charges against her? 4. How much did
Madame Chalon know about the suspicions of the police? 5. How
did she give Inspector Miron to understand that she knew all about
the purpose of his visit? 6. Why did Madame Chalon think it
unnecessary to refuse the Inspector's request concerning the
disinterment of the bodies of her deceased husbands? 7. What did she
know of the methods of the Paris police? 8. What confession did she
make to the Inspector? 9. How had she got rid of her husbands? 10.
Could the method by which she had brought about their deaths be
qualified as murder in the true sense of the word? 11. What were
Madame Chalon's motives? 12. Why did Inspector Miron decide to
marry Madame Chalon? 13. How did she comment the Inspector's
statement that he wished to die?
96
Ùï³Íí³Í, ÁÝï³ÝÇùÇ Ýϳïٳٵ, ³ÝÏáõßï, å³ñÍ»ÝÏáï,
˳ñ¹³Ë, ˳µ»µ³, ³Ýï³Ý»ÉÇ Ã»ñáõÃÛáõÝ, áõß³¹Çñ áõëáõÙݳ-
ëÇñ»É ·áñÍÁ, ëï³Ý³É Ùáï³íáñ³å»ë ÝáõÛÝ å³ïÏ»ñÁ, ·ÉËáí
³Ý»É, ûè Ñ»·Ý³Ýù, ÃáõÛÉ Ï³Ùù, Çñ íñ³ í»ñóÝ»É Ñá·ëÁ, ËÕ×Ç
˳ÛÃ, ϳÙùÇ áõÅáí, ÙÇ³Ï ³ñųÝÇ Ñ»ï¨áñ¹, Çñ»Ý ѳí³ë³ñ
ÁݹáõÝ»É, ßáõé ·³É Ù»çùáí, ¹ÇٳϳۻÉ, ÛáõÕ³ÉÇ Ï»ñ³Ïáõñ:
Ex. 4. Study the following phrases. Recall how they were used in
the text. Make sentences with each.
e. g. 1. I waited for the man to turn so that I should see his face. 2.
She waited for a car to be sent round to pick her up.
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through persuasion (one's carelessness, etc.)
e.g. 1. She said she had got the book through a friend who worked at
a library. 2. You're expected to learn to speak through speaking. 3. It
all happened through his own carelessness. 4. He was late, but
through no fault of his.
in short
be familiar with
Ex. 5. Recast the following using nouns with -ty or -ness derived
from the italicized words. Make other necessary changes.
Ex. 6. Derive adjectives with -able from the italicized words, add
a negative prefix and rewrite the sentences according to the
model. Be sure to make other necessary changes.
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1. Your suggestions proved to be of tremendous value. 2. You will
find it almost impossible to believe what great progress he has made
in his English since he started working at it regularly. 3. She said she
couldn't drink the coffee served at that café. Most of the time it was
weak and lukewarm. 4. She's a woman of great personal charm. It's
next to impossible to resist her. 5. They failed to put the plan into
practice. It just wouldn't work. 6. It's a mistake that can't be
pardoned. 7. In those hard times food was a problem. It couldn't be
obtained at any price. 8. He hadn't congratulated her on her birthday.
It was something she would never forget or forgive. 9. I shouldn't
advise you to rely on him in such matters. 10. He flew into a rage
and started using words that would hardly ever be printed.
1. You must admit that you're wrong. Don't be mulish. 2. There was
something fishy about the whole business. 3. He followed us in
dogged silence. 4. The girl had a sheepish look. 5. She can be very
catty at times. 6. He was a big beefy chap. 7. He blinked owlishly
from behind his horn-rimmed glasses.
1. He said he had some money put away just for the purpose. 2. She
looked away wishing to show that she didn't care to continue the talk.
3. The sound of the car gradually died away. 4. You had better keep
away from me. I'm still having a bad cold in the head and that nasty
cough. 5. He was ordered to go away and stay away. 6. He spotted
her immediately. She was standing away from the crowd. 7. We
invited her to come away with us.
1. You mustn't discuss such matters in front of the girl. She's but a
child. 2. We all but missed the train. 3. The film was anything but
exciting. 4. Her eyes were but a shade lighter than the cobalt blue of
the sea. 5. It is but a joke. 6. We live in the same street. He lives in
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the next house but two. 7. She does nothing but cry all day long. 8.
Everybody but you seems to have heard the news.
Ex. 10. Study the phrases with point. Use them in sentences of
your own.
100
LOUISE
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM
101
delicate for marriage. But they were not too well off and Tom
Maitland .was rich. He promised to do everything in the world for
Louise and finally they entrusted her to him as a sacred charge.8 Tom
Maitland was a big, husky fellow, very good-looking and a fine
athlete. He doted on Louise. With her weak heart he could not hope
to keep her with him long and he made up his mind to do everything
he could to make her few years on earth happy. He gave up the
games he was so good at, not because she wished him to, she was
glad that he should play golf and hunt, but because by a coincidence
she had a heart attack whenever he proposed to leave her for a day.9
If they had a difference of opinion, she gave in to him at once, for
she was the most submissive wife a man could have, but her heart
failed her and she would be laid up, sweet and uncomplaining, for a
week. He could not be such a brute as to cross her. Then they would
have quite a little fight about which she should yield and it was only
with difficulty that at last he persuaded her to have her own way. On
one occasion seeing her walk eight miles on an expedition that she
particularly wanted to make, I suggested to Tom Maitland that10 she
was stronger than one would have thought. He shook his head and
sighed.
"No, no, she's dreadfully delicate. She's been to all the best
heart specialists in the world and they all say that her life hangs on a
thread. But she has an unconquerable spirit.".
He told her that I had remarked on her endurance.
"I shall pay for it tomorrow," she said to me in her plaintive
way. "I shall be at death's door."
"I sometimes think that you're quite strong enough to do the
things you want to," I murmured.
I noticed that if a party was amusing she could dance, till five
in the morning, but if it was dull she felt very poorly and Tom had to
take her home early. I am afraid she did not like my reply, for though
she gave me a pathetic little smile I saw no amusement in her large
blue eyes.
"You can't very well expect me to fall down dead just to please
you," she answered.
Louise outlived11 her husband. He caught his death of cold one
day when they were sailing and Louise needed all the rugs there were
to keep her warm. He left her a comfortable fortune and a daughter.
102
Louise was inconsolable. It was wonderful that she managed to
survive the shock. Her friends expected her speedily to follow poor
Tom Maitland to the grave. Indeed they already felt dreadfully sorry
for Iris, her daughter, who would be left an orphan. They redoubled
their attentions towards Louise. They would not let her stir a finger;
they insisted on doing everything in the world to save her trouble.
They had to, because if she was called upon to do anything tiresome
or inconvenient her heart went back on her12... and there she was at
death's door. She was entirely lost without a man to take care of her.
She said she did not know how, with her delicate health, she was
going to bring up her dear Iris. Her friends asked why she did not
marry again. Oh, with her heart it was out of the question, though of
course she knew that dear Tom would have wished her to, and
perhaps it would be the best thing for Iris if she did; but, who would
want to be bothered with a wretched invalid like herself? Oddly
enough more than one young man showed himself quite ready to
undertake the charge and a year after Tom's death she allowed
George Hobhouse to lead her to the altar. He was a fine, upstanding
fellow and he was not at all badly off. I never saw anyone so grateful
as he for the privilege of being allowed to take care of this frail little
thing.
"I shan't live to trouble you long," she said.
He was a soldier and an ambitious one, but he resigned his
commission.13 Louise's health forced her to spend the winter at
Monte Carlo...14 and the summer at Deauville.15 He hesitated a little
at throwing up his career, and Louise at first would not hear of it; but
at last she yielded as she always yielded, and he prepared to make his
wife's last few years as happy as might be.
"It can't be very long now," she said. "I'll try not to be
troublesome. "l6
For the next two or three years Louise managed notwith-
standing her weak heart, to go beautifully dressed to all the most
lively parties, to gamble very heavily, to dance and even to flirt with
tall slim young men. But George Hobhouse had not the stamina 17 of
Louise's first husband and he had braced himself now and then with
a stiff drink18 for his day's work as Louise's second husband. It is
possible that the habit would have grown on him which Louise
would not have liked at all, but very fortunately (for her) the war
103
broke out. He rejoined his regiment and three months later was
killed. It was a great shock to Louise. She felt, however, that in such
a crisis she must not give way to a private grief; and if she had a
heart attack nobody heard of it. In order to distract her mind she
turned her villa at Monte Carlo into a hospital for convalescent
officers. Her friends told her that she would never survive the strain.
"Of course it will kill me," she said, "I know that. But what
does it matter? I must do my bit."
It didn't kill her. She had the time of her life. There was no
convalescent home in France that was more popular. I met her by
chance in Paris. She was lunching at the Ritz with a tall and very
handsome young Frenchman. She explained that she was there on
business connected with the hospital. She told me that the officers
were too charming to her. They knew how delicate she was and they
wouldn't let her do a single thing. They took care of her, well — as
though they were all her husbands. She sighed.
"Poor George, who would ever have thought that I with my
heart should survive him?"
"And poor Tom!" I said.
I don't know why she didn't like my saying that. She gave me
her plaintive smile and her beautiful eyes filled with tears,
"You always speak as though you grudged me the few years
that I can expect to live."
"By the way, your heart's much better, isn't it?"
"It'll never be better. I saw a specialist this morning and he
said I must be prepared for the worst."
"Oh, well, you've been prepared for that for nearly twenty
years now, haven't you?"
When the war came to an end Louise settled in London. She
was now a woman of over forty, thin and frail still, with large eyes
and pale cheeks, but she did not look a day more than twenty-five.
Iris, who had been at school and was now grown up, came to live
with her.
"She'll take care of me," said Louise. "Of course it'll be hard
on her to live with such a great invalid as I am, but it can only be for
such a little while, I 'm sure she won't mind.''
Iris was a nice girl. She had been brought up with the
knowledge that her mother's health was poor. As a child she had
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never been allowed to make a noise. She had always realized that her
mother must on no account be upset. And though Louise told her
now that she wouldn't hear of her sacrificing herself for a tiresome
old woman the girl simply wouldn't listen. It wasn't a question of
sacrificing herself, it was a happiness to do what she could for her
poor dear mother. With a sigh, her mother let her do a great deal.
"It pleases the child to think she's making herself useful," she
said.
"Don't you think she ought to go out and about more?" I asked.
"That's what I'm always telling her. I can't get her to enjoy
herself. Heaven knows, I never want anyone to put themselves out on
my account."19
And Iris, when I remonstrated with her, said: "Poor dear
mother, she wants me to go and stay with friends and go to parties,
but the moment I start off somewhere she has one of her heart
attacks, so I much prefer to stay at home.''
But presently she fe1l in love. A young friend of mine, a very
good lad, asked her to marry him and she consented. I liked the child
and was glad that she was to be given at last the chance to lead a life
of her own. She had never seemed to suspect that such a thing was
possible. But one day the young man came to me in great distress
and told me that his marriage was indefinitely postponed. Iris felt
that she could not desert her mother. Of course, it was really no
business of mine, but I made the opportunity to go and see Louise.
She was always glad to receive her friends at teatime and now that
she was older, she cultivated the society of painters and writers.
"Well, I hear that Iris isn't going to be married," I said after a
little.
"I don't know about that. She's not going to be married quite so
soon as I could have wished. I've begged her on my bended knees,
not to consider me, but she absolutely refuses to leave me."
"Don't you think it's rather hard on her?"
"Dreadfully. Of course it can only be for a few months, but I
hate the thought of anyone sacrificing themselves for me."
"My dear Louise, you've buried two husbands, I can't see the
least reason why you shouldn't bury at least two more.''
"Do you think that's funny?" she asked me in a tone that she
made as offensive as she could.
105
"I suppose it's never struck you as strange that you're always
strong enough to do anything you want to and that your weak heart
only prevents you from doing things that bore you?"
"Oh, I know, I know what you've always thought of me.
You've never believed that I had anything the matter with me, have
you?"
I looked at her full and square.
"Never. I think you've carried out for twenty-five years a
stupendous bluff. I think you're the most selfish and monstrous
woman I have ever known. You ruined the lives of those two
wretched men you've married and now you're going to ruin the life of
your daughter."
I should not have been surprised if Louise had had a heart
attack then. I fully expected her to fly into a passion. She merely
gave me a gentle smile.
"My poor friend, one of these days you'll be so dreadfully
sorry you said this to me."
"Have you quite determined that Iris shall not marry this boy?"
"I've begged her to marry him. I know it'll kill me, but I don't
mind. Nobody cares for me. I'm just a burden to everybody.''
"Did you tell her it would kill you?"
"She made me."
"As if anyone ever made you do anything that you were not
yourself quite determined to do."
"She can marry her young man tomorrow if she likes. If it kills
me, it kills me."
"Well, let's risk it, shall we?"
"Haven't you got any compassion for me?"
"One can't pity anyone who amuses one as much as you amuse
me," I answered.
A faint spot of color appeared on Louise's pale cheeks and
though she smiled, still her eyes were hard and angry.
"Iris shall marry in a month's time," she said, "and if anything
happens to me I hope you and she will be able to forgive
yourselves."
Louise was as good as her word.20 A date was fixed, a
trousseau21 of great magnificence was ordered, and invitations were
issued. Iris and the very good! ad were radiant. On the wedding-day,
106
at ten o'clock in the morning, Louise, that devilish woman, had one
of heart attacks — and died. She died gently forgiving Iris for having
killed her.
NOTES
107
19. I never want anyone to put themselves out on my account: I
don't want to give trouble to people, inconvenience them
20. be as good as one's word: to keep one's promise
21. trousseau: the clothes, etc. of a bride
EXERCISES
1. What puzzled the author about Louise? 2. What did the author
believe to be her motive for keeping up their acquaintance? 3. What
was Louise like when the author first knew her? 4. What illness had
she suffered as a child? 5. Why |was it considered necessary that she
should take the greatest care of herself? 6. Why did she nevertheless
agree to marry Tom Maitland? 7. What was Tom Maitland like? 8.
What kind of a wife did Louise make him? 9. How did it happen that
Louise outlived her husband? 10. Why did Louise's friends redouble
their attentions towards her? 11. How soon did she remarry? 12.
What sort of man was George Hobhouse, her second husband? 13.
Why did he take to drinking? 14. How did it happen that she became
twice a widow? 15. What was her life like during the war? 16. Where
did she go to live after the war? 17. Who was taking care of Louise
now? 18. Why did the author think that Louise was unfair to her
daughter? 19. Why was Iris's marriage postponed? 20. What part did
the author play in bringing about the marriage between Iris and her
young man? 21. What did Louise warn him about when giving her
consent to the marriage? 22. What happened on Iris's wedding day?
108
heart it was out of the question. 8. It is possible that the habit would
have grown on him ... 9. She had the time of her life. 10. I fully
expected her to fly into a passion. 11. One can't pity anyone who
amuses one as much as you amuse me.
Ex. 4. Study the following phrases. Recall how they were used in
the text. Make sentences with each.
leave (let) smb. alone
e. g. 1. You had better leave the dog alone. It might bite you. 2. If
only she would let me alone with her questions!
take smth., smb. for smth., smb.
109
take care of smb., smth.
e. g. 1. You can't very well expect me to know all the details. I've just
started on the problem. 2. You can't very well have your cake and eat
it. 3. What you are saying is all very well for you, and how about
me? Where do I come in?
110
e. g. 1. The arrangement struck me as rather unusual. 2. The remark
struck me as silly, to say the least.
1. The child is no trouble at all. 2. I'd keep away from that woman, if
I were you. There's nothing she likes better than a quarrel. 3. The car
had become a regular burden. It was taking too much of his time and
money. 4. This work makes me tired.
Ex. 6. Add the prefix out to the italicized words and making all
the other necessary changes rewrite the sentences. Translate
them into Armenian.
1. He had an uneasy suspicion that he had stayed too long for his
welcome. 2. He could run faster than any other boy at their school. 3.
More people had voted for his opponent than for him. 4. His
arguments proved to have more weight than yours. 5. He appeared to
have a sharper wit than anyone of us. 6. The girl has grown out of her
old things. 7. He showed better results in everything he did than the
rest of the boys.
111
She would have things her own way.
1. I told her to listen but she said that she didn't care to. 2. She didn't
give me her address though I had asked her to several times. 3. It's
just like him to spoil the fun with his silly remarks and flat jokes. 4.
The girf insisted on wearing a light coat though her mother had told
her to put on something warmer. 5. We told her that we would be
coming over to her help with the packing, but she didn't even want to
hear of it. 6. Though everybody was dead tired she kept on asking
her questions. 7. He is not the kind of man to stir a finger to help.
Ex. 9. Note the effect of up and out on the meanings of the verb.
Translate the sentences into Armenian. Give your own examples.
Ex. 11. Study the phrases with trouble and word. Use them in
sentences of your own.
112
A. 1. I'd hate to give you more trouble than is absolutely necessary.
2. He always takes a lot of trouble over his work. 3. Those tricks of
yours will get you into trouble one day. 4. If you do your packing
now it will mean saving a lot of trouble later on. 5. I'm terribly sorry
to have put you to all this trouble. 6. Asking for trouble again? 7. She
said she was having trouble with her boy. 8. You'd better watch out
for him. He may make trouble for you.
B. 1. He repeated the statement, word for word. 2. He never breathed
a word of what had happened. 3. It's too exciting for words. 4. The
new hotel is the last word in comfort. 5. He looks too tired for
anything. In other words, he needs a holiday. 6. He didn't say it in so
many words, but that is what he actually meant. 7. I have had no
word from him yet. 8. In a word, I didn't believe her story. 9. Should
you be going away, please leave word for me with the secretary. 10.
Strangely enough, he was as good as his word.
113
CONFUSINGLY RELATED WORDS
These are words that cause problems when the speaker is not able to
distinguish between them. They are similar in meaning or
pronunciation but CANNOT be used interchangeably. Learn the
definition of each and its use before employing it in conversation.
114
FORMALLY (adv) a) an elegant way of dressing, usually a tuxedo
for men and a long gown for women. At the resort we were required
to dress formally for dinner every night. b) properly, officially. She
has formally requested a name change.
HOUSE (n) and HOME (n) are many times used interchangeably,
but there exists a difference in meaning. a) House refers to the
building or structure. The Chapmans are building a new house in
Buckingham Estates. b) Home refers to the atmosphere or feeling of
domestic tranquility found in a house. Home is where the heart is.
115
EXPLICIT (adj) expressed in a clear and precise manner. The
professor gave explicit instructions for carrying out the research
project.
116
BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY
117
KEY WORDS
O. HENRY
I
Pitcher had worked for many years in the office of Harvey
Maxwell, the stockbroker. Pitcher was a quiet man. He didn’t usually
let his face show his feelings. But this morning he looked surprised –
and very interested. Harvey Maxwell had arrived energetically as
usual at 9:30. But this morning, the young lady who was his
secretary had arrived with him. Pitcher watched them with interest.
Harvey Maxwell didn’t pay attention to Pitcher. He said only a quick
“Good morning,” and ran to his desk. He dug energetically into the
118
mountain of letters and telegrams that waited for him. The
stockbroker’s day had begun.
Miss Leslie, the young lady, had been Maxwell’s secretary
for a year. She was beautiful, and she dressed simply. Unlike some
secretaries, she never wore cheap glass jewelry. Her dress was gray
and plain, but it fitted her body nicely. With it, she wore a small
black hat with a green-gold flower at the side. This morning her face
shone with happiness. Her eyes were bright, her face a soft pink.
Pitcher, still interested, noticed that she acted differently this
morning. Usually she walked straight inside to her own desk. But
this morning she stayed in the outside office. She walked over near
Maxwell’s desk. Maxwell didn’t seem to be a man anymore. He had
changed into a busy New York stockbroker. He’d become a machine
of many moving parts.
“Well – what is it? Is anything wrong?” Maxwell asked his
secretary. He wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were on his mail.
Letters and telegrams lay on his desk like snow.
“It’s nothing,” she said softly. She moved away with a little
smile. “Mr. Pitcher,” she said, coming over to him, “did Mr.
Maxwell ask you to hire another secretary yesterday?”
“Yes, he did,” answered Pitcher. “He told me to get another
one. I asked the secretarial school to send over a few this morning.
But it’s 9:45, and no one has come yet.”
“I will do the work as usual, then,” said the young lady,
“until someone comes to fill the place.” And she went to her desk at
once. She hung up the black hat with the green-gold flower in its
usual place.
Harvey Maxwell was always a busy stockbroker, but today
he was even busier than usual. The ticker tape machine began to
throw out tape. The desk telephone began to ring. Men crowded into
the office, buying and selling, crying and yelling. Boys ran in and out
with telegrams. Even Pitcher’s face looked more alive. Maxwell
pushed his chair against the wall. He ran energetically from ticker
tape to telephone, jumping like a dancer.
In the middle of all this action and yelling, the stockbroker
realized that someone new had arrived. He first saw a high mountain
of golden hair under a large round hat. Then he noticed some large
glass jewelry. Underneath all this was a young lady. Pitcher saw that
119
Maxwell didn’t know who she was. He came forward to explain.
“Here is the lady from the secretarial school,” Pitcher said to
Maxwell. “She came for the job.”
Maxwell turned around with his hands full of papers and
ticker tape. “What job?” he yelled. His face looked angry.
“The secretarial job,” Pitcher said quietly. “You told me
yesterday to call the school. I asked them to send one over this
morning.”
“You’re losing your mind, Pitcher! Why would I tell you a
thing like that? Miss Leslie has worked well for a whole year here.
The job is hers while she wants to stay. “There is no job here,
Madam! Tell the secretarial school, Pitcher. Don’t bring any more of
them in here!
The lady turned to leave. Her hat almost hit Pitcher in the
eye as she angrily walked past him out of the office. Pitcher thought
to himself that Maxwell was getting more forgetful every day.
II
The office became busier and busier. Orders to buy and sell
came and went like birds flying. Maxwell was worried about his own
stocks, too, and worked faster and harder. This was the stock market,
the world of money. There was no room in it for the world of human
feelings or the world of nature.
Near lunchtime everything quieted down. Maxwell stood by
his desk with his hands full of telegrams. His pen was behind his ear.
