After Twenty Years二十年之后分析和总结.docx

AfterTwentyYears二|

十年之后

Walkingdownthestreettwirling3hisclubandcheckingdoorstomakesuretheywerelocked,theofficer,madeafineexampleofapoliceman.Nowandthenyoumightseethelightsofacigarstoreorofanall-nightlunchcounter;butmostdoorsbelongedtobusinessplacesthathadbeenclosedhoursbefore.

Whenaboutmidwayofacertainblockthepolicemansuddenlyslowedhiswalk.Inthedoorwayofadarkenedhardwarestoreamanleaned,withanunlightedcigarinhismouth.Asthepolicemanwalkeduptohimthemanspokeupquickly.

“It’sallright,officer,”hesaid,reassuringly4.“I ’mjustwaitingforafriendhere.It ’san

appointmentmadetwentyyearsago.Soundsalittlefunnytoyou,doesn’tit?Well,Icanexplain.Thereusedtobearestaurantwherethisstorenowstands—‘BigJoe’Brady’srestaurant.”

“Untilfiveyearsago,”saidthepoliceman.“Itwastorndownthen.”

Themaninthedoorwaystruckamatchandlithiscigar.Thelightshowedapale,square-jawedfacewithkeeneyes,andalittlewhitescarnearhisrighteyebrow.Hisscarfpinwasalargediamond,oddlyset.

“Twentyyearsagoto-night,”saidtheman,“Ihaddinedhereat‘BigJoe’Brady’swithJimmy

Wells,mybestchum5,andthefinestchapintheworld.HeandIwereraisedhereinNewYork,justliketwobrothers,together.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwenttotheWesttomakemyfortune.Youcouldn’thavedraggedJimmyoutofNewYork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.Wethoughtaftertwentyyearseachofuswouldhavemadeourfortunesandknowwhatweweregoingtobe.Well,weagreedthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.

“Itsoundsprettyinteresting,”saidthepoliceman.“Ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,it

seemstome.Haven’tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?”

“Well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,”saidtheother.“Butafterayear