The Million Pound Bank Note by Mark Twain

原文

Chapter One: From San Francisco to London

When I was 27 years old, I worked in an office in San Francisco.

I did my job well and my future was promising.

I was alone in the world and I was happy.

On Saturday afternoons I didn't work.

I sailed my little sail boat on San Francisco Bay.

One Saturday afternoon, I sailed out too far.

The strong afternoon wind pushed my sail boat out of the bay, into the Pacific Ocean.

That night, when I had lost all hope, a small British brig saw me and took me on board.

The brig was sailing to London. The voyage was long and stormy.
I worked as a sailor to pay for my trip.

When I arrived in London, my clothes were old and dirty.

I had only one dollar in my pocket.

With this dollar, I ate and slept for the first twenty-four hours.

During the next twenty-four hours, I didn't eat and didn't sleep.

At about ten o'clock the following morning, I went to Portland Place.

I saw a child walking past, holding a big pear.

The child ate one small piece and then threw the pear onto the street.

I stopped and looked at it.

I was very hungry and I really wanted that pear.

But every time I tried to get it, someone passed by and looked at me.

I quickly turned in the other direction and waited for the person to pass by.

I tried again and again to get that pear, but the same thing happened. I was desperate.

I decided to get the pear and not to worry about the people who saw me.

At that moment, a gentleman opened a window behind me and said, "Come in here, please."

A well-dressed servant opened the door.

He took me to a beautiful room.

Here, two old gentlemen were sitting and discussing something important.

Their breakfast was still on the table.

I was very hungry and I stared at their breakfast.

I want to tell the reader that the two gentlemen had made a bet several days before.

I knew nothing about the bet until later.

Let me tell you what happened.