1、After Twenty Years 二十年后 The short story “After Twenty Years” is set in New York on a cold, dark night. Most people have left work to go home, and this part of the city is now quiet. A policeman who is checking the area sees a man outside a shop. He goes up to the man and finds he has a scar on his f
2、ace. They have a chat and the man starts to tell his story. 短篇小说二十年后设定在纽约的一个寒冷而黑暗的夜晚。大部分人已经下班回家，城市 的这个角落静悄悄的。 一名正在该地区巡逻的警察看到一名男子站在商店外面。 他走进男子， 发现他的脸上有一道伤疤。他们开始聊天，男子开始讲述他的故事。 “Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “ I dined here at Big Joe Bradys with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap
3、 in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldnt have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed tha
4、t night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to b
5、e.” “二十年前的今晚，”男子说，“我和吉米威尔斯我最好的朋友，也是这世界上最好的小 伙子在这儿的大乔布雷迪餐厅吃饭。我们俩都是在纽约长大的，就像亲兄弟一样。那 时我十八，吉米二十。第二天一早我就要去西部赚大钱了。可你不可能把吉米拖出纽约，他 觉得地球上只有(纽约)这么一个地方。 反正，那天晚上我们约定，不管日后各自的情况如何， 也不管距离多远，我们都会在二十年的此地、此日、此时再次见面。我们当时觉得，不管要 做什么，二十年的时间足够自己找到出路、赚到钱。” “It sounds pretty interesting, ” said the policeman.“Rather a long
6、time between meets, though, it seems to me. Havent you heard from your friend since you left？” “这事倒挺新鲜，”警察说。“但在我看来，你们这两次见面间隔时间太久了。分手以后你没 有你朋友的消息吗？” “Well, yes, for a time we corresponded, ” said the other. “But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big propos
7、ition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if hes alive, for he always was the truest, staunchest old chap in the world. Hell never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and its worth it if my old partner turns up.” “嗯，不是的。我们也有过一段书信来往，”男子说。“但过了一两年便断了联系。你知道， 西部很大，我不停地四处奔波、忙东忙西。但我相信，只要吉米还活着，他肯定会来赴约的， 因为他一直是世界上最真诚、最可靠的老伙计。他绝对不会忘记我们的约定。今晚，我从千 里之外赶来站在这扇门前，只要我的老朋友出现，这一切就都是值得的。” (Excerpts from “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry) （节选自二十年后 ，作家欧亨利）
