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第13章 The￡1000000 BankNote（第1页）

第13章The￡1，000，000Bank-Note

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&wenty-sevenyearsold，Iwasamining-broker'sSanFrandaiailsofstocktraffic。Iwasaloheworld，andhadnothingtodependuponbutmywitsaation;buttheseweresettiheroadtoeventualfortune，andIwastwiththeprospect。

Mytimewasmyowernoonboard，Saturdays，andIwasaedtoputitinonalittlesail-boatonthebay。OnedayIveoofar，andwascarriedouttosea。Justatnightfall，whenhopewasaboutgone，IickedupbyasmallbrigwhichwasboundforLondon。Itwasalongandste，andtheymademeworkmypassagewithoutpay，asaonsailor。WhenIsteppedashoreinLondonmycledandshabby，andIhadonlyadollarihismoneyfedawenty-fthey-fourIwentwithoutfoodaer。

Aboutteno'thefoll，seedyandhungry，IwasdraggingmyselfalongPortlandPlaachildthatassing，towedbyaossedalusciousbigpear-miothegutter。Istopped，ofdfastenedmydesirimuddytreasure。Mymouthwateredforit，mystomachcravedit，mywholebei。ButeverytimeImadeamovetogetitsomepassiedmypurpose，andofcourseIstraightehen，andlookedi，aIhadn'tbeenthinkingaboutthepearatall。Thissamethihappeningandhappening，andIp;apos;tgetthepear。Iwasjustgettieenoughtobravealltheshame，a，behindmewasraised，alemaofit，saying:

"Stepi;

Iwasadmittedbyageousflunkey，andshotuousroomleeiheservant，adown。Theyhadjustfiheirbreakfast，aoftheremainsofitalmostoverpoweredme。Icouldhardlykeepmywitstogetherinthepresefood，butasIwasosampleit，IhadtobearmytroubleasbestIcould。

hinghadbeeherealittlebefore，whiotknowanythingaboutuntilagoodmanydaysafterwards，butIwilltellyouaboutitwooldbrothershadbeenhaviargumentacoupleofdaysbefore，andhadendedbyagreeibyabet，whichistheEnglishwayofsettlihing。

YouwillrememberthattheBankofEnglawonotesofamillioobeusedforaspecialpurposeectedwithsomepublisawithafnereasonorotherohesehadbeenusedaherstilllayisoftheBahebrothers，galotwhatmightbethefateofaperfeestastrangerwhoshouldbeturinLondonwithoutafriend，andwithhatmillion-poundbank-note，andnowaytoatforhisbeinginpossessionofit。BrotherAsaidhewouldstarvetodeath;BrotherBsaidheos;t。BrotherAsaidhep;apos;tofferitatabankoranywhereelse，becausehewouldbearrestedo。SotheywentondisputingtillBrotherBsaidhewouldbettwentythousandpoundsthatthemanwouldlivethirtydays，anyway，onthatmillioofjail，too。BrotherAtookhimup。BrotherBwentdowntotheBankandboughtthatlikeanEnglishmaothebae。Theedaletter，whieofhisclerkswroteoutiifulroundhawobrotherssatattheholedaywatgfhtmao。

Theysawmafacesgobythatwereenough;maelligent，butenough;mah，butthepossessorswerenh，h，wereners。TherewasalwaysadefetilIg;buttheyagreedthatIfilledthebillallarouedmeunanimously，andthereIaitingtoknoas。Theybegantoaskmequestionsaboutmyself，aysoontheyhadmystory。FioldmeIwouldaheirpurpose。IsaidIwassincerelyglad，awas。Thehemhandedmeanenvelope，andsaidIwouldfiioninside。Iwasgoihesaidomylodgings，andlookitovercarefully，ayorrash。Iuzzled，aodiscussthematteralittlefurther，buttheydidn't;soItookmyleave，feelinghurtaobemadethebuttofarentlysomekindofapracticaljoke，aobligedtoputupwithit，notbeingincestoresentaffrontsfromridstrongfolk。

