Maugham Somerset The Man With The Scar and Other Stories PDF

S.
Maugham, the celebrated 1 9 -2 0 B eginner

century British author, has excelled
him self as a short story writer. E lem en tary
Carrying the reader into the
intricate world o f the human soul,
he gives us a fresh view o f life,
P re-In term ed iate
now dramatic, now humorous.
Written in a vivid, lively language,
Maugham's stories are engaging
and easy to read.
Interm ediate
Upper Interm ediate
A dvanced

Wiihfiy
A dvanced
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2008
811.111(075)
81.2-93
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: Elementary ( ), Pre-
Interm ediate ( ),
Interm ediate ( ),
U p p er In term ed iate (
) Advanced ( ).
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87 / ;
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.: -, 2008. 144 .: . ( ).
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ISBN 978-5-8112-3104-1

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811.111(075)
81.2 -93

ISBN 978-5-8112-3104-1 - , 2002
THE MAN WITH THE SCAR
It was on account o f the scar that I first noticed h im ,1 for it

ran, broad and red, from his tem ple to his chin. This scar spoke o f
a terrible wound and I wondered w hether it had been caused by a
sabre or by a fragment o f shell. It was unexpected on that round, fat
and good-hum oured face. He had small features and his face went
oddly2 with his large and fat body. He was a powerful man o f more
than com m on height. I never saw him in anything, but a very
shabby grey suit, a khaki shirt and an old som brero. He was far
from clean. He used to come into the Palace Hotel at G uatem ala
1 it was on account of the scar that I first noticed him -

2 his face went oddly
City every day at cocktail tim e and tried to sen lottery tickets. 1
never saw anyone buy, but now and then 1 saw him offered a drink.1
He never refused it. H e walked am ong the tables, pausing at each
table, w ith a little smile offered the lottery tickets and when no
notice was taken o f him with the same smile passed on. I think he
was the m ost part a little drunk.
I was standing at the bar one evening with an acquaintance
w hen the m an with the scar cam e up. I shook my head as for the
tw entieth time since my arrival he held out his lottery tickets to me.
But my com panion greeted him , kindly.
How is life, general?
N ot so bad. Business is not too good, but it might be worse.
W hat will you have, general?
A brandy.
He drank it and put the glass back on the bar. He nodded to
my acquaintance.
Thank you.
Then he turned away and offered his tickets to the m en who
were standing next to us.
Who is your friend? I asked. T hats a terrific scar on his
face.
It doesnt add to his beauty, does it? H es an exile from
N icaragua. H e s a ruffian o f course and a bandit, but not a bad
fellow. I give him a few pesos now and then. H e took part in a
rebellion and was general o f the rebellious troops. If his am m unition
hadnt given out hed have upset the government and would be minister
o f war2 now instead o f selling lottery tickets in G uatem ala. They
captured him together with his staff, and tried him by court-m artial.
Such things are usually done without delay in these countries, you
know, and he was sentenced to be shot at dawn. I think he knew
what was com ing to him 3 when he was caught. He spent the night
in jail and he and the others, there were five o f them altogether,
passed the time playing poker. They used m atches for chips. He
1 I saw him offered a drink ,

2 if his ammunition hadnt given out hed have upset the government and
would be minister o f war ,

3 what was coming to him
4
told me h ed never had such bad luck in his life: he lost and lost all
the time. W hen the day broke and the soldiers cam e into the cell to
fetch them for execution he had lost m ore m atches than a m an
could use in a life-time.
They were led into the courtyard o f the jail and placed against
a wall, the five o f them side by side with the firing squad facing them.
There was a pause and our friend asked the officer com manding the
squad what the devil they were keeping him waiting for.1 The officer
said that the general com m anding the troops wished to attend the
execution and they awaited his arrival.
T h en I have tim e to sm oke an o th er cig arette, said o u r
friend.
But he had hardly lit it w hen the general cam e into the
courtyard. T he usual form alities were perform ed and the general
asked the condem ned m en w hether there was anything they wished
before the execution took place. F o u r o f the five shook their heads,
but our friend spoke.
Yes, I should like to say good-bye to my wife.
G o o d , said the general, I have no objection to that.
W here is she?
She is waiting at the prison door.
Then it will not cause a delay o f more than five m inutes.
Hardly th a t,2 Senior G eneral.
Have him placed on one side.3
Two soldiers advanced an d between them the condem ned
rebel walked to the spot indicated. The officer in com m and o f the
firing squad on a nod from the general gave an order and the four
m en fell. They fell strangely, not together, but one after the other,
with m ovem ents that were almost grotesque, as though they were
puppets in a toy theatre. The officer went up to them and into one
who was still alive em ptied his revolver. O ur friend finished his
cigarette.
There was a little stir at the gateway. A woman cam e into
the courtyard, with quick steps, and then, her hand on her heart,
1 what the devil they were keeping him waiting for

2 hardly that .
3 Have him placed on one side. .
5
stopped suddenly. She gave a cry and with outstretched arms ran
forward.
C aram ba,1 said the general.
She was in black, with a veil over her hair, and her face
was dead white. She was hardly more than a girl, a slim creature,
with little regular features and enorm ous eyes. H er loveliness was
such that as she ran, her m outh slightly open and the agony on her
beautiful face, even the indifferent soldiers who looked at her gave
a gasp o f surprise.2
The rebel advanced a step o r two to m eet her. She threw
herself into his arms and with a cry o f passion: soul o f my heart, he
pressed his lips to hers. And at the same m om ent he drew a knife
from his ragged shirt I havent a notion how he had managed to
keep it and stabbed her in the heck. The blood spurted from the
cut vein and dyed his shirt. Then he threw his arm s round her and
once m ore pressed his lips to hers.
It happened so quickly th at m any d id n t know what had
occurred, but the others gave a cry o f horror; they sprang forward
and seized him. They laid the girl on the ground and stood round
w atching her. The rebel knew where he was striking and it was
impossible to stop the blood. In a m om ent the officer who had
been kneeling by her side rose.
Shes dead, he whispered.
The rebel crossed himself.
Why did you do it? asked the general.
I loved her.
A sort o f sigh passed through those men crowded together
and they looked with strange faces at the m urderer. The general
stared at him for a while in silence.
It was a noble gesture, he said at last, I cannot execute
this man. Take my car and drive him to the frontier. I honour you,
Senor, as one brave m an must honour another.
And between the two soldiers without a word the rebel marched
to the waiting car.
My friend stopped and for a little while I was silent. I must
explain that he was a G uatem altecan and spoke to me in Spanish.
1 Caramba. . .
2 gave a gasp of surprise
6
I have translated what he told me as well as 1 could, but I have made
no attem pt to change his rather high-flow n language. To tell the
truth I think it suits the story.
But how then did he get the scar? I asked at last.
O h, that was due to a bottle that burst when he was opening
it. A bottle o f ginger ale.
I never liked it, said I.
Exercises
ffl Pre-reading Tasks
1 How do you think the man in the story got the scar? Invent two
possible story lines ( 5 - 6 sentences).
2 Practise the pronunciation of the words from the story. When in doubt
refer to the transcription below.
Sabre, height, sombrero, G uatem ala, exile, Nicaragua, ruffian,

rebellion, rebel (n), rebel (v), court-m artial, jail, execution,
squad, condemned, grotesque, ragged, kneel, sigh, noble, frontier.
I's e ib s ] [h a it] [s a m 'b re o ro u ] |,g w aeti'm a:l3 ] ['e k sa il]

l.m ka'rseqjua] ('rxfisn] [ri'beljan| f'rebl] ]rr'bel ] [koTmaiJal]
[d3eil| |,eksi'kju:Jan] [skwod] [kan'dcm d] [grou'tesk] ['raegid]
[ni:l] [sai] |'n o u b l| I'fnuitja]
Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
1 Find in the story the English for:
, ,
, , ,
-, ,
, , ( ),
- , ,
7
, ,
, , - -.
2 Use one of the words or word combinations from the box in an

appropriate form to fill each gap.
now and then

without delay
a frontier
good-hum oured
next to
due to
far from
an acquaintance
regular
to attend
1) It was unexpected on that round, fat a n d __________face.

2) He w a s _________ clean.
3) ________ I saw him offered a drink.
4) 1 was standing at the bar one evening w i t h ________
5) Then he turned away and offered his tickets to the men
who were sta n d in g _________ us.
6) Such things are usually d o n e _________ in these countries,
you know.
7) The general com m anding the troops wished t o ________
the execution.
8) She was a slim creature, with little _________ features and
enorm ous eyes.
9) Take my car and drive him to t h e ________
10) O h, that w a s _________ a bottle that burst when he was
opening it.
3 Choose the right word.
1) But now and then I saw h i m _________ a drink.

A suggested
proposed
offered
8
2) H e never it.
A refused
denied
rejected
3) H e _________ to my acquaintance.
A shook his head
nodded
bowed
4) The general asked the condem ned m en w hether there was

anything they wished before the execution took place.
F our o f the five their heads.
A shook
nodded
bowed
5) The general com m anding the troops wished t o ________

the execution.
A visit
attend
be present
6) The blood spurted from the cut vein a n d ________ the

shirt.
A painted
dyed
coloured
7) They the girl on the ground and stood watching

her.
A lay
laid
lied
8) To tell the truth I think it the story.

A fits
suits
m atches
9
4 Change the following sentences from the story
A into direct speech.
1) I wondered whether it had been caused by a sabre or by

a fragment of shell.
2) He told me h ed never had such bad luck in his life.
3) O ur friend asked the officer com m anding the squad what
the devil they were keeping him waiting for.
4) The officer said that the general com m anding the troops
wished to attend the execution and they awaited his arrival.
5) The general asked the condem ned men w hether there was
anything they wished before the execution took place.
into indirect speech.
1) H ow s life, general?
N ot so bad. Business is not too good, but it might be
w orse.
W hat will you have, general?
A brandy.
2) Shes dead, he whispered.
The rebel crossed himself.
Why did you do it? asked the general.
I loved her.
3) But how then did he get the scar? I asked at last.
O h, that was due to a bottle that burst when he was
opening it. A bottle of ginger ale.
I never liked it, said 1.
5 Put the verbs:
A into the Active Voice.
1) N o notice was taken o f him.

2) Such things are usually done w ith o u t delay in these
countries, you know.
3) I think he knew what was coming to him when he was
caught.
4) They were led into the courtyard of the jail and placed
against the wall.
10
5) The usual formalities were performed.
t
into the Passive Voice.
1) My com panion greeted him.

2) They captured him together with his staff and tried him
by court-m artial.
3) They used m atches for chips.
4) H e drew a knife from his ragged shirt.
5) They laid the girl on the ground.
Decide why the nouns below are used with a, theor 0 . Continue the
lines. 4
1) a d rin k , a b ran d y , tea ...

2) would be m inister of war, was general o f the rebellious
troops, the general stared at him ...
3) in jail, in the courtyard o f the jail ...
4) such bad luck, such a noble gesture ...
Reading Comprehension and Discussion Tasks
Answer the following questions:
1) Why did the author notice the man? W hat did the scar
speak of?
2) W hat did the m an with the scar look like? W hat was he
like?
3) W hat did he use to do?
4) Who told the author the story o f the man? How did he
characterize him?
5) W here was the man with the scar from?
6) Why was he tried by court-m artial? W hat was the sentence?
7) How did he spend the night before the execution?
8) How was the execution carried out? Why was there a pause?
9) W hat was the m ans last wish? Why was it easy to fulfil?
10) W hat did his wife look like?
11) W hat happened when she threw herself into his arms?
Why did the man with the scar stab her in the neck?
11
12) Why did the general say he couldnt execute the man?
W hat did he order the soldiers to do?
13) W here did the man get the scar?
2 Retell the story according to the outline using the given words and
word combinations.
1) The frame o f the story: the beginning which expresses the

problem and the purpose, and the end in which the author
provides the answer to the m ain question."
To speak of, to be caused by, o f m ore than com m on
height, a shabby suit, far from clean, used to com e,
now and then, offer smb a drink, to refuse smth, to
take no notice of, an acquaintance, to shake o n es
head, to hold out sm th to, to nod to, due to.
2) The rebellion and the night in jail.
To capture, to try by court-m artial, without delay, to
be sentenced to, at dawn, to pass the tim e, to have
bad luck.
2) The execution.
T o be led, to face sm b, to keep sm b w aiting, to
attend the execution, to perform the form alities, to
have no objection to, to cause a delay, on a nod from
the general, grotesque, puppets in a toy theatre.
4) The last wish.
T o give a cry, a slim c re a tu re , reg u la r featu re s,
indifferent soldiers, to throw oneself into sm bs arms,
to draw a knife from, to stab smb in the neck, the cut
vein, to seize, to lay smb on the ground, to stare at,
a noble gesture, the frontier, to honour smb.
3 Discuss the following:
1) He had small features and his face went oddly with his
large and fat body. He was a powerful man o f m ore than
com m on height.
D o appearances reflect our personality? How does the
appearance o f the man with the scar reflect his personality?
2) He told me he had never had such bad luck in his life: he
lost and lost all the tim e.
12
Was it an om en before the day o f the execution? W hat sort
o f om en? D o you believe in omens?
3) Why did you do it? asked the general.
I loved h er.
It was a noble gesture.
Why do you think the m an with the scar killed his wife?
W hat sort o f love was it? Was it a noble gesture?
4) S. M augham mingles the exotic, the rom antic with the
com monplace in his story. Why do you think he does it?
W hat are the romantic things and what are the commonplace
things in the story?
5) They fell strangely, not together, but one after the other,
with m ovem ents that were almost grotesque, as though
they were puppets in a toy theatre.
D o you think this description reflects the authors attitude
to life and death?
6) W hat do you think is the key sentence o f the story?
7) A proverb is a short popular saying expressing an obvious
truth. One o f the proverbs says:
Climb not top high lest the fa ll should be greater.
C om m ent on the proverb with reference to the story.
8) I never liked it. W hat d o you think the final sentence
means?
9) Is the life story you invented similar in any way to the
story youve read or is it quite different? How did you like
the story The M an with the Scar?
THE LUNCHEON
I caught sight o f her at the play and in answer to her beckoning

I went over during the interval and sat down beside her. It was long
since I had last seen her and if som eone had not m entioned her
name I do not think I would have recognized her.1 She addressed me
brightly.
Well, its many years since we first met. How time flies! We
are not getting any younger. Do you remember the first time I saw
you? You asked me to. luncheon.
Did I remember?
1 if someone had not mentioned her name... 1 would have recognized

her - ... ()
14
It was tw en ty years ago a n d I w as living in Paris. 1 h ad a tin y
a p a rtm e n t in th e L atin Q u a rte r1 a n d I w as ea rn in g barely en o u g h
m o n ey to keep b o d y a n d soul to g e th e r.2 She h ad read a b o o k o f
m ine a n d h ad w ritten to m e a b o u t it. I an sw ered , th a n k in g h er,
an d p re se n tly I received fro m h e r a n o th e r le tte r saying th a t she was
passing th ro u g h P aris a n d w ould like to have a c h a t w ith m e; b u t
h e r tim e w as lim ited a n d th e on ly free m o m e n t she h ad w as o n th e
fo llo w in g T h u rs d a y . S he a sk e d m e i f I w o u ld give h e r a little
lu n c h e o n at F o y o ts. F o y o ts is a re sta u ra n t at w h ich th e F re n c h
sen a to rs eat a n d it w as so far b ey o n d m y m e a n s3 th a t I h ad never
ev en th o u g h t o f g o in g th e re . B ut I w as fla tte re d a n d I w as to o
young to say n o to a w o m an . I h a d eighty fran cs to live on till th e
en d o f th e m o n th an d a m o d est lu n c h e o n sh o u ld n o t co st m o re
th a n fifteen. I f 1 cu t o u t co ffee4 for th e next tw o w eeks I co u ld
m an ag e well en o u g h .
I answ ered th a t I w ould m eet h er at F o y o ts o n T hursday at
h a lf past twelve.
She w as n o t so young as I ex p ected an d in ap p e aran c e im posing
ra th e r th a n attractive. S he was in fact a w om an o f forty, an d she
gave m e th e im p ression o f having m ore te e th , w hite a n d large and
even, th a n w ere necessary fo r any p ra ctic al purpose. She was talkative,
but since she seem ed in clin ed 5 to talk ab o u t m e I was p repared to be
an atten tiv e listener. I was startled w hen th e m en u was bro u g h t, for
th e prices w ere a great deal h ig h e r th a n I h ad ex p ected . But she
reassured m e.
I n ever eat an y th in g for lu n c h e o n , she said.
O h , d o n t say th at!6 I answ ered generously.
I n e v e r eat m o re th a n o n e th in g . I th in k p eo p le e a t to o
m u ch now adays. A little fish, p erh ap s. I w o n d er if th ey have any
s a lm o n .
W ell, it w as early in th e y e a r for salm on an d it was not on the
1 the Latin Quarter ( ,

, , )
1 to keep body and soul together -
3 far beyond my means
4 if I cut out coffee
5 she seemed inclined , -,
6 Oh, d ont say that! . !
15
m enu, but I asked the waiter if there was any. Yes, they had a
beautiful salmon, it was the first they had had. I ordered it for my
guest. The waiter asked her if she would have something while it
was being cooked.
N o , she answered, I never eat more than one thing. Unless
you had a little caviare.1 I never m ind caviare.
My heart sank a little. I knew I could not afford caviare, but
I could not tell her that. 1 told the waiter by all m eans to bring
caviare. For myself I chose the cheapest dish on the m enu and that
was a m utton chop.
1 think youre unwise to eat m eat, she said. I d o n t know
how you can expect to work after eating heavy things like chops. I
never overload my stom ach.
Then came the question o f drink.
I never drink anything for luncheon, she said.
N either do I , I answered promptly.
Except white w ine, she went on as though I had not spoken.
These French white wines are so light. They are wonderful for the
digestion.
W hat would you like? I asked her.
My doctor w ont let me drink anything but2 cham pagne.
I th in k I tu rn ed a little pale. 1 ordered h a lf a bottle. I
m entioned casually that my doctor had absolutely forbidden me to
drink champagne.
W hat are you going to drink, then?
W ater.
She ate the caviare and she ate the salmon. She talked gaily of
art and literature and music. But I wondered what the bill would
come to .3 When my m utton chop arrived she said:
I see that youre in the habit o f eating a heavy luncheon. Im
sure its a mistake. Why d o n t you follow my example and just eat
one thing? Pm sure youd feel m uch better then.
1 Unless you had a little caviare. ,