His hair stood up on his head. Suddenly through the open widow
came a smell of flowers, like the thin breath of spring. Maxwell
stood still. This was Miss Leslie’s smell, her own and only hers. The
smell seemed to bring her before him. The world of the stock market
disappeared. And Miss Leslie was in the next room – only twenty
steps away.
“I’ll do it now,” said Maxwell softly. “I’ll ask her now. Why
didn’t I do it long ago?”
He ran into her office. He jumped toward her desk. She
looked up at him with a smile. Her face turned a soft pink. Her eyes
were kind. Maxwell put his hands on her desk. They were still full of
papers.
120
“Miss Leslie,” he said, hurrying, “I only have a moment to
talk. I want to say something important in that moment: Will you be
my wife? I haven’t had time to show you, but I really do love you.
Speak quickly please – there’s the telephone.”
“Why – what are you talking about?” cried the young lady.
She stood up and looked at him strangely.
“Don’t you understand?” Maxwell asked quickly, looking
back at the phone on his desk. “I want you to marry me. I’ve stolen
this moment to ask you, now, while things have quieted down a little.
Take the telephone, Pitcher!” he yelled. “Will you, Miss Leslie?” he
added softly.
The secretary acted very strange. At first she seemed
surprised. Then she began to cry. But then she smiled through her
tears like the sun through rain. She put her arm around the
stockbroker’s neck.
“I know now,” she said. “It’s this business that put it out of
your head. I was afraid, at first. But don’t you remember, Harvey?
We were married last evening at 8:00, in the little church around the
corner.”
Vocabulary
stay (v.) 1. to remain; continue to be: I stayed late at the party last
night. to stay on strike (not to go to work because of a disagreement
with the employer). 2. to live in a place for a while; be a visitor or
guest: My wife’s mother is staying with us.
Usage: Remain is similar to stay, but it is more formal and it can’t be
used instead of stay in sense: We stayed (not remained) at the Ani
Hotel.
stay (n.) a limited time of living in a place: a short stay in hospital.
121
well-fed, often to the point of discomfort, satisfied: I can’t eat any
more; I’m full up. 4. complete; whole: Please write down your full
name and address.
full. (n.) 1. in full - completely. The debt must be paid in full. 2. to
the full - to the greatest degree. We enjoyed our holiday to the full.
full-time - (adj., adv.) working for the normal number of hours or
days in job, course of study: a full-time student, (ant. part-time). He
used to work full-time, but now he only works three days a week.
fully (adv.)completely, altogether, thoroughly. I don’t fully
understand the reasons for leaving.
different (adj.) 1. (from, than, to) unlike; not of the same kind: Mary
and Jane are quite different. Mary is different from /than/ to Jane. 2.
not the same one: This is a different car from the one I drove
yesterday.
differently (adv.)
Usage: different to (Br. E.), different than (Am. E.), Indifferent
can be followed only by to: I’m indifferent to this question.
Compare different and various
Both mean “not the same” but various means “several not the same”:
The minister gave various reasons (= a number of different reasons)
for the government’s decision. The two ministers gave different
reasons for the government’s decision (=they didn’t each give the
same reason).
Unlike various, different can also be used with a singular noun and it
then means that the noun is compared with something else that may
or may not be mentioned: You look different (from before) with your
hair cut.
differentiate (v.) (from, between) to see, express or make a
difference (between). This company doesn’t differentiate between
men and women, they employ both equally.
look (v.) (at, out of, away etc.) 1. to turn the eyes so as to see,
examine, or find something: He looked out of the window. 2. to have
the appearance of being (ill, well, etc.) You look tired. He looks like
my brother. 3. to face in the stated direction: Our house looks out on
the river. 4. look as if / look like – to seem probable that: It looks as
if we are going to miss the train. 5. look someone in the eye / face –
122
to look directly and boldly at someone. 6. not much to look at – not
attractive.
look after – to take care of: Who will look after the baby?
look ahead – to plan for the future
look around / round – to search
look back – to remember
look down on – to have a low opinion of
look forward to – to expect to enjoy (something that is going to
happen). This is always followed by a noun or the –ing form of a
verb: I’m looking forward to seeing you next week.
look out – to take care, watch (for): Look out! You’ll crash the car.
look through – to examine, esp. for points to be noted
123
improve or change the appearance: She makes up her face in the
morning. 3. to become friends again after (a quarrel): Let’s kiss and
make up.
124
restaurant in town. 3. of poor quality: Her shoes looked cheap and
nasty to me. 4. needing little effort: a cheap victory. 5. feel cheap –
to feel ashamed: I felt cheap because I’d lied to my friend.
cheap (adv) – 1. at a very low price: I was very lucky to get it so
cheap. 2. in a way that lowers one’s worth: I wish she wouldn’t act to
cheap.
cheapen (v) – to make less popular or good: By your rudeness you
have cheapened yourself in everyone’s opinion.
1. Can you remember a time when you were so busy that you forgot
something important? What were you doing? What did you
forget?
2. Can you remember a time when someone else was so busy that he
or she forgot something important about you? What was it? How
did you feel? What did you do?
3. In “The Romance of a Busy Broker” Harvey Maxwell is so busy
that he forgets that he was married “last evening at 8:00, in the
little church around the corner.” Do you believe this is possible?
If so, and if you were the woman, would you act the way Miss
125
Leslie did? If you don’t believe it, did you enjoy the story
anyway? Why, or why not?
___ 1. Pitcher was an energetic man, and his feelings could always
be seen in his face.
___ 2. Harvey Maxwell was a man who put great energy into his
work.
___ 3. The young lady with Maxwell seemed unhappy, and she
dressed badly.
___ 4. The young lady asked Pitcher if Maxwell had asked him to get
another secretary.
___ 5. The young lady went to her desk because no one from the
secretarial school had arrived.
___ 6. The office was quiet and peaceful after Maxwell and the
young lady began work.
___ 7. Maxwell told the young lady from the secretarial school that
the job was hers if she wanted it.
126
A3. Find the English for:
The paragraph below tells what happened in Part II of the story. Fill
in the blanks with the words from the following list. The first blank
has been filled in for you.
After the lady from the secretarial school left, Maxwell returned
energetically to his work and became even ____ than usual. He was
worried about his own ____, and worked ____ and ____. There was
no room for human ____ in his world of money. But near lunchtime
everything ____ down. Maxwell smelled a smell of ____ through the
window. It made him think of Miss Leslie. “I’ll do it now,” he
thought, and went into her ____. Miss Leslie ____ when she saw
him. But Maxwell was in a ____ and spoke fast. “Will you ____
me?” he asked. She was angry at first, then she began to ____. But at
last she smiled through her ____. “I know now,” she said. “It’s this
____ that put it out of your head. We were ____ last night at the little
____ around the corner.”
127
form). The past form of such a regular verb (surprised) is also the
adjective form.
Teachers often surprise (v.) their students with quizzes. The quizzes
are not always a pleasant surprise
(n.). Some students are surprised (adv.) if they get a good grade.
Put the correct form of the word (noun, verb, or adjective) in the
blank spaces.
1. She was watching the painting … interest when the guide told her
they were passing … … the next hall.
2. The clerk dug enthusiastically … the mountain … documents
received … the bank.
128
3. The choice was great and … the end Ann chose a big hat … a
pink flower … the side.
4. He thought … himself that it was the only way to bring him …
his senses.
5. After she had passed several exams she was offered a job … the
world … money.
6. The secretary stood … the boss’s desk … her hands full … fresh
newspapers.
7. As soon as the mother saw her son … … the army she smiled …
her tears and hugged him.
8. The government must never be indifferent … the problems …
people living … the mountainous areas.
9. Joan’s mother advised her to give … the bad habit … looking …
… her fellow students … less provided families.
10. He put … his spectacles to be able to make … what the ad … the
board said.
11. … her youth she was watchful … any change … the house.
129
Columns 1 and 2 show the high and low price of the stock last year
(52 weeks).
Columns 4 and 5 show the high and low price of the stock during
yesterday’s trading.
Column 6 shows the price of the stock at the end of the day
yesterday.
130
• Where did Pitcher work?
• What kind of man was he usually?
• But how did he act this morning?
• Why was he interested this morning?
• How did Maxwell usually arrive at the office?
• What did Maxwell do after he said “Good morning”?
• What did Miss Leslie ask Pitcher?
• Then what did she do?
• As the morning passed, how did the office seem, and how did
Maxwell act?
• Who came into the office then?
• Why had she come?
• What did Maxwell say to her?
• How did she feel? And what did she do?
• Later, near lunchtime, what happened in the office?
• What did Maxwell suddenly smell?
• What did the smell make Maxwell think of?
• What did he decide to do?
• When he went into Miss Leslie’s office, what did he say?
• At first, how did she act?
• What did she understand later?
• What had the busy broker forgotten?
131
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132
THE WAXWORK
A. M. BURRAGE
133
the Chamber of Horrors. I hope you don't think that we have made
any such offer. Er — what is your paper, Mr Hewson?"
"I am free-lancing4 at present", Hewson confessed, "working
on space5 for several papers. However, I should get no difficulty in
getting the story printed. The Morning Echo would use it like a shot.6
'A Night with Marriner's Murderers'. No live paper could turn it
down."
The manager rubbed his chin.
"Ah! And how do you propose to treat it?"
"I shall make it gruesome, of course, gruesome, with just a
saving touch of humor." The other nodded and offered Hewson his
cigarette case. "Very well, Mr Hewson," he said. "Get your story
printed in the Morning Echo, and there will be a five-pound note
waiting for you here when you care to come and call for it. But first
of all, it's no small ordeal that you're proposing to undertake. I'd like
to be quite sure about you, and I'd like you to be quite sure of
yourself. I own7 I shouldn't care to take it on. I've seen those figures
dressed and undressed. I know all about the process of their
manufacture. I can walk about in company downstairs as unmoved as
if I were walking among so many skittles,8 but I should hate having
to sleep down there alone among them."
"Why?" asked Hewson.
"I don't know. There isn't any reason, I don't believe in ghosts.
If I did, I should expect them to haunt the scene of their crimes or the
spot where the bodies were laid, instead of a cellar, which happens to
contain their waxwork effigies. It's just that I couldn't sit alone
among them all night, with their seeming to stare at me in the way
they do. After all, they represent the lowest and most appalling types
of humanity, and — although I would not own it publicly — the
people who come to see them are not generally charged with the very
highest motives. The whole atmosphere of the place is unpleasant,
and if you are susceptible to atmosphere I warn you that you are in
for9 a very uncomfortable night."
Hewson had known that from the moment when the idea first
occurred to him. His soul sickened at the prospect, even while he
smiled casually upon the manager. But he had a wife and a family to
keep, and for the past month he had been living on paragraphs, eked
out by his rapidly dwindling store of savings10. Here was a chance
134
not to be missed — the price of a special story in the Morning Echo,
with a five-pound note to add to it. It meant comparative wealth and
luxury for a week, and freedom from the worst anxieties for a
fortnight. Besides, if he wrote the story well, it might lead to an offer
of regular employment. .
"The way of transgressors11— and newspaper men — is hard,"
he said. "I have already promised myself an uncomfortable night
because your Murderers' Den is obviously not fitted up as a hotel
bedroom. But I don't think your waxworks will worry me much."
"You're not superstitious?" "Not a bit," Hewson laughed. "But you're
a journalist; you must have a strong imagination."
"The news editors for whom I've worked have always
complained that I haven't any. Plain facts are not considered
sufficient in our trade, and the papers don't like offering their readers
unbuttered bread." The manager smiled and rose.
"Right," he said. "I think the last of the people have gone. Wait
a moment. I'll give orders for the figures downstairs not to be draped,
and let the night people know that you'll be here. Then I'll take you
down and show you round."
He picked up the receiver of a house telephone, spoke into it
and presently replaced it.
"One condition I 'm afraid I must impose on you," he remark-
ed. "I must ask you not to smoke. We had a fire scare down in the
Murderers' Den this evening. I don't know who gave the alarm, but
whoever it was it was a false one. Fortunately, there were very few
people down there at the time, or there might have been a panic. And
now, if you're ready, we'll make a move."
He led the way through an open barrier and down ill-lit stone
stairs which conveyed a sinister impression of giving access to a
dungeon.12 In a passage at the bottom were a few preliminary
horrors, such as relics of the Inquisition, a rack13 taken from a
medieval castle, branding irons,13 thumb-screws,13 and other
mementos of man's one-time cruelty to man. Beyond the passage was
the Murderers' Den.
It was a room of irregular shape with a vaulted roof, and dimly
lit by electric lights burning behind inverted bowls of frosted glass. It
was, by design, an eerie and uncomfortable chamber — a chamber
whose atmosphere invited its visitors to speak in whispers.
135
The waxwork murderers stood on low pedestals with num-
bered tickets at their feet. Seeing them elsewhere, and without
knowing whom they represented, one would have thought them a
dull looking crew, chiefly remarkable for the shabbiness of their
clothes, and as evidence of the changes of fashions even among the
unfashionable.
The manager, walking around with Hewson pointed out
several of the more interesting of these unholy notabilities.
"That's Crippen;14 I expect you recognize him. Insignificant
little beast who looks as if he couldn't tread on a worm. And of
course this—"
"Who's that?" Hewson interrupted in a whisper, pointing.
"Oh, I was coming to him," said the manager in a. light
undertone. "Come and have a good look at him. This is our star turn.
He's the only one of the bunch that hasn't been hanged."
The figure, which Hewson had indicated, was that of a small,
slight man not much more than five feet in height. It wore little
waxed mustaches, large spectacles, and a caped coat. There was
something so exaggeratedly French in his appearance that it
reminded Hewson of a stage caricature. He could not have said
precisely why the mild-looking face seemed to him so repellent, but
he had already recoiled a step and, even in the manager's company, it
cost him an effort to look again.
"But who is he?" he asked.
"That," said the manager," is Dr. Bourdette."
Hewson shook his head doubtfully.
"I think I've heard the name," he said, "but I forget in
connection with what."
The manager smiled.
"You'd remember better if you were a Frenchman," he said.
"For some long while the man was the terror of Paris. He carried on
his work of healing by day, and of throat-cutting by night, when the
fit was on him. He killed for the sheer devilish pleasure it gave him
to kill, and always in the same way — with a razor. After his last
crime, he left a clue behind him, which set the police upon his track.
One clue led to another, and before very long they knew that they
were on the track of the Parisian equivalent of our Jack the Ripper,15
136
and had enough evidence to send him to the madhouse or the
guillotine on a dozen capital16 charges."
"But even then our friend here was too clever for them. When
he realized that the toils were closing about him he mysteriously
disappeared,-and ever since the police of every civilized country
have been looking for him."
Hewson shuddered and fidgeted with his feet.
"I don't like him at all," he confessed. "Ugh!17 What eyes he's
got!"
"Yes, this figure's a little masterpiece. You find the eyes bite
into you? Well, that's excellent realism, then, for Bourdette practised
mesmerism,18 and was supposed to mesmerize his victims before
dispatching19 them. Indeed, had he not done so, it is impossible to see
how so small a man could have done his ghastly work. There were
never any signs of a struggle."
"I thought I saw him move," said Hewson with a catch in his
voice.
The manager smiled.
"You'll have more than one optical illusion before the night's
out, I expect. You shan't be locked in. You can come upstairs when
you've had enough of it. There are watchmen on the premises, so
you'll find company. Don't be alarmed if you hear them moving
about. I'm sorry I can't give you any more light, because all the lights
are on. For obvious reasons we keep this place as gloomy as
possible. And now I think you had better return with me to the office
and have a tot20 of whisky before beginning your night's vigil."
The member of the night staff who placed the armchair for
Hewson was inclined to be facetious.
"Where will you have it, sir?" he asked grinning. "Just 'ere, so
as you can have a little talk with Crippen when you're tired of sitting
still? Say where, sir."
Hewson smiled. The man's chaff pleased him if only because,
for the moment at least, it lent the proceedings a much desired air of
the commonplace.
Hewson wished the man good night. It was easier than he had
expected. He wheeled the armchair — a heavy one upholstered in
plush — a little way down the central gangway, and deliberately
turned it so that its back was toward the effigy of Dr Bourdette. For
137
some undefined reason he liked Dr Bourdette a great deal less than
his companions. Busying himself with arranging the chair, he was
almost lighthearted, but when the attendant's footfalls had died away
and a deep hush stole over the chamber, he realized that he had no
slight ordeal before him.
The dim unwavering light fell on the rows of figures, which
were so uncannily like human beings that the silence and the stillness
seemed unnatural and even ghastly. He missed the sound of
breathing, the rustling of clothes, the hundred and one minute noises
one hears when even the deepest silence has fallen upon a crowd. All
was still to the gaze and silent to the ear. "It must be like this at the
bottom of the sea," he thought, and wondered how to work the
phrase into his story on the morrow.
He faced the sinister figures boldly enough. They were only
waxworks. So long as he let that thought dominate all other he
promised himself that all would be well. It did not, however, save
him long from the discomfort occasioned by the waxen stare of Dr
Bourdette, which, he knew, was directed upon him from behind. The
eyes of the little Frenchman's effigy haunted and tormented him, and
he itched with the desire to turn and look. At last, Hewson slewed his
chair round a little and looked behind him.
Among the many figures standing in stiff, unnatural poses, the
effigy of the dreadful little doctor stood out with a queer prominence,
perhaps because a steady beam of light beat straight down upon it.
"He's only a waxwork like the rest of you," Hewson muttered
defiantly. "You're all only waxworks."
They were only waxworks, yes, but waxworks don't move.
Not that he had seen the least movement anywhere, but it struck him
that, in the moment or two while he had looked behind him, there
had been the least subtle change in the grouping of the figures in
front. Crippen, for instance, seemed to have turned at least one
degree to the left. Or, thought Hewson, perhaps the illusion was due
to the fact that he had not slewed his chair back into its exact original
position.
He took a notebook from his pocket and wrote quickly.
"Mem.21—Deathly22 silence and unearthly stillness of figures.
Like being bottom of sea. Hypnotic eyes of Dr. Bourdette. Figures
seem to move when not being watched."
138
He closed the book suddenly over his fingers and looked
round quickly and awfully over his right shoulder. He had neither
seen nor heard a movement, but it was as if some sixth sense23 had
made him aware of one. He looked straight into the vapid
countenance of Lefroy which smiled vacantly back as if to say, "It
wasn't I!"
Of course it wasn't he, or any of them; it was his own nerves.
Or was it? Hadn't Crippen moved again during that moment when his
attention was directed elsewhere? You couldn't trust that little man!
Once you took your eyes off him he took advantage of it to shift his
position. That was what they were all doing, if he only knew it, he
told himself; and half rose out of his chair. This was not quite good
enough! He was going. He wasn't going to spend the night with a lot
of waxworks which moved while he wasn't looking.
... Hewson sat down again. This was very cowardly and very
absurd. They were only waxworks and they couldn't move; let him
hold to that thought and all would yet be well. Then why all that
silent unrest about him? — a subtle something in the air which did
not quite break the silence and happened; whichever way he looked,
just beyond the boundaries of his vision.
He swung round quickly to encounter the mild but baleful
stare of Dr Bourdette. Then, without warning, he jerked his head
back to stare straight at Crippen. Ha! He'd nearly caught Crippen that
time! "You'd better be careful, Crippen — and all the rest of you! If I
do see one of you move I'll smash you to pieces! Do you hear?"
He ought to go, he told himself. Already he had experienced
enough to write his story, or ten stories, for the matter of that. Well,
then, why not go? The Morning Echo would be none the wiser as to
how long he had stayed, nor would it care so long as his story was a
good one. Yes, but that night watchmen upstairs would chaff him.
And the manager — one never knew — perhaps the manager would
quibble over that five-pound note which he needed so badly. He
wondered if Rose were asleep or if she were lying awake and
thinking, of him. She'd laugh when he told her that he had
imagined...
This was a little too much! It was bad enough that the
waxwork effigies of murderers should move when they weren't being
watched, but it was intolerable that they should breathe. Somebody
139
was breathing. Or was it his own breath which sounded to him as if it
came from a distance? He sat rigid, listening and straining, until he
exhaled with a long sigh. His own breath after all, or — if not,
something had divined that he was listening and had ceased
breathing simultaneously.
— This would not do! This distinctly would not do! He must
clutch at something, grip with his mind upon something which
belonged essentially to the workaday world, to the daylight London
streets. He was Raymond Hewson, an unsuccessful journalist, a
living and breathing man, and these figures grouped around him
were only dummies, so they could neither move nor whisper. What
did it matter if they were supposed to be life-like effigies of
murderers? They were only made of wax and sawdust,, and stood
there for the entertainment of morbid sightseers and orange-sucking
trippers.24 That was better! Now what was that funny story which
somebody told him in the Falstaff25 yesterday?
He recalled part of it, but not all, for the gaze of Dr Bour-dette
urged, challenged, and finally compelled him to turn.
Hewson half turned, and then swung his chair so as to bring
him face to face with the wearer of those dreadful hypnotic eyes. His
own were dilated, and his mouth, at first set in a grin of terror, lifted
at the corners in a snarl. Then Hewson spoke and woke a hundred
sinister echoes.
"You moved, damn you!" he cried. "Yes, you did, damn you! I
saw you!"
Then he sat quite still, staring straight before him, like a man
found frozen in the Arctic snows.
Dr Bourdette's movements were leisurely. He stepped off his
pedestal with the mincing care of a lady alighting from a bus. The
platform stood about two feet from the ground, and above the edge
of it a plush-covered rope hung in arch-like curves. Dr Bourdette
lifted up the rope until it formed an arch for him to pass under,
stepped off the platform and sat down on the edge facing Hewson.
Then he nodded and smiled and said, "Good evening."
"I need hardly tell you," he continued, in perfect English, in
which was traceable only the least foreign accent, "that not until I
overhead the conversation between you and the worthy manager of
this establishment, did I suspect that I should have the pleasure of a
140
companion here for the night. You cannot move or speak without my
bidding,26 but you can hear me perfectly well. Something tells me
that you are — shall I say nervous? My dear sir, have no illusions. I
am not one of these contemptible effigies miraculously come to life:
I am Dr Bourdette himself."
He paused, coughed and shifted his legs.
