The 1,000,000 Bank-Note Mark Twain

"They are gone." This in the lofty, cold way of that fellows tribe.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"On a journey."

"But whereabouts?"

"To the Continent, I think."

"The Continent?"

"Yes, sir."

"Which way - by what route?"

"I cant say, sir."

"When will they be back?"

"In a month, they said."

"A month! Oh, this is awful! Give me some sort of idea of how to get a word to them. Its of the last importance."

“他们走了。”他用这类人那种不可一世的冷冰冰的口气说。“走了？去哪儿了？”

“出远门了。”

“可——上哪儿啦？”

“我想是去欧洲大陆了吧。”“欧洲大陆？”

“没错，先生。”

“怎么走的——走的是哪条路呀？”“我说不上，先生。”

“什么时候回来呢？”

“他们说，得一个月吧。”

“一个月！唉，这可糟了！帮忙想想办法，看怎么能给他们传个话。这事要紧着哪。”

"I cant, indeed. Ive no idea where theyve gone, sir."

"Then I must see some member of the family."

"Familys away, too; been abroad months - in Egypt and India, I think."

"Man, theres been an immense mistake made. Theyll be back before night. Will you tell them Ive been here, and that I will keep coming till its all made right, and they neednt be afraid?"

"Ill tell them, if they come back, but I am not expecting them. They said you would be here in an hour to make inquiries, but I must tell you its all right, theyll be here on time and expect you."

"实在办不到。他们上哪儿了我一无所知，先生。”

“那，我一定要见这家的其他人。”

“其他人也走了；出国好几个月了——我想，是去埃及和印度了吧。”

“伙计，出了件大错特错的事。他们不到天黑就会转回来。请你告诉他们我来过，不把这事全办妥，我还会接着来，他们用不着担心。”

“只要他们回来我就转告，不过，我想他们不会回来。他们说过，不出一个钟头你就会来打听，我呢，一定要告诉你什么事都没出；等时候一到，他们自然会在这儿候着你。”

So I had to give it up and go away. What a riddle it all was! I was like to lose my mind. They would be here "on time." What could that mean? Oh, the letter would explain, maybe. I had forgotten the letter; I got it out and read it. This is what it said:

"You are an intelligent and honest man, as one may see by your face. We conceive you to be poor and a stranger. Enclosed you will find a sum of money. It is lent to you for thirty days, without interest. Report at this house at the end of that time. I have a bet on you. If I win it you shall have any situation that is in my gift - any, that is, that you shall be able to prove yourself familiar with and competent to fill."

我只好打住，走开了。搞的什么鬼！我真是摸不着头脑。“等时候一到”他们会在这儿。这是什么意思？哦，没准那封信上说了。我把刚才忘了的那封信抽出来一看，信上是这样说的：

"看面相可知，你是个又聪明、又诚实的人。我们猜，你很穷，是个外地人。你会在信封里找到一笔钱。这笔钱借你用三十天，不计利息。期满时来此宅通报。我们在你身上打了一个赌。假如我赢了，你可以在我的职权范围内随意择一职位——也就是说，你能证明自己熟悉和胜任的任何职位均可。"

No signature, no address, no date.

Well, here was a coil to be in! You are posted on what had preceded all this, but I was not. It was just a deep, dark puzzle to me. I hadnt the least idea what the game was, nor whether harm was meant me or a kindness. I went into a park, and sat down to try to think it out, and to consider what I had best do.

没落款，没地址，也没有日期。

好嘛，这真是一团乱麻！现在你当然明白这件事的前因后果，可当时我并不知道。这个谜洞对我来说深不可测、漆黑一团。这出把戏我全然不晓，也不知道对我是福还是祸。我来到一个公园坐下来，想理清头绪，看看我怎么办才好。

来源：大耳朵英语