.
2 wont let me drink anything but ,
3 1 wondered what the bill would come to ,

16
I am only going to eat one th in g , I said, as the waiter came
again with the menu.
She waved him aside with a light gesture.
N o, no, I never eat anything for luncheon. Just a bite,1 I
never want more than that. 1 can t eat anything more unless they
had some o f those giant asparagus. 1 should be sorry2 to leave Paris
without having some o f them .
My heart sank. 1 had seen them in the shops and I knew that
they were horribly expensive. My m outh had often watered at the
sight o f them .
Madame wants to know if you have any of those giant asparagus,
I asked the waiter.
I hoped he would say no. A happy smile spread over his broad
face, and he assured me that they had some so large, so splendid, so
tender, that it was a marvel.
I m not in the least hungry, my guest sighed, but if you
insist I d o n t mind having some asparagus.
I ordered them.
A rent you going to have any?
N o, I never eat asparagus.
1 know there are people who d o n t like th em .
We waited for the asparagus to be cooked.3 Panic seized me. It
was not a question now how much m oney I should have left4 for the
rest o f the m onth, but w hether I had enough to pay the bill. It
would be terrible to find myself ten francs short5 and be obliged to
borrow from my guest. I could not bring myself to do that.6 I knew
exactly how much m oney I had and if the bill cam e to more I made
up my m ind that I would put my hand in my pocket and with a
dram atic cry start up and say my m oney had been stolen. If she had
1just a bite
2 1 should be sorry
3 We waited for the asparagus to be cooked. ,
.
4 how m uch money 1 should have left
5 it would he terrible to find myself ten francs short

,
6 I could not bring myself to do that. .
17
not m oney enough to pay the bill then the only thing to do would be
to leave my watch and say 1 would com e back and pay later.
The asparagus appeared. They were enorm ous and appetizing.
The smell o f the m elted butter tickled my nostrils. 1 watched the
woman send them down her throat and in my polite way 1 talked on
the condition o f the dram a in the Balkans. At last she finished.
Coffee? I said.
Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee, she answered.
It was all the same to me now, so I ordered coffee for myself
and an ice-cream and coffee for her.
You know, theres one thing I thoroughly believe in , she
said, as she ate the ice-cream . One should always get up from a
meal feeling one could eat a little m ore.
Are you still hungry? I asked faintly.
O h, no, Im not hungry; you see, I d o n t eat luncheon. I
have a cup o f coffee in the m orning and then dinner, but I never
eat m ore than one thing for luncheon. I was speaking for you.
Oh, I see!
Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for
the coffee, the head w aiter,1 with a smile on his false face, cam e up
to us bearing a large basket full o f huge peaches. Peaches were not
in season then. Lord knew2 what they cost. I knew too a little
later, for my guest, going on with her conversation, absent-m indedly
took one.
You see, youve filled your stomach with a lot of meat and you
cant eat any more. But Ive just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.
The bill cam e and when 1 paid it 1 found that I had only
enough for a quite inadequate tip. H er eyes rested for a m om ent
on the three francs 1 left for the waiter and I knew that she thought
me m ean.3 But when 1 walked out o f the restaurant 1 had the whole
m onth before me and not a penny in my pocket.
Follow my exam ple, she said as we shook hands, and never
eat more than one thing for luncheon.
Ill do better than th a t, I answered. I ll eat nothing for
d in n er to n ig h t.
1 the head waiter

2 Lord knew ( )
3 she thought me mean
18
H um orist! she cried gaily, jum ping into a cab. Y ou're
quite a hum orist!
But 1 have had my revenge at last. Today she weighs twenty-
one stone.1
Exercises
Pre-reading Tasks
1 Luncheon is a formal lunch.

What sort of luncheon do you think you are going to read about?
Write 35 sentences.
Latin Q uarter, restaurant, senator, m enu, reassure, salm on,

cav iare, d ig estio n , ch am p ag n e, g ia n t, asparagus, d ram a,
Balkans, stom ach, thoroughly, inadequate, revenge, weigh.
I'lsetin 'kwortal |'restoro:r)] ['senoto] ['menju] [rb'JUol ['saeman]

f'kaevia:] [dufeestjbn] [faem'pem] fcbaiont] [ss'paeragas] ['drarms]
fboilksnz) ('stAmok] [' ] [I'naedikwit] jn'vends] [wei]
^ Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
-, -, !,
, -,
, , , ,
(), , ,
, ,
1 21 stone = 133,3 kg. (stone = 6,33 )

19
, , -, ,
, , , - ,
, .
2 Fill each gap with a word or word combination from the box in an
appropriate form.
couldnt afford
to water
on the menu
digestion
a tip i
time flies
to overload
to have ones revenge
1) Its many years since we first met. H o w ________ !

2) For myself I chose the cheapest d i s h ________ .
3) I n e v e r _________ my stom ach, she said.
4) These French wines are wonderful f o r ________ .
5) My heart sank. I knew I _________ caviare.
6) I had seen asparagus in the shops, my mouth o fte n ________
at the sight of them.
7) W hen i paid the bill I had only enough for quite an
inadequate ________ .
8) But I ________ . Today she weighs twenty-one stone.
3 Replace the italicized words and word combinations with a synonym

from the box in an appropriate form.
to be startled
to borrow from
to manage well enough
beside
w ouldnt mind
to keep body and soul together
it was all the same to me
20
1) I went over during the interval and sat down next to her.
2) I was earning barely enough money to make both ends meet.
3) I thought if I cut out coffee for the next two weeks 1 could
do welt enough.
4) I was struck when the m enu was brought.
5) My guest sighed, I f you insist 1 wont object tohaving
some asparagus.
6) It would be terrible to be obliged to take money from my
guest if I d id n t have enough to pay for the bill.
7) It made no difference to me now, so I ordered coffee for
myself and an ice-cream and coffee for her.
A Which of the verb tenses in the sentences below is used to describe:
a) an action that happened before another past action?

b) an action in progress (going on) around a particular past
m om ent?
c) a com pleted action connected with the present?
d) a single past action?
1) I ve just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.

2) She ate the caviare and she ate the salmon.
3) It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris.
4) Foyots was so far beyond my means that I had never even
thought o f going there.
Use the verbs in brackets in an appropriate tense (active or

passive).
1) The prices were a great deal higher than I ________ . (to

expect)
2) The waiter asked if she would have som ething while it
_________. (to cook)
3) I think I _________ a little pale, (to turn)
4) I m entioned casually that my doctors absolutely________
me to drink cham pagne, (to forbid)
5) While w e ________ for th e coffee, the head waiter came
up to us with a basket full of huge peaches, (to wait)
6) You see, y o u ________ your stom ach with a lot o f meat
and you can t eat any m ore, (to fill)
21
7) I _________ my revenge at last. Today she weighs twenty-
one stone, (to have)
8) W hen I out of the restaurant I had the whole
m onth before me and not a penny in my pocket, (to walk)
A Decide why the italicized nouns are used with o, the or 0 .
1) a) I never eat anything for luncheon.

b) A modest luncheon would not cost more than fifteen.
2) a) It was early in the year for salmon.
b) They had a beautiful salmon, it was the first they had.
She ate the salmon.
3) a) I ordered coffee for myself and an ice-cream and coffee
for her.
b) You know, th e re s one thing I thoroughly believe
in , she said as she ate the ice-cream.
c) While we were waiting for the coffee, the head waiter
cam e up to us.
Use the proper article.
1) You asked me t o _____ luncheon.

2) She asked me if I would give h e r little luncheon at
Foyots.
3) If I cut o u t coffee for the next two weeks 1 could
manage well enough.
4) 1 knew I could not a ffo rd _____ caviare.
5) I see that you are in the habit o f eating _____ heavy
luncheon.
6) I never drink anything f o r luncheon except _____
white wine.
7) I never e a t asparagus.
8) We waited f o r asparagus to be cooked.
1) W h ere d id th e a u th o r c a tc h sight o f th e w o m an ? W hy
22
w ouldnt he have recognized her if som ebody h a d n t
m entioned her nam e?
2) Did he rem em ber where he had first met her? Where was
he living at that time? How m uch was he earning?
3) Why did she write to him? W here would she like him to
give her a little luncheon? Why had he never thought o f
going to Foyots?
4) Why did he agree to meet her at Foyots?
5) W hat did she look like? W hat was unusual about her
appearance?
6) Why was the author prepared to be an attentive Listener?
7) Why was he startled when the menu was brought? How
did she reassure him?
8) W hat did she repeatedly say throughout the luncheon?
9) W hat did she order first? Why did his heart sink?
10) W hat did he order for himself? W hat did she say about his
choice?
11) W hat was she going to drink?
12) W hat did she talk about while she ate the salmon and the
caviare?
13) Why did she say she w anted to have asparagus? Why did
the author say he never ate asparagus?
14) Why did panic seize him? W hat did he decide to do if he
didnt have enough m oney to pay the bill?
15) W hat terrible thing happened while they were waiting for
the coffee?
16) W hat did she say she believed in?
17) Could he pay the bill? Why did he know she thought him
m ean?
18) Why did she say he was a humourist? Was he?
19) Has he had his revenge at last? What sort of revenge is it?
20) Act out the scene o f the luncheon.
21) Act out an inner m onologue o f the au th o r during the
luncheon.
Discuss the following:
1) Make guesses about the w om ans background.

2) Why do you think she wrote to the author? Do you think
many people send letters to writers? Could you write to a
23
w riter? W hat w riter co u ld you Send a letter to an d w hat
w ould you w rite about?
3) Why do you think she asked him to give her a luncheon
at Foyots? Why did she order the most expensive things?
Why did she repeatedly say she never ate anything for
luncheon? Did she really m ean it or was it a trick?
4) She gave me the impression o f having more teeth, white
and large and even, than there were necessary for any
practical purpose . Why do you think the au th o r pays
special attention to the description o f the w om ans teeth?
5) W hat do you think is the authors attitude to the reading
public: good-hum oured, ruthless, ironical or sceptical?
6) Does S. M augham, in your opinion, try to convey any
message in the story or does he only try to amuse the
reader? How did you find the story?
A FRIEND IN NEED1
For thirty years now I have been studying my fellow-men. I do

not know very m uch about them. I suppose it is on the face that for
the most part we judge2 the persons we meet. We draw our conclusions
from the shape of the jaw, the look in the eyes, the shape o f the
m outh. I shrug my shoulders when people tell me that their first
im pressions o f a person are always right. For my own part3 I find
1 A friend in need (is a friend indeed). ,

, . ( ; .:
.)
2 it is on the face that for the most part we judge no

3 for my own part
25
th a t th e lo n g er 1 know p e o p le th e m o re th ey puzzle m e: m y o ld est
frie n d s are ju s t th o se o f w h o m I c a n say th a t 1 d o n t know a n y th in g
a b o u t th e m .
T h ese th o u g h ts have o cc u rred to m e because I read in this
m o rn in g s p aper th a t Edw ard H yde B urton h ad died at K obe. H e was
a m erch an t and he had been in Jap an for m any years. I knew him
very little, but he in terested m e because o n ce he gave m e a great
surprise. If I had not heard the story from his ow n lips I should never
have believed1 th a t he was capable o f such a n action. It was th e m ore
startling because both his appearance and his m an n er gave th e im pression
o f a very different m an. H e w as a tiny little fellow , very slen d er,
w ith w hite hair, a red face m uch w rinkled, an d blue eyes. 1 suppose
he was about sixty w h en I knew him . H e was always neatly and quietly
dressed in accordance w ith his age an d station.
T h o u g h his offices w ere in K obe B urton often cam e dow n to
Y okoham a. I h a p p e n e d o n o n e occasion to be spending2 a few days
th ere , w aiting for a ship, an d I w as in tro d u ced to him at th e British
C lub. W e p lay ed bridge to g eth er. H e played a g o o d gam e an d a
g enero u s o n e .3 H e d id n o t talk very m u ch , e ith e r th e n o r later w hen
we w ere having drin k s, b u t w hat he said was sensible. H e h ad a
q u ie t, d ry h u m o u r. H e se e m e d to be p o p u la r4 at th e c lu b an d
afterw ards, w hen he h ad g o n e, th ey d escribed him as o n e o f th e
best. It h ap p en ed th a t we w ere bo th staying at th e G ra n d H otel an d
next day he asked m e to dine w ith him . I m et his wife, fat, elderly
a n d sm iling, a n d his tw o daughters. It was evidently a united an d
loving fam ily. I th in k th e c h ie f thing th a t struck m e ab o u t B urton
was his k indliness. T h ere was so m eth in g very' pleasing in his m ild
blue eyes. H is voice was g e n tle ; you c o u ld n o t im ag in e th a t he
co u ld raise it in an g er;' his sm ile was kind. H ere was a m a n w ho
a ttra c te d you b ecau se yo u felt in h im a real love fo r his fellows. H e
h a d ch arm . But th e re was n o th in g se n tim e n ta l ab o u t him : he liked
1 if I had not heard... I should never have believed

...
2 1 happened... to be spending ...
3 played a good game and a generous one.
.
4 he seemed to be popular , ,
26
his game o f cards and his cocktail, he could tell a good and spicy
story, and in his youth he had been som ething of an ath lete.1 He
was a rich m an and he had m ade every penny himself. I suppose
one thing that made you like him was that he was so small and frail;
he aroused your instincts o f protection. You felt that he would not
hurt a fly.
One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge o f the G rand Hotel.
From the windows you had an excellent view of the harbour with its
crowded traffic. There were great liners; m erchant ships of all nations,
junks and boats sailing in and out. It was a busy scene and yet, I do
not know why, restful to the spirit.
Burton came into the lounge presently and caught sight o f me.
He seated him self in the chair next to mine.
W hat do you say to a little drink?
He clapped his hands for a boy and ordered two drinks. As
the boy brought them a man passed along the street outside and
seeing me waved his hand.
Do you know T urner? said Burton as I nodded a greeting.
Ive met him at the club. Im told h es a rem ittance m an.
Yes, I believe he is. We have a good many here.
He plays bridge well.
They generally do. T here was a fellow here last year, a
namesake o f m ine, who was the best bridge player I ever met. I
suppose you never came across him in London. Lenny Burton he
called him self.
No. I d o n t believe I rem em ber the nam e.2
He was quite a rem arkable player. He seemed to have an
instinct about the cards.3 It was uncanny. I used to play with him a
lot. He was in Kobe for some tim e.
Burton sipped his gin.
Its rather a funny story, he said. He w asnt a bad chap.
I liked him. He was always w ell-dressed and he was handsom e in
a way, with curly hair and pink-and-w hite cheeks. W om en thought
1 he had been something of an athlete

2 No. I dont believe I remember the name. . -
.
3 seemed to have an instinct about the cards. , ,
- .
27
a lot o f h im .1 There was no harm in him , you know, he was only
wild. O f course he drank too much. Fellows like him always do. A
bit o f m oney used to com e in for him once a quarter and he made
a bit m ore by card-playing. He won a good deal o f m ine, 1 know
th a t.
Burton gave a kindly little chuckle.
1 suppose that is why he came to me when he went broke,2
that and the fact that he was a namesake o f mine. He came to see
me in my office one day and asked m e for a job. I was rather
surprised. He told me that there was no more m oney com ing from
home and he wanted to work. I asked him how old he was.
Thirty five, he said.
And what have you been doing before? I asked him.
Well, nothing very m uch,3 he said.
I couldnt help laughing.
Im afraid I c a n t do anything for you just now , I said.
Com e back and see me in another thirty-five years, and Ill see
what I can d o .
He d id n t move. He went rather pale. He hesitated for a
m om ent and then he told me that he had had bad luck at cards for
some time. He h ad n t a penny. H ed pawned everything he had.
He couldnt pay his hotel bill and they w ouldnt give him any more
credit.4 He was down and out.5 If he couldnt get a job hed have to
com m it suicide.
I looked at him for a bit. I could see now that he was all to
%
pieces.6 H ed been drinking more than usual and he looked fifty.

Well, isnt there anything you can do except play cards? I
asked him.
I can swim , he said.
Sw im !
1 Women thought a lot of him. .

2 to go broke
3 nothing very much
4 they wouldnt give him any more credit
5 was down and out. . (

.)
6 all to pieces ,
28
I could hardly believe my ears; it seemed such a silly answer.
I swam for my university.
I was a pretty good swimmer myself when I was a young
m an , 1 said.
Suddenly I had an idea.
Pausing in his story, Burton turned to me.
D o you know Kobe? he asked.
N o , I said, 1 passed through it once, but I only spent a
night there.
T h en you d o n t know th e Shioya C lub. W hen I was a
young m an I swam from there round the beacon and landed at the
creek o f Tarum i. I ts over three miles and its rather difficult on
account o f1 the currents round the beacon. Well, I told m y young
nam esake about it and I said to him that if hed do it I d give him
a jo b .
I could see he was rather taken aback.2
You say youre a swim m er, I said.
Im not in very good condition, he answered.
I didnt say anything. I shrugged my shoulders. He looked at
me for a m om ent and then he nodded.
All right, he said. W hen do you want me to do it?
I looked at my watch. It was just after ten.
The swim shouldnt take you m uch over an hour and a
quarter. Ill drive round to the creek at half-past twelve and meet
you. Ill take you back to the club to dress and then well have lunch
to g eth er.
D one,3 he said.
We shook hands. I wished him good luck and he left me. I
had a lot o f work to do that m orning and I only just m anaged4 to get
to the creek at h alf past twelve. I w aited for him there, but in
v ain.
Did he get frightened at the last m om ent? I asked.
N o, he d id n t. He started swimming. But o f course h ed
ruined his health by drink. The currents round the beacon were
1 on account of -,
2 to take aback ,
3 Done! ! !
4 I only just managed
29
m ore than he could m anage.1 We d id n t get the body for about
three days.
I d id n t say anything for a m om ent o r two. I was a little
shocked. Then I asked Burton a question.
When you offered him the job, did you know that hed be
drow ned?
He gave a little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those
kind blue eyes o f his. He rubbed his chin with his hand.
Well, 1 hadnt got a vacancy in my office at the m om ent.
Exercises

s N
1 The title of the story you are going to read is the beginning of the
proverb A friend in need is a friend indeed. Why do you think the
author doesnt give the end of the proverb?
Jaw , w rin k le d , Y o k o h am a, q u ie t, G ra n d H o te l, K obe,

kindliness, athlete, lounge, harbour, rem ittance, handsom e,
won, paw n, suicide, drow ned.
|d3o:] ['ripkld] [jauks'hcrm s] [kwaist] ['grand hou'tel] ['koubi ]

['kaindlmis] ['aeGlirtl I'launds] ['herbs] [n'mitsns] ['haenssmj
[wAn] [:] [sjuisaid] ['draund]
1 T h e currents... were more than he could manage ...