"Pardon me," he resumed, "but I am a little stiff. And let me
explain. Circumstances with which I need not fatigue you, have
made it desirable that I should live in England. I was close to this
building this evening when I saw a policeman regarding me a
thought27 too curiously. I guessed that he intended to follow and
perhaps ask me embarrassing questions, so I mingled with the crowd
and came in here. An extra coin bought my admission to the chamber
in which we now meet, and an inspiration showed me a certain
means of escape.
"I raised a cry of fire, and when all the fools had rushed to the
stairs I stripped my effigy of the caped coat which you behold me
wearing, donned it, hid my effigy under the platform at the back, and
took its place on the pedestal.
"The manager's description of me, which I had the em-
barrassment of being compelled to overhear, was biased but not
altogether inaccurate. Clearly I am not dead, although it is as well
that the world thinks otherwise. His account of my hobby, which I
have indulged for years, although, through necessity, less frequently
of late, was in the main true although not intelligently expressed. The
world is divided between collectors and non-collectors. With the
non-collectors we are not concerned. The collectors collect anything,
according to their individual tastes, from money to cigarette cards,
from moths to matchboxes. I collect throats."
He paused again and regarded Hewson's throat with interest
mingled with disfavor.
"I am obliged to chance which brought us together tonight," he
continued, "and perhaps it would seem ungrateful to complain. From
motives of personal safety my activities have been somewhat
curtailed of late years, and I am glad of this opportunity of gratifying
my somewhat unusual whim. But you have a skinny neck, sir, if you
will overlook a personal remark. I should have never selected you
from choice. I like men with thick necks ... thick red necks ..."
141
He fumbled in an inside pocket and took out something which
he tested against a wet forefinger and then proceeded to pass gently
to and fro against the palm of his left hand.
"This is a little French razor," he remarked blandly. 'They are
not much used in England, but perhaps you know them? One strops
them on wood. The blade, you will observe, is very narrow. They do
not cut very deep, see for yourself. I shall ask you the little civil
question of all the polite barbers: Does the razor suit you, sir?"
He rose up, a diminutive but menacing figure of evil, and
approached Hewson with the silent, furtive step of a hunting panther.
"You will have the goodness," he said, "to raise your chin a
little. Thank you, and a little more. Just a little more. Ah, thank you!
... Merci, m'sieur ... Ah, merci... merci ..."
Over one end of the chamber was a thick skylight of frosted
glass which, by day, let in a few sickly and filtered rays from the
floor above. After sunrise these began to mingle with the subdued
light from the electric bulbs, and this mingled illumination added a
certain ghastliness to a scene which needed no additional touch of
horror.
The waxwork figures stood apathetically in their places,
waiting to be admired or execrated by the crowds who would
presently wander fearfully among them. In their midst, in the center
gangway, Hewson sat still, leaning far back in his armchair. His chin
was uptilted as if he were waiting to receive attention from a barber,
and although there was not a scratch upon his throat, nor anywhere
upon his body, he was cold and dead. His previous employers were
wrong in having him credited with no imagination.
Dr Bourdette on his pedestal watched the dead man un-
emotionally. He did not move, nor was he capable of motion. But
then, after all, he was only a waxwork.
142
NOTES
143
century murdering women, mainly prostitutes, and whose identity
remains unknown to this day
16. capital: punishable by death
17. Ugh! [uh] : an exclamation of disgust, horror, etc.
18. Mesmerism: hypnotism, named after Mesmer, Friedrich Anton
(1733—1815), a German doctor, who founded the system of
mesmerism or animal magnetism
19. dispatch: to kill
20. tot (dial.): a small drink (of alcoholic liquor)
21. Hem. (Lat.}: memento, remember
22. deathly: like death. The suffix -ly forms adjectives from nouns
with the meaning of "resembling in appearance", "having the
nature and character of," as in fatherly, neighborly, etc.
23. sixth sense: intuition
24. tripper: (Br. colloq.): (often contemptuous) an excursionist, esp.
of the noisy kind
25. the Falstaff: the name of a public house
26. bidding: command
27. a thought: a little bit
144
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
145
biased but not altogether inaccurate. 5. From motives of personal
safety my activities have been somewhat curtailed of late years, and I
am glad of this opportunity of gratifying my somewhat unusual
whim.
1. He seemed willing enough to come to terms with us, but they had
to be his terms; 2. She couldn't have guessed what was coming. Even
if she had, it wouldn't have helped matters much. 3. He wondered
why they had turned him down. It didn't look as if he weren't
properly qualified for the job. 4. I wonder whether he would care to
join us on the trip. 5. He said that he didn't care to answer our
questions and that was final. 6. He should have thought twice before
accepting the responsibility. Now he was in for long hours and
sleepless nights. 7. She was quick to grasp the situation and take
advantage of it. 8. The treatment seems to have worked wonders.
He's an altogether different man now. 9. Things are not altogether as
146
bad you've been trying to make them out. 10. It is as well that he
never raised the matter. We couldn't have settled it anyway. 11. She
had heard a lot about the beauty spot. Now she would be going to see
for herself.
1. Good thing he never asked about the book. I'd lost track of it a
long time since. 2. He wished he had never mentioned the subject. It
meant a quarrel with his friends. 3. She was unwilling to discuss the
incident. She wanted it best forgotten. 4. What we all had in mind
was something totally different. 5. He had debated the matter with
himself for days. It was no easy thing to reach an agreement with his
own conscience. 6. She won't be satisfied until she sees it with her
own eyes. 7. There was no way of learning what to expect. 8. Would
you like to see my collection of stamps and coins? 9. He even
refused to consider the offer. 10. It was a chance in a million and it is
only to his credit that he should have used it so well. 11. His
performance at the examination was not poor in all respects.
1. a) She looked over the letters once more. There was nothing for
her. b) He seems to have overlooked such a possibility. 2. a) When
we talked about it later she couldn't explain what had come over her
or why she had cried, b) There were no more difficulties or obstacles
to overcome. From now on it would be plain sailing, c) Overcome by
147
grief, she hardly noticed what was going on about her. 3. a) There is
sure to be somebody in the office to take over in your absence, b) He
had gone a long way before we overtook him. 4. a) She felt too tired
to read and just turned over the pages and looked at the pictures, b)
A strong gust of wind overturned the boat. 5. a) I should hate to do
the work over again, b) The doctor warned him against overdoing it
but he wouldn't listen.
148
Ex 11. Supply the missing word.
contemptible, contemptuous
1. She greeted us all with a... smile. It wasn't the best kind of
welcome a person could get. 2. He cut a ... figure. 3. She seemed to
be ... of everything. 4. I never expected him to behave in such a ...
manner.
Ex 12. Study the phrases with turn. Use them in sentences of you
own.
149
áñå»ë½Ç ѳëÝ»ù ·ÛáõÕ: 5. Üñ³ Ùáï ¹»é Ï»ë ßÇß Ï³Ã ¿ Ùݳó»É: 6.
ܳ ųٳݳÏÇ Ï»ëÁ í³ïÝáõÙ ¿ ³ÝÇÙ³ëï Ëáë³ÏóáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñÇ
íñ³: 7. ²Ù³éÝ ³Û¹ Íáí³÷ÝÛ³ ·ÛáõÕÁ ÏÇëáí ã³÷ ³í»É³ÝáõÙ ¿: 8.
ºÃ» ·Ý³ë ˳ÝáõÃ, ËݹñáõÙ »Ù ·ÝÇñ 2 - 2,5 Ï·. ËÝÓáñ: 9.
ä³ñ½í»ó, áñ ѳݷëï³óáÕÝ»ñÇ Ï»ëÝ ÇÝÓ Í³Ýáà ¿ñ: 10.
γñïáýÇÉÁ ÏÇëáí ã³÷ ÑáõÙ ¿ñ: 11. ܳ ËÝÓáñÁ »ñÏáõ Ï»ë ³ñ»ó ¨
ÙÇ Ù³ëÁ å³ñ½»ó ÇÝÓ: 12. ܳ ë³ñë³÷»ÉÇ ÝÇѳñ ¿: àõÕÇÕ Ýñ³
Ï»ëÝ ¿ Ùݳó»É:
150
THE TREASURE-SHIP
151
centuries to probe for the alleged treasures of the interesting galleon;
with the aid of this invention she considered that she might go to
work on the wreck privately and independently. After all, one of her
ancestors on her mother's side was descended from Medina
Sidonia,14 so she was of opinion that she had as much right to the
treasure as any one. She acquired the invention and bought the
apparatus.
Among other family ties and encumbrances,15 Lulu possessed
a nephew, Vasco Honiton, a young gentleman who was blessed with
a small income and a large circle of relatives, and lived impartially
and precariously on both.18 The name Vasco17 had been given him
possibly in the hope that he might live up to his adventurous
tradition, but he limited himself strictly to the home industry of
adventurer, preferring to exploit the assured rather than explore the
unknown. Lulu's intercourse with him had been restricted of recent
years to the negative processes of being out of town when he called
on her, and short of money when he wrote to her. Now, however, she
bethought herself of his eminent suitability for the direction of a
treasure-seeking experiment; if any one could extract gold from an
unpromising situation it would certainly be Vasco — of course,
under the necessary safeguards in the way of supervision. Where
money was in question Vasco's conscience was liable to fits of
obstinate silence.
Somewhere, on the west coast of Ireland the Dulverton
property included a few acres of shingle, rock, and heather, too
barren to support even an agrarian outrage,18 but embracing a small
and fairly deep bay where the lobster yield was good in most
seasons. There was a bleak little house on the property, and for those
who liked lobsters and solitude, and were able to accept an Irish
cook's ideas as to what might be perpetrated in the name of
mayonnaise, Innisgluther was a tolerable exile during the summer
months. Lulu seldom went there herself, but she lent the house
lavishly to friends and relations. She put it now at Vasco's disposal.
"It will be the very place to practise and experiment with the
salvage apparatus," she said: "the bay is quite deep in places and you
will be able to test everything thoroughly before starting on the
treasure hunt."
152
In less than three weeks Vasco turned up in town to report
progress.
"The apparatus works beautifully," he informed his aunt; "the
deeper one got the clearer everything grew. We found something in
the way of a sunken wreck to operate on, too!"
"A wreck in Innisgluther Bay!" exclaimed Lulu.
"A submerged motor-boat, .the Sub-Rosa,"19 said Vasco.
"No! Really?" said Lulu. "Poor Billy Yuttley's boat. I
remember it went down somewhere off the coast some three years
ago. His body was washed ashore at the Point. People said at the
time that the boat was capsized20 intentionally — a case of suicide,
you know. People always say that sort of thing when anything tragic
happens."
"In this case they were right," said Vasco.
"What do you mean?" asked the Duchess hurriedly. "What
makes you think so?"
"I know," said Vasco simply.
" Know? How can you know? How can any one know? The
thing happened three years ago."
"In the locker of the Sub-Rosa I found a water-tight strong-
box. It contained papers." Vasco paused with dramatic effect and
searched for a moment in the inner-breast-pocket of his coat. He
drew out a folded slip of paper. The Duchess snatched at it in almost
indecent haste and moved appreciably nearer the fireplace.
"Was this in the Sub-Rosa's strong-box?" she asked. "Oh, no,"
said Vasco carelessly, "this is a list of the well-known people who
would be involved in a very disagreeable scandal if the Sub-Rosa's
papers were made public. I've put you at the head of it, otherwise it
follows alphabetical order.
The Duchess gazed helplessly at the string of names, which
seemed for the moment to include nearly every one she knew. As a
matter of fact, her own name at the head of the list exercised an
almost paralyzing effect on her thinking faculties.
"Of course you have destroyed the papers?" she asked, when
she had somewhat recovered .herself. She was conscious that she
made the remark with an entire lack of conviction.
Vasco shook his head.
153
"But you should have," said Lulu angrily: "if, as you say, they
are highly compromising— "Oh, they are, I assure you of that,"
interposed the young man.
"Then you should put them out of harm's way at once.
Supposing anything should leak out, think of all these poor,
unfortunate people who would be involved in the disclosures," and
Lulu tapped the list with an agitated gesture,
"Unfortunate, perhaps, but not poor," corrected Vasco: "if you
read the list carefully you'll notice that I haven't troubled to include
any one whose financial standing isn't above question."
Lulu glared at her nephew for some moments in silence. Then
she asked hoarsely: "What are you going to do?"
"Nothing—for the remainder of my life," he answered
meaningfully. "A little hunting, perhaps," he continued, "and I shall
have a villa at Florence. The Villa Sub-Rosa would sound rather
quaint and picturesque, don't you think, and quite a lot of people
would be able to attach a meaning to the name. And I suppose I must
have a hobby; I shall probably collect Raeburns. "21
Lulu's relative, who lived at the Court of Monaco, got quite a
snappish answer when she wrote recommending some further
invention in the realm of marine research.
NOTES
154
10. terrestrial restrictions: smallness of territory
11. was wont to: was accustomed to
12. Monegaskan: a form of "Monégasque" (Fr.) Monacan;
Monegaskan savant: a local expert.
13. fathom: a unit of measure (6 feet==182 cm) for depth of water
14. Medina Sidonia: Spanish Duke, commander of the Invincible
(or Spanish) Armada sent against England by Phillip II in 1588.
The Armada was almost entirely destroyed by the English navy
led by Sir Francis Drake and bad weather.
15. encumbrance: a burden
16. and lived impartially and precariously on both: he showed no
preference for either source, drawing equally from both, but
getting very little money out of either of them.
17. Vasco: the allusion here is to Vasco da Gama (1469? — 1524), a
Portuguese navigator, who discovered the sea route around Africa
to India
18. agrarian outrage: the poorest kind of farm
19. Sub-Rosa (Lat.): secretly, in confidence
20. capsize: to overturn, to upset (esp. of a boat in the water)
21. Raeburns: paintings by Sir Henry Raeburn (1756— 1823), a
famous Scottish portrait painter
155
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
where the fortune of war and weather had long ensconced it; a
species of higher criticism; through the instrumentality of this
relative; among other ties and encumbrances, Lulu possessed a
nephew; she bethought herself of his eminent suitability; as to what
might be perpetrated in the name of mayonnaise; in the realm of
156
Çñ»ÝóÇó Ý»ñϳ۳óÝáõÙ »Ý ÝÛáõÃ³Ï³Ý ³ñÅ»ù, Ñ³Ý»É çñÇ »ñ»ë,
ÑáõÛë ï³Í»É, »ñ»ù ¹³ñ»ñÇ ÁÝóóùáõÙ, ³ñųÝÇ ÉÇÝ»É ÇÝã-áñ
µ³ÝÇ, ³ÝÑñ³Å»ßï ݳ˳½·áõßáõÃÛáõÝ, ÑëÏáÕáõÃÛáõÝ, ѳٳé
ÉéáõÃÛáõÝ, ë³ñù³íáñáõÙ ÷áñÓ³ñÏ»É, ѳÕáñ¹»É ·áñÍ»ñÇ Çñ³íÇ-
׳ÏÇ Ù³ëÇÝ, Ëáñï³Ïí³Í ß³ñÅÇã³ÛÇÝ Ý³í³Ï, ÇÝùݳëå³-
ÝáõÃÛ³Ý ÷áñÓ, ÏáÕåïíáÕ å³Ñ³ñ³Ý, ³Ýçñ³ÝóÇÏ ë»Ûý, Ý»ñ·ñ³í-
í»É ëϳݹ³É³ÛÇÝ å³ïÙáõÃÛ³Ý Ù»ç, Ññ³ï³ñ³Ï»É, ·ñ³Ýó»É
óáõó³ÏÇ ëϽµáõÙ, ³Ûµ»Ý³Ï³Ý ϳñ·áí, áõßùÇ ·³É, ÏáñóÝ»É
Ùï³Í»Éáõ áõݳÏáõÃÛáõÝÁ, í³ñϳµ»ÏáÕ ÷³ëï³ÃÕûñ,
÷áñÓ³ÝùÇó Ñ»éáõ å³Ñ»É, Ý»ñó÷³Ýó»É /ï»Õ»ÏáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñÇ
Ù³ëÇÝ/, ýÇݳÝë³Ï³Ý ¹ñáõÃÛáõÝ, ϳëÏ³Í ãѳñáõó»É, Ëéåáï
Ó³ÛÝáí:
1. It was all over in a matter of seconds. The car was in the ditch
with all of us in a heap inside. 2. It wasn't such a bad idea after all! 3.
Some day he hoped to live up to his mother's expectations. 4. He
always seems to be short of time and short of temper when it comes
to discussing his affairs. 5. Where will you be getting the sum in
question? 6. I have but a few moments at my disposal. 7. We had
waited for him the whole morning but he never turned up. 8. There
was very little the town could offer in the way of entertainment. 9.
The findings of the expedition, if made public, would create quite a
stir in the scientific world.. 10. Her honesty is above question.
1. We arranged that I should have the use of his flat in his absence. 2.
You will be getting over the disappointment. Time cures all. 3. There
could be no doubt about the sincerity of his offer. 4. He always
appears most unexpectedly. 5. The book you referred to is available
at the library. 6. There were things in his past he wouldn't care to
have generally known. 7. In spite of everything the plan did work. .8.
He would gladly take the job, not so much for the money as for the
prestige. 9. All things considered, what does it matter whether he
comes or not? 10. To match one's deeds with one's principles was not
as easy as he expected. 11. He was well-pleased with the trip. Not
157
that he had learnt anything of real importance as far as facts went,
but he had somehow gained deeper insight into the character of the
man whose life story he was going to write. 12. The night was still
young, but his cigarettes were already few. He would have to cut
down on his smoking.
1. a) She snatched the letter from my hand before I had time to read
the address, b) The man snatched at the briefcase but it was I who
was the quicker of the two. 2. a) The goal-keeper caught the ball and
with a vigorous kick sent it flying across the field, b) A drowning
man will catch at a straw. 3. a) The mother grasped the child firmly
by the hand. b) A person who grasps at too much may lose all. 4. a)
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold. b) He still hoped to
get at the truth. 5. a) She pulled the strings tying the parcel and it
came open. b) He pulled at the window. It wouldn't open. 6. a) The
little girl fell asleep clutching the rag doll tightly, b) He would clutch
at any excuse to stay away from work.
158
A. 1. I've got a surprise for you. Now shut your eyes and don't look,
2. An old man opened the door and peered at me shortsightedly. 3.
She glared at them in impotent rage. 4 The child raised the lid and
peeped inside the box. 5. The travelers had reached the top of the hill
and were now gazing in wonder at the beautiful country lying at their
feet. 6. He sat down opposite the living-room window and stared out
of it as if at a vision of the past or future. 7. The crowd stood gaping.
They had never seen a travelling circus.
B. 1. A special group of experts arrived to make inquiries and assess
the damages. 2. He estimated the distance at something over five
hundred yards. 3. The damage inflicted by the flood was estimated at
several hundred thousand pounds. 4. His services were highly
appreciated by the government. 5. I appreciate your interest.
C. 1. The island was yet to he explored. 2. It was his task to explore
the possibilities of the invention. 3. The case was investigated by the
police. 4. The doctor examined the patient carefully. 5. The matter
was examined from every possible angle.
a) fairly, rather
1. We found it all ... distressing. 2. She was doing ... well. 3. I
didn't get to bed until ... late last night, that's what makes me feel...
tired. 4. The girl was ... good-looking, but... stupid. 5. The buses are
... crowded at this time of the day. 6. She's ... good at explanations,
so you had better take your problems to her.
b) respectful, respectable
159
Ex 12. Study the following word combinations. Translate them
into Armenian. Make sentences with each.
160
CONFUSINGLY RELATED WORDS
These are words that cause problems when the speaker is not able to
distinguish between them. They are similar in meaning or
pronunciation but CANNOT be used interchangeably. Learn the
definition of each and its use before employing it in conversation.
LEARN (v) obtain knowledge. The new cashier had to learn how to
operate the computerized cash register.
TEACH (v) impart knowledge. The instructor is teaching us how to
program computers.
LEND (v) and LOAN (v) give something for temporary use with the
promise of returning it. (Lend and loan as verbs may be used
interchangeably.) Jill loaned (lent) me her dress to wear to the dance.
BORROW (v) receive something for temporary use with the
promise of returning it. I borrowed Jill’s red dress to wear to the
dance.
161
LONELY (adj) depressed feeling as result of abandonment or being
alone. After her husband’s death, Debbie was very lonely and
withdrawn.
ALONE (adj) physical state of solitude, unaccompanied. After
losing in the Olympic tryouts, Phil asked to be left alone.
NEAR (prep or adv) used to indicate a place not too far distant. My
biology class meets near the Student Union.
NEARLY (adv) almost. We were nearly hit by the speeding car on
the turnpike.
162
REMIND (v) to cause (someone) to remember, to bring into
(someone’s) mind. Please remind me to call Henry at 7 o’clock
tonight. Henry reminds me of my uncle.
163
BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY
164
KEY WORDS
WILLA CATHER
Willa Cather was born in Virginia in 1873. When she was ten, her
family moved to a farm in Nebraska. At that time, pioneer settlers
from the eastern United States were moving into the new state. Two
of Cather’s famous novels, My Antonia and O Pioneers!, describe the
life of these early settlers. As a young woman, Cather taught English,
wrote for a newspaper, and edited a magazine in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Then she moved to New York to work at McClure’s
magazine. Much of her later writing describes the painters, writers,
and theater people she met there. Although different from the
farmers of her youth, these artists were also pioneers – people who
explored unsettled areas of thought and feeling. And, like the early
settlers, they sometimes left society to begin a new exploration on
their own. Willa Cather died in 1947.
Paul’s Case
(Adapted)
I
It was Paul’s afternoon to appear before his teachers at
Pittsburgh High School. He had been suspended a week ago. Now he
was expected to explain his bad behavior. Paul entered the teachers’
room, smooth and smiling. He had outgrown his clothes a little, and
the velvet collar of his overcoat looked a little worn. But there was
165
something elegant about him. He wore a jeweled pin in his neat tie.
He had a red carnation in his coat. His teachers felt his appearance
didn’t show the right attitude toward suspension.
Paul was tall for his age, and very thin. His large eyes had a
glassy shine. He continually flashed them at people in an artificial
way. His teachers found that offensive in a boy.
