登陆注册
8778300000019

第19章 08The Caliph, Cupid and the Clock(2)

The young man glanced at the clock again and frowneddarkly. When his gaze strayed from the glowing horologueof time it rested intently upon a four-story red brick housein the row of dwellings opposite to where he sat. Theshades were drawn, and the lights in many rooms shonedimly through them.

“Ten minutes to nine!” exclaimed the young man, withan impatient gesture of despair. He turned his back upon thehouse and took a rapid step or two in a contrary direction.

“Remain!” commanded Prince Michael, in so potenta voice that the disturbed one wheeled around with asomewhat chagrined laugh.

“I’ll give her the ten minutes and then I’m off,” hemuttered, and then aloud to the Prince: “I’ll join you inconfounding all clocks, my friend, and throw in women,too.”

“Sit down,” said the Prince calmly. “I do not accept youraddition. Women are the natural enemies of clocks, and,therefore, the allies of those who would seek liberationfrom these monsters that measure our follies and limit ourpleasures. If you will so far confide in me I would ask youto relate to me your story.”

The young man threw himself upon the bench with areckless laugh.

“Your Royal Highness, I will,” he said, in tones of mockdeference. “Do you see yonder house—the one with threeupper windows lighted? Well, at 6 o’clock I stood in thathouse with the young lady I am—that is, I was—engagedto. I had been doing wrong, my dear Prince—I had beena naughty boy, and she had heard of it. I wanted to beforgiven, of course—we are always wanting women toforgive us, aren’t we, Prince?”

“‘I want time to think it over,’ said she. ‘There is onething certain; I will either fully forgive you, or I will neversee your face again. There will be no half-way business.

At half-past eight,’ she said, ‘at exactly half-past eight youmay be watching the middle upper window of the topfloor. If I decide to forgive I will hang out of that windowa white silk scarf. You will know by that that all is aswas before, and you may come to me. If you see no scarfyou may consider that everything between us is endedforever.’ That,” concluded the young man bitterly, “is whyI have been watching that clock. The time for the signalto appear has passed twenty-three minutes ago. Do youwonder that I am a little disturbed, my Prince of Rags andWhiskers?”

“Let me repeat to you,” said Prince Michael, in hiseven, well-modulated tones, “that women are the naturalenemies of clocks. Clocks are an evil, women a blessing.The signal may yet appear.”

“Never, on your principality!” exclaimed the young man,hopelessly. “You don’t know Marian—of course. She’salways on time, to the minute. That was the first thingabout her that attracted me. I’ve got the mitten insteadof the scarf. I ought to have known at 8.31 that my goosewas cooked. I’ll go West on the 11.45 to-night with JackMilburn. The jig’s up. I’ll try Jack’s ranch awhile and topoff with the Klondike and whiskey. Good-night—er—er—Prince.”

Prince Michael smiled his enigmatic, gentle, comprehendingsmile and caught the coat sleeve of the other. The brilliantlight in the Prince’s eyes was softening to a dreamier,cloudy translucence.

同类推荐
  • 翻译研究

    翻译研究

    本书是翻译家思果先生关于英汉翻译的心得。他有感于劣质译文大行其道,甚至影响到中文的思维和创作,决心保卫他深爱的语言。全书贯穿的思想是,译文一定要像中文。书中列举了大量实例,将翻译过程中遇到的难题一一解决,大至行文的修辞、节奏,小至参考书、标点符号的用法、新词和专有名词的译法,像一本军用地图,可以告诉读者哪里有地雷,哪里有险滩,哪里有流沙。诗人、散文家余光中先生专文推荐,可以当成不可多得的翻译教材,也能为一般作家和有心维护中文传统的人士提供借鉴。
  • 日常生活口语

    日常生活口语

    《72小时英语口语大突破:白领商务口语》主要内容简介:有没有遇到过如下的尴尬场面?当你鼓足勇气说英语时,却不知道如何正确地表达;说英语,说了一半之后却发现有个词不知道如何表达;和外国朋友闲聊的时候找不到合适的话题;英语单词记得特别多,语法掌握得很全面,但说英语时仍然是结结巴巴;别担心,这套《72小时英语口语大突破》宝典能把你从上面的种种尴尬场面中解救出来.让你72小时之后就能说出一口流利、纯正、地道的英语。
  • 美国公民读本(彩色英文版+中文翻译阅读)

    美国公民读本(彩色英文版+中文翻译阅读)

    我希望这本书能实现双重功能:一方面能提供阅读练习,同时又能向读者提供一些知识;只要我们持之以恒地从书中汲取养分,而不是零星地、断断续续地这样做,那么这样的阅读可能会很有意义。我也希望本书能对老师在这些方面提供帮助,成为新的教学方式的核心,此类教学工作围绕它来进行。当然,每位老师都要以适合自己的方式来加以运用。我无意创作一部介绍公民学或研究美国历史的鸿篇巨著,而只是对我们政府的体制进行了概要描述,留给老师在其中填充血肉,并因地制宜地用于教学。至于历史,那似乎在了解特定的现存制度时才显得有用。倘若文中简洁的历史论述足以阐明政府的各方面主题,同时又能激发读者更广泛阅读,那么作者就非常满足了。
  • 美丽英文:快乐是自找的

    美丽英文:快乐是自找的

    《美丽英文:快乐是自找的》精选了与快乐有关的美文故事,有的幽默风趣,有的充满哲思,从不同的视角告诉人们快乐并不难,只要用心发现并勇敢创造,就能找到最快乐的自己,塑造出值得拥有的充满快乐的人生!
  • 英语PARTY——高地之邦·苏格兰

    英语PARTY——高地之邦·苏格兰

    本套书籍带你领略英语世界风景,感悟英语学习氛围,有助于英语学习。
热门推荐
  • 绝代神主在都市

    绝代神主在都市

    《超火爽文》六年前落魄的张枫娶了海城第一美女柳倾城,但遭到柳倾城家族的反对,各大家族青年的挑衅嘲讽,直到半年后张枫被人设计制造车祸掉落河里,失去记忆,不知所踪。五年半之后,张枫突破超凡境界,意外苏醒了记忆,带着愤怒重回都市,势要守护柳倾城和报仇雪恨,以我手中拳,横扫千军。
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 文笔要诀

    文笔要诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 世界崩盘了

    世界崩盘了

    生孩子的时候穿越到异世界?作者你是认真的吗?集齐龙珠召唤神龙吧!奥利给!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 在路灯下的年少

    在路灯下的年少

    郁蓦昀第一次看见宁简时,就觉得二人相隔甚远。知道后来,他再也追不上他了……
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 风起云落处回眸百媚生

    风起云落处回眸百媚生

    千年轮回,只为解开守护的秘密;万里寻找,只为初心!
  • 异能裂变之异化

    异能裂变之异化

    看似平静的人类世界,竟有少数人拥有异能,各种机缘巧合,促就了或善或恶的异能人,当他们相遇时,裂变···开始了!
  • 魔兽之大叔也疯狂

    魔兽之大叔也疯狂

    在艾泽拉斯多洛特部落王国的成立中,雷克萨带领的四个传奇英雄在前线立下汗马功劳,而来自地球的大叔李欢则在后面带着小伙伴们混得风生水起。在地球神秘莫名的魔化中,李小峰陆飞等年轻英雄在大叔李欢的支持下,抵抗着一波又一波的异界生物入侵。李欢:我只是想倒卖点装备赚钱还债。。。李小峰:用我们的进攻让敌人犯错误。。陆飞:烈哥,说出来你可能不信。。。。。。。。。。