30
, , (
), , -,
, , ,
, , , (
), -,
, ,
, , , ,
, , (),
, .
2 Fill the gaps with one of the words or word combinations from the box
in an appropriate form.
to draw conclusions
to wave o n es hand
a current
to be capable of
to com m it suicide
in vain
to sip
to shrug ones shoulders
w rinkled
to be drowned
1) W e _________ from the shape of the jaw, the look in the

eye, the shape o f the mouth.
2) I should never have believed that he ________ such an
action.
3) He was a tin y little fellow , very slender, w ith w hite
hair, a red face much ________ and blue eyes.
4) A man passed along the street outside and seeing m e _________.
5) B u rto n _________ his gin.
6) If he couldnt get a job h ed have t o ________ .
7) T h e _________ round the beacon were more than he could
m anage.
8) I _________ when people tell me that their impressions of
a person are always right.
9) 1 waited for him there b u t _________ .
10) W hen you offered the jo b did you know that h e ________ ?
31
to judge
a n am esake o f
to raise o n e s voice
p u zzled
to th in k a lo t o f
to ru in o n e s health
to o ccu r
dow n a n d out
1) We often form an opinion about a person by his looks.

2) These thoughts came to my mind because I read in this
m ornings newspaper about Edward Burtons death.
3) You could not imagine that he could speak in a higher tone
in anger.
4) There was a fellow there last year whose name was also
Edward.
5) W om en thought highly o f him.
6) He was unemployed and without money.
7) I could see he was rather taken aback.
8) But o f course hed undermined his health by drink.
4 Choose the right word.
pleasing
pleased
1) There was so m e th in g _________in his mild blue eyes.
2) I was _ _ _ _ _ to be staying at the same hotel with him.
frightening
frightened
3) Was h e _________ at the last m om ent?
4) His suggestion w a s _________.
loving
loved
5) They were a _________ family.
6) He was m u c h _________ by his family.
32
startling
startled
7) The story w a s because both his appearance and
his m anner gave the impression o f a very different man.
8) He w a s when he heard Mr. B urtons suggestion.
surprising
surprised
9) It w a s _________ that he should com e to Mr. Burton when
he was broke.
10) 1 was r a th e r _________.
5 A Decide wbat the difference is between these two sentences.
1) W hat have you been doing before?

Well, nothing very much.
2) W hat have you done in your life so far?
Well, nothing very much.
Use the verbs in brackets in the Present Perfect or Present Perfect

Continuous.
3) H e _________ more than usual recently, (to drink)

4) H e _________ his health by drink, (to ruin)
5) H e _________ cards since he cam e here, (to play)
6) H e _________ bad luck at cards for some time, (to have)
7) I _________ a lot o f M r. Burton these days as we are both
staying at the G rand Hotel, (to see)
8) I just _______ Mr. Burton sitting in the lounge o f the
hotel, (to see)
9) He is in good condition. H e ________ round the beacon.
(to swim)
10) I _ _ _ _ _ round the beacon for an hour and can t land
at the creek as the current is very strong, (to swim)
6 Change the following passage into direct speech:
He hesitated for a m om ent and then he told me that he had

had bad luck at cards for some tim e. He h ad n t a penny.
H ed pawned everything he had. He couldnt pay his hotel
33
bill and they w ouldnt give him any m ore credit. He was
down and out. If he couldnt get a job h ed have to com m it
suicide.
7 Say what the habits of the author and of Mr. Burton were. Use used
to.
1) I played with him a lot.

2) W hen Mr. Burton was young he often swam round the
beacon.
3) A bit o f money usually came in for him once a quarter.
4) Though his offices were in Kobe Mr. Burton often came
down to Yokohama.
5) In his youth he was an athlete.
8 Change the complex sentences below into simple as in the examples.
A Example: It so happened that I was spending a few

days in Yokohama.
I happened to be spending a few days in
Y okoham a.
1) It so happened that we were both staying at the G rand

H otel.
2) It happened that I read about Mr. Burtons death in the
morning newspaper.
3) It so happened that I met him at the club.
4) It so happened that Mr. Burton came into the lounge of
the hotel when I was sitting there.
5) It so happened that I came across him in London.
Example: It seemed he was popular at the club.

He seemed to be popular at the club.
1) It seemed he had an instinct about the cards.

2) It seemed they were a united family.
3) It seemed he had a real love for his fellows.
4) It seemed his suggestion took him aback.
5) It seemed he had been drinking more than usual.
34
1 Answer the following questions:
1) W hat thoughts occurred to the author when he read in the

newspaper about Mr. B urtons death?
2) W hy did Mr. Burton interest the author?
3) W here did the author make Mr. B urtons acquaintance?
W hat did they use to do together?
4) W hat did the author know about M r. Burton?
5) W hat did Mr. Burton look like? W hat attracted the author
in M r. Burton?
6) W hen and where did M r. Burton tell the author the story
o f his namesake?
7) W hat kind o f man was young Burton?
8) Why did he once com e to Mr. Burton?
9) W hat was the situation he found him self in?
10) W hat idea did M r. B u rto n su d d en ly have w hen his
namesake said he had swum for his university?
11) Why was young Burton taken aback?
12) Why was young Burton drowned?
13) W hat was the authors reaction to the story?
14) W hy did Mr. Burton say he offered his nam esake the
job?
2 Give a description of a) Mr. Burton, b) his namesake, picking out the

words and word combinations from the list below.
To give smb a surprise, to be capable of, curly hair, slender,

to go broke, to ask for a job, wrinkled, sensible, to go pale,
kindliness, to hesitate, to have bad luck, gentle, to raise
o n es voice, to pawn, to be down and out, love for, to com m it
suicide, to arouse instincts, to be all to pieces, to be taken
aback, to give a ch u ck le, to wish sm b good luck, to be
drow ned, to ruin o n e s health, to offer smb a job, to rub
ones chin.
3 Act out a dialogue between Mr. Burton and his namesake.
35
1) Why would the author never have believed that Mr. Burton
was capable o f such an action if he had not heard the story
from his own lips? D o you think that the first impressions
o f a person are always right?
C om m ent on the following proverb (with reference to the
story):
Appearances are deceitful.
2) M ake guesses about young B urtons thirty five years o f
life. Why had he never done anything in his life?
3) Is there any evidence in the story that Mr. Burton was not
all that kind and gentle? Why did he promise his namesake
a job if the latter swam round the beacon? Did he know
he would be drowned? Why did he com e to the creek?
4) Why did Mr. Burton tell the author the story? Why did
he say it was rather a funny story? Why did he give a
little mild chuckle when the author asked him if he had
known that the m an would be drowned?
5) W hat is the story about beneath the surface o f the narrative?
Explain the title o f the story. Read your answer to the
question in the pre-reading section. Would you give the
sam e answ er now th at you have read the story? W hat
could have naturally be expected o f the friend in need
in that situation? W hat would you have told M r. Burton
if you had been his listener?
6) W hats your main impression o f the story?
LOUISE
I could never understand why Louise bothered w ith me. She

disliked me and I knew that behind m y back she seldom lost the
opportunity o f saying a disagreeable thing about me. She had too
m uch delicacy ever to make a direct statem ent, but with a hint
and a sigh and a little gesture o f her beautiful hands she was able
to make h er m eaning plain. It was true that we had know n one
an o th er alm ost intim ately for five and tw enty years, but it was
impossible for me to believe that this fact m eant m uch to her. She
thought me a brutal, cynical and vulgar fellow. I was puzzled at
her not leaving me alo n e.1 She did nothing o f the kind; indeed, she
1 I was puzzled at her not leaving me alone. ,

.
was constantly asking me to lunch and dine with her and once or
twice a year invited me to spend a w eek-end at her house in the
country. Perhaps she knew that I alone saw her face behind the
mask and she hoped that sooner o r later I too should take the mask
for the face.
I knew Louise before she m arried. She was th en a frail,
delicate girl with large and m elancholy eyes. H er father and m other
adored and w orshipped her, for some illness, scarlet fever I think,
had left her with a weak heart and she had to take the greatest care
o f herself. W hen Tom M aitland proposed to her they were dismayed,
for they were convinced that she was m uch too delicate for marriage.
But they were not too well off and Tom M aitland was rich. He
promised to do everything in the world for Louise and finally they
entrusted her to him. Tom M aitland was a big strong fellow, very
good-looking and a fine athlete. He adored Louise. With her weak
heart he could not hope to keep her with him long and he made up
his mind to do everything he could to make her few years on earth
happy. He gave up the games he played excellently, not because she
wished him to, but because it so happened that she always had a
heart attack whenever he was going to leave her for a day. If they
had a difference o f opinion she gave in to him at once for she was the
most gentle wife a man could have, but her heart failed her and she
would stay in bed, sweet and uncom plaining, for a week. He could
not be such a brute as to cross her.
On one occasion seeing her walk eight miles on an expedition
that she especially wanted to make, I rem arked to Tom M aitland
that she was stronger than one would have thought.1 He shook his
head and sighed.
N o, no, shes dreadfully delicate. Shes been to all the best
heart specialists in the world and they all say that her life hangs on
a thread. But she has a wonderfully strong spirit.
He told her that I had remarked on her endurance.
I shall pay for it tom orrow , she said to me in her melancholy
way. I shall be at deaths door.
I sometimes think that youre quite strong enough to do the
things you want to , I murmured.
I had noticed that if a party was amusing she could dance till
1 than one would have thought

38
five in the m orning, but if it was dull she felt very poorly1 and Tom
had to take her hom e early. I am afraid she did not like my reply,
for though she gave me a sad little smile I saw no am usem ent in her
large blue eyes.
You cant expect me to fall down deadjust to please you, she
answered.
Louise outlived her husband. He caught his death o f cold2 one
day when they were sailing and Louise needed all the rugs there were
to keep her warm. He left her a comfortable fortune and a daughter.
Louise was inconsolable. It was wonderful that she managed to survive
the shock. H er friends expected her speedily to follow poor Tom
Maitland to the grave. Indeed they already felt dreadfully sorry for
Iris, her daughter, who would be left an orphan.3 They redoubled
their attentions towards Louise. They would not let her stir a finger;4
they insisted on doing everything in the world to save her trouble.5
They had to, because if it was necessary for her to do anything
tiresome or unpleasant her heart failed her and she was at deaths
door. She was quite lost without a man to take care o f her, she said,
and she did not know how, with her delicate health, she was going
to bring up her dear Iris. H er friends asked her why she did not
m arry again. O h, w ith her heart it was out o f the question, she
answered.
A year after T o m s d e a th , how ever, she allow ed G eorge
Hobhouse to lead her to the altar. He was a fine fellow and he was
not at all badly off. I never saw anyone so grateful as he for the
privilege o f being allowed to take care o f this frail little thing.6
I shant live to trouble you long, she said.
He was a soldier and an am bitious one, but he threw up his
career. Louises health forced her to spend the w inter at M onte
1 to feel... poorly
2 he caught his death of cold
3 would be left an orphan
4 they would not let her stir a finger
5 to save smb trouble -.

6 for the privilege of being allowed to take care of this frail little thing
, ,
39
Carlo and the sum m er at Deauville. He prepared to make his wifes
last few years as happy as he could.
It c a n t be very long n o w , she said. I ll try n o t to be
troublesom e.
For the next two or three years Louise managed, in spite of
her weak heart, to go beautifully dressed to all the most lively parties,
to gamble very heavily,1 to dance and even to flirt with tall slim
young men. But George H obhouse had not the strength o f Louises
first husband and he had to brace him self now and then w ith a drink
for his days work as Louises second husband. It is possible that the
habit would have grown on him, which Louise would not have liked
at all,2 but very fortunately (for her) the war broke out. He rejoined
his regiment and three m onths later was killed. It was a great shock
to Louise. She felt, however, that in such a crisis she must not give
way to a private grief; and if she had a heart attack nobody heard of
it. In order to distract h er m ind she tu rn ed h er villa at M onte
Carlo into a hospital for convalescent officers. H er friends told her
that she would never survive the strain.
O f course it will kill m e, she said, I know that. But what
does it m atter? I must do my bit.3
It didnt kill her. She had the time o f her life.4 There was no
convalescent home in France that was m ore popular. I m et her by
chance in Paris. She was lunching at a restaurant with a tall and
very handsome young Frenchm an. She explained that she was there
on business connected with the hospital. She told me that the officers
were very charm ing to her. They knew how delicate she was and they
w ouldnt let her do a single thing. They took care o f her, well - as
though they were all her husbands. She sighed.
Poor George, who would ever have thought5 that I with my
heart should survive him ?
1 to gamble very heavily
2 the habit would have grown on him, which Louise would not have liked
at all ,
3 to do ones bit
4 to have the time o f ones life ,
3 who would ever have thought
40
And poor Tom! I said.
I d o n t know why she d id n t like my saying that. She gave me
her melancholy smile and h er beautiful eyes filled with tears.
You always speak as though you grudged me the few years
that I can expect to live.
By the way, your h earts m uch better, isnt it?
Itll never be better. 1 saw a specialist this m orning and he
said I m ust be prepared for the w orst.
O h, well, youve been prepared for that for nearly twenty
years now, havent you?
When the war came to an end Louise settled in London. She was
now a woman o f over forty, thin and frail still, with laige eyes and pale
cheeks, but she did not look a day more than twenty-five. Iris, who
had been at school and was now grown up, came to live with her.
Shell take care o f m e , said Louise. O f course itll be hard
on her to live with such a great invalid as 1 am , but it can only be
for such a little while, I m sure she w ont m ind.
Iris w as a nice girl. S he had b een bro u g h t up w ith th e
knowledge that her m others health was very weak. As a child she
had never been allowed to make a noise. She had always realized
that her m other must on no acco u n t1 be upset. And though Louise
told her now that she would not hear o f her sacrificing herself for a
tiresome old woman the girl simply would not listen.
W ith a sigh her m other let her do a great deal.
It pleases the child to think shes making herself useful, she said.
D o n t you think she ought to go out m ore? 1 asked.
T hats what Im always telling her. I cant get her to enjoy
herself.2 Heaven knows, I never want anyone to give up their pleasures
on my account.3
And Iris, w hen 1 talked to her about it, said: Poor dear
m other, she wants me to go and stay with friends and go to parties,
but the m om ent I start off anywhere she has one o f her heart attacks,
so I m uch prefer to stay at hom e.
But presently she fell in love. A young friend o f m ine, a very
1 on no account
2 1 cant get her to enjoy herself. ,
.
3 on my account -
41
good lad, asked her to marry him and she consented. 1 liked the
child and was glad that she would be given at last the chance to lead
a life o f her own. But one day the young man cam e to me in great
distress and told me that the marriage was postponed for an indefinite
time. Iris felt that she could not desert her m other. O f course it was
really no business o f m ine, but I made the opportunity1 to go and see
Louise. She was always glad to receive her friends at teatim e.
Well, I hear that Iris isnt going to be m arried, I said after
a w hile.
I d o n t know about that. Shes not going to be married as
soon as I wished. I ve begged her on my bended knees not to consider
me, but she absolutely refuses to leave m e.
D o n t you think its rather hard on her?
Dreadfully. O f course it can only be for a few m onths, but
I hate the thought of anyone sacrificing themselves for m e.
M y dear Louise, youve buried two husbands, I can t see
why you shouldnt bury at least two m ore.
Oh, I know, I know what youve always thought o f me. Youve
never believed that I had anything the matter with m e,2 have you?
I looked at her full and square.3
Never. I think youve carried out a bluff1 for twenty-five
years. I think youre the most selfish and m onstrous woman I have
ever known. You ruined the lives o f those two unhappy m en you
married and now youre going to ruin the life o f your daughter.
I should not have been surprised if Louise had had a heart
attack then.5 1 fully expected her to fly into a passion.6 She only gave
me a gentle smile.
My poor friend, one o f these days youll be so dreadfully sorry
you said this to m e.
1 to make the opportunity

2 that I had anything the m atter with me -

3 to look full and square yriop
4 youve carried out a bluff
5 I should not have been surprised if Louise had had a heart attack
then. ,
.
6 to fly into a passion , ()
42
Have you quite decided that Iris shall not m arry1 this boy?
Ive begged her to m arry him. I know itll kill m e, but I
d ont mind. Nobody cares for m e.2 Im just a burden to everybody.
D id you tell her it would kill you?
She made m e.
N obody can make you do anything that you yourself d o n t
want to do.
She can marry her young man tom orrow if she likes. If it
kills me, it kills m e.
Well, lets risk it, shall we?
Havent you got any pity for m e?
One can t pity anyone who amuses one as m uch as you amuse
m e, I answered.
A spot o f colour appeared on Louises pale cheeks and though
she smiled her eyes were hard and angry.
Iris shall marry in a m o n th s tim e, she said, and if anything
happens to me I hope you and she will be able to forgive yourselves.
Louise was as good as her word. A date was fixed, a rich
trousseau was ordered, and invitations were sent. Iris and the lad
were very happy. On the wedding-day, at ten o clock in the morning,
Louise, that devilish w om an, had one o f her heart attacks and
died. She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed her.
Exercises
Pre-reading Tasks
1 Practise the pronunciation of the words from thestory. When in doubt

L o u ise , d is a g re e a b le , d e lic a c y , c y n ic a l, b r u ta l, m ask ,

m e la n c h o ly , w o rs h ip , d ism a y , e n d u ra n c e , m u r m u r ,
1 Iris shall not marry

2 Nobody cares for me. .
43
inconsolable, orphan, altar, privilege, ambitious, career, Monte
Carlo, crisis, convalescent, invalid, desert, trousseau, sacrifice.
llu'i:z] [,disa'qriabl] ['delikasi] ['sim kal] ['brirtl] [mcusk]

['m elan k ali] ['wa:Jip] [dis'm ei] [in 'd ju aran s] ['m arm aj
[pnkan'soulabl] ['a:fan] |'o:lta] [ 'privihdjj [aem'bijas] [ka'naj
['mounta 'ka:lou] ['kraisis] [,konva'lesnt] ['invaeliid] [di'za:t]
['tru:sou) ['saskrifais]
"Sk Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
- , , -
, , - ,
- , ,
, -, -,
, ,
, , - ,
,
-, (), ,
, ,
, , - , ,
, .
2 Fill each gap with one of the words or word combinations from the box
in an appropriate form.
to give in
to turn smth into
to sacrifice
to be convinced
to survive
to lead a life o f o n es own
to bury
to take smth for
to bring sm th up
to go out
44
1) She hoped that sooner o r later I should _________ the
m a sk _________ the face.
2) H er p a re n ts _________ that she was m uch too delicate for
marriage.
3) If they had a difference o f opinion s h e _________ to him.
4) It was wonderful that she managed t o _________ the shock.
5) She didnt know how, with her delicate health, she was
going t o her dear Iris.
6) In order to distract her mind s h e ________ her villa at
M onte C a r l o _________ a hospital.
7) D o n t you think she o u g h t_________ more?
8) I was glad that she would be given at last the chance
9) I hate the thought o f a n y o n e _________ themselves for me.

