爱的力量（5）

In a year the situation of Mr. Ralph Spencer was this: he had won the respect of most of the inhabitants¹ of the place, his shoe-store was prospering², and he and Annabel were to be married in two weeks. Mr. Adams, Annabel’s father, who was a typical country banker, approved of Spencer. Annabel herself was very proud of her fiancé. In fact her pride almost equaled her affection³. Jimmy was as much at home in the family of Mr. Adams and that of Annabel’s married sister as if he were already a member.

在一年的时间里，拉尔夫·斯宾塞先生达到了这样一种境况：他赢得了本地大多数居民的尊敬；他的鞋店生意兴隆；他和安娜贝尔也将于两周内喜结良缘。亚当斯先生，安娜贝尔的父亲，这位典型的地方银行家，也对斯宾塞非常满意。安娜贝尔对自己的未婚也很自豪。实际上，她的自豪几乎和她的爱情不相上下。基米在亚当斯先生的家里以及在安娜贝尔已经出嫁的姐姐那里，都感到像在自己家里一般无拘无束。

One day Jimmy sat down in his room and wrote this letter which he sent to the address of one his old friends:

一天，基米坐在他的房里，给一个好友写了这样一封信： “Dear Old Chap⁴,

I want you to be at Brown’s Cafe, in Little Rock, next Wednesday night at nine o’clock. I want you to do something for me. And, also, I want to make you a present of my tools. I know you’ll be glad to get them—you couldn’t get such a set for a thousand dollars. Say, Billy, I gave up the old business—a year ago. I’ve got a nice store. I’m making an honest living, and in two weeks I’m going to marry the finest girl on earth. It’s the only life, Billy, the straight one. I wouldn't’ touch a dollar of another man’s money now for a million. After I get married I’m going to sell my store and go west, where there won’t be so much danger of meeting people who knew me before. I tell you, Billy, she’s an angel⁵. She believes in me and I would never do another crooked⁶ thing for the whole world. Do come to Brown’s, for I must see you. I’ll bring the tools with me.

Your old friend, Jimmy.”

“亲爱的老伙计：

下周三晚上9点，希望你到小石城波浪咖啡馆来。我有事相托。同时，我将把我的工具送给你。我知道，你得到它们会很高兴的——你花1000美元也买不到这一套东西。听我说，比利。我已经在一年前金盆洗手。我开了一家非常出色的商店。我现在过的是正直清白的生活，两周内我要和世界上最好的姑娘结婚。这才是真正的生活，比利，这才是正直的人生。现在我已经对别人的东西秋毫不犯。结婚后，我打算将店卖掉，移居西部，在那里可以更安全些，不致碰到那些知道我过去底细的人。我对你说，比利，她真是一个天使。她信任我，而我无论如何也不能再走邪路了。务必到波浪咖啡馆来。我必须见你。我将随身带来那些工具。

你的好友

基米”

On the Monday night after Jimmy wrote this letter, Ben Price, the detective, arrived in Elmore. He walked about the town quietly until he found out what he wanted to know. From the drugstore across the street from Spencer’s shoe-store he got a good look at Ralph D. Spencer.

星期一晚上，也正是在基米写完这封信之后，本·普莱斯侦探来到了爱尔摩。他悄悄地走遍了整个镇子，直到他搞清了他想要知道的种种情况。他从斯宾塞鞋店对面马路的一家杂货店中，详细地观察了拉尔夫·斯宾塞的一举一动。

1 inhabitants   

n.居民，住户， （栖息在某地区的）动物( inhabitant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They set fire to the city and massacred all the inhabitants. 他们放火烧了这座城市，而且屠杀了所有的居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He quartered his men on the inhabitants in the town. 他把他的部队安置在镇上的居民家中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 prospering   

成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。
• His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。

3 affection   

n.喜爱；爱慕，感情；倾向，意向

参考例句：

• The handsome young man excited affection in a girl.那位英俊的年轻男子引起了一个女孩的爱慕之情。
• He has a deep affection for his old friend.他对老朋友感情很深。

4 chap   

n.男人；小伙子；家伙

参考例句：

• This chap can't keep anything to himself.这人肚里藏不住话。
• This chap is quite a smooth character.这人很世故。

5 angel   

n.天使，守护神，可爱的人

参考例句：

• The angel of death's in the house!死神在屋里呢！
• I can say without exaggeration that she is an angel.我可以毫不夸张地说她是个天使。

6 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。