首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
A Man Who Had No Eyes Abeggar was coming down the avenue just as Mr. Parsons emerged from his hotel. He was a blind begg
A Man Who Had No Eyes Abeggar was coming down the avenue just as Mr. Parsons emerged from his hotel. He was a blind begg
admin
2010-09-10
31
问题
A Man Who Had No Eyes
Abeggar was coming down the avenue just as Mr. Parsons emerged from his hotel.
He was a blind beggar, carrying the traditional battered cane, and thumping his way before him with the cautious, half-furtive effort of the sightless. He was a shaggy, thick-necked fellow; his coat was greasy about the lapels and pockets, and his hand splayed over the cane’s crook with a futile sort of clinging. He wore a black pouch slung over his shoulder. Apparently he had something to sell.
The air was rich with spring; the sun was warm and yellowed on the asphalt. Mr. Parsons, standing there in front of his hotel and noting the clack-clack approach of the sightless man, felt a sudden and foolish sort of pity for all blind creatures.
And, thought Mr. Parsons, he was very glad to be alive. A few years ago he had been little more than a skilled laborer; now he was successful, respected, admired... Insurance ... And he had done it alone, unaided, struggling beneath handicaps . .. And he was still young. The blue air of spring, fresh from its memories of windy pools and lush shrubbery, could thrill him with eagerness.
He took a step forward just as the tap-tapping blind man passed him by. Quickly tike shabby fellow turned.
"Listen, guv’nor. Just a minute of your time."
Mr. Parsons said, "It’s late. I have an appointment. Do you want me to give you something?"
"1 ain’t no beggar, guv’nore. You bet I ain’t. I got a handy little article here"--he fumbled until he could press a small object into Mr. Parsons’ hand--" that I sell. One buck. Best cigarette lighter made."
Mr. Parsons stood there, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed. He was a handsome figure with his immaculate gray suit and gray hat and malacca stick. Of course the man with the cigarette lighters could not see him ..."But I don’t smoke," he said.
"Listen. I bet you know plenty people who smoke. Nice little present," wheedled the man. "And, mister, you woudn’t mind helping a poor guy out?" He clung to Mr. Parsons’ sleeve.
Mr. Parsons sighed and felt in his vest pocket. He brought out two half dollars and pressed them into the man’s hand. "Certainly. I’ll help you out. As you say, I can give it to someone. Maybe the elevator boy would--" He hesitated, not wishing to be boorish and inquisitive, even with a blind peddler. "Have you lost your sight entirely?"
The shabby man pocketed the two half dollars. "Fourteen years, guv’nor." Then he added with an insane sort of pride: "Westbury, sir. I was one of’ em."
"Westbury," repeated Mr. Parsons. "Ah, yes. The chemical explosion ..The papers haven’t mentioned it for years. But at the time it was supposed to be one of the greatest disasters in--"
"They’ve all forgot about it." The fellow shifted his feet wearily. "I tell you, guv’nor, a man who was in it don’t forget about it. Last thing I ever saw was C shop going up in one grand smudge, ’and that damn’ gas pouring in at all the busted windows."
Mr. Parsons coughed. But the blind peddler was caught up with the train of his one dramatic reminiscence. And, also, he was thinking that there might be more half dollars in Mr. Parsons’ pocket.
"Just think about it, guv’nor. There was a hundred and eight people killed, about two hundred injured, and over fifty of them lost their eyes. Blind as bats--" He groped forward until his dirty hand rested against Mr. Parsons’ coat. "I tell you, sir, there wasn’t nothing worse than that in the war. If I had lost my eyes in the war, okay. I would have been well took care of. But I was just a workman, working for what was in it. And I got it. You’re damn’ right I got it, while the capitalists were making their dough! They was insured, don’t worry about that. They--"
"Insured," repeated his listener. "Yes. That’s what I sell--"
"You want to know how I lost my eyes?" cried the man. "Well, here it is!" His words fell with the bitter and studied drama of a story often told, and told for money. "I was there in C shop, last of all the folks rushing out. Out in the air there was a chance, even with buildings exploding right and left. A lot of guys made it Safe out the door and got away. And just when I was about there, crawling along between those big vats, a guy behind me grabs my leg. He says, ’ let me past, you-- ! ’ Maybe he was nuts. I dun-no. I try to forgive him in my heart, guv’nor. But he was bigger than me. He hauls me back and climbs right over me! Tramples me into the dirt. And he gets out, and I lie there with all that poison gas pouring down on all sides of me, and flame and stuff... "He swallowed -- a studied sob -- and stood dumbly expectant. He could imagine the next words: Tough luck, my man. Damned tough. Now, I want to -- "That’s the story, guv’nor."