10) My dear Louise, y o u ________ two husbands, I can t see
why you shouldnt at least two more.
Replace the italicized words and word combinations with a synonym

to worshi p
to leave smb alone
to have the time o f ones life
behind sm bs back
to be as good as o n es word
to postpone
to be well off
to take care of
1) She never said a disagreeable thing straight to my face.

2) I was puzzled at h er not leaving me in peace.
3) Tom adored Louise.
4) H e was a fine fellow and he was well-to-do.
5) It didnt kill her. She enjoyed her life.
6) But one day the young m an came to me in great distress
and told me that the marriage was put o ff for an indefinite
tim e.
7) She was quite lost without a m an to look after her.
8) Louise kept her word.
45
A In which of the following sentences is would used to express:
a) a repeated action in the past?
b) insistence?
1) Louise w ouldnt leave him alone.

2) Her heart failed her and she would stay in bed for a week.
3) They would not let her stir a finger.
4) She would spend the winter in M onte Carlo.
Say what Louise would do and what Iris would not do. Make use
of the prompts below.
To ask smb to lunch, to go out, to listen to, to say a disagreeable

thing about smb behind sm bs back, to desert, to have a heart
attack, to go to all the most lively parties, to marry.
A Say which of the italicized verbs is followed by:

a) the hill infinitive?
b) the bare infinitive?
Fill the gaps.
1) They w ouldnt let h e r _________ do a single thing.

2) She wants m e ________ go and stay with friends.
3) I can t get h e r _________ enjoy herself.
4) I saw h e r _________ walk eight miles on an expedition that
she especially w anted to make.
5) H er friends expected her _________ speedily follow poor
Tom.
6) N obody can make you do anything that you
yourself d o n t .want to.
Make the sentences complete using the complex objects from the
list below.
Flirt with tall slim young men, do a great deal, tell her, fall
down dead, do a single thing, give up their pleasures, marry
the young m an, spend the winter, fill with tears, fly into a
passion.
1) You can t expect me ________ just to please you.

2) Louises health made h e r _________ at M onte Carlo.
3) He saw h e r _________ at the parties.
4) The officers were charming. They wouldnt let her
5) H e saw her beautiful e y e s ________ .
6) W ith a sigh her m o th er let h e r _________.
7) I dont want a n y o n e _________ on my account.
8) I fully expected h e r _________.
9) She made me _ _ _ _ _ it would kill me.
10) Ill get her _ _ _ _ _ tomorrow.
1) How long had the author known Louise?

2) W hat was her attitude to him?
3) W hat was she like w hen he first knew her?
4) Why did she have to take the greatest care o f herself?
5) Why did her parents agree to her marrying Tom M aitland?
6) W hat kind o f husband did Tom make? W hat kind o f wife
did Louise make?
7) W hat made the a u th o r th in k that Louise was stronger
than one would have thought?
8) How did Tom catch his death? W hat did he leave Louise?
9) Why did Louises friends redouble their attention towards
her?
10) W hat was her second husband like?
11) How did Louise spend the two or three years after her
second marriage?
12) Where did George find his death?
13) How did Louise try to distract her mind?
14) W hat did she do when the war came to an end?
15) W hy did h e r d au g h ter Iris com e to stay w ith h er in
London?
16) How had Iris been brought up?
17) Why did she prefer to stay at home rather than go out?
18) Why was her marriage postponed for an indefinite time?
19) How did the author manage to make Louise agree to Iriss
marriage?
20) W hat happened on the wedding-day?
47
2 Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right according
to the story. Say which of the characters of the story each word
combination refers to.
large and melancholy spirit

selfish and monstrous statem ent
direct fellow
wonderfully strong girl
disagreeable eyes
brutal, cynical and vulgar young men
big, strong and good-looking woman
frail delicate thing
tall slim fellow
3 Tell the story of Louise according to the outline below.
1) Louise and the author.

2) Louise and her first husband.
3) Louise and her second husband.
4) Louise and her friends.
5) Louise and her daughter.
6) Louise: the face and the mask.
1) Why do you think Louise could always find a m an to take

care o f her? Why did her two husbands give up everything
to make her happy?
2) Why did her second husband have to brace him self now
and then with a drink for his days work o f Louises husband?
W hat kind o f work do you think it was?
3) Why do you think Louise turned her villa at M onte Carlo
into a hospital? Did she really mean to distract her mind?
4) Why d id n t she look at forty a day m ore than tw enty-
five?
5) Was Louises health really very weak or did she carry out
a bluff for twenty-five years as the author put it? Was
she the most selfish and monstrous w om an?
'' Did she ruin the lives o f those two unhappy m en she
m arried? Was she going to ruin the life o f her daughter?
48
7) She died gently forgiving Iris for having killed h e r .
W hat does the final sentence o f the story m ean? Why do
you think Louise died on the wedding day?
8) W hats your personal reaction to the story?
HOME
The farm lay in a hollow among the Somersetshire hills, an

old-fashioned stone house, surrounded by bam s and outhouses. Over
the doorway the date when it was built had been carved, 1673, and
the house, grey and w eather-beaten, looked as m uch a part of the
landscape1 as the trees that surrounded it. An avenue o f splendid
elms led from the road to the garden. The people who lived here
were as stolid, sturdy and unpretentious as the house. Their only
boast was that ever since the house was built from father to son they
had been bom and died in it. For three hundred years they had
farmed the surrounding land.
1 looked as much a part of the landscape

George Meadows was now a man o f fifty, and his wife was a
year or two younger. They were both fine, upstanding people in the
prim e o f life;1 and their children, two sons and three girls, were
handsom e and strong. I have never seen a m ore united family.
They were merry, industrious and kindly. Their life was patriarchal.
They were happy and they deserved their happiness.
But the m aster o f the house was not George Meadows; it was
his m other. She was a woman of seventy, tall, upright and dignified,
with grey hair, and though her face was m uch wrinkled, her eyes
were bright and shrewd. H er word was law in the house and on the
farm; but she had hum our, and if her rule was despotic it was also
kindly. People laughed at her jokes and repeated them .
One day Mrs. G eorge2 stopped me on my way home. She was
all in a flutter.3 (H er m other-in-law was the only Mrs. Meadows we
knew: G eorges wife was only known as Mrs. George.)
W ho do you think is com ing here today? she asked me.
Uncle George Meadows. You know, the one that was in C hina.
Why,4 I thought he was dead.
We all thought he was dead.
I had heard the story o f U ncle G eorge M eadows a dozen
times, and it had am used me because it was like an old ballad: it was
touching to com e across it in real life. For Uncle George Meadows
and Tom had both courted M rs. M eadows when she was Emily
G reen, fifty years and more ago, and when she m arried Tom , G eoige
had gone away to sea.
They heard o f him on the China coast.5 For twenty years now
and then he sent them presents; then there was no more news o f him.
When Tom Meadows died his widow wrote and told him, but received
no answer, and at last they cam e to the conclusion that he must be
1 in the prime o f life

2 Mrs. George (no
-
, )
3 She was all in a flutter. .
4 why , , ,
5 They heard o f him on the China coast. ,

- .
51
dead. But two or three days ago to their astonishm ent they had
received a letter from the matron o f the sailors hom e1 at Portsmouth
saying that for the last ten years George Meadows, crippled with
rheumatism, had been living there and feeling that he had not much
longer to live, wanted to see once more the house in which he was
bom. Albert Meadows, his great nephew, had gone over to Portsmouth
in the car to fetch him and he was to arrive that afternoon.
Just fancy, said Mrs. George, hes not been here for more
than fifty years. H es never even seen my G eorge, w hos fifty-one
next birthday.
And what does Mrs. Meadows think o f it? 1 asked.
Well, you know what she is. She sits there and smiles to
herself. All she says is, He was a good-looking young fellow when he
left, but not so steady as his brother. T hats why she chose my G eorges
father. But hes probably quietened down by now , she says.
M rs. G eorge asked m e to look in and see him . W ith the
simplicity o f a country woman who had never been further from her
hom e than London, she thought that because we had both been in
C hina we m ust have something in com m on. O f course I went to see
him. I found the whole family assembled when I arrived; they were
sitting in the great old kitchen, with its stone floor, Mrs. Meadows
in her usual chair by the fire, very upright, and 1 was amused to see
that she had put on her best silk dress, while her son and his wife sat
at the table with their children. On the other side o f the fireplace
sat an old man. He was very thin and his skin hung on his bones like
an old suit m uch too large for him; his face was wrinkled and yellow
and he had lost nearly all his teeth.
I shook hands with him.
Well, Im glad tp see youve got here safely, Mr. M eadows,
I said.
C aptain, he corrected.
He walked here, Albert, his great nephew, told me. W hen
he got to the gate he made me stop the car and said he wanted to
w alk.
And m ind you,2 Ive not been out o f my bed for two years.
They carried me down and put me in the car. I thought I d never
1 sailors home
2 mind you
52
walk again, but when I saw those elm -trees, I felt I could walk. I
walked down that drive fifty-two years ago when I went away and
now I ve walked back again.
Silly, I call it, said M rs. Meadows.
Its done me good. I feel better and stronger than 1 have felt
for ten years. Ill see you out y et,1 Emily!
D o n t be too sure, she answered.
I suppose no one had called Mrs. Meadows by her first nam e
for a generation. It gave me a little shock, as though the old man
were taking a liberty2 with her. She looked at him with a shrewd
smile in her eyes and he, talking to her, grinned with his toothless
gums. It was strange to look at them , these two old people who had
not seen one another for h alf a century, and to think that all that
long tim e ago he had loved her and she had loved another. I wondered
if they rem em bered what they had felt then and what they had said
to one another. I w ondered if it seemed to him strange now that
because o f that old w om an he had left the home o f his fathers, and
lived an exiles life.
Have you ever been m arried, Captain M eadows? I asked.
N ot m e, he answered with a grin. I know too m uch about
women for th a t.
T hats what you say,3 retorted Mrs. Meadows. If the truth
was known 1 shouldnt be surprised4 to hear that you had half-a-
dozen black wives in your day.
Theyre not black in C hina, Emily, you ought to know better
than th a t,5 theyre yellow.
Perhaps th ats why youve got so yellow yourself. W hen I saw
you, I said to myself, why, h e s got jaundice.
I said I d never marry anyone but you, Emily, and I never
have.
He said it very simply, as a man might say, I said Id walk
1 Ill see you out yet

2 it gave me a little shock, as though the old man were taking a liberty
,
3 T hats what you say. .
4 I shouldnt be surprised
5 you ought to know better than that
( )
53
twenty miles and Ive done it. There was a trace o f satisfaction in
his speech.
Well, you might have regretted it if you h ad ,1 she answered.
I talked a little with the old man about China.
Theres not a port in China that I d o n t know better than
you know your coat pocket. Where a ship can go Ive been. I could
keep you sitting here all day long for six m onths and not tell you half
the things I ve seen in my day.
Well, one thing youve not done, G eorge, as far as I can
see, said Mrs. M eadows, the smile still in her blue eyes, and
th ats to make a fortune.
I am not a man to save m oney.2 M ake it and spend it; th a ts
my m otto. But one thing I can say for myself: if I had the chance of
going through my life again, Id take it. And not many men can say
th a t.
N o, indeed, I said.
I looked at him w ith ad m iratio n and respect. H e was a
toothless, crippled, penniless old man, but he had made a success
o f his life,3 for he had enjoyed it. When I left him he asked me to
com e and see him again next day. If I was interested in China he
would tell me all the stories I wanted to hear.
Next morning I thought I would go and ask if the old man
would like to see me. I walked down the beautiful avenue o f elm-
trees and when I came to the garden saw Mrs. Meadows picking
flowers. I said good m orning and she raised herself. She had a huge
armful of white flowers. I glanced at the house and I saw that the
blinds were drawn: I was surprised, for Mrs. M eadows liked the
sunshine.
Tim e enough to live in the dark when youre buried, she
always said.
Hows Captain M eadows? 1 asked her.
He always was a harum -scarum fellow, she answered. When
Lizzie brought him a cup o f tea this m orning she found he was
dead.
1 you might have regretted it if you had , ,

2 I am not a man to save money. He .
3 he had made a success o f his life
54
D ead?
Yes. Died in his sleep. I was just picking these flowers to put
in the room. Well, Im glad he died in that old house. It always
m eans a lot to the Meadows to do th a t.
They had had a good deal o f difficulty in persuading him to go
to bed. He had talked to them o f all the things that had happened
to him in his long life. He was happy to be back in his old hom e. He
was proud that he had walked up the drive without assistance, and
he boasted that he would live for another twenty years. But fate had
been kind: death had written the full stop in the right place.
Mrs. Meadows smelt the white flowers that she held in her
arms.
Well, Im glad he cam e b ack , she said. After I m arried
Tom Meadows and George went away, the fact is I was never quite
sure that Id married the right o n e.
Exercises
Pre-reading Tasks
1 Home is the place where one lives, especially with ones family. What
is home to you? Do you know any proverbs about home? Write them
down, if you do.
Som ersetshire, landscape, avenue, unpretentious, M eadows,

h a n d so m e , p a tria rc h a l, sh rew d , d o zen , E m ily, m a tro n ,
P o r ts m o u th , rh e u m a tis m , n e p h e w , q u ie te n , a sse m b le ,
century, jaundice, m otto, harum -scarum , persuade.
I'sAmasitJia] [ 'laenskeip] ['aevinju:] [A npri'tenfos] ['m edouz]

['h a m sa m ] [,peitri'a:kal] [Jhxd] ['dAzan] ['em ili] I'm eitran]
['p a tsm u iG ] ['ru :m a tiz m ] ['nevju:] [ 'k w a ia tn ] ja 'se m b l]
['sentjuri] [,d 3a:ndis] ['m otou] ['hearam skearam] (pa'sweid]
55
Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
Find in the story the English for:
, -, ,
, - , ,
, () -,
, - ,
, - , ,
-, , ,
, -, -
, .
Use one of the words or word combinations from the box in an

to go to sea
to have sm th in com m on
as far as I can see
to deserve
to com e to the conclusion
to grin
to boast
to court
1) They were happy and t h e y _________ their happiness.

2) W hen Emily G reen married Tom , George ________ .
3) At last th e y . that he must be dead.
4) She thought that because we had both been in China we
m u s t ________ .
5) H e, talking to her, ____________with his toothless gums.
6) Well, one thing you havent done, G eorge, _________,
and th ats to make a fortune.
7) H e _________ that he would live for another twenty years.
8) George Meadows and T o m ________ Mrs. Meadows when
she was Emily Green.
Say the opposite of:

56
lazy
dull
unbalanced
to do smb harm
to go broke
to spend m oney
Choose the right word and use it in an appropriate form.
landlady
the master o f the house
a hostess
1) H e owned h i s _________ a m onths rent.
2) As Mrs. Hill was away, Jane, the eldest daughter, acted
a s _________ at the dinner party.
3) But t h e ________ was G eorges mother.
to court
to take care o f
4) George Meadows and Tom b o th _________ Mrs. Meadows
when she was Emily G reen.
5) The o fficers_________ Loise as though they were all her
husbands.
to be interested
to wonder
6) He w ill________ to know what the old m an has seen in
his life.
7) I if they rem em bered what they had felt then
and what they had said to one another.
to persuade
to convince
8) They had a good deal o f difficulty i n ________ him to go
to bed.
9) The old m ans w o rd s _________ him that he had made a
success o f his life.
A Which of the verb tenses in the sentences below is used to describe:
a) an action in a period o f time up to the present?

57
b) an action in the past, in a period which is finished?
c) recent events that have results in the present?
1) And mind you, I ve not been out o f my bed for two years.
2) They carried me down and put me in the car.
3) But when I saw those elm -trees, I felt I could walk.
4) I walked down the drive fifty-two years ago when I went
away and now I ve walked back again.
5) Its done me good.
6) I feel better and stronger than I have felt for ten years.
Use the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or the Present

Perfect.
1) They are not black in China, they are yellow.

Perhaps, th a ts why you (to get) so yellow yourself.
W hen I (to see) you I (to say) to myself, why, he (to
get) jaundice.
2) Just fancy, he (not to be) here for m ore than fifty years.
He (to see) never my G eorge, w ho is fifty-one next
birthday.
3) He (to be) a good-looking young fellow w hen he (to
leave) but not so steady as his brother. But he probably
(to quieten) down by now.
4) I m glad to see you (to get) here safely, Mr. Meadows.
He (to walk) here when he (to get) to the gate, he (to
make) me stop the car and (to say) he (to want) to walk.
A Match the italicized modal verbs below to these meanings:
a) possibility
b) general advice
c) certainty
d) an expected action
1) You ought to know b etter th an th a t, Em ily, they are

yellow.
2) Well, you might have regretted if you had married.
3) He was to arrive that afternoon.
4) At last they cam e to the conclusion that he must be dead.
58
Choose the right modal verb (must, may, ought to, be to) and use
it in an appropriate form.
1) T h e y ________ have remembered what they had felt then.

2) He was sure h e see the house where he was bom.
3) His great n e p h e w ________ fetch him in his car.
4) Mrs. M eadows thought he ________ have had a dozen
black wives in his day.
5) They never doubted th e y respect the master of
the house Mrs. Meadows.
6) The a u th o r see the old man the next morning.
7) She tho u g h t because we had both been in C hina we
_________ have som ething in com m on.
8) H e ________ have quietened down by now , she says.
9) He said it very simply, as a man _ _ _ _ _ say, I said Id
walk twenty miles and Ive done it .
10) H e _________ have enjoyed his life.
7 Ask do you think questions as in the example:
E x a m p l e : Who do you think is coming here today?
1) They deserved their happiness, (general)

2) Mrs. Meadows was the m aster o f the house. (Who?)
3) They rem em bered w hat they had said to one another.
(W hat?)
4) He d id n t make a fortune. (Why?)
5) For the last ten years he had been living in the sailors
hom e. (W here?)
6) He would tell all the stories 1 wanted to hear. (What?)
7) Fate was kind to him . (general)
8) I m glad he came back, she said. (Why?)
I Answer the following questions:
1) W hat was the farm like?