The principal asked him why he was there. Paul answered,
politely enough, that he wanted to come back to school. This was a
lie, but Paul was used to lying. He needed to lie to solve his
problems. Then his teachers were asked to explain his behavior in
class. They spoke with such anger that it was clear that Paul’s case
was no ordinary case. He was offensive in class. He had a
contemptuous attitude toward his teachers. They attacked him like a
pack of angry dogs.
Through all of this, Paul stood smiling; his lips open to show
his teeth. Older boys than Paul had cried at such meetings. But Paul
kept on flashing his eyes around him, always smiling. When he was
told that he could go, he bowed gracefully, and went out. His bow,
like the offensive red carnation, only showed his contempt.
The art teacher said what they all felt. “I don’t really believe
that smile is natural. There’s something artificial about it. The boy is
not strong, for one thing. There is something wrong about him.”
His teachers left the meeting angry and unhappy. But Paul ran
gracefully down the hall. He was whistling a song from the opera he
was going to watch that night. He hoped some of the teachers would
see how little he cared about the meeting.
Paul worked as an usher at Carnegie Hall. Since he was late
that evening he decided to go straight to the concert. He was always
excited while he got dressed in the usher’s uniform. The uniform fit
him better than the other boys, and he thought he looked elegant.
Paul was a model usher. Graceful and smiling, he ran up and
down the aisles, showing people to their seats. He carried messages
as though it was his greatest pleasure in life. As the theater filled, he
became more and more excited. His cheeks and lips were red and his
eyes flashed. It was as if the theater was a great party and Paul was
the host. When the music began, Paul sat down in back. With a sigh
he lost himself in the music. The first answering sigh of the violins
seemed to free some wild excitement inside him. The lights danced
166
before his eyes, and the concert hall flashed with color. Then the
singer came on, and Paul forgot all about his teacher.
He always felt depressed after a concert. He hated to give up
the excitement and color. Tonight he waited outside the hall for the
singer. When she came out, he followed her across the street to the
Schenly Hotel. The hotel stood large and lit up, for singers and actors
and big businessmen. Paul had often hung around the hotel, watching
the people go in and out. He wanted to enter that bright elegance and
leave schoolteachers and problems behind him. He watched the
singer pass through the shining glass doors. In that moment, Paul felt
himself pass through with her. He imagined the delicious platters of
food that were brought to the dining room. He could almost see the
green wine bottles in shining ice-buckets, like photographs in the
newspapers.
A cold wind rose and it began to rain hard. Paul was surprised
to find himself standing outside. His boots were letting in water and
his overcoat was wet. Rain fell between him and the lighted windows
in front of him. He wondered if he would always have to stand
outside in the cold, looking in. He turned and walked slowly to the
bus stop.
II
Half an hour later, Paul got off the bus and walked down
Cordelia Street to his house. All the houses looked alike. Clerks and
small businessmen lived there, and raised large families. The
children went to Sunday school, and were interested in geometry.
They were just as alike each other as the houses were. Paul always
felt hopeless and depressed when he walked down Cordelia Street.
He had the feeling of sinking into ugliness, like water closing over
his head. After the excitement of this evening he couldn’t bear to see
his room, with its ugly yellow wallpaper. Or the cold bathroom with
the dirty tub, the broken mirror. Or his father, with his hairy legs
sticking out from under his nightshirt. Paul was so late tonight that
his father would be angry. Paul would have to explain, and to lie. He
couldn’t face it. He decided that he wouldn’t go in.
He went around to the back of the house and found a basement
window open. He climbed through and dropped down to the floor.
He stood there, holding his breath, afraid of the noise he had made.
167
But he heard nothing from upstairs. He carried a box over to the
furnace to keep warm. He didn’t try to sleep. He was horribly afraid
of rats. And suppose his father had heard him, and came down and
shot him as a thief? Then again, suppose his father came down with a
gun, but Paul cried out in time to save himself? His father would be
horrified to think he had nearly killed him. But what if his father
wished Paul hadn’t cried out, and hadn’t saved himself? Paul
entertained himself with these thoughts until daybreak.
On sunny Sunday afternoons, the people of Cordelia Street sat
out on their front steps, the women in their Sunday clothes. Children
played in the street while their parents talked. The women talked
about sewing and children, and the men gave advice about business
and the cost of things. Paul sat there listening. The men were telling
stories about the rich and powerful men who were their bosses. They
owned palaces in Venice. They sailed yachts on the Mediterranean.
They gambled at Monte Carlo. Paul’s imagination was excited at the
idea of becoming boss, but he had no mind for the clerk stage.
After supper was over, he helped dry the dishes. Then he
asked nervously if he could go to George’s for help with his
geometry. His father asked him why he couldn’t study with someone
who lived nearer. And he shouldn’t leave his homework until
Sunday. But finally he gave him money for the bus. Paul ran upstairs
to wash the smell of dishwater from his hands. He shook a few drops
of cologne over his fingers. Then he left the house with his geometry
book, very obvious, under his arm. The moment he left Cordelia
Street and got on the bus, he shook off two days of deadening
boredom. He began to live again.
Paul had a friend, Charley Edwards, who was a young actor.
Paul spent every extra moment in Charley’s dressing room, helping
him dress. It was at the theater and concert hall that Paul really lived.
The rest was only a sleep and a forgetting. This was Paul’s fairy tale,
this was his secret love. The moment he breathed the smell behind
the scenes, his imagination took fire. The moment the violins began
to play, he shook off all stupid and ugly things.
In Paul’s world, natural things were nearly always ugly.
Perhaps that was why he thought artificiality was necessary to
beauty. His life was full of Sunday-school picnics, saving money,
good advice, and the smell of cooking. It was not that he didn’t want
168
to become an actor or musician. What he wanted was to see theater,
to breathe its air, to be carried away from it all.
After a night behind the scenes, Paul found school worse than
ever. He hated the bare floors and empty walls. He hated the
teachers: boring men who never wore carnations in their old suits.
And he hated the women, with their dull dresses and high voices,
who spoke so seriously about prepositions and adjectives. He
couldn’t bear to have the other students think he took these people
seriously. He wanted them to see that school meant nothing to him. It
was all a joke. He showed his classmates pictures of his friends at the
theater. He told them unbelievable stories of his midnight suppers
with actors and musicians. He talked about the flowers he sent to his
actor friends, and the trips they would take together.
Things went worse and worse at school. Paul was offensive to
the teachers. He had no time for geometry; he was too busy helping
his friends at the theater. Finally, the principal went to Paul’s father.
Paul was taken out of school. He was put to work as a clerk for
Denny & Carson. The manager of Carnegie Hall was told to get
another usher. The doorman at the theater was told not to let him in.
Charley Edwards promised not to see him again. The theater people
were amused when they heard the stories Paul had told. They agreed
that Paul was a bad case.
III
The train ran east through a January snowstorm. Paul woke up
as the train whistled outside of New York City. He felt dirty and
uncomfortable. He had taken the night train to avoid any Pittsburgh
businessman who might have seen him at Denny & Carson.
When he arrived at the station, he took a taxi to a large men’s
store. He spent two hours there, buying carefully: a suit, dress
clothes, shirts and silk underwear. He drove on to a hat shop and a
shoe shop. His last stop was at Tiffany’s, where he chose silver
brushes and a tie-pin. Then he had the taxi take him to the Waldorf
Hotel.
When he was shown into his rooms on the eighth floor, he saw
that everything was as it should be. Only one thing was missing. He
ordered flowers brought up to his room. Outside the snow was falling
wildly, but inside the air was soft and smelled of flowers. He was
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very tired. He had been in such a hurry, and had been under such
pressure. He had come so far in the last twenty-four hours.
It had been wonderfully simple. When they shut him out of the
theater and the concert hall, the whole thing was sure to happen. It
was only a matter of when. The only thing that surprised Paul was
his own courage. He had always been afraid. Even when he was a
little boy, he felt fear watching him from a dark corner. And Paul had
done things that were not pretty to watch, he knew. But now he felt
free of that – he had driven fear away.
Only yesterday, he had been sent to the bank with Denny &
Carson’s money. There was more that $2,000 in checks, and nearly
$1,000 in cash. He had slipped the thousand into his pocket, and left
only the checks at the bank. He knew no one would notice for two or
three days, and his father was away on business for the week. From
the time he slipped the money into his pocket, and caught the train to
New York, he had never lost his nerve.
When he woke up it was four o’clock. He dressed carefully
and took a taxi up Fifth Avenue to Central Park. Snow fell against
shop windows full of spring flowers. The park looked like a winter
scene in the theater. Later, at dinner, he sat alone at a table near the
window. The flowers, the white tablecloths, the many-colored wine
glasses, the bright dresses of the women, the low music of the violins
– all these things filled him with joy. Paul wondered why there were
any honest men at all – this was what all the world was fighting for.
He couldn’t believe in Cordelia Street. He felt only contempt for
those people. Had he ever lived there? Alone later, at the opera, he
was not lonely. He had no wish to meet or know any of these elegant
people. All he wanted was the right to be a part of the scene and
watch.
The manager of the hotel was not suspicious. Paul drew no
attention to himself. His pleasures were quiet ones. He loved to sit in
the evenings in his living room. He enjoyed his flowers, his clothes,
his cigarette, and his feeling of power. He could not remember a time
when he had been so at peace with himself. He was glad not to have
to lie, day after day. He had only lied to make people notice him. He
wanted to prove his difference from the boys on Cordelia Street.
Now he could be honest. He felt no guilt at what he had done. His
170
golden days went by without a shadow. He made each one as perfect
as he could.
On the eighth day after his arrival in New York, he saw the
whole story in the Pittsburgh paper. The company of Denny &
Carson reported that the boy’s father had paid back what he stole.
They would not send Paul to jail. His father thought he might be in
New York. He was on his way east to find his son.
Paul felt terrible. The thought of returning to Cordelia Street,
to Sunday school, to his ugly room, to old dishtowels, was worse
than jail. He had the terrible feeling that the music had stopped, the
play was over. But later, at dinner, the violin and the flash of light
and color had their old magic. He drank his wine wildly. He would
show himself that he could finish the game with elegance. Was he
not a very special person? Wasn’t this the world where he belonged?
The next morning he woke up with a headache. He had never
felt so depressed. Yet somehow, he was not afraid. Perhaps he had
looked into the dark corner where his terror had always waited. He
saw everything clearly now. He had the feeling that he had made the
best of it. He had lived the sort of life he was meant to live.
Paul took a taxi out into the country. Then he sent the taxi
away and walked along the train tracks. The snow lay heavy on the
ground. He climbed a little hill above the tracks, and sat down. He
noticed that the carnations in his coat were dying in the cold. All the
flowers he had seen that first night in New York must have gone the
same way. They only had one bright breath of life. It was a losing
game, it seemed, to fight against the world’s advice. Paul took one of
the carnations from his coat. He dug a hole in the snow, and carefully
covered up the flower.
The sound of a train brought him back. He jumped to his feet,
afraid that he might be too late. He was smiling nervously. His eyes
moved left and right, as if someone was watching him. When the
right moment came, he jumped. As he fell, he saw with regret all that
he had left undone. The blue Mediterranean, the gold of Monte
Carlo. He felt something hit his chest. His body was thrown through
the air, on and on, further and faster. Then, his imagination flashed
into black, and Paul dropped back into the immense design of things.
171
Vocabulary
appear (v) – 1. to become able to be seen; come into sight: Her new
book will appear in the shop very soon. 2. to seem, to look: You
appear well this morning. 3. to be present officially, as in a court of
law: He had to appear before the committee to explain his behavior.
appearance (n) – 1. the act of appearing, as to the eye, mind, or
public: My appearance at the party was not very welcome. 2. that
which can be seen; outward qualities, look: They changed the whole
appearance of the house just by painting it.
172
expectation(s) (=in spite of what was expected) it was the other way
round.
advise (v.) 1. tell smb. what one thinks should be done; give advice
to smb: I advise waiting till the proper time. 2. to give notice to;
inform: We wish to advise you that you now owe the bank $500.
advice (n.) opinion given by one person to another on how that other
should behave or act: I asked the doctor for her advice / a piece of
advice.
advisable (adj.) sensible, wise: It is advisable always to wear a
safety belt when you’re driving opposite inadvisable.
173
enough for all the students? Is there enough space / space enough for
all the desks.
enough (adv.) (+ to -v.) 1. to the necessary degree: It’s warm enough
to swim. 2. not very, but only rather: She runs well enough.
strangely enough (= although it is rather strange)
fair enough (reasonable)
sure enough (as expected): He said he would come, and sure enough
he did.
chance (n.) 1. the force that seems to make things happen without
cause or reason: luck; good or bad fortune: Chance plays an
important part in many card games. It happened quite by chance. 2.
a possibility, likelihood that something will happen: Is there any
chance of the team winning this week? 3. (to, of) a favorable
occasion, opportunity: I never miss a chance of playing chess. 4. a
risk: The rope might break but that’s a chance I’ll have to take. 5. on
the chance – in view of the possibility; in the hope: We went to the
cinema on the chance of seeing Paul there.
Usage: Compare chance and opportunity: You can have a chance or
opportunity to do smth., which means that luckily it is possible for
you at a favorable moment: I had the chance (opportunity) of visiting
Paris.
But we can also say There is a chance (=possibility) that I will see
him, and opportunity couldn’t be used here.
chance (v.) 1. to take place by chance; happen by accident: She
chanced to be in the park when I was there. 2. to take a chance with;
risk: You shouldn’t chance all your money at once.
chance (adj.) accidental; unplanned: a chance meeting
breath (n.) 1. air taken into and breathed out of lungs: After all that
running I have no breath left. 2. a single act of breathing air in and
out: Take a deep breath! 3. a sign of slight movement of smth: There
was hardly a breath of air. 4. get one’s breath, catch one’s breath
– to return to one’s usual rate of breathing: I need time to get my
breath after running. 5. hold one’s breath – to stop breathing for a
time: The country held its breath to see who would win the elections.
6. out of breath – breathing very rapidly, 7. take one’s breath away
– to make one unable to speak (from surprise, pleasure, etc.): The
174
picture took my breath away. 8. under one’s breath – in a whisper,
in a low voice: She sat beside me and began to gossip under her
breath.
miss (v.) 1. (+v. – ing) to fail to hit, catch, find, meet, see, hear: The
falling rock just missed my head. He arrived too late and missed the
train. He shot at me but missed. I don’t want to miss seeing that play
on television tonight. 2. to feel sorry on unhappy at the absence or
loss of: Her children have gone to Australia and she misses them
very much. 3. to discover the absence or loss of: I didn’t miss the key
until I got home and found it wasn’t in my bag.
miss (v) 1. to fail to hit, catch, find, meet, hear, etc.: He arrived too
late and missed the train. 2. to feel sorry or unhappy at the absence
or loss of: I miss living in the country. 3. to discover the absence or
loss of: I didn’t miss the key until I got home and found it wasn’t in
my bag. 4. miss the boat – to lose a good chance: She was eager to
take part in that performance, but the dangerous disease made her
miss the boat. miss out – to leave out, fail to put in, add: Your
account of the accident misses out one or two important facts.
miss (n) 1. a failure to hit, catch, hold, etc. that which is aimed at:
The ball didn’t quite go into the goal, but it was a near miss. 2. give
something a miss – not take, go to, do, etc. something: I’m tired – I
think I’ll give the film a miss.
1. How did you feel about the ending of the story? Were you
surprised? shocked? saddened? Did you feel that the ending had
to happen the way it did? What other path might Paul have taken?
Would that path have been within his character, as we came to
know it in the story?
2. What is the meaning, in your opinion, of the final phrase: “. . .
and Paul dropped back into the immense design of things.”
Immense means huge, unable to be measured. A design is a plan,
or the working out of a plan: a project with a purpose or aim.
What do they mean when you put the two words together? Does
175
this idea help us understand or accept Paul’s death? Why, or why
not?
3. The word case in the story’s title tells us from the start that the
“Paul” of the title will be an unusual young man. But how special
is he? Do you think Paul’s “case” is so unusual that it is
unrealistic? Can you think of other “cases” that in some ways are
similar to Paul’s? Do you think modern society produces more or
fewer cases like Paul’s than the society of seventy-five to a
hundred years ago? (What effect, for example, might TV and
news stories about movie stars or famous athletes have on
someone like Paul today?)
Part 1
The italicized words in the sentences below are keys to
understanding the conflict between Paul and his teachers and
between Paul’s feelings about everyday life and the excitement of the
theatre. Answer the questions that follow the sentences.
176
When they asked if he wanted to come back to school, did he
show contempt again? What did he answer? Why?
3. Paul’s attitude toward life could be seen in the jeweled pin in his
neat tie – a touch of elegance. What other such sign did he
present to the world?
4. Paul’s teachers did not find his red carnation elegant or his
flashing eyes attractive. On the contrary, they found these things
offensive. As a result, what did they feel at the end of the
meeting?
5. In the concert hall – a very artificial place – Paul worked as an
usher, running up and down the aisles, showing people to their
seats. How does this job make him feel?
6. Paul always felt depressed after a concert. Why?
7. Paul wanted to enter the bright elegance of the Schenley Hotel.
Why? What does he imagine it is like inside?
Part 2
In Part II, Cather continues to show us the contrast in Paul’s mind
between the real world of his neighborhood, Cordelia Street, and the
dream world of the theatre and concert hall. In this exercise, you are
asked to recall the details that make up Cather’s picture of Cordelia
Street.
1. “In Paul’s world, natural things were nearly always ugly.” Reread
that paragraph, and then list eight things about Cordelia Street
that Paul found ugly, boring, or depressing.
2. Where did Paul spend the night? How did he spend the night?
Why did he spend it that way?
3. Speak about the people of Cordelia Street. Who were they? What
kind of jobs did they hold? What did they talk about when they
gathered on their front step?
4. Before he left his house, how did Paul “get rid” of the feel of
Cordelia Street?
5. When Paul was removed from school, what four things happened
that removed him further from the world he loved and pushed him
closer to the world he hated?
177
Part 3
Flowers are important to Paul. In Part 1, he faces his teachers
wearing a red carnation in his coat. In Part 2, he tells his classmates
that he sends flowers to his actor friends. In Part 3, flowers remain
important. Answer the following questions.
1. Why does Paul order flowers sent to his room? What do the
flowers add to the room?
2. In the taxi, Paul notices two things about the shop windows, one
outside, one inside. What are they?
3. At the train tracks, what does Paul understand about the flowers
that he saw “that first night in New York”? Why does he bury one
of his red carnations in the snow?
Example:
Paul enjoys being an usher. His job is to show people to their seats in
the concert hall.
178
3. Paul steals $1,000 and runs away to New York City. He is
surprised that he has the courage to do this, because ____.
4. The hotel manager was not suspicious of Paul because ____.
5. When Paul reads in the newspaper that his father is coming to
New York City to look for him, he feels terrible because ____.
6. As he throws himself in front of the train, Paul feels regret for
____.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words given.
179
c. In New York City, Paul experienced for a short time the rich,
elegant life he had always ____ living.
Look again at what Cather tells us about the world of the theater and
concert hall in Paul’s mind: “This was Paul’s fairy tale, this was his
secret love. The moment he breathed the smell behind the scenes, his
imagination took fire. The moment the violins began to play, he
shook all stupid and ugly things.”
180
In this exercise, you are asked to interview someone outside of your
class. You want to find what it is that allows this person to “shake all
stupid and ugly things.” Report the results of your interview to the
whole class.
During the interview, you may want to ask some of the
following questions:
Guidelines
181
the elegant rooms at the Waldorf Hotel, the flowers, a night at the
opera. In fact, Paul realizes his dream completely, if very briefly.
Your composition should describe another case of a person trying to
make real a dream or realize a deep wish. Use your own experience,
the experience of the person you interviewed in exercise E, the
experience of someone you know, or an experience out of your
imagination. In any case, you are asked to write in the third person,
using he or she to talk about your main character.
Paragraph 2: Introduction
Introduce fully the dream or wish itself. Where, when, how, and why
did the person start feeling this strong wish? What did the person
want to do? How did he or she think it might be possible to do it?
182
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183
JANE
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM
184
them. Now she fixed, a date and asked me whom I would like to
meet.
"There 's only one thing I must tell you. If Jane Fowler is still
here I shall have to put it off." "Who is Jane Fowler?" I asked.
Mrs. Tower gave a rueful smile.
"Jane Fowler is my cross."
"Oh!"
"Do you remember a photograph that I used to have on the
piano of a woman in a tight dress with tight sleeves and a gold
locket, with hair drawn back from a broad forehead and her ears
showing and spectacles on a rather blunt nose? Well, that was Jane
Fowler."
"Well who is Jane Fowler?" I asked again, smiling
"She's my sister-in-law. She was my husband's sister and she
married a manufacturer in the North. She's been a widow for many
years, and she's very well-to-do."
"And why is she your cross?"
"She's worthy, she's dowdy, she's provincial. She looks twenty
years older than I do and she's quite capable of telling anyone she
meets that we were at school together. She has an overwhelming
sense of family affection and because I am her only living
connexion3 she's devoted to me. When she comes to London it never
occurs to her that she should stay anywhere but here — she thinks it
would hurt my feelings—and she'll pay me visits of three or four
weeks. We sit here and she knits and reads. And sometimes she in-
sists on taking me to dine at Claridge's4 and she looks like a funny
old charwoman5 and everyone I particularly don't want to be seen by
is sitting at the next table."
Mrs. Tower paused to take breath.
"I should have thought a woman of your tact would find a way
to deal with a situation like that."
"Ah, but don't you see, I haven't a chance. She's so
immeasurably kind. She has a heart of gold She bores me to death,
but I wouldn't for anything let her suspect it."
"And when does she arrive?"
"Tomorrow."
185
But the answer was hardly out of Mrs. Tower's mouth when
the bell rang. There were sounds in the hall of a slight commotion
and in a minute or two the butler ushered in an elderly lady.
"Mrs. Fowler," he announced.
"Jane, '' cried Mrs. Tower, springing to her feet. "I wasn't
expecting you today."
"So your butler has just told me. I certainly said today in my
letter."
Mrs. Tower recovered her wits.6
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm very glad to see you whenever you
come. Fortunately I'm doing nothing this evening."
"You mustn't let me give you any trouble. If I can have a
boiled egg for my dinner that's all I shall want."
A faint grimace for a moment distorted Mrs. Tower's
handsome features. A boiled egg!
