TheFly及其译文Word文件下载.docx

TheFly及其译文Word文件下载.docx

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OldWoodifield'

smouthfellopenatthesight.Hecouldn'

thavelookedmoresurprisedifthebosshadproducedarabbit.

'

It'

swhisky,ain'

tit?

hepiped,feebly.

Thebossturnedthebottleandlovinglyshowedhimthelabel.Whiskyitwas.

'

Doyouknow,'

saidhe,peeringupatthebosswonderingly,'

theywon'

tletmetouchitathome.'

Andhelookedasthoughhewasgoingtocry.

Ah,that'

swhereweknowabitmorethantheladies,'

criedtheboss,swoopingacrossfortwotumblersthatstoodonthetablewiththewater-bottle,andpouringagenerousfingerintoeach.'

Drinkitdown.It'

lldoyougood.Anddon'

tputanywaterwithit.It'

ssacrilegetotamperwithstufflikethis.Ah!

Hetossedoffhis,pulledouthishandkerchief,hastilywipedhismoustaches,andcockedaneyeatoldWoodifield,whowasrollinghisinhischaps.

Theoldmanswallowed,wassilentamoment,andthensaidfaintly,'

snutty!

Butitwarmedhim;

itcreptintohischilloldbrain--heremembered.

Thatwasit,'

hesaid,heavinghimselfoutofhischair.'

Ithoughtyou'

dliketoknow.ThegirlswereinBelgiumlastweekhavingalookatpoorReggie'

sgrave,andtheyhappenedtocomeacrossyourboy'

s.They'

requiteneareachother,itseems.'

OldWoodifieldpaused,butthebossmadenoreply.Onlyaquiverinhiseyelidsshowedthatheheard.

Thegirlsweredelightedwiththewaytheplaceiskept,'

pipedtheoldvoice.'

Beautifullylookedafter.Couldn'

tbebetteriftheywereathome.You'

venotbeenacross,haveyer?

No,no!

Forvariousreasonsthebosshadnotbeenacross.

There'

smilesofit,'

quaveredoldWoodifield,'

andit'

sallasneatasagarden.Flowersgrowingonallthegraves.Nicebroadpaths.'

Itwasplainfromhisvoicehowmuchhelikedanicebroadpath.

Thepausecameagain.Thentheoldmanbrightenedwonderfully.

Doyouknowwhatthehotelmadethegirlspayforapotofjam?

hepiped.'

Tenfrancs!

Robbery,Icallit.Itwasalittlepot,soGertrudesays,nobiggerthanahalf-crown.Andshehadn'

ttakenmorethanaspoonfulwhentheychargedhertenfrancs.Gertrudebroughtthepotawaywithhertoteach'

emalesson.Quiteright,too;

it'

stradingonourfeelings.Theythinkbecausewe'

reovertherehavingalookroundwe'

rereadytopayanything.That'

swhatitis.'

Andheturnedtowardsthedoor.

Quiteright,quiteright!

criedtheboss,thoughwhatwasquiterighthehadn'

ttheleastidea.Hecameroundbyhisdesk,followedtheshufflingfootstepstothedoor,andsawtheoldfellowout.Woodifieldwasgone.

Foralongmomentthebossstayed,staringatnothing,whilethegrey-hairedofficemessenger,watchinghim,dodgedinandoutofhiscubbyholelikeadogthatexpectstobetakenforarun.Then:

I'

llseenobodyforhalfanhour,Macey,'

saidtheboss.'

Understand?

Nobodyatall.'

Verygood,sir.'

Thedoorshut,thefirmheavystepsrecrossedthebrightcarpet,thefatbodyplumpeddowninthespringchair,andleaningforward,thebosscoveredhisfacewithhishands.Hewanted,heintended,hehadarrangedtoweep....

IthadbeenaterribleshocktohimwhenoldWoodifieldsprangthatremarkuponhimabouttheboy'

sgrave.ItwasexactlyasthoughtheearthhadopenedandhehadseentheboylyingtherewithWoodifield'

sgirlsstaringdownathim.Foritwasstrange.Althoughoversixyearshadpassedaway,thebossneverthoughtoftheboyexceptaslyingunchanged,unblemishedinhisuniform,asleepforever.'

Myson!

groanedtheboss.Butnotearscameyet.Inthepast,inthefirstmonthsandevenyearsaftertheboy'

sdeath,hehadonlytosaythosewordstobeovercomebysuchgriefthatnothingshortofaviolentfitofweepingcouldrelievehim.Time,hehaddeclaredthen,hehadtoldeverybody,couldmakenodifference.Othermenperhapsmightrecover,mightlivetheirlossdown,butnothe.Howwasitpossible?

Hisboywasanonlyson.Eversincehisbirththebosshadworkedatbuildingupthisbusinessforhim;

ithadnoothermeaningifitwasnotfortheboy.Lifeitselfhadcometohavenoothermeaning.Howonearthcouldhehaveslaved,deniedhimself,keptgoingallthoseyearswithoutthepromiseforeverbeforehimoftheboy'

ssteppingintohisshoesandcarryingonwhereheleftoff?

Andthatpromisehadbeensonearbeingfulfilled.Theboyhadbeenintheofficelearningtheropesforayearbeforethewar.Everymorningtheyhadstartedofftogether;

theyhadcomebackbythesametrain.Andwhatcongratulationshehadreceivedastheboy'

sfather!

Nowonder;

hehadtakentoitmarvelously.Astohispopularitywiththestag,ever