2) W hat kind of people lived in the house and farmed the
land? W hat was their only boast?
59
3) Who was the master o f the house? W hat did she look like?
W hat was she like?
4) W hat was the story o f G eorge M eadows? W hy had he
gone to sea? How had he spent fifty years o f his exiles
life?
5) Why had the m atron of the sailors hom e written to them ?
How did Mrs. Meadows take the news?
6) W hat did the author see when he cam e to seethem?
7) W hat did the old man look like?
8) How had he got to the house? Why was he proud he could
walk?
9) W hy was it strange to look at th e old people, Emily
Meadows and G eoige Meadows?
10) Why had the old man never married?
11) Why hadnt he made a fortune?
12) Why did the author look at the old m an with adm iration
and respect?
13) W hat did the author see when he cam e the next morning?
14) Why does the author say fate was kind to the old man?
15) W hat was Mrs. M eadows never quite sure of?
Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right according
to the story. Say which character of the story each word combination
refers to.
stolid, sturdy and unpretentious life

patriarchal old man
tall, upright and dignified eyes
bright and shrewd people
despotic but kindly w om an
toothless, crippled, penniless rule
3 Tell the story of Captain George Meadows according to the outline

below:
1) The old man and his home.

2) The old man and Emily Meadows.
3) The old man and his exiles life.
4) The old man back hom e.
60
Discussthefollowing:
1) W hy d o es th e a u th o r call th e life o f th e M eadow s
patriarchal? W hat kind o f life is patriarchal to you?
2) Why do you think they were a happy family? W hat makes
a family happy?
3) Why do you think G eorge Meadows had gone to sea?
4) D o you think he was a one-w om an man? W hat do you
think there was about Emily Meadows that he would never
marry anyone but her?
5) Why had he never visited them during his exiles life?
6) M ake guesses about the things he had seen in his day.
7) Fate was kind to h im . W hat do you think the author
means?
8) Why do you think Mrs. Meadows was never quite sure
that shed married th e right brother?
9) W hat is your m ain impression o f the story?
10) Read out the proverbs you wrote down in the pre-reading
task. D o you rem em ber the proverbs:
East or West home is best.
Theres no place like home?
C om m ent on the proverbs with reference to the story.
THE END OF THE FLIGHT
I shook hands with the skipper and he wished me luck. Then

I went down to the lower deck crowded with passengers, and made
my way to the ladder. Looking over' the sh ip s side 1 saw that my
luggage was already in the boat. It was full o f gesticulating natives.
1 got in and a place was made for me. We were about three miles
from the shore and a fresh breeze was blowing. As we drew near 1
saw a lot o f coconut trees and among them the brown roofs of the
village. A Chinese who spoke English pointed out to me a white
bungalow as the residence o f the district officer.1 Though he did not
1 the district officer ,

62
know it, it was with him that I was going to stay.1 I had a letter of
introduction2 to him in my pocket.
1 felt somewhat lonely when I landed and my bags were put
beside me on the beach. This was a far off place, this little town on
the north coast o f Borneo, and I felt a trifle shy at the thought of
presenting myself to a total stranger with the announcem ent that I
was going to sleep under his roof, eat his food and drink his whisky,
till another boat came in to take me to the place where 1 was going.
But everything turned out all right. The m om ent I reached
the bungalow and sent in my letter he cam e out, a sturdy, ruddy,
cheerful m an, o f thirty five perhaps, and greeted me with heartiness.
While he held my hand he shouted to a boy to bring drinks and to
another to look after my luggage. He cut short my apologies.
G ood G od,3 m an, you have no idea how glad I am to see
you. D o n t think I m doing anything for you in putting you up. The
boots on the other leg.4 And stay as long as you like. Stay a year.
I laughed. He put away his days work, saying that he had
nothing to do that could not wait till tom orrow, and threw him self
into a long chair. We talked and drank and talked. Towards evening,
when it was no longer hot we went for a long walk in the jungle and
cam e back wet to the skin. We took a bath, and then we dined. I
was tired out and though it was clear that my host was willing to go
on talking straight through the night5 I was obliged to beg him to
allow me to go to bed.
All right, Ill just com e along to your room and see that
everythings all right.
It was a large room with verandahs on two sides o f it and a
huge bed protected by m osquito netting.
The bed is rather hard. Do you m ind?
N ot a bit. I shall sleep w ithout rocking tonight.
My host looked at the bed thoughtfully.
1 it was with him that I was going to stay -
2 a letter of introduction
3 Good God
4 The boots on the other leg. , ('.
).
5 straight through the night
63
It was a D utchm an who slept in it last. D o you want to hear
a funny story?
I wanted chiefly to go to bed, but he was my host, and then
I know that it is hard to have an am using story to tell and find no
listener.
H e cam e on the boat that brought you here. H e cam e into
my office and asked me where he could find a place to stay for some
tim e. I told him that if he h ad n t anywhere to go I d id n t m ind
putting him up. H e jum ped at the invitation.1 I told him to send for
his luggage.
This is an I ve g o t, he said.
He held out a little shiny black bag. It seemed a bit scanty,
but it was no business o f m ine, so I told him to go to the bungalow
and I would com e as soon as I was through with my work. While I
was speaking the door o f my office was opened and my clerk came in.
The D utchm an had his back to the door and it may be that my clerk
opened it a bit suddenly. Anyhow, the D utchm an gave a shout, he
jum ped about two feet into the air and w hipped out a revolver.
W hat the hell are you doing?2 I said.
W hen he saw it was th e clerk, he collapsed. He leaned
against the desk, breathing hard, and upon my word3 he was shaking
as though h ed got fever.4
I beg your pardon, he said. Its my nerves. My nerves are
terrible.
It looks like it, I said.
I was rather short w ith him .5 T o tell you the truth I was sorry
that I had asked him to stop w ith me. H e didnt look as though h ed
been drinking a lot and 1 wondered if he was some fellow the police
were after.6
Y oud better go and lie dow n, I said.
1 He jumped at the invitation. .

2 What the hell are you doing? , , ?
3 upon my word
4 as though hed got fever (
)
5 I was rather short with him. ().
6 1 wondered if he was some fellow the police were after ,

64
He w ent, and when I got back to m y bungalow I found him
sitting quite quietly, but very upright, on the verandah. H ed had a
bath and shaved and put on clean things and he looked m uch better.
Why are you sitting in the middle o f the place like that? I
asked him. Y oull be m uch m ore com fortable in one o f the long
chairs.
I prefer to sit u p , he said.
Q ueer, 1 thought. But if a m an in this heat prefers to sit up
rather than lie down its his own business. He w asnt m uch to look
a t,1 tall and heavily built, with a square head and close-cut hair. I
think he was about forty. The thing that chiefly struck me about him
was his expression. There was a look in his eyes, blue eyes they were
and rather small, that I could not understand, and his face gave you
the feeling that he was going to cry. He had a way o f looking2
quickly over his left sh o u ld e r as th o u g h he th o u g h t he heard
something. By G od, he was nervous. But we had a couple o f drinks
and he began to talk. He spoke English very well; except for a slight
accent youd never have known that he was a foreigner, and I have
to adm it he was a good talker. H e d been everywhere and h ed read
a great deal. It was a pleasure to listen to him.
We had three or four whiskies in the afternoon and a lot of
gin later on, so that when dinner cam e we were rather gay and Id
com e to the conclusion that he was a dam ned good fellow.3 O f course
we had a lot o f whisky at dinner and I happened to have a bottle o f
Benedictine, so we had some liqueurs afterwards. I think we both
got very drunk.
And at last he told me why he had come. It was a strange
story.
My host stopped and looked at me with his m outh slightly
open as though, remembering it now, he was struck again with its
strangeness.
H e cam e from S um atra, the D utchm an, and h e d done
something to an Achinese and the Achinese had sworn to kill him.
At first he thought nothing o f it, but the fellow tried two or three
1 he wasnt much to look at (

)
2 he had a way oflooking ( )
3 a damned good fellow
65
times and it began to be rather a nuisance, so he decided to go away
for a bit. He went over to Batavia and made up his m ind to have
a good time. But when h ed been there a week he saw the fellow
hiding behind a wall. By G od, h e d followed him. It looked as
though he m eant business.1 The D utchm an began to think it was
getting beyond a joke2 and he thought the best thing he could do was
to go off to Soerabaya. Weil, he was strolling about the town one
day, when he happened to turn round and saw the Achinese walking
quite quietly just behind him. It gave him a tu rn .3 It would give
anyone a turn.
The D utchm an went straight back to his hotel, packed his
things and took the next boat to Singapore. O f course he put up at
the hotel where all the D utch stay, and one day when he was having
a drink in the courtyard in front o f the hotel, the Achinese walked
in , lo oked at him for a m in u te , a n d w alked o u t again. T he
D utchm an told me he was just paralysed. The fellow could have
stuck his dagger into him there.and then and he w ouldnt have been
able to move a hand to defend himself. The D utchm an knew that
the Achinese was just awaiting his tim e, that dam ned fellow was
going to kill him , he saw it in his eyes; and he went all to pieces.4
But why didnt he go to the police? I asked.
I d o n t know. 1 suppose he didnt want the police to know
anything about this thing.
But what had he done to the m an?
I d o n t know that either. He w ouldnt tell me. But by the
look he gave me when I asked him , I suppose it was something pretty
bad. I have an idea he knew he deserved whatever the Achinese
could do.
My host lit a cigarette.
G o o n , I sa id .'
The skipper o f the boat that runs between Singapore and
Kuching lives in that hotel between trips and the boat was starting at
dawn. The D utchm an thought it an excellent chance to get away
1 It looked as though he meant business. ,

.
2 it was getting beyond a joke
3 It gave him a turn. .
Jto go all to pieces
66
from the Achinese; he left his luggage at the hotel and walked down
to the ship with the skipper, as if he were just going to see him off,
and stayed on the boat when she sailed. His nerves were in a terrible
state by then. He d id n t care about anything but getting rid o f the
Achinese. He felt pretty safe at Kuching. H e got a room at a hotel
and bought him self a couple o f suits and" some shirts in the Chinese
shops. But he told me he couldnt sleep. He dream t o f that m an and
h alf a dozen times he aw akened just as he thought a dagger was
being drawn across his throat. By G od, I felt quite sorry for him.
He just shook as he talked to me and his voice was hoarse with terror.
That was the meaning o f the look I had noticed. You rem em ber, I
told you he had a funny look on his face and 1 couldnt tell what it
m eant. Well, it was fear.
And one day when he was in the club at Kuching he looked
out o f the window and saw the Achinese sitting there. Their eyes
m et. T he D u tch m an collapsed an d fainted. W hen he cam e to
himself, his first idea was to get out. This boat that brought you was
the only one that gave him a chance to get away quickly. H e got on
her. He was quite sure the m an was not on board.
But what made him com e here?
Well, the boat stops at a dozen places on the coast and the
Achinese couldnt guess that the D utchm an had chosen this one. He
only made up his mind to get off when he saw there was only one
boat to take the passengers ashore, and there w erent more than a
dozen people in it.
T m safe here for a bit at all events,1 he said, and if I can
only be quiet for a while I shall get my nerve back.
Stay as long as you like, I said. Y oure all right here, at all
events till the boat com es here next m onth, and if you like w ell
watch the people who com e off.
He thanked me again and again. I could see what a relief it
was to him.
It was pretty late and I told him it was time to go to bed. I
took him to his room to see that everything was all right. He bolted
the shutters, though I told him there was no risk, and when I left
him 1 heard him lock the door I had just gone out of.
N ext m orning when th e boy brought me my tea I asked him
1 at all events
67
if h ed called the Dutchman. He said he was just going to. I heard
him knock and knock again. Funny, I thought. The boy hammered
on the door, but there was no answer. I felt a little nervous, so I got
up. I knocked too. We made enough noise to rouse the dead, but the
Dutchm an slept on. Then I broke down the door. I pulled apart the
mosquito curtains that were round the bed. He was lying there on his
back with his eyes wide open. He was as dead as m utton.1
A dagger lay across his throat, and say I m a liar if you like,
but I swear to G o d 2 its true, there w asnt a w ound about him
anywhere. The room was em pty.
Funny, w asnt it?
Well, that all depends on your idea o f hum our, I replied.
My host looked at me quickly.
You dont m ind sleeping in that bed, do you?
N -no. But I would have preferred3 to hear the story tom orrow
m o rning.
Exercises
Pre-reading Tasks
1 Flight is running away from danger. What sort of danger was the man
in the story running away from? How did the flight end? Make guesses
and write down 68 sentences.
G esticulate, coconut, bungalow, Borneo, jungle, verandah,

mosquito, queer, accent, liqueur, collapse, Sumatra, Achinese,
nuisance, Singapore.
1 as dead as mutton ,
2 1 swear to God
4 I would have preferred
68
[d 3es'tik ju leit] [ 'k o u k o iu t] ['1] [ 'borniouj [ 'd ^ g g l]
[ va'rsenda] [m as'kktou ] ['kwiaj ['zeksant] [lik'jua] [ka'laeps]
[ sui'm aitrs] [otfi'nkz] ['njurssns] [.siggo'po:]
"JSk Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
- , -,
, (-, -),
-, , -
(-), , (
), ( ), -,
-, , ,
( ), -, -
, -,
, ().

there and then

to swear
a relief
to get rid of
host
on board
wet to the skin
to shake hands
to put smb up
1) I ________ with the skipper and he wished me luck.

2 ) We went for a walk in the jungle and came b a c k _________ .
3) D ont think Im doing anything for you i n _________.
4) I was tired out but it was clear that my _________ was
willing to go on talking straight through the night.
5) H ed done som ething to an Achinese and the Achinese
________ to kill him.
69
6) The fellow could have stuck the dagger into him .
7) He didnt care about anything b u t________ o f the Achinese.
8) He got on the boat and was quite sure the m an was not
9) I could see w h a t it was to him.
3 Replace the italicized words or word combinations in an appropriate

form with a synonym from the box.
to dream of
to have a good time
to turn out
to make o n es way
no business o f mine
to cut short
to feel sorry for
to strike
to be through with
1) But everything proved to be all right in the end.

2) I went down to the lower deck and directed my steps to the
ladder.
3) 1 told him I would come as soon as I finished my work.
4) The thing that chiefly surprised me about him was his
expression.
5) He went over to Batavia and made up his mind to amuse
himself.
6) By G od, I pitied him.
7) It seemed a bit scanty but it was no concern o f mine.
8) He interrupted my apologies.
9) He saw the Achinese in a dream.
4 Choose the right word and use it in an appropriate form.
quite
quiet
1) When I got back to my bungalow I found him sitting_________ .
2) He w a s _________ sure the man was not on board.
3) If 1 only can b e _________ for a while I shall get my nerve
back.
70
another
other
4) I was going to sleep under his roof till ________ boat
cam e in to take me.
5) The boots on t h e _________ leg.
6) He shouted to a boy to bring drinks and t o _________ to
look after my luggage.
7) O f course he put up at the hotel w here_________ D utchm en
stayed.
a stranger
a foreigner
8) I felt a trifle shy at the thought o f presenting myself to a
total _________ .
9) Except for a slight accent youd never have known that
he w a s _________ .
lonely
alone
It)) 1 felt so m ew h at when I landed.
11) He w a s _________ o n the verandah.
12) The officer was happy to put up the author because he
was living quite a ________ life in that small town.
A Which of the following verb tenses is used to express:
a) an action that happened before another past action?

b) an action in progress going on around a particular past
m om ent?
c) a single past action or a succession o f past actions?
1) We were about three miles from the shore and a fresh

breeze was blowing.
2) We talked and drank and talked.
3) To tell you the truth I was sorry I had asked him to sto
w ith me.
Use the verbs in brackets in an appropriate tense form (active or

passive).
1) By G od, he was nervous. But we (to have) a couple of

71
drinks and he (to begin) to talk. 1 have to adm it he was
a good talker. He (to be) everywhere and (to read) a
great deal. At last he (to tell) me why he (to com e).
2) One day when he (to have) a drink in the courtyard in
front o f the hotel, the Achinese (to walk) in, (to look)
at him for a m o m en t, and (to w alk) out again. The
D utchm an told me he just (to paralyse). He knew that
the Achinese (to await) his time.
3) He (to com e) from Sumatra and he (to do) something to
an Achinese and the Achinese (to swear) to kill him. At
first he (to think) nothing o f it, but the fellow (to try)
two or three times and the D utchm an thought it (to get)
beyond a joke.
6 Make the sentences complete using one of the complex object structures
from the box.
him come
him sitting
the Achinese walking
the fellow hiding
him lock
the police to know
1) W hen I get back to my bungalow I f o u n d _________ quite

quietly.
2 ) But when h ed been there a week he sa w _________ behind
a wall.
3) He happened to turn round and saw quite quietly
just behind him.
4) I suppose he d id n t want _________ anything about this
thing.
5) But what m a d e _________ here?
6 ) When I left I h eard the door I had just gone out of.
Which of the italicized participles denote:

a) time?
b) manner?
72
1) Looking over the s h ip s side I saw that my luggage was
already in the boat.
2) H e put away his days work saying that he had nothing to
do that could not wait till tomorrow.
3) H e leaned against th e desk breathing hard.
4) Remembering it n o w , he was s tru c k ag ain w ith its
strangeness.
Change the sentences below using participles instead of the italicized

verbs.
1) The D utchm an gave a shout and jumped about two feet

into the air.
2) W hen he saw it was the clerk he collapsed.
3) M y host stopped and looked at me with his m outh slightly
open.
4) He packed his things and took the next boat to Singapore.
5) One day in the club he looked out o f the window and saw
the Achinese sitting there.
6) As he talked to m e he just shook.
1) Where did the author arrive one day and who was he going
to stay with? Why did the author feel lonely and a trifle shy?
2) How did the district officer meet him?
3) How did they spend the day?
4) Why couldnt the author go to bed though he was tired
out?
5) W ho did his host tell him about?
6) Why had the district officer put up the D utchm an?
7) W hat happened while the district officer was speaking to
the D utchm an?
8) What did the D utchm an look like? W hat was queer about
him ?
9) Why did the au th o rs host come to the conclusion that the
D utchm an was a good fellow?
73
10) How did the D utchm ans flight start?
11) W hat places did he go to and who would he find following
him ?
12) Why didnt he go to the police?
13) W here did he feel pretty safe? Why did he have to get away
quickly?
14) How did the D utchm an find him self in that little town in
the house o f the district officer?
15) W hat precautions did he take before he went to bed?
16) How did the D utchm ans flight end?
Tell the story of the Dutchmans flight. Pick out sentences from the
story to show how the Dutchmans fear grew until he went all to
pieces.
1) The narrator calls the story funny. D o you think it is

funny? How do you find it?
2) W hat do you think the D utchm an might have done? Why
did he knew he deserved whatever the Achinese could do?
3) Why wasnt there a wound about the D utchm an anywhere
though a dagger lay across his throat? W hat do you think
killed him: the dagger or the fear?
4) Was this end o f the D utchm ans flight inevitable or could
he escape it?
5) Do you think the author conveys any message or only tries
to amuse the reader, to stir his imagination?
I
THE VERGER
There had been a christening that afternoon at St. P eters