"Oh, I think we can do a little better than that. "
I chuckled inwardly when I recollected that the two ladies
were contemporaries. Mrs. Fowler looked a good fifty-five. She was
a rather big woman; she wore a black straw hat with a wide brim and
from it a black lace veil hung over her shoulders, a cloak that oddly
combined severity with fussiness, a long black dress, voluminous as
though she wore several petticoats under it, and stout boots. She was
evidently short-sighted, for she looked at you through large gold-
rimmed spectacles.
"Won't you have a cup of tea?" asked Mrs. Tower.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble."
I felt it high time for me to leave the two ladies to themselves,
so I took my leave.
Early next morning Mrs. Tower rang me up and I heard at
once from her voice that she was in high spirits.
"I've got the most wonderful news for you," she said. "Jane is
going to be married."
"Nonsense."
"Her fiancé is coming to dine here tonight to be introduced to
me and I want you to come too."
"Oh, but I shall be in the way."
"No, you won't. Jane suggested herself that I should ask you.
Do come."
186
When I arrived Mrs. Tower, very splendid in a tea-gown a
little too young for her, was alone.
"Jane is putting the finishing touches to her appearance. I'm
longing for you to see her. She's all in a flutter. She says he adores
her. His name is Gilbert and when she speaks of him her voice gets
all funny and tremulous. It makes me want to laugh."
"I wonder what he's like."
"Oh, I'm sure I know. Very big and massive, with a bald head
and an immense gold chain across an immense tummy.7 A large, fat,
clean-shaven, red face and a booming voice."
Mrs. Fowler came in. She wore a very stiff black silk dress
with a wide skirt and a train. At the neck it was cut into a timid V
and the sleeves came down to the elbows. She wore a necklace of
diamonds set in silver. She carried in her hands a long pair of black
gloves and a fan of black ostrich feathers. She managed (as so few
people do) to look exactly what she was. You could have never
thought her anything in the world but the respectable relict of a
North-country manufacturer of ample means.
"You've really got quite a pretty neck, Jane," said Mrs. Tower
with a kindly smile.
It was indeed astonishingly young when you compared it with
her weather-beaten face. It was smooth and unlined and the skin was
white. And I noticed then that her head was very well placed on her
shoulders.
"Has Marion told you my news?" she said, turning to me with
that really charming smile of hers as if we were already old friends.
"I must congratulate you," I said.
"Wait to do that till you've seen my young man."
"I think it's too sweet to hear you talk of your young man,"
smiled Mrs. Tower.
Mrs.. Fowler's eyes certainly twinkled behind her preposterous
spectacles.
"Don't expect anyone too old. You wouldn't like me to marry a
decrepit old gentleman with one foot in the grave, would you?"
This was the only warning she gave us. Indeed there was no
time for any further discussion, for the butler flung open the door and
in a loud voice announced:
"Mr. Gilbert Napier."
187
There entered a youth in a very well-cut dinner jacket. He was
slight, not very tall, with fair hair in which there was a hint of a
natural wave, clean-shaven, and blue-eyed. He was not particularly
good-looking, but he had a pleasant, amiable face. He was certainly
not more than twenty-four. My first thought was that this was the son
of Jane Fowler's fiancé (I had not known he was a widower) come to
say that his father was prevented from dining by a sudden attack of
gout. But his eyes fell immediately on Mrs.. Fowler, his face lit up,
and he went towards her with both hands outstretched. Mrs.. Fowler
gave him hers, a demure smile on her lips, and turned to her sister-in-
law.
"This is my young man, Marion," she said.
He held out his hand.
"I hope you'11 like me, Mrs.. Tower," he said. "Jane tells me
you're the only relation she has in the world."
Mrs.. Tower's face was wonderful to behold. I saw then to
admiration how bravely good breeding and social usage could
combat the instincts of the natural woman. For the astonishment and
then the dismay that for an instant she could not conceal were
quickly driven away, and her face assumed an expression of affable
welcome. But she was evidently at a loss for words. It was not
unnatural if Gilbert felt a certain embarrassment and I was too busy
preventing myself from laughing to think of anything to say. Mrs..
Fowler alone kept perfectly calm.
"I know you'll like him Marion. There's no one enjoys good
food more than he does." She turned to the young man.
"Marion's dinners are famous."
"I know," he beamed.
Mrs. Tower made some quick rejoinder and we went
downstairs. I shall not soon forget the exquisite comedy of that meal.
Mrs. Tower could not make up her mind whether the pair of them
were playing a practical joke on her or whether Jane by willfully
concealing her fiancé's age had hoped to make her look foolish. But
then Jane never jested and she was incapable of doing a malicious
thing. Mrs. Tower was amazed, exasperated, and perplexed. But she
had recovered her self-control, and for nothing would she have
forgotten that she was a perfect hostess whose duty it was to make
her party go.8 She talked vivaciously; but I wondered if Gilbert
188
Napier saw how hard and vindictive was the expression of her eyes
behind the mask of friendliness that she turned to him. She was
measuring him. She was seeking to delve into the secret of his soul I
could see that she was in a passion, for under her rouge her cheeks
glowed with an angry red.
"You've got a very high colour, Marion," said Jane, looking at
her amiably through her great round spectacles.
"I dressed in a hurry. I dare say I put on too much rouge.
"Oh, is it rouge? I thought it was natural. Otherwise shouldn't
have mentioned it." She gave Gilbert a shy little smile. "You know,
Marion and I were at school together. You would never think it to
look at us now, would you? But of course I've lived a very quiet
life."
I do not know what she meant by these remarks; it was almost
incredible that she made them in complete simplicity; but anyhow
they goaded Mrs. Tower to such a fury that she flung her own vanity
to the winds.9 She smiled brightly.
"We shall neither of us see fifty again, Jane," she said. If the
observation was meant to discomfit the widow it failed.
"Gilbert says I mustn't acknowledge to more than forty-nine
for his sake," she answered blandly.
Mrs. Tower's hands trembled slightly, but she found a retort.
"There is of course a certain disparity of age between you,"
she smiled.
"Twenty-seven years," said Jane. "Do you think it's too much?
Gilbert says I'm very young for my age. I told you I shouldn't like to
marry a man with one foot in the grave."
I was really obliged to laugh and Gilbert laughed too. His
laughter was frank and boyish. It looked as though he were amused
at everything Jane said.
"I suppose you're very busy buying your trousseau," I said.
"No, I wanted to get my things from the dressmaker in
Liverpool I've been to ever since I was first married. But Gilbert
won't let me. He's very masterful, and of course he has wonderful
taste."
She looked at him with a little affectionate smile, demurely, as
though she were a girl of seventeen.
Mrs. Tower went quite pale under her make-up.
189
"We're going to Italy for our honeymoon. Gilbert has never
had a chance of studying Renaissance architecture and of course it's
important for an architect to see things for himself. And we shall stop
in Paris on the way and get my clothes there."
"Do you expect to be away long?"
"Gilbert has arranged with his office to stay away for six
months. It will be such a treat for him, won't it? You see, he's never
had more than a fortnight's holiday before."
"Why not?" asked Mrs. Tower in a tone that no effort of will
could prevent from being icy.
"He's never been able to afford it, poor dear."
"Ahl" said Mrs. Tower, and into the exclamation put
volumes.10 Coffee was served and the ladies went upstairs; but in two
minutes a note was brought in to me by the butler. It was from Mrs.
Tower and ran as follows:
"Come upstairs quickly and then go as soon as you can. Take
him with you. Unless I have it out11 with Jane at once I shall have a
fit."
I told a facile lie.
"Mrs. Tower has a headache and wants to go to bed. I think if
you don't mind we'd better clear out."
"Certainly," he answered.
We went upstairs and five minutes later were on the door-step.
I called a taxi and offered the young man a lift.
"No, thanks," he answered. "I'll just walk to the corner and
jump on a bus."
Mrs. Tower sprang to the fray 12 as soon as she heard the front-
door close behind us.
"Are you crazy, Jane?" she cried.
"Not more than most people who don't habitually live in a
lunatic asylum, I trust," Jane answered blandly.
"May I ask you why you're going to marry this young man?"
asked Mrs. Tower with formidable politeness.
"Partly because he won't take no for an answer. He's asked me
five times. I grew positively tired of refusing him.
"And why do you think he's so anxious to marry you?"
"I amuse him. "
190
"Mrs. Tower gave an exclamation of annoyance "He's an
unscrupulous rascal. I very nearly told him so to his face".
"You would have been wrong, and it wouldn't have been very
polite."
"He's penniless and you're rich. You can't be such an besotted
fool as not to see that he's marrying you for your money."
Jane remained perfectly composed. She observed her sister-in-
law with detachment.
"I don't think he is, you know," she replied. "I think he's very
fond of me."
"You're an old woman, Jane."
"I'm the same age as you are, Marion," she smiled.
"I've never let myself go. I'm very young for my age. No one
would think I was more than forty. But even I wouldn't dream of
marrying a boy twenty years younger than myself. "
"Twenty-seven," corrected Jane.
"Do you mean to tell me that you can bring yourself to believe
that it's possible for a young man to care for a woman old enough to
be his mother?"
"I've lived very much in the country for many years. I dare say
there's a great deal about human nature that I don't know. They tell
me there's a man called Freud,13 an Austrian, I believe ..."
But Mrs. Tower interrupted her without any politeness at all.
"Don't be ridiculous, Jane. It's so undignified. It's so
ungraceful. I always thought you were a sensible woman. Really
you're the last person I should ever have thought likely to fall in love
with a boy."
"But I'm not in love with him. I've told him that. Of course I
like him very much or I wouldn't think of marrying him. I thought it
only fair to tell him quite plainly what my feelings were towards
him."
Mrs. Tower gasped.
"If you're not in love with him why do you want to marry
him?"
"I've been a widow a very long time and I've led a very quiet
life. I thought I'd like a change."
"If you want to marry just to be married why don't you marry a
man of your own age?"
191
"No man of my own age has asked me five times. In fact no
man of my own age has asked me at all."
Jane chuckled as she answered. It was altogether too much for
Mrs. Tower and she burst into tears.
"You're going to be so dreadfully unhappy," Mrs. Tower
sobbed.
"I don't think so, you know," Jane answered in those equable,
mild tones of hers, as if there were a little smile behind the words.
"We've talked it over very thoroughly. I always think I’m a very easy
person to live with. I think I shall make Gilbert very happy and
comfortable. He's never had anyone to look after him properly. We're
only marrying after mature consideration. And we've decided that if
either of us wants his liberty the other will place no obstacles in the
way of his getting it.
"Mrs. Tower had by now recovered herself sufficiently to
make a cutting remark.
"How much has he persuaded you to settle on him?"
"I wanted to settle a thousand a year on him, but he wouldn't
hear of it. He was quite upset when I made the suggestion. He says
he can earn quite enough for his own needs."
"He's more cunning than I thought," said Mrs. Tower acidly.
Mrs. Tower gathered herself together with dignity.
"I'm so upset that I really must go to bed," she said.
"We'll resume the conversation tomorrow morning."
"I'm afraid that won't be very convenient, dear. Gilbert and I
are going to get the licence14 tomorrow morning."
The marriage took place at a registrar's office.15 Mrs. Tower
and I were the witnesses. Gilbert in a smart blue suit looked absurdly
young and he was obviously nervous. It is a trying moment for any
man. But Jane kept her admirable composure. She might have been
in the habit of marrying as frequently as a woman of fashion. Only a
slight colour on her cheeks suggested that beneath her calm was
some faint excitement. We saw them off, and I drove Mrs. Tower
back to her house.
"How long do you give it?" she said. "Six months?"
"Let's hope for the best," I smiled.
"Don't be so absurd. There can be no 'best'. You don't think
he's marrying her for anything but her money, do you? Of course it
192
can't last. My only hope's that she won't have to go through as much
suffering as she deserves.''
I laughed. The charitable words were spoken in such a tone as
to leave me in small doubt of Mrs. Tower's meaning.
"Well, if it doesn't last you'll have the consolation of saying: 'I
told you so," I said.
"I promise you I'll never do that."
"Then you'll have the satisfaction of congratulating yourself on
your self-control in not saying: ''I told you so."
"She's old and dowdy and dull."
"Are you sure she's dull?" I said. "It's true she doesn't say very
much, but when she says anything it's very much to the point."
"I've never heard her make a joke in my life.
"I was once more in the Far East when Gilbert and Jane,
returned from their honeymoon and this time I remained away for
nearly two years. Mrs. Tower was a bad correspondent and though I
sent her an occasional picture-postcard I received no news from her.
But I met her within a week of my return to London; I was dining
out16 and found that I was seated next to her. When Mrs. Tower and I
had exchanged the conventional remarks that two people make when
they have not seen one another for a couple of years I asked about
Jane.
"She's very well," said Mrs. Tower with a certain dryness.
"How has the marriage turned out?"
Mrs. Tower paused a little and took a salted almond from the
dish in front of her.
"It appears to be quite a success."
"You were wrong then?"
''I said it wouldn't last and 1 still say it won't last. It's contrary
to human nature."
"Is she happy?"
"They're both happy."
"I suppose you don't see very much of them."
"At first I saw quite a lot of them. But now ... "
Mrs. Tower pursed her lips a little. "Jane is becoming very
grand."
"What do you mean?" I laughed.
''I think I should tell you that she's here tonight."
193
"Here?"
I was startled. I looked round the table again. Our hostess was
a delightful and an entertaining woman, but I could not imagine that
she would be likely to invite to a dinner such as this the elderly and
dowdy wife of an obscure architect. Mrs. Tower saw my perplexity
and was shrewd enough to see what was in my mind. She smiled
thinly.
"Look on the left of our host.''
I looked. Oddly enough the woman who sat there had by her
fantastic appearance attracted my attention the moment, I was
ushered into the crowded drawing-room. I thought I noticed a gleam
of recognition in her eye, but to the best of my belief I had never
seen her before. She was not a young woman, for her hair was iron-
grey; it was cut very short and clustered thickly round her well-
shaped head in tight curls. She made no attempt at youth, for she was
conspicuous in that gathering by using neither lipstick, rouge, nor
powder. Her face, not a particularly handsome one, was red and
weather-beaten; but because it owed nothing to artifice had a natu-
ralness that was very pleasing. It contrasted oddly with the whiteness
of her shoulders. They were really magnificent. A woman of thirty
might have been proud of them. But her dress was extraordinary. I
had not often seen anything more audacious. It was cut very low,
with short skirts, which were then the fashion, in black and yellow; it
had almost the effect of fancy-dress and yet so became her that
though on anyone else it would have been outrageous, on her it had
the inevitable simplicity of nature. And to complete the impression
of an eccentricity in which there was no pose and of an extravagance
in which there was no ostentation she wore, attached by a broad
black ribbon, a single eyeglass.
"You're not going to tell me that is your sister-in-law", I
gasped.
"That is Jane Napier," said Mrs. Tower icily.
"Let me have a long drink of champagne and then for heaven's
sake tell me all about it," I said.
Well, this is how I gathered it had all happened. At the
beginning of their honeymoon Gilbert took Jane to various
dressmakers in Paris and he made no objection to her choosing a
number of "gowns" after her own heart; but he persuaded her to have
194
a "frock" or two made according to his own design. It appeared that
he had a knack for that kind of work. He engaged a smart French
maid.
Gilbert and the French maid taught her how to wear her
clothes, and, unexpectedly enough, she was very quick at learning.
So they went down to Italy and spent happy months studying
Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Jane not only grew
accustomed to her changed appearance, but found she liked it.
Pygmalion17 had finished his fantastic masterpiece: Galatea had
come to life.
"Yes," I said, "but that isn't enough to explain why Jane is here
tonight amid this crowd of duchesses, Cabinet Ministers, and
suchlike; nor why she is sitting on one side of her host with an
Admiral of the Fleet on the other."
"Jane is a humorist," said Mrs. Tower. "Didn't you see them all
laughing at what she said?"
There was no doubt now of the bitterness in Mrs. Tower's
heart.
"When Jane wrote and told me they were back from their
honeymoon I thought I must ask them both to dinner. I didn't much
like the idea, but I felt it hard to be done. I knew the party would be
deadly and I wasn't going to sacrifice any of the people who really
mattered. On the other hand I didn't want Jane to think I hadn't any
nice friends. I'd been too busy to see Jane until the evening of the
party. She kept us all waiting a little — that was Gilbert's cleverness
— and at last she sailed in. You could have knocked me down with a
feather.18 She made the rest of the women look dowdy and
provincial. She made me feel like a painted old trollop.
Mrs. Tower drank a little champagne.
"I wish I could describe the frock to you. It would have been
quite impossible on anyone else; on her it was perfect. And the
eyeglass! I'd known her for thirty-five years and I'd never seen her
without spectacles."
"But you knew she had a good figure."
"How should I? I'd never seen her except in the clothes you
first saw her in. Did you think she had a good figure? She seemed
not to be unconscious of the sensation she made but to take it as a
matter of course. I thought of my dinner and heaved a sigh of relief.
195
Even if she was a little heavy in hand,19 with that appearance it didn't
so very much matter. She was sitting at the other end of the table
and I heard a good deal of laughter. I was glad to think that the other
people were playing up well;20 but after dinner I was a good deal
taken aback when no less than three men came up to me and told me
that my sister-in-law was priceless, and did I think she would allow
them to call on her? I didn't quite know whether I was standing on
my head or my heels. Twenty-four hours later our hostess of tonight
rang me up and said she had heard my sister-in-law was in London
and she was priceless and would I ask her to luncheon to meet her?
She has an infallible instinct, that woman: in a month everyone was
talking about Jane. I am here tonight, not because I've known our
hostess for twenty years and have asked her to dinner a hundred
times, but because I'm Jane's sister-in-law."
"I'm dying to renew my acquaintance with her."
"Go and talk to her after dinner. She'll ask you to her
Tuesdays."
"Her Tuesdays?"
"She's at home21 every Tuesday evening. You'll meet there
everyone you have heard of. They're the best parties in London. She's
done in one year what I've failed to do in twenty."
"But what you tell me is really miraculous. How has it been
done?"
Mrs. Tower shrugged her handsome but adipose shoulders.
"I shall be glad if you'll tell me," she replied.
After dinner I tried to make my way to the sofa on which Jane
was sitting, but I was intercepted and it was not till a little later that
my hostess came up to me and said:
"I must introduce you to the star of my party. Do you know
Jane Napier? She's priceless. She's much more amusing than your
comedies."
I was taken up to the sofa. The admiral who had been sitting
beside her at dinner was with her still. He showed no sign of moving
and Jane, shaking hands with me, introduced me to him.
"Do you know Sir Reginald Frobisher?"
We began to chat. It was the same Jane as I had known before,
perfectly simple, homely and unaffected, but her fantastic appearance
certainly gave a peculiar savor to what she said. Suddenly I found
196
myself shaking with laughter. She had made a remark, sensible and
to the point, but not in the least witty, which her manner of saying
and the bland look she gave me through her eyeglass made perfectly
irresistible. I felt light-hearted and buoyant. When I left she said to
me:
"If you've got nothing better to do, come and see us on
Tuesday evening. Gilbert will be so glad to see you. "
"When he's been a month in London he'll know that he can
have nothing better to do," said the admiral.
So, on Tuesday but rather late, I went to Jane's. I confess I was
a little surprised at the company. It was a quite a remarkable
collection of writers, painters and politicians, actors, great ladies and
great beauties: Mrs. Tower was right, it was a grand party. No
particular entertainment was provided. The refreshments were
adequate without being luxurious. Jane in her quiet way seemed to be
enjoying herself; I could not see that she took a great deal of trouble
with her guests, but they seemed to like being there and the gay,
pleasant party did not break up till two in the morning After that I
saw much of her. I am an amateur of humor and I sought to discover
in what lay her peculiar gift. It was impossible to repeat anything she
said, for the fun, like certain wines, would not travel. She had no gift
for epigram. She never made a brilliant repartee. There was no
malice in her remarks nor sting in her rejoinders. There are those
who think that impropriety, rather than brevity, is the soul of wit;22
but she never said a thing that could have brought a blush to a
Victorian cheek.23 I think her humor was unconscious and I am sure
it was unpremeditated. It depended on the way, she spoke and on the
way she looked. Gilbert was delighted with her success. As I came to
know him better I grew to like him. It was quite evident that he was
neither a rascal nor a fortune-hunter. He was not only immensely
proud of Jane but genuinely devoted to her.
"Well, what do you think of Jane now?" he said to me once,
with boyish triumph.
"I don't know which of you is more wonderful," I said. "You
or she."
"Oh, I'm nothing."
"Nonsense. You don't think I'm such a fool as not to see that
it's you, and only you, who've made Jane what she is."
197
"My only merit is that I saw what was there when it wasn't
obvious to the naked eye," he answered.
"I can understand you seeing that she had in her the possibility
of that remarkable appearance, but how in the world have you made
her into a humorist?"
"But I always thought the things she said a perfect scream.24
She was always a humorist."
"You're the only person who ever thought so."
Mrs. Tower, not without magnanimity, acknowledged that she
had been mistaken in Gilbert. She grew quite attached to him. But
notwithstanding appearances she never faltered , in her opinion that
the marriage could not last. I was obliged to laugh at her.
"Why, I've never seen such a devoted couple," I said.
"Gilbert is twenty-seven now. It's just the time for a pretty girl
to come along. Did you notice the other evening at Jane's that pretty
little niece of Sir Reginald's? I thought Jane was looking at them
both with a good deal of attention, and I wondered to myself."
"I don't believe Jane fears the rivalry of any girl under the
sun."
"Wait and see," said Mrs. Tower.
"You gave it six months."
"Well, now I give it three years."
When anyone is very positive in an opinion it is only human
nature to wish him proved wrong. Mrs. Tower was really too
cocksure. But such a satisfaction was not mine, for the end that she
had always and confidently predicted to the ill-assorted match did in
point of fact come. Still, the fates seldom give us what we want in
the way we want it, and though Mrs. Tower could flatter herself that
she had been right, I think after all she would sooner have been
wrong. For things did not happen at all in the way she expected.
One day I received an urgent message from her and fortu-
nately went to see her at once. When I was shown into the room Mrs.
Tower rose from her chair and came towards me with the stealthy
swiftness of a leopard stalking his prey, I saw that she was excited.
"Jane and Gilbert have separated," she said.