Iickedupthepearbeforealltheworld，butitwasgone;soIhadlostthatbythisunluess，aofitdidnotsofteowardsthosemen。AssoonasIwasoutofsightofthathouseIopenedmyenvelope，andsawthatitoney!Myopinionofthosepeopleged，Itellyou!Ilostshovednoteaomyvestpodbrokefortheinghouse。Well，howIdideat!WhenatlastIp;apos;tholdaookoutmymoneyaookoneglimpseandnearlyfainted。Fivemillionsofdollars!Why，itmademyheadswim。

ImusthavesattherestunnedandblinkieasmuchasaminutebeforeIcamerightlytomyselfagaihingIhen，wasthelandlord。Hiseyewasoe，arified。Heing，withallhisbodyandsoul，buthelookedasifhep;apos;tstirhandorfoot。Itookmyamoment，aionalthiodo。Ireaotetowardshim，andsaid，carelessly:

"Givemethege，please。"

Theoredtohisnormaladeathousandapologiesfornotbeiobreakthebill，andIp;apos;tgethimtotouchit。Hewaolookatit，andkeeponlookingatit;hep;apos;tseemtogetenoughofittoqueofhiseye，butheshrankfromtougitasifithadbeeoosacredforpooronclaytohandle。Isaid:

"IamsorryifitisaniImustinsist。Pleasegeit;Ihaven'ta;Buthesaidthatos;tanymatter;hewasquitewilliriflestaillaime。IsaidImightnotbeinhisneighbainfoodwhile;buthesaiditwasofnoce，hecouldwait，and，moreover，IcouldhaveanythiimeIdlettheaaslongasIpleased。Hesaidhehopedheos;tafraidtotrustasritlemanasIwas，merelybecauseIwasofamerrydisposition，aoplaylarksonthepublithematterofdress。Bythistimeaomerwasentering，andthelandlordhihemoofsight;thenhebowedmeallthewaytothedoor，andIstartedstraightforthathouseahers，tocorrectthemistakewhichhadbeehepoliceshouldhuntmeup，a。Irettynervous;iybadlyfrightehough，ofcourse，Iwasnowayinfault;butIknewmeoknowthatwhehey'vegivenatrampamillion-poundbillwheitouheyareinafrahiminsteadwiththeirhtedheyought。AsIapproachedthehousemyextbegantoabate，forallwasquietthere，whichmademefeelprettysurethebludiscoveredyet。Irang。Thesameservantappeared。Iaskedfentlemen。

&quohisiy，coldwayofthatfelloos;stribe。

"Gone?Go;

"O;

"Butwhereabouts?"

"Tothet，Ithink。"

"Thet?"

"Yes，sir。"

"hatroute?"

"I'tsay，sir。"

"Whenwilltheybeback?"

"Inamonth，theysaid。"

"Amonth!Oh，thisisawful!Givemesomesortofideaofhowtogetawordtothem。It'softhelastimporta;

"I't，indeed。I'vehey'vegone，sir。"

"ThenImustseesomememberofthefamily。"

"Family'saway，too;beenabroadmoandIndia，Ithink。"

"Man，there'sbeeakemade。They'llbebackbefht。WillyoutellthemI'vebeeIwillkeepingtillit'sallmaderight，andtheyneedn'tbeafraid?""I'lltellthem，iftheyeback，butIamhem。TheysaidyouwouldbehereinanhourtomakeiImusttellyouit&apht，they'llbehereontimeayou。"SoIhadtogiveitupandgoaway。Whatariddleitallwas!Iwasliketolosemymind。Theywouldbehere"o;。Whatcouldthatmeaerwouldexplain，maybe。Ihadfotteer;Igotitoutahisis>

Youareaaman，asonemayseebyyourfaceiveyoutobepoorandastranger。Enclosedyouwillfindasumofmoislenttoyouforthirtydays，withoutihishouseattheendofthattime。Ihaveabetonyou。IfIwinityoushallhaveanysituationthatisinmygift-any，thatis，thatyoushallbeabletoproveyourselffamiliaretenttofill。

Nosignature，e。