首页
登录
职称英语
A Man Who Had No Eyes Abeggar was coming down the ave
A Man Who Had No Eyes Abeggar was coming down the ave
游客
2023-07-23
24
管理
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. [br] 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://tihaiku.com/zcyy/2861597.html
相关试题推荐
Maryistooproud___________(以至于看不到自己的缺点).toseeherownshortcomings本题主要考查固定句型t
Thereisanewtypeofsmalladvertisementbecomingincreasinglycommoninn
Thereisanewtypeofsmalladvertisementbecomingincreasinglycommoninn
Thereisanewtypeofsmalladvertisementbecomingincreasinglycommoninn
AManWhoHadNoEyesAbeggarwascomingdowntheave
AManWhoHadNoEyesAbeggarwascomingdowntheave
AManWhoHadNoEyesAbeggarwascomingdowntheave
Theworkplaceforolderadultsisbecomingadynamicspaceratherthanauni
Theworkplaceforolderadultsisbecomingadynamicspaceratherthanauni
Theworkplaceforolderadultsisbecomingadynamicspaceratherthanauni
随机试题
[originaltext]ThisisRayMcCarthywiththenews.Reportsarecominginof
IntheAmericanfamily,thehusbandandwifeusuallyshareimportantdecision
[originaltext]TheNationalAssociationofCollegesandEmployerscollectsin
以下有关优选培训方法不正确的内容是()。A.保证培训适应各个领域要求 B.保
城市应根据其社会经济地位的重要性或非农业人口的数量分为4个等级。下列说法正确的是
中外合资、合作企业申请测绘资质,应当向()提交申请资料。A:国务院测绘行政主管部
下列控制图中,属于计数值控制图的是()。A.缺陷数控制图 B.中位数和极差
患者,女,55岁,临床诊断为2型糖尿病。目前药物治疗方案如下: 该患者联用
(2020年真题)下列关于产品成本计算逐步结转分步法的说法中,正确的有()
某河段相邻功能区类别为Ⅳ类和Ⅲ类,设计枯水流量条件下,采用首断面及末断面控制,氨
最新回复
(
0
)