"Not really?25 Well, you were right after all."
Mrs. Tower looked at me with an expression I could not
understand.
198
"Poor Jane," I muttered.
"Poor Jane!" she repeated, but in tones of such derision that I
was dumbfounded.
She found some difficulty in telling me exactly what had
occurred.
Gilbert had left her a moment before she leaped to the
telephone to summon me. When he entered the room, pale and
distraught, she saw at once that something terrible had happened. She
knew what he was going to say before he said it.
"Marion, Jane has left me.
"She gave him a little smile and took his hand.
"I knew you'd behave like a gentleman. It would have been
dreadful for her for people to think that you had left her.
"I've come to you because I knew I could count on your
sympathy."
"Oh, I don't blame you, Gilbert," said Mrs. Tower, very
kindly. "It was bound to happen."
He sighed.
"I suppose so. I couldn't hope to keep her always. She was too
wonderful and I'm a perfectly commonplace fellow.
Mrs. Tower patted his hand He was really behaving
beautifully.
"And what's going to happen now?"
"Well, she's going to divorce me."
"Jane always said she'd put no obstacle in your way if ever you
wanted to marry a girl."
"You don't think it's likely I should ever be willing to marry
anyone else after being Jane's husband," he answered.
Mrs. Tower was puzzled.
"Of course you mean that you've left Jane."
"I? That's the last thing I should ever do"
"Then why is she divorcing you?"
"She's going to marry Sir Reginald Frobisher as soon as the
decree26 is made absolute."
Mrs. Tower positively screamed. Then she felt so faint that she
had to get her smelling salts.
"After all you've done for her?"
"I've done nothing for her."
199
"Do you mean to say you're going to allow yourself to be
made use of like that?"
"We arranged before we married that if either of us wanted his
liberty the other should put no hindrance in the way."
"But that was done on your account. Because you were
twenty-seven years younger than she was."
"Well, it's come in very useful for her," he answered bitterly.
Mrs. Tower expostulated, argued, and reasoned; but Gilbert
insisted that no rules applied to Jane, and he must do exactly what
she wanted. He left Mrs. Tower prostrate. She was still in a state of
extreme agitation when the door was opened and the butler showed
in — Jane herself. She was dressed in black and white as no doubt
befitted her slightly ambiguous position, but in a dress so original
and fantastic, in a hat so striking, that I positively gasped at the sight
of her. But she was as ever bland and collected. She came forward to
kiss Mrs. Tower, but Mrs. Tower withdrew herself with icy dignity.
"Gilbert has been here," she said.
"Yes, I know," smiled Jane. "I told him to come and see you.
I'm going to Paris tonight and I want you to be very kind to him
while I'm away. I'm afraid just at first he'll be rather lonely and I
shall feel more comfortable if I can count on your keeping an eye on
him."
Mrs. Tower clasped her hands.
"Gilbert has just told me something that I can hardly bring
myself to believe. He tells me that you're going to divorce him to
marry Reginald Frobisher."
"Don't you remember, before I married Gilbert you advised me
to marry a man of my own age? The admiral is fifty-three."
"But, Jane, you owe everything to Gilbert," said Mrs. Tower
indignantly. "You wouldn't exist without him. Without him to design
you clothes, you'll be nothing."
"Oh, he's promised to go on designing my clothes," Jane
answered blandly.
"No woman could want a better husband. He's always been
kindness itself to you."
"Oh, I know he's been sweet."
"How can you be so heartless?"
200
"But I was never in love with Gilbert," said Jane. "I always
told him that. I'm beginning to feel the need of the companionship of
a man of my own age. I think I've probably been married to Gilbert
long enough. The young have no conversation." She paused a little
and gave us both a charming smile. "Of course I shan't lose sight of
Gilbert. I've arranged that with Reginald. The admiral has a niece
that would just suit him. As soon as we're married we'll ask them to
stay with us at Malta — you know that the admiral is to have the
Mediterranean Command—and I shouldn't be at all surprised if they
fell in love with one another."
Mrs. Tower gave a little sniff.
"And you have arranged with the admiral that if you want your
liberty neither should put any hindrance in the way of the other?"
"I suggested it," Jane answered with composure. "But the
admiral says he knows a good thing when he sees it and he won't
want to marry anyone else, and if anyone wants to marry me — he
has eight twelve-inch guns on his flagship and he'll discuss the
matter at short range." She gave us a look through her eyeglass
which even the fear of Mrs. Tower's wrath could not prevent me
from laughing at. "I think the admiral's a very passionate man."
Mrs. Tower gave me an angry frown.
"I never thought you funny, Jane," she said. "I never
understood why people laughed at the things you said."
"I never thought I was funny myself, Marion," smiled Jane,
showing her bright, regular teeth. "I am glad to leave London before
too many people come round to your opinion." I wish you'd tell me
the secret of your astonishing success," I said.
She turned to me with that bland, homely look I knew so well.
"You know, when I married Gilbert and settled in London and
people began to laugh at what I said no one was more surprised than
I was. I'd said the same things for thirty years and no one ever saw
anything to laugh at. I thought it must be my clothes or my bobbed
hair or my eyeglass. Then I discovered it was because I spoke the
truth. It was so unusual that people thought it humorous. One of
these days someone else will discover the secret and when people
habitually tell the truth of course there'll be nothing funny in it."
"And why am I the only person not to think it funny?" asked
Mrs. Tower.
201
Jane hesitated a little as though she were honestly searching
for a satisfactory explanation. "Perhaps you don't know the truth
when you see it, Marion, dear," she answered in her mild good-
natured way.
It certainly gave her the last word. I felt that Jane would
always have the last word. She was priceless.
NOTES
202
investigation of mental processes and the motives of conduct, based
on a supposed conflict between the conscious will and subconscious
or unconscious impressions, desires, etc. which results in various
"repressions" and "complexes"
14. license: a marriage license, a formal document granting
permission to marry
15. The marriage took place at a registrar's office: they were
married before a registrar (an official who keeps the records of
births, marriages, deaths), without a religious ceremony
16. dine out: to eat dinner away from home
17. Pygmalion: in Greek mythology, a king of Cyprus, and a
sculptor, who was said to have fallen in love with the ivory statue of
a maiden he himself had made, and to have prayed to Aphrodite, the
Greek goddess of love and beauty, to breathe life into it. The statue
was brought to life and Pygmalion married the maiden, whom he
called Galatea.
18. You could have knocked me down with a feather: a phrase
used to show that a person is speechless with surprise
19. a little heavy in hand: a poor conversationalist, a bore
20. were playing up well: were tackling the job quite successfully
21. be at home: to give receptions at one's house
22. impropriety, rather than brevity is the soul of wit: something
improper, indecent, ambiguous is sooner appreciated than a truly
witty statement.
"Brevity is the soul of wit": гÏÇñ×áõÃÛáõÝÁ ï³Õ³Ý¹Ç ¿áõÃÛáõÝÝ
/Ñá·ÇÝ/ ¿:, a phrase from Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet, Prince of
Denmark".
23. could have brought a blush to a Victorian cheek: could have
shocked a person brought up according to the principles of the
England in the reign of Queen Victoria (1837—1901), showing the
middle-class respectability, prudery, bigotry, etc.
24. a perfect scream (colloq.): a person or thing that is very funny
or ridiculous
25. Not really? (an expression of interest, surprise, doubt, etc.) âÇ
ϳñáÕ å³ï³Ñ»É:
26. decree, decree nisi (Lat.): order for a divorce, becoming absolute
after a fixed period (usu. six weeks)
203
Ex 1. Answer the following questions.
1. Why did the author remember so well the occasion when he first
met Jane Fowler? 2. What were the circumstances of their first
meeting? 3. Where did it take place? 4. What sort of person was Mrs.
Tower? 5. What was Mrs. Tower's opinion of Jane's looks, clothes
and mental abilities? 6. Why did she speak of Jane Fowler as her
"cross"? 7. What were the relations between the two women? 8.
What was the author's impression of Jane? 9. How did Mrs. Tower
take the news of Jane's coming marriage? 10. Why did the very idea
seem preposterous to her? 11. What were Jane's reasons for getting
married? 12. What arguments did Mrs. Tower use trying to dissuade
Jane from taking this step? 13. What happened when Gilbert Napier,
the prospective husband, appeared on the scene? 14. Why was Mrs.
Tower shocked beyond words? 15. What made Mrs. Tower believe
that the marriage would last six months at best? 16. When did the
author see Jane next? 17. What was Jane like now? 18. Why did
people seek her company? 19. Why did Jane decide to leave Gilbert
and marry Sir Reginald Frobisher? 20. Why did Mrs. Tower disap-
prove of her decision? 21. What made Mrs. Tower feel bitter towards
Jane? 22. How did Jane herself explain her social success? 23. Why
would Jane forever remain a puzzle to people like Mrs. Tower?
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
204
notwithstanding appearances she never faltered in her opinion that
the marriage could not last.
1. She never sought to conceal the fact; 2. There were few persons
who did not look upon it as a treat to be bidden to one of them; 3.
Mrs. Tower's face was wonderful to behold. 4. She was conspicuous
in that gathering; 5. She was dressed in black and white as no doubt
befitted her slightly ambiguous position...
205
Ñá·»Ï³Ý å³ñ½áõÃÛ³Ùµ, ÷³é³ÙáÉáõÃÛáõÝ, ß÷áÃáõÃÛ³Ý Ù»ç ·ó»É,
ï³ñÇù³ÛÇÝ ³Ýѳٳå³ï³ë˳ÝáõÃÛáõÝ, ï»ëÝ»É ë»÷³Ï³Ý
³ãù»ñáí, ³é³ç³ñÏ»É áõÕ»Ïó»É /÷á˳¹ñ³ÙÇçáóáí/, ³ÝËÇÕ×
ëñÇϳ, ɳó ÉÇÝ»É, Ù³Ýñ³Ù³ëÝ ùÝݳñÏ»É, Ñá·³É ÇÝã-áñ Ù»ÏÇ
Ù³ëÇÝ, ѳëáõÝ ¹³ïáÕáõÃÛ³Ùµ, ËáãÁݹáïÝ»ñ ã³é³ç³óÝ»É,
˳ÛÃÇã ÝϳïáÕáõÃÛáõÝ, í»ñëÏë»É Ëáë³ÏóáõÃÛáõÝÁ, ³ÙáõëݳݳÉ
÷áÕÇ Ñ³Ù³ñ, áã ÙÇ ï»Õ»ÏáõÃÛáõÝ ãëï³Ý³É, ѳ½í³¹»å
ѳݹÇå»É áñ¨¿ Ù»ÏÇÝ, ûè ë»ÕÙ»É ßáõñûñÁ, ÉÇÝ»É µ³í³Ï³Ý
Ëáñ³Ã³÷³Ýó, áñù³Ý ¿É ï³ñûñÇÝ³Ï ¿, ·ñ³í»É ÇÝã-áñ Ù»ÏÇ
áõß³¹ñáõÃÛáõÝÁ, ã³é³ñÏ»É áñ¨¿ µ³ÝÇ ¹»Ù, ÁÝïñ»É Áëï ë»÷³Ï³Ý
׳߳ÏÇ, Ññ³íÇñ»É ׳ßÇ, ³ÝëË³É Ñáï³éáõÃÛáõÝ, í»ñ³Ï³Ý·Ý»É
ͳÝñáõÃÛáõÝÁ, áõë»ñÁ ÃáÃí»É, ·Çß»ñí³ Å³ÙÁ »ñÏáõëÁ, ÙdzÏ
³ñųÝÇùÁ, ³Ý½»Ý ³ãùáí, áã ÙÇ ³Ý·³Ù ãï³ï³Ýí»É ë»÷³Ï³Ý
ϳñÍÇùÇ Ù»ç, ѳÙñ³Ý³É, µéÝ»É Ó»éùÁ, ÑáõÛëÁ ¹Ý»É ÇÝã-áñ Ù»ÏÇ
ϳñ»Ïó³ÝùÇ íñ³, ÃáõÉáõÃÛáõÝ ½·³É, å³Ûٳݳíáñí»É, /áñáß/
»ñϳÏÇ ¹ñáõÃÛáõÝ, ³Ù»Ý ÇÝãáõÙ å³ñï³Ï³Ý ÉÇÝ»É áñ¨¿ Ù»ÏÇÝ,
µ³ó ãÃáÕÝ»É ï»ë³¹³ßïÇó, ÏÇëí»É ³ñï³ëáíáñ ѳçáÕáõÃÛ³Ý
·³ÕïÝÇùáí, µÝ³ÏáõÃÛáõÝ Ñ³ëï³ï»É ÈáݹáÝáõÙ, ³ë»É ×ßÙ³ñ-
ïáõÃÛáõÝÁ, ѳٳå³ï³ëË³Ý µ³ó³ïñáõÃÛáõÝ, í»ñçÇÝ ËáëùÁ
Ýñ³ÝÝ ¿:
1. As the only child in the family the boy had always been petted,
flattered and in general made much of. 2. The report made much of
the fact that too little attention had been given to details. 3. I wouldn't
hurt her feelings for anything. 4. He never seems to be at a loss for
an appropriate word. 5. The letter didn't make things much clearer.
She was at a loss what to think. 6. I don't see much of them these
days. 7. You mustn't let yourself go like that! 8. There's no stopping
him when he lets himself go at a party. 9. She couldn't bring herself
to break the sad news. 10. The statement was brief, terse and to the
point. 11. To the best of my recollection I've never mentioned the
circumstance to anyone. 12. I was taken aback by the news. 13. The
boy can be a terrible nuisance. You'll have to keep an eye on him. 14.
The car looks as good as new. He must be taking a lot of trouble with
it. 15. He mixed with the crowd and we lost sight of him. 16. She
never lost sight of such a possibility. 17. Finally they all came round
206
to my point of view. 18. He was coming round to thinking that there
might be other ways and means to settle the matter.
207
Ex 9. Translate the following into Armenian.
1. "You'd known about it all along and kept quiet," she gasped. 2. "I
don't care what happens." He shrugged. 3. "There doesn't seem to be
much hope," she smiled wanly. 4. "No, such things won't go down
with me," she laughed. 5. "It sounds too good to be true," the girl
sighed. 6. "Yours to command, " the man bowed.
a) bare, naked
1. You can't handle a live wire with your ... hands! 2. In the
distance I could see the beach with ... bodies lying here and there. 3.
It was late autumn and the trees stood quite ... . 4. She took a peep
208
into the cupboard. It was quite ... . 5. The ... truth is better than
pretence. 6. The boy ran into the house leaving muddy footprints all
over the place with his ... feet. 7. There are things that can't be seen
with the ... eye.
209
ã¿ñ ϳï³ÏáõÙ: ܳ Ç ÝϳïÇ áõÝ»ñ ³ÛÝ, ÇÝã ³ë³ó: 9. Üñ³
ϳñÍÇùÝ ÇÝÓ Ñ³Ù³ñ ß³ï ¿³Ï³Ý ¿, µ³Ûó Ýñ³ ËáëùÝ ³Ûëï»Õ
áãÇÝã ãÇ Ý߳ݳÏáõÙ:
210
VERBAL IDIOMS
211
FIGURE OUT: solve, decipher, interpret, understand. After failing
to figure out his income tax return, Hal decided to see an accountant.
GET BY: manage to survive. Despite the high cost of living, we will
get by on my salary.
GET THROUGH: a) finish. Jerry called for an earlier appointment
because he got through with his project sooner than he had expected.
b) manage to communicate. It is difficult to get through to someone
who doesn’t understand your language.
GET UP: a) organize. Paul is trying to get up a group of square
dancers to Switzerland.
GO ALONG WITH: agree. Mr. Robbins always goes along with
anything his employer wants to do.
HOLD ON TO: grasp, maintain. Despite moving to the Western
world, Mariko held on to her Oriental ways.
HOLD UP: a) rob at gunpoint. The convenience store was held up
last night. b) endure or withstand pressure or use. Mrs.. Jones held up
very well after her husband’s death. c) stop. Last night’s freeway
traffic held up rush hour traffic for two hours.
KEEP ON: continue. I keep on urging Rita to practice the violin, but
she doesn’t heed my advice.
LOOK INTO: investigate. Lynnette is looking into the possibility of
opening a drugstore in Dallas as well as in Fort Worth.
PASS OUT/ HAND OUT: distribute. The political candidate passed
out campaign literature to her coworkers.
PASS OUT: faint. The intense heat in the garden caused Maria to
pass out.
PICK OUT; select, choose. The judges were asked to pick out the
essays that showed the most originality.
POINT OUT: indicate. Being a professional writer, Janos helped us
by pointing out problems in our style.
RUN ACROSS: discover. While rummaging through some old
boxes in the attic, I ran across my grandmother’s wedding dress.
RUN INTO: meet by accident. When Jack was in New York, he ran
into an old friend at the theatre.
SEE ABOUT: consider, attend to. My neighbor is going to see
about getting tickets for next Saturday’s football game.
TAKE OVER FOR: substitute for. Marie had a class this afternoon,
so Janet took over for her.
212
TALK OVER: discuss. The committee is talking over the plans for
the homecoming dance and banquet.
TRY OUT: a) test. General Mills asked us to try out their new
product. b) audition for a play. Marguerite plans to try out for the
lead in the new musical.
TURN IN: a) submit. The students turned in their term papers on
Monday. b) go to bed. After a long hard day, we decided to turn in
early.
WATCH OUT FOR: be cautious or alert. While driving through
that development, we had to watch out for the little children playing
in the street.
213
TEXT A
TO THE CHAPARRAL1
ERSKINE CALDWELL
It was the last day in the month of May again and, it being a
springtime habit for many years, Tarl Pricehouse got ready to leave
home the following morning, the first day of June. Tarl had gathered
an assortment of fish-hooks, lines and leaders and he carefully
arranged the fishing gear in a red tin cracked box and stowed it in the
cloth bean sack in which he had already packed several shirts, pairs
of socks, an extra pair of shoes for muddy weather, and a dozen cans
of pipe tobacco.
This year Tarl had decided to go straight to Friday River, for
once not bothering to think of an excuse to leave home, and to spend
two or three weeks, or even longer if he felt like it, fishing. When he
got there, he planned to sleep in the dwarf-oak lean-to2 he had built
on the river-bank many years before, and to fish and fish to his
heart's content. Friday River was a placid, spring-watered, big-
mouth-bass stream about nine miles due west from town in the
black-bark chaparral. The river meandered for several hundred miles
over the thorny-bush prairie and dwarf-oak plains before reaching
the Gulf.3
Tarl was resting on the kitchen steps when Bessie, his wife,
came home from work late that afternoon and found him hugging the
bean sack between his knees. Bessie, who was well into her forties,
and a few years younger than Tarl, worked the year around for the
steam laundry company in Maverick. She had not remembered that
the following day would be the first of June, until she was almost
home, and then she had hurried so fast that she was completely out of
breath when she got there. Bessie sat down in a porch chair, her
fleshy body gratefully at ease, and panted until her breath came back.
"Mighty nice, fine weather, for the time of the year," Tarl
remarked pleasantly, squinting upward at the sky and hoping to keep
his wife's attention diverted from the bulging bean sack.
214
Bessie did not even nod in reply, and he was aware that she
was observing him. For the past several weeks Bessie had planned
and schemed and contrived to prevent Tarl from walking off from
home this year as he had always managed to do in the past. She had
made up her mind to put an end, for all time, to his habit, as though
he were as free as a bird in the breeze, of going off from home for
several weeks every spring. The year before, Tarl had solemnly
informed her that his elder brother, who was a rancher in an
adjoining county, was so ill that three doctors did not expect him to
live through the summer. Bessie had reluctantly consented to Tarl's
leaving home even though she knew that if he actually did go to see
his brother, he would make no more than a token visit for a few
hours, and then spend the remainder of the time fishing in Friday
River. Tarl was away from home for three and a half weeks that
time.
The year before that, Tarl had told Bessie that he had promised
on his word of honour to travel around the county and electioneer for
a first cousin who was running for re-election to a local political
office. Tarl did speak about the election to two or three men he saw
on the street, and immediately after that he hurried to Friday River
and the lean-to in the chaparral. There had always been some such
excuse that had enabled him to leave home in the spring of the year
to fish, but this time Bessie was determined that there would be no
excuse he could possibly think of that would cause her to change her
mind.
"You're not leaving this house one step tomorrow, or any other
day this spring and summer, Tarl Pricehouse," Bessie told him
sternly. "I've had enough of it, along with all the flimsy excuses you
think you can fool me with, and from now on, no matter what you
think up, you're not going to do it. I've made up my mind, and that's
final."
"Now, Bessie," Tarl said in an ingratiating manner, "That's no
way for a fine woman like you to talk. It don't sound like your real
self at all."
"It's not going to do you a bit of good to sit there and think you
can cajole me into changing my mind," she told him with harsh
finality. "When my mind's made up, it stays made up."
215
Tarl, silent after that, stared straight ahead at the little shed on
the other side of the yard.
"What've you got in that bean sack?”she asked suspiciously
after a while.
"Well, nothing much to speak of, Bessie. It's just some odds
and ends I got together and thought I ought to keep in the sack so I'd
know for sure where to find them when needed."
"Then you might just as well start putting odds and ends back
where they came from, because you're not walking off from this
house tomorrow or any other day to go fishing, and not come back
till goodness knows when. You've gone off this last time, Tarl
Pricehouse. You're going to stay home this spring and summer and
mow the grass in the front yard when it's needed twice a week, and
spend the rest of the time keeping the pig weeds out there in the back
yard chopped down. Those pig weeds are a disgrace, growing head-
high like they do all summer long, and you're going to stay here and
chop them down as fast as they stick up out of the ground. If I can
wear out my body and soul working in that steam laundry month
after month and year after year so I can put food on the table and
clothes on our backs, you can stay here like you ought to and keep
those mortifying pig weeds chopped down. Every summer those
disgraceful pig weeds mortify me. Every last one of the neighbors
knows you've been going off and shirking your duty, while I'm
slaving body and soul at the steam laundry. Now, you remember
that."
Bessie went into the kitchen and, with a noisy clatter of pots
and pans, began cooking supper. While she was out of sight, Tarl
hurried to the shed and got a handful of lead sinkers he had hidden
there and had almost forgot to take to Friday River with him when he
left the next morning.