C hurch, and AJbert Edward F orem an still wore his vergers gown.
H e kept his new gow n for fu n erals and w eddings (St. P ete rs,
Neville Square, was a church often chosen by fashionable people
for these cerem onies) and now he wore only his second-best. He
wore it with pride, for it was the dignified symbol o f his office. He
took pains with it; he pressed it and ironed it himself. D uring the
sixteen years that he had been verger o f this church he had had a
num ber o f such gowns, but he had never been able to throw them
away w hen they were worn out, and all o f them , neatly wrapped
up in brown paper, lay in the bottom draw er o f the wardrobe in his
bedroom .
75
The veiger was waiting for the vicar to have finished1 in the
vestry so that he could tidy up in there and go home.
W hats he anging about for?2 the verger said to himself.
D oesnt he know I want my tea?
The vicar had been appointed only recently, a red-faced
energetic man in the early fo rties,3 and Albert Edward still regretted
the last vicar, a clergyman o f the old school who never fussed and
was not like this new man who wanted to have his finger in every
pie.4
Presently he saw the vicar coming up.
F orem an, will you com e into th e vestry for a m inute. 1
have som ething to say to you.
Very good, sir.
They walked up the church together, and the vicar preceded
Albert Edward into the vestry. Albert Edward was a trifle surprised
to find the two churchw ardens there. H e had not seen them come
in. They gave him pleasant nods.
G ood afternoon, my lord. G ood afternoon, sir, he said to
one after the other.
They were elderly m en, both o f them , and they had been
churchw ardens almost as long as Albert Edward had been veiger.
They were sitting now at a handsome table that the old vicar had
brought m any years before from Italy and the vicar sat down in the
vacant chair between them . Albert Edward faced them , the table
between him and them , and wondered with slight uneasiness what
was the m atter. He rem em bered still the occasion on w hich the
organist had got into trouble and how difficult it was to hush things
up. In a ch u rch like St. P e te rs, N eville Square, they c o u ld n t
afford a scandal. O n the vicars red face was a look o f resolute
kindness, but the others' had an expression that was slightly troubled.
1 was waiting for the vicar to have finished ,
2 W hats he anging about for? ? (anging

hanging cockney
h g ,
ing: speakin, readin speaking, reading).
3 in the early forties
4 to have ones finger in every pie
76
H es been trying to make them do something, but they dont
like it, said the verger to himself, th a ts what it is, you m ark my
w ords.1
But his thoughts did not appear on Albert Edwards face. He
stood in a respectful, but dignified attitude. He had been in service2
before he was appointed verger, but only in very good houses. Starting
as a page-boy in the household o f a rich m erchant, he had risen by
degrees to the position o f butler to a widowed peeress, then, till the
vacancy occurred at St. P eters he had been butler with two men
under him in the house o f a retired ambassador. He was tall, thin,
grave and dignified. H e looked, if not like a duke, at least like an
actor o f the old school who specialized in dukes parts. He had tact,
firmness and self-assurance.
The vicar began briskly.
Forem an, w eve got som ething rather unpleasant to say to
you. Youve been here a great many years and youve fulfilled your
duties quite satisfactorily.
The two churchwardens nodded.
But a most extraordinary fact came to my knowledge the
o ther day and 1 felt it my duty to inform the churchw ardens. I
discovered to my astonishm ent that you could neither read nor w rite.
The vergers face showed no sign o f embarrassment.
The last vicar knew that, sir, he replied. He said it made
no difference. H e always said there was a great deal too m uch
education in the world for his taste.
I ts the most amazing thing I ever heard, cried one o f the
churchwardens. D o you m ean to say that youve been verger o f this
church for sixteen years and never learned to read or write?
I went into service when I was twelve, sir. The cook in the
first place tried to teach me once, but I didnt seem to have the
knack for it3 and later on I never seemed to have the tim e. Ive
never really found the want o f it.4
1 you mark my words

2 to be in service ,
3 1 didnt seem to have the knack for it , ,

4 Ive never really found the want of it.
.
77
But d o n t you w ant to know th e new s? said the o th er
churchw arden. D o n t you ever want to write a letter?
No, sir, I seem to manage very well w ithout.1 Now theyve
all these pictures in the papers so I know w hats goin on pretty well.
If I want to write a letter my wife writes it for m e.
The two churchwardens gave the vicar a troubled glance and
then looked down at the table.
W ell, F o rem an , I ve talked the m a tte r over w ith these
g en tlem e n and they quite agree w ith me th a t the situ atio n is
impossible. At a church like St. Peters we cannot have a verger
who can neither read nor w rite.
Albert Edwards thin, pale face reddened and he moved uneasily
on his feet, but he made no reply.
But c o u ld n t you le a rn , F o re m a n ? asked o n e o f th e
churchw ardens.
N o, sir, Im afraid I couldnt, not now. You see I m not as
young as I was and if I couldnt get the letters in my head when 1 was
a boy I d o n t think theres much chance o f it now .
We dont want to be harsh with you, F orem an, said the
vicar. But the churchwardens and I have quite made up our minds.
W ell give you three m onths and if at the end o f that time you cannot
read and write Im afraid youll have to go.
Albert Edward had never liked the new vicar. H ed said from
the beginning that theyd made a mistake when they gave him St.
Peters. He knew his value, and now he straightened himself a little.
Im very sorry, sir, Im afraid its no good. Im too old a dog
to learn new tricks. Ive lived a good many years without know in
ow to read and write and if I could learn now I can t say I d want to .
In that case, Forem an, Im afraid you must go.
Yes, sir, I understand. I shall be appy to and in my resignation
as soon as youve found somebody to take my place.
But when Albert Edward with his usual politeness had closed the
church door behind the vicar and the two churchwardens he could not
keep up the air o f dignity any longer and his lips quivered. He
walked slowly back to the vestry and hung up on the peg his veigers
gown. He sighed as he thought o f all the grand funerals and weddings
1 I seem to manage very well without
78
it had seen. He tidied everything up, put on his coat, and hat in hand
walked out of the church. H e locked the church door behind him.
He strolled across the square, but deep in his sad thoughts he did not
take the street that led him hom e, where a nice strong cup o f tea
awaited him; he took the wrong turning. He walked slowly along. His
heart was heavy. He did not know what he should do with himself.
He did not like the idea o f going back to domestic service. After being
his own m aster for so m any years he could not becom e a servant
again. He had saved a tidy sum, but not enough to live on without
doing something, and life seemed to cost more every year. He had
never thought to be troubled with such questions. The vergers of St.
Peters, like the popes of Rome, were there for life. He sighed deeply.
Albert Edward was a non-sm oker and a total abstainer, but he liked
a glass o f beer with his dinner and when he was tired he enjoyed a
cigarette. It occurred to him now that a cigarette would comfort him
and since he did not carry them he looked about him for a shop where
he could buy a packet o f cigarettes. He did not at once see one and
walked on a little. It was a long street, with all sorts of shops in it,
but there was not a single one where you could buy cigarettes.
T h ats strange, said Albert Edward.
To make sure he walked right up the street again. N o, there was
no doubt about it. He stopped and looked thoughtfully up and down.
I can t be the only m an that walks along this street and wants
a sm oke, he said. If some fellow opened a little shop here he
might make good m oney.1 Tobacco and sweets, you know.
He gave a sudden start.2
T hats an idea, he said. Strange ow things com e to you
when you least expect it.
H e turned, walked hom e, and had his tea.
Youre very silent this afternoon, A lbert, his wife remarked.
Im thinkin, he said.
He considered the m atter from every point o f view and next
day he went along the street and by good luck found a little shop to
let.3 Tw enty-four hours later he had taken it and a m onth later set
1 If some fellow opened a little shop here he might make good money.
- , .
2 gave a sudden start. .
3 a shop to let ,
79
up in business as a tobacconist and news-agent. His wife said it was
a dreadful com e-dow n after being verger o f St. P ete rs, but he
answered that you had to move with the times and that the church
wasnt what it had been.
Albert Edward did very well. He did so well that in a year or
so it struck him that he could take a second shop and put a m anager
in. H e looked for another long street that hadnt got a tobacconist
in it and when he found it, and a shop to let, he took it. This was
a success too. Then it occurred to him that if he could run two shops
he could run half a dozen. He began walking about London, and
w henever he found a long street that had no tobacconist and a
shop to let he took it. In the course o f ten years he was running no
less than ten shops and he was making m oney hand over fist.1 He
w ent round to all o f them him self every M onday, collected the
weeks takings2 and took them to the bank.
One m orning when he was there paying in a bundle o f notes
and a heavy bag o f silver the cashier told him that the m anager
would like to see him. He was shown into an office and the manager
shook hands with him.
M r. F orem an, I w anted to have a talk to you about the
m oney youve got on deposit in our bank. D you know exactly how
m uch it is?
N ot within a pound or tw o,3 sir; but I have a pretty rough
idea.
Apart from4 what you paid in this m orning its a little over
thirty thousand pounds. T hats a very latge sum to have on deposit
and it is better to invest it.
I dont want to take any risks, sir. I know its safe in the bank.
You neednt have *
the__least worry. W ell make you out a list
o f absolutely safe securities. They will bring you in a better rate of
interest5 than the bank can afford to give you.
A troubled look settled on Mr. F orem ans aristocratic face.
1 hand over fist

2 the weeks takings
3 not within a pound or two
4 apart from ,
J rate of interest * ,
80
Ive never had anything to do with stocks and shares, and Id like
to leave it all in your ands, he said.
The m anager smiled. W ell do everything. All youll have to
do next tim e you com e in is to sign the transfers.
I could do that all right, 1 said Albert uncertainly. But ow
should I know what I was signin?
I suppose you can read , said the manager a trifle sharply.
Mr. Forem an gave him a disarming smile.
Well, sir, th ats just it. I can t. I know it sounds funny, but
I can t read or write, only my nam e, and I only learnt to do that
w hen I went into business.
The manager was so surprised that he jum ped up from his chair.
T h a ts th e m ost ex trao rd in ary thing I ever h e a rd . The
manager stared at him as though he were a prehistoric monster.
And do you m ean to say that youve built up this im portant
business and made a fortune o f thirty thousand pounds without being
able to read or write? G ood G od, m an, what would you be now if
you had been able to?2
I can tell you that, sir, said Mr. Forem an, a little smile on
his still aristocratic features, Id be verger3 o f St. Peters, Neville
Square.
Exercises
Verger, christening, Forem an, gown, fashionable, cerem ony,

w rap, draw er, w ardrobe, vicar, clergym an, churchw arden,
1 I could do that all right. - .

2 what would you be now if you had been able to?
, ?
3 Id be verger = 1 should be verger
81
resolute, peeress, ambassador, extraordinary, resignation, stroll,
to b a c c o n ist, n ew s-a g en t, d e p o sit, ro u g h , sign, tra n sfe r,
prehistoric.
['] ['knsnir)] ['foimsn] [gaun] ['fae/nabl] ['senmoni] fraep]

[dro:] ['wo:droubl ['vik^] ['1:] ['tjbrtfwoidn] ['rezoluit]
['pians] (aem'baesada] [iks'tro:dnri] [,rezig'neijn] [stroul]
[ta'baekamstl [;nja*z,eid3ant] [di'pozit] [rAf] [sain| ['traensfa:]
[prihis'tonk]
, , , ,
, , -
, , ,
-, , ,
, ,
, ,
, , () ,
, ..

to get into trouble

to make sure
to invest
to be appointed
to hand in
to be shown into
to specialize in
o nes own master
1) The v ic a r _________ only recently, and Albert Edward still

regretted the last vicar.
82
2) He remembered the occasion how the o rg an ist_________ .
3) He looked like an actor who _ _ _ _ _ _ dukes parts.
4) I shall be h a p p y _________ my resignation as soon as you
found somebody to take my place.
5) A fter being _________ for so m any years he could not
becom e a servant again.
6) There was not a single shop where he could buy cigarettes.
_________ he walked up the street again.
7) H e ________ an office and the manager shook hands with
him .
8) T hats a very large sum to have on deposit and it is better
________ it.
3 Replace the italicized words and word combinations in an appropriate

form with a synonym from the box.
to do well
to make no difference
to hush up
to talk the m atter over
to tidy up
to wrap up
to be a non-sm oker and a total abstainer
to consider
1) All his gowns, neatly packed in brown paper, lay in the

bottom drawer o f the wardrobe.
2) He remembered how difficult it was to keep the scandal
secret.
3) The last vicar knew it, he said it didn't matter.
4) Well, we discussed the matter with these gentlem en.
5) He cleaned everything up, put on his coat, and hat in
hand walked out o f the church.
6) He neither smoked nor took alcoholic drinks.
7) He thought over all the possibilities.
8) Albert Edward was so successful that in a year or so it
struck him that he could take a second shop and put a
m anager in.
83
4 Choose the right word and use it in an appropriate form.
as
like
1) The old vicar was n o t ________ this new m an who wanted
to have his finger in every pie.
2) S ta rtin g ________ a page-boy in the household o f a rich
m erchant he had risen to the position o f a butler to a
widowed peeress.
3) In a c h u r c h St. Peters they couldnt afford a
scandal.
4) A m onth later he set up in business_________ a tobacconist
and news-agent.
another
(the) other
5) H e looked f o r _________ long street th at h a d n t got a
tobacconist in it.
6) He was a trifle surprised to find two churchwardens there.
G ood afternoon, my lord. G ood aftern o o n , s ir, he
said to one after t h e ________ .
7) On the vicars red face was a look o f resolute kindness, but
_________ had an expression that was slightly troubled.
8) H e f o u n d ________ shop to let and took it.
to lie
to lay
9) When his gowns wore out he w rapped them in brown
paper a n d ________ them in the bottom drawer.
10) His old g o w n s_________ in the wardrobe in his bedroom.
6 Use the adjective or the adverb to fill each gap.
1) His gowns though worn out w e re . (neat, neatly)

2) They were _________ w rapped in brow n paper, (neat,
neatly)
3) The vicar began ________ . (brisk, briskly)
4) The vicar w a s ________ . (brisk, briskly)
5) You fulfilled your duties quite ________ . (satisfactory,
satisfactorily)
6) Your service was q u ite _________ . (satisfactory, satisfactorily)
84
7) His heart w a s ________ . (heavy, heavily)
8) His heart was b e a tin g ________ . (heavy, heavily)
9) He stopped and lo o k e d _________up and down the street.
(thoughtful, thoughtfully)
10) He looked _________ . (thoughtful, thoughtfully)
1 1 ) 1 know it s o u n d s _________ , but I can t read or write.
(funny, funnily)
12 ) _________ enough, I cant read or write, (funny, funnily)
A Decide what the difference is between these two sentences:
D o n t you want to know the news?

D o you want to know the news?
Ask negative questions expressing surprise.
1) I couldnt learn to read or write.

2) I never wanted to write a letter.
3) H e doesnt know I want my tea.
4) I w ouldnt like to invest the money.
5) There isnt a shop where you can buy cigarettes.
Make up sentences with neither ... nor, either ... or ... .
1) Albert Edward d id n t smoke and he didnt drink.

2) He could becom e a servant again. He could also live on
the tidy sum he had saved.
3) H e could not read and he could not write.
4) H e d id n t have th e knack for learning to read and he
didnt have the w ant o f it.
5) You m ust learn to read or youll have to go.
6) He wore his best gown for funerals, he also wore it for
weddings.
1) How did the verger wear his gowns? W hat did he do with
them when they were worn out?
2) W hat did the new vicar look like? How did he differ from
the last vicar?
3) Why did the vicar invite Albert Edward into the vestry
that afternoon? W hat did the verger think when he found
the two churchw ardens in the vestry? Did his thoughts
appear on his face?
4) W hat did the verger look like? W hat positions had he been
in before he was appointed verger?
5) W hat did the vicar tell the verger? Why did the vergers
face show no sign o f embarrassment?
6) Why had the verger never thought o f learning to read and
write?
7) W hat was the vicars suggestion? Why didnt the veiger
accept it?
8) Why was the vetgers heart heavy when he walked out of
the church?
9) Why did he begin to look for a shop where he could buy a
packet o f cigarettes? What idea suddenly came to his mind?
10) How did he set up in business as a tobacconist and news
agent? How was he doing?
11) Why did the manager o f the bank want to see him? What
did he advise him to do?
12) Why was the verger uncertain about investing his money?
13) W hat m ade the m an ag er ju m p from his seat? W hat
question did he ask the vetger? What was the vergers answer?
2 Describe the vergers appearance and bearing using the following words
and word combinations:
to wear smth with pride, to stand in a respectful but dignified

attitude, to look like an actor who specialized in dukes parts,
an aristocratic face, grave and dignified, to have tact, firmness
and self-assurance, to keep up the air o f dignity.
3 Act out an inner monologue of the verger on his way from the church
home after the talk with the verger.
4 Act out a dialogue between the verger and his wife after he decided to
set up in business as a tobacconist.
86
Discussthefollowing:
1) W hat do you think made the verger a successful business
man? W hat qualities do you think are essential for a person
to do well in business?
2) C om m ent on the proverbs:
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Does the story prove the truth o f the proverbs?
THE BUM
I had com e to Vera Cruz from Mexico City to catch a ship

to Yucatan; and found that, a dock strike having been declared the
previous night,1 my ship could not put in. I was stuck in Vera
Cruz. I took a room in the H otel Diligencias overlooking the square
and spent the m orning looking at the sights o f the town. I wandered
down side streets and peeped into quaint courts. I visited the parish
church which is very picturesque. Then I found that I had seen all
that was to be seen2 and I sat down in the coolness o f the arcade that
surrounded the square and ordered a drink. The sun beat down on
1 a dock strike having been declared the previous night ,

2 all that was to be seen ,
88
the square and dusty coco palm s mercilessly. G reat black buzzards
perched on them for a m om ent, flew down on the ground to gather
some bit o f offal, and then flew up to the church tower. 1 watched
the people crossing the square; N egroes, Indians, Spanish; they
varied in colour from ebony to ivory. As the morning wore o n 1 the
tables around me filled up, chiefly with m en, who had com e to have
a drink before luncheon. I had already bought the local paper but
the news-boys tried to sell m e more copies o f the same paper. I
refused, oh, twenty times at least, the boys who wanted to shine my
spotless shoes; and having com e to the end of my small change2 I
could only shake my head at the beggars who gave me no peace.
Little Indian w om en, each one with a baby tied in the shawl on
her back held out skinny hands to me; blind men were led up to my
table by small boys; cripples exhibited their deformities; and half
naked, hungry children endlessly dem anded coppers.
But suddenly my attention was attracted by a beggar who,
unlike the rest of them and unlike the black-haired people sitting
round m e, had hair and beard o f a red so vivid that it was startling.
His beard was ragged and his long hair looked as though it had not
been brushed for m onths. He wore only a pair o f trousers and a
cotton singlet, but they were rags, dirty and foul, that barely held
together.3 I have never seen anyone so thin: his legs, his naked
arms, were skin and bone and through the holes o f his singlet you
saw every rib o f his body; you could count the bones o f his dust-
covered feet. He was not old, he could not have been more than
forty,4 and I wondered what had brought him to this state. It was
absurd to think that he would not have worked if he had been able to
get work. He was the only one o f the beggars who did not speak. He
said nothing. He did not even hold out his hand, he only looked at
you, but with such w retchedness and despair in his eyes, it was
dreadful; he stood on and on silently looking at you, and then, if you
took no notice o f him , he moved slowly to the next table. If he was
1 as the morning wore on ,