The spring wind shrilled past them, damp and quivering.
"Not quite," said Mr. Parsons.
The blind peddler shivered crazily. "Not quite? What you mean, you--?"
"Other way around?" lie croaked unamiably. "Say, guv’nor--"
"I was in C shop," said Mr. Parsons. "It was the other way around. You were the fellow who hauled back on me and climbed over me. You were bigger than I was, Markwardt."
The blind man stood for a long time, swallowing hoarsely. He gulped: "Parsons. By God. By God! I thought you--" And then he screamed fiendishly: "Yes. Maybe so. Maybe so. But I’m blind ! I’m blind, and you’ve been standing here letting me spout to you, and laughing at me every minute! I’m blind !"
People in the street turned to stare at him.
"You got away, but I’m blind! Do you hear.’? I’m--"
"Well, "said Mr. Parsons, "don’t make such a row about it, Markwanh ... So am I."
From Road to Reading,
ed., Anna MariaMalkoc, Washington, D.C.
The beggar was blind in dirty clothes, while Mr. Parsons was sighted in well dress.
选项
A、Y
B、N
C、NG
答案
B
解析
文章第十一段第二句"He brought out two half dollars and pressed them into the man’s hand."暗示了Mr. Parsons was blind.
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/e187777K
0
大学英语四级
相关试题推荐
A、Hewillbeinthelineforalongtime.B、Hewillnotlineupandwait.C、Hehashadexperiencecomingtoalineandwaitingf
Inthe21stcentury,thosepeoplewitholdideaswill__________(落后于是代).
NicotineIfitweren’tfornicotine,peoplewouldn’tsmoketobacco.Why?Becauseofthemorethan4000chemicalsintobacco
NicotineIfitweren’tfornicotine,peoplewouldn’tsmoketobacco.Why?Becauseofthemorethan4000chemicalsintobacco
Forthispart,youareallowedthirtyminutestowriteacompositiononthetopicOwningaCar.Youshouldwriteatleast120wo
ItiscommonlybelievedintheUnitedStatesthatschooliswherepeoplegotogetaneducation.Nevertheless,ithasbeensaid
MembersoftheUniversityofSouthernMississippi’sdancesquadprepareforhomecomingevents.HomecomingisatraditionatAmer
MembersoftheUniversityofSouthernMississippi’sdancesquadprepareforhomecomingevents.HomecomingisatraditionatAmer
A、TopersuadeMarytospendmoretimeonherlessons.B、TohelpMarytopreparefortheupcomingconcert.C、TotalkwithMaryab
随机试题
采购职能的目标是_____。
在Windows中,按键盘上的“Windows”键将()
定喘汤的功用是橘皮竹茹汤的功用是
某患者,一上前牙牙冠大部缺损,做桩冠修复时,根管制备的长度应达根长的
患者目赤翳障,烂弦风眼。首选
[案情] 2003年11月9日,L省D县亚太公司与河北省乙县北美公司签订了一份《钢板购销合同》,合同约定由亚太公司向北美公司供应1000吨优质钢板,北美公司在货到后付款。亚太公司依约于2003年12月21日将货全部发给了北美公司,但北美公司收到钢板后屡
某测区发育了3组裂隙,其间距分别为L1=25cm,L2=20cm,L3=30cm。则单位体积通过的总裂隙数J为()
工程量的变更与对该项工作规定的具体费率的乘积超过了接受的合同款额的(),宜采用新的费率或价格。
以下叙述中正确的是
Thefollowingquestionspresentasentence,partofwhichorallofwhichisunderlined.Beneaththesentence,youwillfindfiv
最新回复
(
0
)