Supper was ready before dark, and Bessie came to the door
and called him to the table. They sat and ate in silence for nearly half
an hour. When both had finished, Bessie leaned across the table and
patted his hand affectionately.
"I don't want you to feel bad, Tarl," she said comfortingly.
"I'm going to make up for it some way. You just wait and see if I
don't. It's always been my nature to treat you good. Now, you just go
ahead and make up your mind to stay at home this time, and you'll
216
find that you'll be just as happy and content here at home with me as
you would be all by yourself out there in the chaparral."
"I'll do some thinking about what you just said, Bessie," he
promised without enthusiasm. "I sure will. I won't forget what you
said."
Tarl went to the front porch and took off his shoes and sat in
the purple twilight while Bessie was washing the dishes. Later, she
came to the porch and drew a chair close to his and sat down. They
sat for a long time listening to the noisy crickets and the night birds
in the trees.
"A funny thing happened a little while ago, Bessie," Tarl
remarked presently. "It's the queerest thing that ever struck me."
"What was it, Tarl?" she asked drowsily.
He cleared his throat significantly.
"That's pretty hard to say, because I never had this very same
thing happen to me before in my whole livelong life, and that makes
it hard to explain in a plain way."
He waited patiently for Bessie to question him further, hoping
her interest had been aroused, but she sat placidly beside him as
though nothing in the world could surpass the pleasure of merely
sitting beside him on the porch in the deepening purple twilight and
listening to the chirping of the night bird in the trees.
"Bessie," he remarked, unable to wait any longer, and raising
his voice more than usual, "Bessie, what came over me a while ago
was like a vision. That's what it was — a vision!"
"A vision about what, Tarl?" she asked, moving slightly in the
chair.
"Now, that's the peculiar thing, Bessie. I saw it as plain as day.
It was so plain I couldn't keep from noticing it."
"What was so plain, Tarl?"
He was sure he had detected in her voice the first faint note of
interest.
"Well, while you were out there in the kitchen a while ago, I
saw all the money I'd ever want in the whole world, and it was
hidden in a particular place."
"I've often dreamed of us getting a lot of money, Tarl," she
remarked after a moment's pause. "I've dreamed of it a lot of times,
217
asleep and awake. Wouldn't it be wonderful — if a dream like that
came true?"
"Well, that's just it, Bessie. I've got a hunch4 that what I saw in
the vision is bound to come true."
"Where'd this vision take place, Tarl?"
"Out there in the chaparral," he said quickly, "about nine
or ten miles from town, more or less."
"Right spang5 at Friday River!" Bessie said severely, her
whole attitude changing.
"That's right," he admitted, turning and looking at her "How'd
you know that, Bessie?"
"Because I know the scheme you're fixing up in your mind,
that's why. And I don't need a vision to see it, either. You have been
sitting out here all this time thinking up an excuse to get to Friday
River, and stay out there by yourself in that lean-to for the next two
or three weeks, or longer. But you’re not going one step, Tarl
Pricehouse!"
"But what I said was only a little, small part of it, Bess. If
you'd let me tell you more about —."
She got up, not saying another word, and walked heavily into
the house, slamming the screen door behind her. Tarl sat glumly in
the growing darkness and wondering how Bessi could possibly have
known what he was talking about. Just before bedtime, wearing her
pink floral wrapper, Bessie came back to the porch and sat down in
the chair beside him. She was quiet for only a few moments.
"I don't want to believe a word you said about seeing a vision,
Tarl," she said, moving nervously in the chair, "but I just can't get my
mind rid of it." She leaned towards him.
"Did you really and truly see a vision of hidden money
somewhere?"
"More real money than I ever saw before in my whole livelong
life, Bessie," he told her fervently.
Bessie sighed deeply.
"You're the biggest wrapper of the truth6 that ever walked the
earth, Tarl Pricehouse, but I've lived with you so long I'm afraid to
trust my own good sense any more. It would be just like you to find a
heap of hidden money somewhere — even out at Friday River —
and I 'd feel like a fool if I wasn't on hand to claim my share of it,
218
after slaving body and soul like I have all these years at the steam
laundry." She paused briefly to get her breath. "Tarl, can you recall
the exact spot where you saw all that hidden money in your vision?"
"I'm trying my level best7 right this minute to recollect the
exact spot, Bessie," he told her with all the earnestness he could
summon. "And I'm not the kind of fellow who'd locate all that
money, and then run off with another woman. No, sir! I'd make it a
point to bring it straight home as soon as I located it. I'm clear8 loyal
to the end, Bessie. The main thing is I need the peace and quiet of the
chaparral, where you don't see a living soul from one day to the next,
to bring the vision back to me again so I can locate the very exact
spot where the money's hidden. That's why I'm thinking I ought to go
out there to Friday River the first thing tomorrow morning, so I'll be
more apt to recollect better and faster."
"I don't see why you can't bring back the vision right here in
Maverick, instead of out at Friday River," she said.
"The fact is, Bessie, as near as I can make out, the exact hiding
place is right at Friday River, or mighty close to it. I ought to be
there handy to it when I persuade the vision to come back again and
give me foolproof directions for finding it. That way, I wouldn't lose
a bit of time locating the money. It's not like I was fixing to go off
for good and ever, Bessie. Why! The whole thing might come back
to me overnight, this week or some other. You never can predict
about visions. They come and go when they get ready to of their own
accord. And when it does come back, and if it's clear and clean-cut
and foolproof, I'll let you know about it as fast as I can send word to
you. You can rely on that, Bessie."
"Tarl?" she asked hopefully, "do you really and truly think
there's a good chance of your recalling it to mind while I'm still alive
to benefit from it?"
"I don't know a single, solitary reason why it wouldn't come
back during your lifetime, Bessie," he told her, "unless it just
naturally wants to be contrary."
"Tarl," she asked, excitedly catching her breath, "Tarl, how
much money was there? Altogether, I mean. Did you have a chance
to count some of it when you saw the vision the first time?"
"As near as I can recollect now, there must've been a heap of
it. It was all in those big bills, and I've always had a dickens9 of a
219
time counting the big bills. I can count small change and one-dollar
bills with no trouble at all, but the big bills always did stump10 me."
"How big, Tarl?" she begged urgently. "Ten-dollar bills?
Twenty-dollar bills?"
"Oh, bigger than that, Bessie," he said without hesitation.
"Hundred-dollar bills, at least."
"Was the money hidden in a bucket, or in a box, or in what,
Tar!?"
"Let's see, now," he said slowly, rubbing his neck. "Let's see if
I can recollect that part about it." He continued rubbing his neck
thoughtfully. Bessie moved to the edge of her chair. "No," he said
firmly after a while, "no, it wasn't in anything like that at all. It was
hidden in something with a peculiar shape, though. I recollect that
part about it. It was sort of oblong. Like a — like a — "
"Like a what, Tarl?" she asked, gripping his arm.
Tarl slowly shook his head. "Now I've gone and clear forgot.
But the money was there. A heap of it. I know that, for sure."
It was colored green, wasn't it?" she asked helpfully.
"That's right. It was real green money," all right I couldn't be
wrong about that part."
"Was it buried under one of those stunted black-bark trees in
the chaparral?" she asked. "Or was it buried under a bridge, or
something like that? Try to think real hard, Tarl! Try like you've
never tried before in all your whole life!"
"Something like that," he replied after a brief pause.
"Something like what?" she demanded anxiously. "Think hard,
Tarl! Think like you've never thought before!"
"I have to let my mind dwell on it a while before I could let
myself say for sure," he told her, beginning to feel weary of her
persistent questioning. "That's something I'd want to be sure to
recollect, when the time comes, and I'd hate to scare it away by
rushing it too fast. Visions always like to take their own good time
about coming and going."
"But what if you recalled what it was buried in, and then
couldn't recall the place where it was hidden, exactly?"
"That's when I'm going to set myself to try my hardest to
recollect," he assured her.
220
Tarl could hear Bessie, thoroughly exhausted, sigh as she sank
backward in the chair, and he got up and felt on the floor for his
shoes. When he found the shoes, he slipped them on and then went
into the house. He undressed in the dark and stretched out
comfortably on the bed with mind and body fully at ease for the first
time that day. He was certain now that he had succeeded in
persuading Bessie to let him leave the house the next morning.
Finally, when he was ready to go to sleep, he realized that Bessie still
had not come to bed, but he was too drowsy to wait for her any
longer.
He was wide awake an hour before dawn. He lay quietly for a
while, reminding himself not to disturb Bessie; however, just when
he was ready to get up and dress, he discovered that Bessie was not
in bed beside him. Without waiting a second longer, he dressed
hastily and, carrying his shoes in his hands, tiptoed through the hall
and went out the back door. Sitting down on the kitchen steps, he put
on his shoes and laced them securely. Then he went across the back
yard to the shed and got the bean sack. He could see the first pale
streak of dawn over the horizon as he started around the house to the
front yard, and he was confident that as soon as he walked across
town to the highway, he would be able to get a ride to Friday River
in one of the trucks that would be going in that direction.
As he hurried around the corner of the house, he walked head-
on into Bessie. He had no idea how long she had been waiting there
at the corner of the house, but he knew at once that she had been
waiting for him.
"Bessie, you've just got to let me go out there and try to
recollect that vision so I can dig up all that money in hiding," he told
her desperately. "I'm doing it as much for you as I am for — "
Bessie had turned and was walking towards the street. She no
longer had on the floral wrapper; she was fully dressed, and was
even wearing one of her hats. In the pale light of dawn he could see
that she was carrying a small satchel that had been packed tightly
with clothing, and there was no doubt that she planned to be away
from home for a long time.
"Hurry up, Tarl," she called back to him, urgently motioning
for him to catch up with her. "Let's don't waste another minute
getting out there where the money's hidden. I couldn't sleep a wink
221
all last night for fearing that somebody else might have the same
vision you had, and go dig up the money before we can get to it.
That's why I sat up all night, waiting for dawn to come, so we'd be
the first to get to Friday River. Hurry now, Tarll"
Tarl swung the bulging bean sack over his shoulder and,
silently enduring the swinging pain of disappointment, walked
despondently down the street behind Bessie in the pale dawn. Bessie,
already far ahead of him, turned and warned him that he would have
to hurry more than he was doing if he expected to keep up with her.
NOTES
1. chaparral: a thicket of dwarf-oaks, shrubs, thorny bushes, etc.
2. lean-to: a shed with a roof that slopes only in one way and which
rests against a tree or the wall of a building.
3. the Gulf: the Gulf of Mexico
4. hunch (Am.E. colloq.): a strong feeling that smth. is going to
happen
5. spang (colloq.}: directly, straight
6. wrapper of the truth: a person who distorts the truth, a
euphemism for "liar"
7. level best (colloq.): the best one can do
8. clear (colloq.): completely, all the way
9. dickens (colloq.): a mild substitute for "devil"
10. stump (colloq.): to puzzle; to baffle
11. green money: United States paper money
EXERCISES
222
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
1. ... for once not bothering to think of an excuse to leave home ... 2.
... and to fish and fish to his heart's content. 3. ... about nine miles
due west from town ... 4. Bessie, who was well into her forties ... .5.
... he would make no more than a token visit ... 6. ... to travel around
the county and electioneer for a first cousin who was running for re-
election to a local political office. 7. ... so I can put food on the table
and clothes on our backs ... 8. He was sure he had detected in her
voice the first faint note of interest. 9. ... I'd feel like a fool if I wasn't
on hand to claim my share of it... . 10. ... he walked head-on into
Bessie. 11. ... and, silently enduring the swinging pain of disappoint-
ment, walked despondently down the street behind Bessie ...
1. Mighty nice, fine weather ... 2. You're not leaving the house one
step tomorrow ... 3. It don't sound like your real self at all. 4. Every
summer those disgraceful pig weeds mortify me. 5. Every last one of
the neighbors knows ... 6.. It's always been my nature to treat you
good. 7. ... I never had this very same thing happen to me before in
my whole livelong life ... 8. I know the scheme you're fixing up in
your mind ... 9. ... so I can locate the very exact spot ... 10. It's not
like I was fixing to go off for good and ever. 11. I don't know a
single, solitary reason ... 12. Let's don't waste another minute ...
223
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³ÙµáÕç ·Çß»ñ ³ñÃáõÝ Ýëï»É, å³ñÏÁ áõëÇÝ ·ó»É,
Ñdzëó÷áõÃÛáõÝ:
1. She said she wasn't coming to the party. She just didn't feel like it.
2. Neither of them felt like discussing the matter any further. 3. The
thought that it couldn't have been his fault after all put his mind at
ease. 4. She felt quite at ease in the new surroundings. 5. We really
ought to find some way of putting an end to all that noise. 6. He
finally cajoled his parents into letting him buy a motor-cycle. 7. It's
useless trying to talk her into anything if she's dead set against it. 8.
He has no manners to speak of. 9. He worked hard in an effort to
make up for what he had missed because of his illness. 10. It was a
lifelong dream that had miraculously come true. 11. There's not a
word of truth in the story. He's thought it all up. 12. It's just like my
brother to go and get himself into a mess. 13. At any sports
competition there's always a doctor on hand to give first and if
224
necessary. 14. He said he wanted to see you. He made it a point in
fact. 15. As far (near) as I can make out there's nothing to be afraid
of. 16. He helped me of his own accord. 17. They were nearing the
woods when I caught up with them. 18. He used every spare minute
to catch up on his reading. 19. You don't expect me to keep up with
the Joneses, do you?
1. He didn't seem to be in the right mood for serious talk that night.
2. His performance wasn't at all worth mentioning. 3. They were
people whom he had known for almost as long as he could
remember. He felt free and easy in their company. 4. He always
invents the most plausible excuses. 5. Too bad I haven't got the book
anywhere around here to show you the exact place. 6. She just went
off leaving all the doors and windows open. It's my sister all over. 7.
She wouldn't be persuaded to give up the idea. There were no
arguments to make her see the light. 8. There were moments in his
life when it seemed to him that his wildest dreams were bound to
become a reality. 9. There were moments of despair when she
thought she would always be behind the rest, never as good in her
studies as they were. 10. He's always at the office on the dot. It's a
habit with him. 11. She went to stay with her friends of her own free
will. 12. His experience and knowledge of the world compensated
for the deficiency of his education. 13. There were books,
newspapers and radio to keep him informed about the latest
developments. 14. To be perfectly frank, it was quite a problem for
me to understand what he was saying.
1. a) She promised to sit up and wait for me. b) The news made me
sit up. 2. a) She put out her washing in the sun to make it dry
quicker, b) I could see very well that he was put out by the remark. 3.
a) The paint was coming off. b) Everything came off very nicely. 4. a)
She carefully made up her face to cover up all traces of tears. b)
225
They shook hands and made up. c) She couldn't give the true reason
for being late, so she made one up. 5. a) I couldn't make out the num-
bers on the houses. It was too dark. b) Do you happen to know how
he's making out in his new job?
226
Everything will be all right in the end. 5. He kept worrying about the
outcome of the game. 6. I was sorry to trouble him about such a
minor affair but there didn't seem to be any other way out. 7. You
needn't bother your head about such things. 8. They were bothered
by mosquitoes. 9. For once he didn't bother to think of an excuse.
1. First came the ... of thunder then the steady ... of the rain on
the roof. 2. I could clearly hear the excited squeals and ... of laughter
from the garden where the children were playing hide-and-seek. 3.
There was a general ... for silence. 4. The bag fell to the floor with a
dull ... . 5. The ... of pots and pans in the kitchen stopped. It meant
that dinner was ready..6. The ... of coins in his pocket gave him a
feeling of wealth. 7. The ... of the old iron gates set the dog barking.
8. The merry ... of glasses and the gay music made him feel happy
and light-hearted. 9. I heard the ... of little feet along the passage.
1. The ass ... loudly. 2. They listened to the ... of the night birds
in the trees. 3. The cat on the hearth was ... giving you a feeling of
warmth and coziness. 4. The snake ... then reared its head and spat. 5.
The sheep were ... wildly. 6. The horse ... then whinnied.
227
Ex 13. Study the phrases with mind. Use them in sentences of
your own.
Ex 14. Study the phrases with time. Use them in sentences of your
own.
1. He took his time over the answer. He was afraid to say the wrong
thing. 2. I didn't get to the station in time to catch the six o'clock
train. 3. You'll forget about it in time. 4. This trouble with names has
put me in difficulties from time to time. 5. He was all the time
waiting for something to happen. 6. The doctor encouraged his
patient, though all the time he knew there was hardly any hope for
her. 7. Now that you mention her name, I know who she is, though I
didn't recognize her at the time. 8. The boy was very slow in answer-
ing my questions. He must have been playing for time. 9. At times
she would be inattentive and forgetful.10. I should advise you to
leave things as they are for the time being. 11. The plane arrived on
time. 12. We were to enter the room one at a time.
228
TEXT B
IMPULSE
CONRAD AIKEN
229
off, now and then, a rest and change, a little diversion, what was the
harm in that?
At half-past four he rang up Dora and broke the news to her.
He wouldn't be home till late.
"Are you sure you'll be home at all?" she said, coolly.
That was Dora's idea of a joke. But if he could have foreseen-!
He met the others at the Greek restaurant, began with a couple
of araks,3 which warmed him, then went on to red wine, bad olives,
pilaf,3 and other obscure foods; and considerably later they all
walked along Boylston Street to Smith's room. It was a cold night,
the temperature below twenty, with a fine dry snow sifting the
streets. But Smith's room was comfortably warm, he trotted out4
some gin and the Porto Rican cigars, showed them a new snapshot of
Squiggles (his Revere Beach sweetheart), and then they settled down
to a nice long cozy game of bridge.
It was during an intermission, when they all got up to stretch
their legs and renew their drinks, that the talk started — Michael
never could remember which one of them it was who had put in the
first oar5— about impulse. It might have been Hurwitz, who was in
many ways the only intellectual one of the three, though hardly what
you might call a highbrow.6 He had his queer curiosities, however,
and the idea was just such as might occur to him. At any rate, it was
he who developed the idea, and with gusto.
"Sure," he said, "anybody might do it. Have you got impulses?
Of course, you got impulses. How many times you think — suppose
I do that? And you don't do it, because you know damn well if you
do it you'll get arrested. You meet a man you despise — you want to
spit in his eyes. You see a girl you'd like to kiss — you want to kiss
her. Or maybe just to squeeze her arm when she stands beside you in
the street car. You know what I mean.''
"Do I know what you mean!"7 sighed Smith, "I’ll tell the
world. I’ll tell the cock-eyed'8 world! ..."
"You would," said Bryant. "And so would I."
"It would be easy," said Hurwitz, "to give in to it. You know
what I mean? So simple. Temptation is too close. That girl you see is
too damn good-looking — she stands too near you — you just put
out your hand it touches her arm — why worry? And you think,
maybe if she doesn't like it I can make believe I didn't mean it ..."
230
"Like these fellows that slash fur coats with razor blades," said
Michael. "Just impulse, in the beginning, and only later a habit."
"Sure ... And like these fellows that cut off braids of hair with
scissors. They just feel like it and do it ... Or stealing."
"Stealing?" said Bryant.
"Sure. Why, I often feel like it ... I see a nice little thing right
in front of me on a counter — you know, a nice little knife, or
necktie, or a box of candy — quick, you put it in your pocket, and
then go to the other counter, or the soda fountain for a drink. What
would be more human? We all want things. Why not take them?
Why not do them? And civilization is only skin-deep ..."9
"That's right. Skin-deep," said Bryant.
"But if you were caught, by God!" said Smith, opening his
eyes wide.
"Who's talking about getting caught? ... Who's talking about
doing it? It isn't that we do it, it's only that we want to do it. Why,
Christ, there's been times when I thought to hell with everything, I'll
kiss that woman if it's the last thing I do."
"It might be," said Bryant.
Michael was astonished at this turn of the talk. He had often
felt both these impulses. To know that this was a kind of universal
human inclination came over him with something like relief.
"Of course, everybody has those feelings,'' he said smiling. "I
have them myself ... But suppose you did yield to them?"
"Well, we don't," said Hurwitz. "I know — but suppose you
did?"
Hurwitz shrugged his fat shoulders, indifferently.
''Oh, well," he said, "it would be bad business."
"Jesus, yes' said Smith, shuffling the cards.
"Oy," said Bryant.
The game was resumed, the glasses were refilled, pipes were
lit, watches were looked at. Michael had to think of the last car from
Sullivan Square, at eleven-fifty. But also he could not stop thinking
of this strange idea. It was amusing. It was fascinating. Here was
everyone wanting to steal — toothbrushes, or books — or to caress
some fascinating stranger of a female in a subway train — the
impulse everywhere — why not be a Columbus of the moral world
and really do it? He remembered stealing a conch-shell from the
231
drawing room of a neighbor when he was ten — it had been one of
the thrills of his life. He had popped it into his sailor blouse and
borne it away with perfect aplomb. When, later, suspicion had been
cast upon him, he had smashed the shell in his back yard. And often,
when he had been looking at Parker's collection of stamps — the
early Americans —
The game interrupted his recollections, and presently it was
time for the usual night-cap.10 Bryant drove them to Park Street.
Michael was a trifle tight,11 but not enough to be unsteady on his
feet. He waved a cheery hand at Bryant and Hurwitz and began to
trudge through the snow to the subway entrance. The lights on the
snow were very beautiful. The Park Street Church was ringing, with
its queer, soft quarter-bells, the half-hour. Plenty of time. Plenty of
time. Time enough for a visit to the drugstore, and a hot chocolate —
he could see the warm lights of the windows falling on the snowed
sidewalk. He zigzagged across the street and entered.
And at once he was seized with a conviction that his real rea-
son for entering the drugstore was not to get a hot chocolate — not at
all! He was going to steal something. He was going to put the
impulse to the test, and see whether (one) he could manage it with
sufficient skill, and (two) whether theft gave him any real
satisfaction. The drugstore was crowded with people who had just
come from the theatre next door. They pushed three deep round the
soda fountain, and the cashier's cage. At the back of the store, in the
toilet and prescription department, there were not so many, but
nevertheless enough to give him a fair chance. All the clerks were
busy. His hands were in the side pockets of his overcoat — they were
deep wide pockets and would serve admirably. A quick gesture over
a table or counter, the object dropped in —
Oddly enough, he was not in the least excited; perhaps that
was because of the gin. On the contrary, he was intensely amused;
not to say delighted. He was smiling, as he walked slowly along the
right-hand side of the store toward the back; edging his way amongst
the people, with first one shoulder forward and then the other, while
with a critical and appraising eye he examined the wares piled on the
counters and on the stands in the middle of the floor. There were
some extremely attractive scent-sprays or atomizers — but the dan-
gling bulbs might be troublesome. There were stacks of boxed letter-
232
paper. A basket full of clothes-brushes. Green hot-water bottles.