2 having come to the end o f my small change

3 barely held together
4 he could not have been more than forty
89
given n o thing he show ed n eith er d isap p o in tm en t nor anger. If
someone offered him a coin he stepped forward a little, held out his
hand, took it w ithout a word o f thanks and went his way. I had
nothing to give him and when he came to me, 1 shook my head and
used the polite formula with which the Spaniards refuse a beggar.
But he paid no attention to what I said. He stood in front of
m e, for as long as he stood at the other tables, looking at me with
tragic eyes. There was som ething terrifying in his appearance. He
did not look quite sane. At last he passed on.
It was one o clock and I had lunch. When 1 awoke from my
siesta it was still very hot, but tow ards evening a breath o f air
coming in through the window tem pted me into the square. I sat
down under my arcade and ordered a drink. Presently people began
to fill up the tables in the restaurant and the band began to play.
And again bootblacks begged me to let them clean my shoes, news
boys pressed papers upon m e ,1 beggars dem anded alms. I saw once
more that strange, red-bearded fellow and watched him stand before
one table after another. He did not stop before mine. 1 suppose he
remembered me from the m orning and having got nothing from me
then thought it useless to try again. You do not often see a red-
haired M exican, and I w ondered if he could be a sailor, English,
Scandinavian or American, who had deserted his ship and by degrees
had sunk to this pitiful condition. He disappeared.
Since there was nothing else to do, I stayed on till I got hungry
and when 1 had eaten I came back. I sat on till it was bedtime. I
confess the day had seemed long and I wondered how many similar
days I should be forced to spend there.
But I woke after a little while and could not get to sleep
again. My room was stifling. 1 opened the shutters and looked out at
the church. There was no m oon, but the bright stars faintly lit its
outline. The buzzards gathered on the cross above the cupola and on
the edges o f the tower, and now and then they moved a little. The
effect was uncanny. And then, I have no notion why, I remembered
that red-haired fellow again, and I had suddenly a strange feeling
that I had seen him before. It was so vivid that it drove away from me
the possibility of sleep. I felt sure that I had com e across him, but
when and where I could not tell.
1 pressed papers upon me

90
As the dawn approached it grew a little cooler and I was able
to sleep.
1 spent my second day at Vera C ruz as I had spent the first.
But I w atched for the com ing o f1 the red-haired beggar, and as he
stood at the tables near m ine I exam ined him with attention. I felt
certain now that I had seen him somewhere. I even felt certain that
I had known him and talked to him , but I still could recall none o f
the circum stances. O nce m ore he passed my table w ithout stopping
and when his eyes m et mine I looked in them for some gleam of
recollection.2 N othing. I w ondered if I had made a mistake. But
I could not get out o f my head the im pression that at some m om ent
he had entered into my life. I was sure now th at he was either
English o r A m erican. But I was shy o f addressing him. The day
wore on.
A n o th er day cam e, a n o th e r m orning, a n o th e r evening. It
was Sunday and the square was more crowded than ever. The tables
under the arcade were packed. As usual the red-haired beggar came
along, a terrifying figure in his silence, his rags and his pitiful
distress. He was standing in front o f a table only two from mine
when I saw the policem an who at intervals tried to protect the public
from all these beggars. H e gave him a blow on the back. The
beggars thin body trem bled, but he made no protest and showed no
anger; he slowly walked away.
Then suddenly I remembered.
N ot his nam e, th at escaped me still, but everything else.
He must have recognized m e,3 for I have not changed very m uch in
tw enty years, and that was w hy after that first m orning he had
never paused in front o f my table. Yes, it was twenty years since I
had know n him . 1 was sp en d in g a w inter in R om e and every
evening 1 used to dine in a restaurant in the Via Sistina where you
got excellent m acaroni and a good bottle o f wine. It was often
visited by a group o f English and A m erican art students, and one
or two writers; and we used to stay late into the night engaged in
endless argum ents upon art and literature. H e used to com e in with
a young painter who was a friend o f his. He was only a boy then,
1 I watched for the coming of ,

2 a gleam of recollection
3 he must have recognized me , ,
91
he could not have been m ore than twenty-two; and with his blue
eyes, straight nose and red h air he was pleasing to look a t.1 I
rem em bered that he spoke a great deal o f Central A m erica, he had
had a job with the A m erican Fruit C om pany, but had throw n it
over because he w anted to be a writer. He was not popular am ong
us because he was arrogant. He thought us poor fish2 and did not
hesitate to tell us so. He would not show us his work, because our
opinion m eant nothing to him . His vanity was enorm ous. He was
so certain o f him self that he infected some o f his friends with his
own assurance. I recalled his high spirits,3 his vitality, his confidence
in the future.
It was impossible that it was the same m an, and yet I was sure
o f it. I stood up, paid for my drink and went out into the square to
find him . M y thoughts were in a turm oil. I was aghast. I had
thought o f him now and then and wondered what had become of
him. I never imagined that he could com e to this dreadful state.
T h is w as aw fu l. I ask ed m y s e lf w h at h a d h a p p e n e d . W h at
disappointm ents shattered him and broke his spirit, what lost illusions
ground him to the dust?4 I asked myself if nothing could be done. I
walked round the square. He was not in the arcades. There was no
hope o f finding him in the crowd that circled round the band-stand.
Evening was com ing on and I was afraid I had lost him . T hen I
passed the church and saw him sitting on the steps. I cannot describe
what a pitiful object he looked. Life had broken him, to m him limb
from lim b,5 and then flung him on the stone steps o f that church. I
w ent up to him.
Do you rem em ber Rom e? I said.
He did not move. He did not answer. He took no notice o f
me as if I were not standing before him .6 H e did not look at me. His
blue eyes rested on the buzzards that were screaming and tearing at
1 he was pleasing to look at (

)
2 he thought us poor fish
3 high spirits ,
4 to grind to the dust
5 torn him limb from limb
6 as if I were not standing before him
92
some object at the bottom o f the steps. I did not know what to do.
I took a yellow-backed n o te1 out o f my pocket and pressed it in his
hand. He did not give it a glance.2 But his hand moved a little, his
thin fingers closed on the note and crumpled it. Then he made it
into a little ball and suddenly flicked it into the air3 so that it fell
am ong the screaming buzzards. I turned my head instinctively and
saw one o f them seize it in his beak and fly off. When I looked back
the man was gone.4
I stayed three more days in Vera Cruz. I never saw him again.
Exercises
Pre-reading Tasks
Vera Cruz, M exico, Y uacatan, w ander, picturesque, arcade,

p alm , b u zzard , offal, shaw l, b eard , foul, absurd, siesta,
alm s, m acaroni, cupola, turm oil, aghast, tear.
['vers 'kru:z| f'meksikou] I'jurkotan] ['wondo] [,piktjVresk|

[cr'keid] |po:m] [ 'bAzod] ['ofol] |jb:l] I'biod] [faul] [sb'saidj
[si'esta] [a:mz] [,maeko'rouni] ['kju:pab| ['taimoilj [o'gast] [tea]
2 A few adjectives ending in -ed have a special pronunciation: the last

syllable is pronounced [id] instead of [d] or [t]. Practise pronouncing
such adjectives.
1 a yellow-backed note 50

2 to give a glance
3 flicked it into the air
4 the man was gone (= the m an had gone) ,
(, ; . he is come
, )
93
beloved [bi'Uvid] ragged ['negid]
crooked ['krukid] sacred f'seikrid]
learned I'lanid] wicked f'wikid]
naked ['neikid] w retched ['retfid]
, ( ), ,
, , ,
( ), (),
-, -, ,
-, , , ,
, .
appropriate form.
to exhibit
confidence
to break sm bs spirit
to address
to examine
to pay no attention
to be stuck
to overlook
to come across
to escape
1) As a dock strike had been declared the previous night I

_________ in Vera Cruz.
2) C rip p le s ________ their deformities.
3) I used the polite formula with which the Spaniards refuse
a beggar but h e _________ to what I said.
4) I took a room in a hotel the square.
5) As he stood at the table near me I ________ him with
atten tio n .
94
6) I felt certain I _________ him but where and when I couldnt
tell.
7) Then suddenly I remembered. Not his name, th a t________
me still.
8) I recalled his high spirits, his vitality, h i s _________ in the
future.
9) W hat disappointm ents shattered him a n d _________ .
10) I was shy o f ________ him.
Choose the right word and use it in an appropriate form.
to sink
to drown
1) 1 thought he could be a sailor who had deserted his ship
and by degrees to this pitiful condition.
2) He was aware o f the risk he was taking, it was a case of
________ or swim.
3) H e _________ as the current was very strong.
work
(a) job
4) H e had h a d ________ with the American Fruit Company,
but had throw n it over.
5) He didnt work, he h ad n t been able to g e t _________ .
6) He would not show us h i s , because our opinion
m eant nothing to him.
because
thats why
7) He was arrogant, __________he was not popular am ong
us.
8) He d id n t stop before my table ________ he hadnt got
anything from me in the morning.
9) Tow ards evening a breath o f air cam e in through the
window, _________ I went out into the square.
to vary
to differ
10) I watched the people crossing the square, t h e y ________
in colour from ebony to ivory.
95
11) But suddenly my attention was attracted by a beggar who
_________ from the rest o f them.
12) The second day at Vera Cruz d i d n 't ________ from the
first.
4 Complete the chart below with the names of countries and nationalities.
C o u n try Adjective P erson Population
Am erica A m erican an American the Americans

Russian
the Greeks
a C hinese
Swiss
an Englishman
France
the Swedes
F innish
a D ane
the N etherlands
(H olland)
the Scots
a Spaniard
Ireland
the Indians
5 Use somebody, anybody, nobody, something, anything, nothing to fill

the gaps.
1) I have never s e e n _________ so thin.

2) If offered him a coin he held out his hand and
took it without a word o f thanks.
96
3) Having g o t _________ from me he thought it useless to try
again.
4) I asked myself i f could be done.
5) There w a s terrifying in his appearance.
6) H ungry c h ild ren w ith hardly _________ o n endlessly
dem anded copper.
7) Since there w a s _________ else to do, I stayed on.
8) W hen I looked back I d id n t s e e _________ .
Use such + adjective + noun instead of so + adjective.
1) His eyes were so desperate.

H e looked at you with s u c h _________ .
2) I couldnt sleep. M y room was so stifling.
It was s u c h _________ .
3) I have never seen anyone so thin.
I have never seen s u c h __________.
4) His hair was so red.
H e had s u c h _________ .
5) The w eather was so hot.
It was such _ _ _ _ _ .
6) He looked so pitiful.
He was s u c h _________ .
1)Why was the author stuck in Vera Cruz?

2) How did he pass the time?
3) W hat was the w eather like?
4) W hat sort o f people cam e up to his table while he was
sitting in the arcade?
5) W ho was his attention suddenly attracted by?
6) W hat did the beggar look like? W hat was terrifying in his
appearance?
7) How did he differ from other beggars?
8) W hat did he do w hen he cam e up to the authors table?
W hy d id n t he stop before his table in the evening?
97
9) W hat strange feeling drove away from the a u th o r the
possibility o f sleep that night?
10) W hat did the a u th o r feel certain about while he was
examining the beggar with attention on the second day in
Vera Cruz? What did he suddenly remember?
11) How was the author spending the w inter in Rome twenty
years ago?
12) W hat did the red-haired beggar look like then?
13) Why wasnt he popular am ong art students?
14) W hat thoughts passed through the authors mind when he
remembered the beggar as an arrogant youth?
15) Why did the author start looking for the beggar? Where
did he find him?
16) W hat was the beggars reaction to the authors question
w hether he rem em bered Rome?
17) W hat did the beggar do with the yellow-packed note the
author gave him?
18) Did the author ever see him again?
2 Speak about the life of the bum from the arrogant youth confident of
his future to the beggar ground to dust. Use the words and word
combinations from the list below.
1) T o be engaged in, argum ents upon art and literature,

used to com e, to have a job with a com pany, not to be
popular, arrogant, to think smb poor fish, w ould not
show , sm b s o p in io n m eans n o th in g , vanity, vitality,
confidence in the future.
2) To wear dirty and foul rags, to be skin and bone, not to
be able to get work, with despair in o n es eyes, to hold
out o n es hand, to take sm th without a word of thanks,
to show neither disappointm ent nor anger, not to look
sane, a terrifying figure, to sink to a pitiful condition.
3 Act out an inner monologue of the author as he went out into the
square to look for the bum.
98
1) W hat had happened to the man? W hat disappointm ents
shattered him and broke his spirit, w hat lost illusions
ground him to the dust? Try to find answers to the authors
questions.
2) Why do you think the bum never spoke? Why did he make
no protest when the policeman gave him a blow?
3) Why did the bum take no notice o f the author when he
found him on the steps o f the church? Why do you think
he took the m oney the author gave him , made it into a
ball and flicked it into the air?
4) I asked myself if anything could be done? Do you think
something could be done to get the bum out of that pitiful
condition?
5) How do you think the bum ended his life?
6) What is your impression o f the story?
THE WASH-TUB
P ositano stands on the side o f a steep hill and is a very
picturesque place. In w inter its two or three m odest hotels are
crowded with painters, male and female, but if you com e there in
sum m er you will have it to yourself. The hotel is clean and cool and
there is a terrace where you can sit at night and look at the sea.
D ow n on the quay there is a little tavern w here you can have
m acaroni, ham and fresh-caught fish, and drink cold wine.
One August, tiring o f Capri where I had been staying, I made
up my m ind to spend a few days at Positano, so I hired a fishing-
boat and rowed over. I arrived at Positano in the evening. I strolled
up the hill, my two bags following m e1 on the heads o f two sturdy
1 my two bags following me
Italian w om en, to the hotel. I was surprised to learn that I was not
its only guest. The waiter, whose nam e was G uiseppe, was an old
friend o f m ine, and at that season he was boots, porter, cham berm aid
and cook as well. He told me that an American signore had been
staying there for three m onths.
Is he a painter o r a w riter or som ething? I asked.
N o, signore, h es a g en tlem a n .
O dd, I th o u g h t. N o foreigners cam e to P o sitan o at th a t
tim e o f year. I could n o t im agine anyone wishing to spend three
m onths there; unless it was som ebody w ho w anted to hide. A nd
since all L ondon had been excited by the flight earlier in th e year
o f a n e m in e n t, b u t d ish o n est, fin an c ier, th e am using th o u g h t
occurred to m e th at this m ysterious stranger was perhaps he. 1
knew him slightly and hoped th a t my sudden arrival would not
disturb him .
Youll see the Signore at the tavern, said G iuseppe, as I was
going out. He always dines there.
H e was certainly not there when I arrived. In a few m inutes,
however, a m an walked in w ho could be no other than my fellow-
guest at the hotel and I had a m o m en ts disappointm ent when I
saw th a t it was n o t the h id in g fin an cier. A ta ll, elderly m an ,
bronzed after his sum m er on th e M editerranean, with a handsom e,
thin face. He wore a very neat suit o f cream -coloured silk and no
hat. His gray hair was cut very short, but was still thick. There
was ease in his bearing, and elegance. He looked round the half-
dozen tables at w hich the natives o f the place were playing cards or
dom inoes and his eyes rested on me. They smiled pleasantly. He
cam e up.
I hear you have just arrived at the hotel. G iuseppe said that
as he couldnt come down here to introduce me you w ouldnt mind
if I in tro d u ced myself. W ould it bore you to dine with a total
stranger?
O f course not. Sit dow n.
He turned to the maid w ho was laying a cover for me and in
beautiful Italian told her that I would eat with him.
H e made a very good cocktail and with added appetite we
began our dinner. My host had a pleasant hum our and his fluent
conversation was agreeable.
You must forgive me if I talk too m uch, he said presently.
This is the first chance I ve had to speak English for three months.
101
I dont suppose you will stay here long and I mean to make the most
of it.
Three m onths is a long time to stay at Positano.
I ve hired a boat and I bathe and fish. I read a great deal.
I have a good m any books here and if theres anything I can lend you
I shall be very glad.
I think I have enough reading matter. But I should love to look
at what you have. Its always fun looking1 at other peoples books.
It also tells you a good deal about them , he said.
W hen we finished dinner we went on talking. The stranger
was w ell-read and interested in various topics. He spoke with so
m uch knowledge o f painting that I wondered if he was an art critic.
But then he began to speak o f the books he had read and I cam e to
the conclusion that he was a college professor. I asked him his
nam e.
B am aby, he answered.
T hats a nam e that has recently becom e known to everybody,
I said.
O h, how so?
Have you never heard o f the celebrated Mrs. Bamaby? Shes
a com patriot o f yours.
I adm it that Ive seen her nam e in the papers rather often of
late. D o you know her?
Yes, quite well. She gave the grandest parties all last season2
and I went to them whenever she asked me. Everyone did. Shes an
amazing woman. She cam e to London to spend the season, and, by
G eorge,3 her parties were the most successful in L ondon.
I understand she is very rich?
O h, yes, very! But its not the m oney that has m ade her
success. Plenty o f American women have money. Mrs. Bamaby has
won her place in society by sheer force o f character.4 She never
pretends to be anything but what she is. Shes natural. Shes priceless.
You know her history, o f course?
1 its always fun looking

2 season ( - )
3 by George
4 by sheer force o f character .
102
My friend smiled.
Mrs. Bamaby may be a great celebrity in London, but in
America she is almost unknow n.
I smiled also.
Well, I ll tell you about her. H er husband appears to be a
very rough diam ond;1 hes a great strong fellow, she says, who could
fell a steer with his fist. H es known in A rizona as O ne-B ullet
M ike.2
G ood gracious!3 W hy?
Well, years ago in the old days he killed two men with a
single shot. She says that even now he shoots better than any man
West o f the Rockies.4 H es a m iner, but hes been a cowpuncher,
a gun-runner and G od knows what in his day.
A real W estern ty p e, said my professor a trifle acidly I
th o u g h t.
M rs. B am abys stories about him are very amusing. O f course
every o n e s been begging her to let him com e over, but she says
h ed never leave the wide open spaces. He struck oil5 a year or two
ago and now hes got all the m oney in the world. Ive heard her
keep the whole dinner-table spellbound when shes talked o f the
old days and their adventures. It gives you quite a thrill6 w hen you
see th is g ray -h aired w om an, not at all pretty, but w onderfully
dressed, w ith the m ost w onderful pearls, and hear her tell how
she washed the m iners clothes and cooked for the cam p. W hen
you see Mrs. Bam aby sitting at the head o f her table, quite at
hom e w ith7 princes o f the blood, am bassadors, cabinet m inisters
1 appears to be a very rough diamond -,

, (rough diamond
)
2 'One-Bullet Mike ( )
3 G ood gracious! !
4 West of the Rockies (Rockies .
Rockey Mountains.

