whoapoliceman(JimmyWells)Bob(acriminal)atallman(aplain-clothesman)whenbarelyteno’clockatnightwhereinthedoorwayofastore,NewYorkFastreading———elements①BobwenttoseehisfriendJimmyattheagreedlocation.②AmancametoBobandclaimedtobeJimmy,whichBobsuspected.③Apolicemanapproachedhim,chattedwithhim

andleft.④BobknewthetruththroughanotefromJimmy.⑤Bobwasarrestedbytheplain-clothesman.①③②⑤④Fastreading———theplotAfterTwentyYearsThepolicemanonthebeat

walkedalongthestreetashealwaysdid.Itwasbarelyteno’clockatnight.Whenhehadwalkedabouthalfwayaroundacertainblock,thepolicemansuddenlysloweddown.Inthedoorwayofastorestoodaman,withanunlitcigarinhismouth.Asthepolicemanwalkeduptohimthemanspokeupquickly.“It’sallright,officer,”hesaid.“I’mjustwaitingforafriend.It’sanappointmentmadetwentyyearsago.Thereusedtobearestaurantwherethisstorestands—‘BigJoe’Brady’srestaurant.”“Itwashereuntilfiveyearsago,”saidthepoliceman.“Itwastorndownthen.”Themaninthedoorwaystruckamatchandlithiscigar.Thelightshowedapaleface,withkeeneyes,asquarejawandalittlewhitescarnearhisrighteyebrow.Hisscarfpinwasalargediamond,oddlyset.“Twentyyearsagotonight,”saidtheman,“IdinedherewithJimmyWells,mybestfriend.HeandIwerejustliketwobrothers.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwastoleaveNewYorkandtraveltotheWesttomakemyfortune.Well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.Wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohavebuiltalifeandmadeourfortunes.”“Itsoundsprettyinteresting,”saidthepoliceman.“Ratheralongtimebetweenmeetings,though.Haven’tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?”“Well,wekeptintouchforayearortwo,andthenwelostcontact.ButIknowJimmywillmeetmehereifhe’salive,forhealwayswasthetruestandmostreliablefellowintheworld.He’llneverforget.Icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoorwaytonight,andit’sworthwhileifmyoldpartner

turnsup.”Thewaitingmanpulledoutahandsomewatch,setwithsmalldiamonds.Itwasthreeminutestoten.“I’llbeonmyway,”saidthepoliceman.“Hopeyourfriendturnsup.”“I’llgivehimhalfanhouratleast.Bye,officer.”Themanwhohadcomeathousandmilestokeepanappointmentwiththefriendofhisyouthsmokedhiscigarandwaited.Abouttwentyminuteslater,atallmaninalongovercoat,withcollarturneduptohisears,hurriedtowardhim.“Isthatyou,Bob?”heasked,doubtfully.“Isthatyou,JimmyWells?”shoutedthemaninthedoorway.“Blessmyheart!”criedthenewarrival.“Well,well,well!Twentyyearsisalongtime!HowhastheWesttreatedyou,oldman?”“IthasgivenmeeverythingIaskeditfor.You’vechangedlots,Jimmy.Ineverthoughtyouweretallbytwoorthreeinches.”

“Oh,IgrewabitafterIwastwenty.Comeon,Bob;we’llgotoaplaceIknowandhaveagoodlongtalkaboutoldtimes.”Thetwomenwalkedupthestreet,arminarm.ThemanfromtheWestwasbeginningtooutlinethehistoryofhiscareer.Atthecornerstoodadrugstore,brilliantwithelectriclights.Eachofthemturnedtostareattheother’sface.ThemanfromtheWeststoppedsuddenlyandreleasedhisarm.“AsIsuspected,you’renotJimmyWells,”hesaid,impatientlywithanger.“Twentyyearsisalongtime,butnotlongenoughtochangetheshapeofaman’snose.”

“Itsometimeschangesagoodmanintoabadone,”saidthetallman,takingchargeofthesituation.“You’vebeenunderarrestfortenminutes,‘Silky’Bob.Chicagopolicethoughtyoumighthavedroppedoverourwayandwiredus.Theywanttohaveachatwithyou.”Beforewegotothestation,here’sanoteforyou.It’sfromPatrolmanWells.”

ThemanfromtheWestunfoldedthepaper.Thenotewasrathershort.“Bob:Iwasattheappointedplaceontime.WhenyoustruckthematchtolightyourcigarIsawitwasthefaceofthecriminalwantedinChicago.AnyhowIcouldn’tarrestyoumyself,soIgotaplain-clothesmantodothejob.JIMMY.”(AdaptedfromO.Henry’sshortstoryofthesametitle)1在轄區(qū)執(zhí)勤巡邏值班2拆除3劃火柴4點香煙5敏銳的眼睛6方下巴7賺錢；發(fā)財8與某人保持聯(lián)系9與某人失去聯(lián)系onthebeatteardownstrikeamatchlightacigarkeeneyesasquarejawImportantwords&phrasesmakeafortunekeepintouchwithsblosetouch/contactwithsb10做某事是值得的11出現(xiàn)；現(xiàn)身12掏出來13鑲鉆14與某人有約定15豎起領子到耳邊16長高了兩三寸17臂挽著臂18概括某人的過往it’sworthwhiledoing/todosthwithcollarturneduptoearsturnupImportantwords&phrasespulloutbesetwithdiamondskeepanappointmentwithsbtal