Percolators too large, and out of the question. A tray of multicolored
tooth-brushes, bottles of cologne, fountain pens — and then he
experienced love at first sight. There could be no question that he
had found his chosen victim. He gazed, fascinated, at the delicious
object — a de luxe safety-razor set, of heavy gold, in a snakeskin
box which was lined with red plush ...
It wouldn't do, however, to stare at it too long—one of the
clerks might notice. He observed quickly the exact position of the
box — which was close to the edge of the glass counter — and
prefigured with a quite precise mental picture the gesture with which
he would simultaneously close it and remove it. Forefinger at the
back—thumb in front—the box drawn forward and then slipped
down toward the pocket — as he thought it out, the muscles in his
forearm pleasurably contracted. He continued his slow progress
round the store, past the prescription counter, past the candy counter;
examined with some show of attention the display of cigarette
lighters and blade sharpeners; and then, with a quick turn, went
leisurely back to his victim. Everything was propitious. The whole
section of counter was clear for the moment — there were neither
customers nor clerks. He approached the counter, leaned over it as if
to examine some little filigreed "compacts"12 at the back of the
showcase, picking up one of them with his left hand, as he did so. He
was thus leaning directly over the box; and it was the simplest thing
in the world to clasp it as planned between thumb and forefinger of
his other hand, to shut it softly, and to slide it downward to his
pocket. It was over in an instant. He continued then for a moment to
turn the compact case this way and that in the light, as if to see it
sparkle. It sparkled very nicely. Then he put it back on the little pile
of cases, turned, and approached the soda fountain — just as Hurwitz
had suggested.
He was in the act of pressing forward in the crowd to ask for
his hot chocolate when he felt a firm hand close round his elbow. He
turned, and looked at a man in a slouch hat13 and dirty raincoat, with
the collar turned up. The man was smiling in a very offensive way.
"I guess you thought that was pretty slick,"14 he said in a low
voice which nevertheless managed to convey the very essence of
venom and hostility. "You come along with me, mister!"
233
Michael returned the smile amiably, but was a little frightened.
His heart began to beat.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, still smiling.
"No, of course not!"
The man was walking toward the rear of the store, and was
pulling Michael along with him, keeping a paralyzingly tight grip on
his elbow. Michael was beginning to be angry, but also to be
horrified. He thought of wrenching his arm free, but feared it would
make a scene. Better not. He permitted himself to be urged
ignominiously along the shop, through a gate in the rear counter, and
into a small room at the back, where a clerk was measuring a yellow
liquid into a bottle.
"Will you be so kind as to explain to me what this is all
about?" he then said, with what frigidity of manner he could muster.
But his voice shook a little. The man in the slouch hat paid no
attention. He addressed the clerk instead, giving his head a quick
backward jerk as he spoke.
"Get the manager in here," he said.
He smiled at Michael, with narrowed eyes, and Michael,
hating him, but panic-stricken, smiled foolishly back at him.
"Now, look here — " he said.
But the manager had appeared, and the clerk; and events then
happened with revolting and nauseating speed. Michael's hand was
yanked violently from his pocket, the fatal snakeskin box was pulled
out by the detective, and identified by the manager and the clerk.
They both looked at Michael with a queer expression, in-which
astonishment, shame, and contempt were mixed with a vague
curiosity.
"Sure that's ours," said the manager, looking slowly at
Michael.
"I saw him pinch15 it," said the detective. "What about it?" He
again smiled offensively at Michael. "Anything to say?"
"It was all a joke," said Michael, his face feeling very hot and
flushed. "I made a kind of a bet with some friends. ... I can prove it. I
can call them up for you."
The three men looked at him in silence, all three of them just
faintly smiling, as if incredulously.
234
"Sure you can," said the detective, urbanely. "You can prove it
in court ... Now come along with me, mister."
Michael was astounded at this appalling turn of events, but his
brain still worked. Perhaps if he were to put it to this fellow as man
to man, when they got outside? As he was thinking this, he was
firmly conducted through a back door into a dark alley at the rear of
the store. It had stopped snowing. A cold wind was blowing. But the
world, which had looked so beautiful fifteen minutes before, had
now lost its charm. They walked together down the alley in six
inches of powdery snow, the detective holding Michael's arm with
affectionate firmness.
"No use calling the wagon,"16 he said. "We'll walk. It ain't far."
They walked along Tremont Street. And Michael couldn't
help, even then, thinking what an extraordinary thing this was! Here
were all these good people passing them, and little knowing that he,
Michael Lowes, was a thief, a thief by accident, on his way to jail. It
seemed so absurd as hardly to be worth speaking of! And suppose
they shouldn't believe him? This notion made him shiver. But it
wasn't possible — no, it wasn't possible. As soon as he had told his
story, and called up Hurwitz and Bryant and Smith, it would be all
laughed off. Yes, laughed off.
He began telling the detective about it: how they had discussed
such impulses over a game of bridge. Just a friendly game, and they
had joked about it and then, just to see what would happen, he had
done it. What was it that made his voice sound so insincere, so
hollow? The detective neither slackened his pace nor turned his head.
His business-like grimness was alarming. Michael felt that he was
paying no attention at all; and, moreover, it occurred to him that this
kind of lowbrow17 official might not even understand such a thing ...
He decided to try the sentimental.
"And good Lord, man, there's my wife waiting for me —!"
"Oh, sure, and the kids too."
"Yes, and the kids?"
The detective gave a quick leer over the collar of his dirty
raincoat.
"And no Santy Claus18 this year," he said. Michael saw that it
was hopeless. He was wasting his time.
235
"I see it's no use talking to you," he said stiffly. "You're so
used to dealing with criminals that you think all mankind is criminal,
ex post facto."19
"Sure."
Arrived at the station, and presented without decorum to the
lieutenant at the desk, Michael tried again. Something in the faces of
the lieutenant and the sergeant, as he told his story, made it at once
apparent that there was going to be trouble. They obviously didn't
believe him —not for a moment. But after consultation, they agreed
to call up Bryant and Hurwitz and Smith, and to make inquiries. The
sergeant went off to do this, while Michael sat on a wooden bench.
Fifteen minutes passed, during which the clock ticked and the
lieutenant wrote slowly in a book, using a blotter very frequently. A
clerk had been dispatched also, to look up Michael's record,20 if any.
This gentleman came back first, and reported that there was nothing.
The lieutenant scarcely looked up from his book, and went on
writing. The first serious blow then fell. The sergeant, reporting, said
that he hadn't been able to get Smith (of course — Michael thought
— he's off somewhere with Squiggles) but had got Hurwitz and
Bryant. Both of them denied that there had been any bet. They both
seemed nervous, as far as he could make out over the phone. They
said they didn't know Lowes well, were acquaintances of his, and
made it clear that they didn't want to be mixed up in anything.
Hurwitz had added that he knew Lowes was hard up.
At this, Michael jumped up to his feet, feeling as if the blood
would burst out of his face.
"The damn liars!" he shouted. "The bloody liars! By God—!"
"Take him away," said the lieutenant, lifting his eyebrows, and
making a motion with his pen.
Michael lay awake all night in his cell, after talking for five
minutes with Dora on the telephone. Something in Dora's cool voice
had frightened him more than anything else.
And when Dora came to talk to him the next morning at nine
o'clock, his alarm proved to be well-founded. Dora was cold,
detached, deliberate. She was not at all what he had hoped she might
be — sympathetic and helpful. She didn't volunteer to get a lawyer,
or in fact to do anything — and when she listened quietly to his
story, it seemed to him that she had the appearance of a person
236
listening to a very improbable lie. Again, as he narrated the perfectly
simple episode — the discussion of "impulse" at the bridge game, the
drinks, and the absurd tipsy21 desire to try a harmless little
experiment — again, as when he talked to the store detective, he
heard his own voice becoming hollow and insincere. It was exactly
as if he knew himself to be guilty. His throat grew dry, he began to
falter, to lose his thread, to use the wrong words. When he stopped
speaking finally, Dora was silent.
"Well, say something!" he said angrily, after a moment. "Don't
just stare at me. I'm not a criminal!"
"I'll get a lawyer for you," she answered, "but that's all I can
do."
"Look here, Dora — you don't mean you — " He looked at her
incredulously. It wasn't possible that she really thought him a thief?
And suddenly, as he looked at her, he realized how long it was since
he had really known this woman. They had drifted apart. She was
embittered, that was it — embittered by his non-success. All this
time she had slowly been laying up a reserve of resentment. She had
resented his inability to make money for the children, the little
dishonesties they had had to commit in the matter of unpaid bills, the
humiliations of duns,22 the too-frequent removals from town to town
—she had more than once said to him, it was true, that because of all
this she had never had any friends — and she had resented, he knew,
his gay little parties with Hurwitz and Bryant and Smith, implying a
little that they were an extravagance which was to say the least
inconsiderate. Perhaps they had been. But was a man to have no
indulgences? ...
"Perhaps we had better not go into that," she said. "Good
Lord—you don't believe me!" "I'll get the lawyer—though I don't
know where the fees are to come from. Our bank account is down to
seventy-seven dollars. The rent is due a week from today. You've got
some salary coming, of course, but I don't want to touch my own
savings, naturally, because the children and I may need them."
To be sure. Perfectly just. Women and children first. Michael
thought these things bitterly, but refrained from saying them. He
gazed at this queer cold little female with intense curiosity. It was
simply extraordinary — simply astonishing. Here she was, seven
years his wife, he thought he knew her inside and out, every quirk of
237
her handwriting, inflection of voice; her passion for strawberries, her
ridiculous way of singing; the brown moles on her shoulder, the
extreme smallness of her feet and toes, her dislike of silk underwear.
Her special voice at the telephone, too — that rather chilly
abruptness, which had always surprised him, as if she might be a
much harder woman than he thought her to be. And the queer
sinuous cat-like rhythm with which she always combed her hair
before the mirror at night, before going to bed — with her head
tossing to one side, and one knee advanced to touch the chest of
drawers. He knew all these things, which nobody else knew, and
nevertheless, now, they amounted to nothing. The woman herself
stood before him as opaque as a wall.
"Of course," he said, "you'd better keep your own savings."
His voice was dull. "And you'll, of course, look up Hurwitz and the
others? They'll appear, I'm sure, and it will be the most important
evidence. In fact, the evidence."
"I'll ring them up, Michael," was all she said, and with that she
turned quickly on her heel and went away ...
Michael felt doom closing in upon him; his wits went round in
circles; he was-in a constant sweat. It wasn't possible that he was
going to be betrayed? It wasn't possible! He assured himself of this.
He walked back and forth, rubbing his hands together, he kept
pulling out his watch to see what time it was.; Five minutes gone.
Another five minutes gone. Damnation, if this lasted too long, this
confounded business, he'd lose his job. If it got into the papers, he
might lose it anyway. And suppose it was true that Hurwitz and
Bryant had said what they said — maybe they were afraid of losing
their jobs too. Maybe that was it! Good God ...
This suspicion was confirmed, when, hours later, the lawyer
came to see him. He reported that Hurwitz, Bryant and Smith had all
three refused flatly to be mixed up in the business. They were all
afraid of the effects of publicity. If subpenaed,23 they said, they
would state that they had known Lowes only a short time, had
thought him a little eccentric, and knew him to be hard up.
Obviously—and the little lawyer picked his teeth with the point of
his pencil — they could not be summoned. It would be fatal.
The Judge, not unnaturally perhaps, decided that there was a
perfectly clear case. There couldn't be the shadow of a doubt that this
238
man had deliberately stolen an article from the counter of so-and-so's
drugstore. The prisoner had stubbornly maintained that it was the
result of a kind of bet with some friends, but these friends had
refused to give testimony on his behalf. Even his wife's testimony —
that he had never done such a thing before — had seemed rather
half-hearted; and she had admitted, moreover, that Lowes was
unsteady, and that they were always living in a state of something
like poverty. Prisoner, further, had once or twice jumped his rent and
left behind him in Sommerville unpaid debts of considerable size. He
was a college man, a man of exceptional education and origin, and
ought to have known better. His general character might be good
enough, but as against all this, here was a perfectly clear case of
theft, and a perfectly clear motive. The prisoner was sentenced to
three months in the house of correction.24
By this time, Michael was in a state of complete stupor. He sat
in the box and stared blankly at Dora who sat very quietly in the
second row, as if she were a stranger. She was looking back at him,
with her white face turned a little to one side, as if she too had never
seen him before, and were wondering what sort of people criminals
might be. Human? Sub-human? She lowered her eyes after a
moment, and before she had looked up again, Michael had been
touched on the arm and led stumbling out to the courtroom. He
thought she would of course come to say goodbye to him, but even in
this he was mistaken; she left without a word.
And when he did finally hear from her, after a week, it was in
a very brief note.
"Michael," it said, "I'm sorry, but I can't bring up the children
with a criminal for a father, so I 'm taking proceedings for a divorce.
This is the last straw. It was bad enough to have you always out of
work and to have to slave night and day to keep bread in the
children's mouths. But this is too much, to have disgrace into the
bargain. As it is, we'll have to move right away, for the
schoolchildren have sent Dolly and Mary home crying three times
already I 'm sorry, and you know how fond I was of you at the
beginning, but you've had your chance. You won't hear from me
again. You've always been a good sport.25 and generous, and I hope
you'll make this occasion no exception, and refrain from contesting
the divorce. Goodbye — Dora."
239
Michael held the letter in his hands, unseeing, and tears came
into his eyes. He dropped his face against the sheet of notepaper, and
rubbed his forehead to and fro across it ... Little Dolly! ... Little
Mary! ... Of course. This was what life was. It was just as
meaningless and ridiculous as this; a monstrous joke; a huge
injustice. You couldn't trust anybody, not even your wife, not even
your best friends. You went on a little lark, and they sent you to
prison for it, and your friends lied about you, and your wife left
you...
Contest it? Should he contest the divorce? What was the use?
There was the plain fact: that he had been convicted for stealing. No
one had believed his story of doing it in fun, after a few drinks; the
divorce court would be no exception. He dropped the letter to the
floor and turned his heel on it, slowly and bitterly. Good riddance —
good riddance! Let them all go to hell. He would show them. He
would go west, when he came out — get rich, clear his name
somehow ... But how?
He sat down on the edge of his bed and thought of Chicago.
He thought of his childhood there, the Lake Shore Drive, Winnetka,
the trip to Niagara Falls with his mother. He could hear the Falls
now. He remembered the Fourth of July26 on the boat; the crowded
examination room at college; the time he had broken his leg at
baseball, when he was fourteen; and the stamp collection which he
had lost at school. He remembered his mother always saying,
"Michael, you must learn to be orderly"; and the little boy who had
died of scarlet fever next door; and the pink conch-shell smashed in
the back yard. His whole life seemed to be composed of such trivial
and infinitely charming little episodes as these; and as he thought of
them, affectionately and in wonder, he assured himself once more
that he had really been a good man. And now, had it all come to an
end? It had all come foolishly to an end.
NOTES
240
pilaf: an oriental dish of rice boiled with meat, spices, etc.
4. trot out (colloq.) to bring out, to produce
5. put in the first oar: to be the first to bring up a subject in
conversation
6. highbrow: a person of detached intellectual or cultural interests
also a person pretending to be superior in intellect and culture
7. Do I know what you mean! ¸» ÇѳñÏ»« ÆÝãå»ë ãÇٳݳÉ:
8. cock-eyed (sl.): fantastically absurd, crazy
9. civilization is only skin-deep: underneath people are savage,
uncivilized
10. night-cap (colloq.): an alcoholic drink taken just before going to bed
11. tight (sl.): drunk
12. compact: a small case containing a mirror, face powder, and
sometimes, rouge
13. slouch hat: a soft hat with a broad, drooping brim; usu. a
hallmark of the detective in American detective stories
14. slick (Am.E. colloq.): clever, smart
15. pinch (sl.): to steal
16. wagon: a police (or patrol) wagon, an enclosed car used by the
police for carrying arrested people to the police station or jail.
17. lowbrow: lacking or considered to lack highly cultivated and
intellectual tastes
18. Santy Claus: Santa Claus (St. Nicholas), in folklore, a fat,
white-bearded, jolly old man in a red suit, who lives at the North
Pole, makes toys for children, and distributes gifts at Christmas
time, is believed to go about in a sleigh drawn by reindeer. "And
no Santy Claus this year": no Christmas presents for the
children
19. ex post facto (Lat.): done or made after smth., but having a
retroactive effect: ѳϳ½¹»óÇÏ áõÅáí ·áñÍáÕáõÃÛáõÝ /Çñ³íáõÝ-
ùÇ Ï³ñ·Ç Ù³ëÇÝ/:
20. record: a criminal record
21. tipsy: drunk, drunken
22. dun: insistent demand for payment of debts
23. subp(o)ena: to serve a written legal order directing a person to
appear in court to give testimony, etc.
241
24. house of correction: a place for short-term confinement for
persons convicted of minor offences and regarded as capable of
being reformed
25. sport (colloq.): a chivalrous, fair-minded person
26. Fourth of July, also called Independence Day: in the United
States, the holiday celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776
EXERCISES
Ex 2. Paraphrase or explain.
242
11. Hurwitz had added that he knew Lowes was hard up. 12. Dora
was cold, detached, deliberate. 13. They had drifted apart. 14. This is
the last straw. 15. Michael, you must learn to be orderly,
Ex 3. Say what is meant by
an asymmetrical face; a bi-weekly day of escape; a row about unpaid
bills; a snapshot; an impulse; a temptation; a fair chance; a precise
mental picture; a prescription counter; an appalling turn of events; an
improbable lie; a tipsy desire; harmless experiments; intense
curiosity; chilly abruptness; a testimony; a college man; a state of
complete stupor; a plain fact
1. Jeez, what a life. 2. Let the bills wait, damn them! 3. ... he trotted
out some gin ... 4. And you don't do it, because you know damn well
if you do you'll get arrested. 5. I see a nice little thing right in front of
me on the counter — you know, a nice little knife, or necktie ... 6. I
guess you thought that was pretty slick ... 7. I saw him pinch it ... 8.
It ain't far. 9. Prisoner, further, had once or twice jumped his rent ...
243
ï³É áñ¨¿ Ù»ÏÇ û·ïÇÝ, ·áÕáõÃÛ³Ý ¹»åù, ÉñÇí µÃ³ó³Í íÇ׳Ï,
ëÏë»É ³å³Ñ³ñ½³ÝÇ /³ÙáõëݳÉáõÍáõÃÛ³Ý/ ·áñÍÁ, ¹³ï³-
å³ñïí³Í ÉÇÝ»É ·áÕáõÃÛ³Ý Ñ³Ù³ñ:
1.It’s no good trying to make things out better than they really are. A
failure by any other name remains a failure. 2. There is no reason
why you shouldn’t voice your objections, if any. 3. The children
were playing at houses, the girls pretending to be mothers and
scolding their dolls in the very terms their own mothers would use 4.
He saw nothing wrong in an extra glass claret once in a while. 5. She
had meant it as a joke. 6. There’s a question or two I must settle
before I might consider myself free of all duty and obligation. 7. His
fear was so great that he broke into a cold sweat. 8. There was very
little to her criticism. 9. He wouldn’t even consider my crossing the
lake in such stormy weather. 10. He seemed to be extremely well-
versed in the subject. 11. Fate hadn't been too kind to her lately, and
now, on top of everything, she had fallen ill. 12. I went about asking
questions as to the man’s present whereabouts. 13. It seemed that
nothing could be easier than to learn to ride a bicycle.
244
8. Study the use of the following infinitive phrases. Use them in
sentences of your own.
1. To cut (make) a long story short, the doctors said that there was
really nothing the matter with me. 2. To tell the truth she didn't have
any opinions of her own.. 3. To be sure, there’s more to the story
than what I have told you now. 4. He won’t do for the job. We don’t
know him well enough as yet, to begin with.
1. She didn’t want to show she was hurt. She preferred to laugh it off.
2. Seeing his friend’s disappointment he longed to say, “Come, old
boy. Let’s go and drink it off!” 3. He suggested that the arrangement
should be called off. 4. She didn't care to be put off by empty
promises any further. 5. He had shut himself off from the rest of the
world quite deliberately.
245
skin-deep. 4. The weeds had grown head-high. 5. The boy stood
knee-deep in the puddle.
246
Ex 14. Supply the missing word.
a) state, condition
1. She was in an awful ... of mind. 2. He's in no... to travel. 3. The
house hadn't been lived in for years and .was in very poor ... . 4. His
affairs were in a ... of confusion. 5. The patient was in a ... of coma.
5. The car was in excellent ... .
b) restless, restive
1. They had spent a ... night and now felt exhausted. 2. She was
getting ... . She had an urge to get up from her sick-bed and start
doing something. 3. He had small ... eyes which kept shifting about
the room. 4. The strict discipline of camp life made him ... .
247
CONTENTS
Foreword
248
гٳϳñ·ã³ÛÇÝ Ó¨³íáñáõÙÁª ì.´ñÛáõëáíÇ ³Ýí³Ý ºñäÈÐ-Ç
ѳٳϳñ·ã³ÛÇÝ Ï»ÝïñáÝ (ջϳí³ñª ¹áó. ì.ì.ì³ñ¹³ÝÛ³Ý)
îå³ù³Ý³Ïª 700
____________________________________________________________________
§ÈÇÝ·í³¦ Ññ³ï³ñ³ÏãáõÃÛáõÝ
ºñ¨³ÝÇ ì.´ñÛáõëáíÇ ³Ýí³Ý å»ï³Ï³Ý É»½í³µ³Ý³Ï³Ý ѳٳÉë³ñ³Ý
гëó»Ý` ºñ¨³Ý, ÂáõÙ³ÝÛ³Ý 42
лé.` 53-05-52
Web: http://www.brusov.am
E-mail: [email protected]
249