.)
5 to strike oil
6 to give one a thrill
7 to be at home with somebody .
103
and the duke of this and the duke of th a t,1 it seems almost incredible
that only a few years ago she was cooking the food o f seventy miners.
Can she read or write?
1 suppose her invitations are w ritten by her secretary, but
shes by no means an ignorant woman. She told me she had always
made herself read for an hour every night after the fellows in cam p
had gone to bed.
Rem arkable!
O n the other hand2 O ne-Bullet Mike only learnt to write his
nam e when he got rich and had to sign cheques.
We walked up the hill to our hotel and before separating for the
night arranged to spend the next day together. We spent a charming
day bathing, reading, eating, sleeping and talking, and we dined
together in the evening. The following morning, after breakfast on
the terrace, 1 reminded Bamaby o f his promise to show me his books.
Com e right along. 3
I accom panied him to his bedroom where G iuseppe, the waiter,
was making his bed. The first thing I caught sight o f was a photograph
in a beautiful fram e o f the celebrated M rs. Barnaby. M y friend
caught sight o f it too and suddenly turned pale with anger.
You fool, Giuseppe. Why have you taken that photograph
out o f my wardrobe? Why the devil did you think I put it away?4
I d id n t know, Signore. T h a ts why I put it back on the
Signores table. 1 thought he liked to see the portrait of his Signora.
I was staggered.
Is Mrs. Bamaby your wife? I cried.
She is.
G ood lord, are you O ne-Bullet M ike?
Do I look it? 5 .
1 began to laugh.
1 the duke of this and the duke of that - - (

,
; of. . : the duke of Hereford.)
2 on the other hand ,
3 Come right along. .
4 Why the devil did you think I put it away? , , -
, ?
5 Do I look it? ?
104
I must say you dont.
I glanced at his hands. H e smiled grimly and held them out.
N o, sir, 1 have never felled a steer with my naked fist.
For a m om ent we stared at one another in silence.
Shell never forgive m e , he m oaned. She wanted me to
take a false nam e, and w hen I refused she was quite angry with me.
She said it wasnt safe. I said it was bad enough to hide myself in
Positano for three m onths and categorically refused to change my
nam e. He hesitated. Now 1 can do nothing, but beg you not to
disclose a secret that you have discovered quite by chance.
I will be as silent as the grave, but honestly I dont understand.
W hat does it all m ean?
I am a doctor by profession and for the last thirty years my
wife and I have lived in Pennsylvania. 1 dont know whether 1 have
impressed you as a roughneck, but I may tell you that Mrs. Bamaby
is one o f the most cultivated w om en I have ever known. T hen a
cousin o f hers died and left her a very large fortune. M y wife is a
very, very rich woman. She has always read a great deal o f English
fiction and her one desire was to have a London season,1 to give
parties and do all the grand things she had read about in books. It was
her money and although the prospect did not tempt me, I was glad
she could gratify her wish. We sailed last April. The young Duke and
Duchess o f Hereford happened to be on board. I was ill when we sailed
and stayed in my cabin, so Mrs. Bamaby was left to look after herself.
H er deck-chair happened to be next to the duchesss. My wife has a
very keen sense of humour. G etting into conversation with the duchess,
she told her a little anecdote and to make it more interesting she said
that it had happened to herself. The success o f the story was immediate.
The duchess begged for another and my wife went a little further.
Twenty-four hours later she had the duke and duchess eating out of
her hand.2 She used to come down to my cabin at intervals and tell me
o f her progress. It amused me greatly and since I had nothing else to
do, I sent to the library for the works of Bret Harte and supplied her
with interesting details.
1 to have a London season

2 to eat out of somebodys hand ,

105
I slapped my forehead. We said she was as good as Bret
H arte.1 I cried.
I had a grand time thinking of2 the disappointm ent o f my
wifes friends when at the end o f the voyage I appeared and we told
them the truth. But I did not know my wife. The day before we
reached S outham pton Mrs. Barnaby told me th at the H erefords
were arranging parties for her. The duchess was crazy to introduce
her3 to all sorts o f wonderful people. It was a chance in a thousand;
but o f course I would spoil everything; she adm itted that she had
been forced by the course o f events4 to represent me as very different
from what I was. I did not know that she had already transform ed me
into O ne-Bullet Mike, but I had a suspicion that she had forgotten
to m ention that 1 was on board. Well, to make a long story short,
she asked me to go to Paris for a week or two till she had strengthened
her position. I d id n t m ind that. I liked the prospect o f doing a
little work at the Sorbonne m uch m ore than going to parties in
London, and so, leaving her to go on to Southam pton, I went to
Paris. But when 1 had been in Paris ten days she flew over to see
me. She told me that her success had exceeded her wildest dreams:
it was ten tim es m ore wonderful than any o f the novels; but my
appearance w ould ruin it all. Very well, I said, I would stay in
Paris. She didnt like the idea o f that; she said shed never have a
m o m en ts peace so long as 1 was so near and might run across
som eone who knew me. I suggested Vienna or Rome. They w ouldnt
do either, and at last I came here and here I have been hiding like
a crim inal for three endless m onths.
Do you m ean to say you never killed the two gam blers,
shooting one with your right hand and the other with your left?
Sir, 1 have never fired a pistol in my life.
And what about the attack on your log-cabin by the M exican
bandits when your wife loaded your guns for you and you stood the
siege5 for three days till the government troops came to your help?
1 as good as Bret Harte (

, )
2 1 had a grand time thinking of .
3 was crazy to introduce her
4 by the course of events
5 to stand a siege
106
Mr. Barnaby smiled grimly.
I never heard that one. Isnt it a trifle crude?
Crude! It was as good as any Wild West picture.1
I suppose that is where my wife got the idea.
But the wash-tub. W ashing the m iners clothes and all that.
You dont know how she m ade us laugh with that story. Why, she
swam into London Society in her w ash-tub.
I began to laugh.
Shes made the biggest fools o f us all, I said.
S hes m ade a pretty big fool o f me to o , rem arked Mr.
Barnaby.
Shes a wonderful w om an and youre right to be proud of
her. I always said she was priceless. She realized the passion for
rom ance that beats in every British heart and shes given us exactly
what we w anted. I w ouldnt betray her for worlds.
I ts all very fine for you, sir. London may have gained a
wonderful hostess, but I am beginning to think that I have lost a
perfectly good wife.
The only place for O ne-B ullet Mike is the great open West.
M y dear Mr. Bamaby, there is only one course open to you now.
You must continue to disappear.
Im very m uch obliged to you.
I thought he replied with a good deal of acidity.
Exercises
m Pre-reading Tasks
1 A wash-tub is a container used for washing clothes. What do you think

the story with such a title can deal with? Write 3 - 5 sentences.
1 Wild West picture

107
T e rra c e , q u ay , ta v e rn , C a p ri, row , sig n o re , fin a n c ie r,
mysterious, celebrity, rough, diam ond, steer, Arizona, bullet,
cow-puncher, cheque, photograph, duchess, forehead, voyage,
Vienna, romance.
['teras| [ki:J [' taevan] [' koipri] [rou] |sin'jo:ra;J [fai'naensia]

[mis'tianas] [si'lebnti] [nvf| ['daiomand] ['stia] [aeri'zouna]
('buht| |',/] [tjek] ['foutagrcrf] f'dAtfis] ['fond] [void3]
['vieno] [ro'maens]
"a. Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks
1 Find in the story the English fon
, , -
, , , ,
, , ,
, , ,
, ,
- , , ,
, , .
appropriate form.
to arrange
to lend
to introduce
to hire
to pretend
fiction
to spoil
1) I made up my m ind to spend a few days at Positano, so

I ____________ a boat and rowed over.
2 ) You w ouldnt mind if I ____________ myself.
3) I d o n t suppose you will stay here long and I m ean
108
4) I have a good m any books here and if theres anything I
can you I shall be very glad.
5) She n e v e r____________ to be anything but what she is.
6) She has always read a great deal o f E n g lish ____________ .
7) She told me that the H e re fo rd s ___________ parties for
her. But o f course I would _ _ _ _ _ _ _ everything.

to forgive
to exceed
to accompany
to be crowded with
by no means
to supply with
to cut a long story short
1) In w inter the hotels are fu ll o f painters, male and female.

2) You must pardon me if I talk too much.
3) She is in no way an ignorant woman.
4) I went with him to the bedroom.
5) I provided her with interesting details.
6) In short, she asked me to go to Paris for a week or two.
7) She told me that her success went fa r beyondher wildest
dreams.
4 Choose the right word (say, tell, talk, speak) and use it in an appropriate
form.
1) You must forgive me if 1 ___________ too much.

2) I thought o f the disappointm ents o f my wifes friends when
at the end o f the voyage I appeared and w e ___________
them the truth.
3) He with so m uch knowledge o f painting that
I thought he was an art critic.
4) She used to com e to my cabin a n d ____________ me o f her
progress.
5) She ___________ th e duchess a little anecdote and to
109
make it m ore interesting s h e ____________it had happened
to her.
6) Then he began to _________ about the books he had
read.
7) S h e ___________ h ed never leave the wide open spaces.
8) I ve heard her keep the whole dinner-table spell-bound,
when s h e ___________ o f the old days and their adventures.
Complete the sentences. Use a comparative or a superlative.
1) She g a v e ___________ parties all last season, (grand)

2) She says that even now he s h o o ts ___________ than any
man West of the Rockies, (good)
3) She is one o f ____________ women I have ever known.
(cultivated)
4) My wife went a Little ___________ . (far)
5) I liked the prospect o f doing a little work at the Sorbonne
____________ than going to parties in London, (m uch)
6) Her success was ten t i m e s ___________ than any o f the
novels, (w onderful)
7) H er parties were ____________ in London, (successful)
Put in that, what or who. If the sentence is complete without that write
that in brackets.
1) I could not imagine anyone wishing to spend three m onths

there, unless it was som ebody___________ wanted to hide.
2) A man walked i n ____________ could be no other than my
fellow-guest at the hotel.
3) If there is a n y th in g __________ I can lend you I shall be
very glad.
4) But I should love to look a t ___________ you have.
5) He turned to the maid _________ was laying the cover
for me.
6) Then he began to speak o f the books ___________ he had
read and I came to the c o n c lu sio n ____________ he was a
college professor.
7) 1 might run across som eone ________ knew me.
8) She realized the passion for ro m a n c e ____________ beats in
every British heart.
110
Give the missing forms of the verbs
Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle Russian
hide
worn
laid

forgive
won
struck

flown
lend -

understood
thought
begin
becam e
hold

1) W here did the au th o r decide to spend a few days one

August? Why? W hat did the place look like?
2) Why did he.think it odd he was not the only guest at the
hotel? W ho did he think the other guest could be?
3) W hat did his fellow guest look like?
4) Why did he talk so m uch? W hat did he speak about?
I ll
5) Why did they begin to speak about Mrs. Bamaby? W hat
did the author tell his new friend about Mrs. Barnaby and
her parties?
6) W hat did Mrs. Barnaby look like? W hat was she like?
7) How did Mrs. Bamaby win her place in society according
to the author?
8) How did the author learn that Mrs. Bamaby was his new
friends wife?
9) W hat did his friend tell him about his wife? How did she
become rich? W hat was her only desire?
10) How did she m ake friends with the young D uke and
Duchess o f Hereford? W hat kind o f stories did she tell
then? W ho supplied her with interesting details?
11) W hat kind o f man did she transform her husband into?
12) Why did she ask Mr. Bamaby to go to Paris for a week or
two? Why didnt he m ind it?
13) Why did she fly to Paris to see him? Why did she persuade
him to hide somewhere for three m onths?
14) Why did the author say his friend should be proud o f her?
W hat did he th in k was th e only course open to M r.
Bamaby? How did Mr. Bamaby like the idea?
2 Tell the story of Mrs. Bamaby. Use the words and word combinations
from the list below.
Force o f character, a keen sense o f hum our cultivated, to

leave a large fortune, to give parties, to gratify ones wish, to
be at hom e with smb, to win ones place in society, to make
a fool of, a wonderful hostess, a perfectly good wife.
3 Act out a dialogue between Mr. and Mrs Bamaby when the latter flew
to Paris to see him.
1) Why, she swam into London society in her w ash-tub .

She realized the passion for rom ance that beats in every
British heart and shes given us exactly what we w ant.
W hat do you think the wash-tub has to do with the passion
112
for rom ance? W hat do you think society wanted? Why
could she make fools o f them?
2) W hat do you think is the au th o rs attitude to London
society?
3) C om m ent on the title o f the story. D o you find the story
dram atic or hum orous?
Read out your sentences from the pre-reading task. What kind of
story could yours be?
Vocabulary
a adjective prp preposition

a predic. , v verb
.
.
adv adverb .
cj conjunction .
int interjection . ()
n noun . ()
pi plural .
pron pronoun
p. p. past participle . ()

absent-mindedly ['aebsom'maindidli] address [o'drcs] v ,

adv
abstainer [ab'steina] n adore [:] v
adventure [dd'ventjd|
absurd [sb'sstdl , admiration [.aedmo'reifn]
,
accent ['seksont] , afford [a ford) v ( )
( )
accept [sk'sept] v aghast ['] a predic.
accompany ['] v ,
, agony ] ,
accordance |Vko:d3ns] ( )
; in - with agree [':| v ( -
, . ~ with; -. -. ~
Achinese [atjl'nuz] ( to )
) agreeable |':|
acid ['aesidj , alcohol ['aelkahol] ,
acidity [a'sidrti] alms [a:mz]
acquaintance |a'kwemtens] altar |'o:lta)
although [:] cj ,
add [d] v ,
114
altogether ['] adv ; arrange [o'reind 3] v ;
,
amazing [o'meizig] , art lent] ; ~ critic
;
ambassador [jem'bassodo] ; ~ student ,
ambitious [aem'bifas]
ammunition [,asmju'nijn] ashore ['/:| adv
; , asparagus [os'pceragos]
amuse [o'mjaz] v , assemble [s'sem b l] v ()
assistance [a'sistsn sl n ,
amusement [a'mjazmant]
; assure ['/| v
anger )| astonishment [as'tonifm antl n
announce [a'nauns] v , ,
attack [a'taek] v ,
announcement [a'naunsmant] ; n ; heart ~
,
another ['] ; attempt [a'tem pt] n
; ~ 10 minutes 10 attitude ['aetitjad] n
ant [ant] attractive [o'traektiv]
anyhow j'cnihau] adv
avenue ['aevinju:] n ( ),
appear ['] v ,
await la'weitl v ,
appearance ['$) ;

appetizing I'aepitaizir)]
apology [' 1] ball [bail] ; ,
appoint [ point] v ballad ['bcebd] ,
approve (of) [a'pru.v] v band [baend]
arcade [a'keid] n . ; band-stand ['baendstaend |
;
bar [ba] , ;
Argentine [,ad33n'tain] ;
argue [ a:qju:] v ; barely [/bcsli] adv , ,
;
argument ['agjum entl , barn [ban] ,
; , bathe [beid] v
armful ['amful] beach [bi:tj] n ;
arouse [o'rauz] v , - beacon [':]
beak |bi:k]
arrogant ['] bear (bore, borne) [| (|bo:], [bo:n])
, ; v
beard [] n
115
bearing [)] n bore [:] v
; borrow [] v
beckon [] v , bother [] (),
beer [bid] ; ~ with
beg [beg] v ; bottom | 1 ] ,
brace [breis] v
beggar [| bracelet ['breislit] n
behaviour [bi'heiyjd] brandy fbraendi] n ,
belief [bi'li:f] , break (broke, broken) [breik] ([brouk],
believe [bi'lrv] v ; , ['broukn]) v (); ~ down
() ( ), ~ out
Benedictine [,beni'dikti:n] ( , )
breathe [bri:d] v ; ~ hard
berth [:0] . ;
beside [bi'said] ; breeze [briz] .
bet (bet, betted) [bet] (['betid]) v bridge [bnd 3] (
; ~ on )
() bring (brought) [brio] ([brort]) v
betray [bi'trei] v ; , ; ~ up
bill [bil] n ; .
bit [bit] n ; a ~ ; not briskly ['briskli] adv ,
a ~
bite (bit, bit, bitten) [bait] ([bit], bronzed [bronzd] ,
[]) v , ; n
brutal [] ,
blind ['blaind] ; n bullet [lit]
blink [blir)k| v ; bum [] . ,
block letter [1 ,let9] bundle [(!1] ,
blood [bUd] n bungalow [] , -
blow [blou] n ; v (blew, blown)
([blu:|, [bloun])
board [bo:d] n (); on ~ burden .-dn] ;
, burst (burst, burst) [baist] v
boast [boust] v (); n bury ['ben] v
business ['biznis] n ,
boat [bout) n ; ; ; to go into ~
bolt [boult] v
bone-dry ['boun'drai] . ,
but [bAt] ,
( )
bootblack [Wtblsek] butler [] n ,

boots [bats] ( buzzard ['bAzad] ,
) ( )
116
ceremony fsenmani] ,

cab [kaebj n , certain ['sartnj ,
cabin ['kzebm] n ; ; ~ of oneself
cabinet minister ['ksebimt 'minista]
chain [tfein] ,
camp [kaemp] n ; chamber-maid I't/eimbameid]
,
. . (U . S.) champagne [faem'pcm]
capable ['] chance [tjcrns] , ,
capture j'kaeptfa] v ; by ~
; change [t/eind3) v ; ~ ones
card [koid] (), ~ mind ; ;
trick ; pack of ~s ( ); small ~

[] ; v chap [tjsep]
(about); take ~ (of) , character ['kmnkta] ,
; , ;
career ['] ; a great -
carve [ka:v] v ;
charm [tjerm]
case [keis] ; , , charming ['tjamirj]

cashier [tae'Jia] chatty ['tjaeti]
casually ['kaesjuali) , cheap [tjl:pj
, cheat [tjfct] v ,
catch (caught) [kgetj] ([]) v cheque [tfek]
; ( , cheek [tjrk)
), ~ ones death ; ~ out cheerful ['tfiaful]
, chin [tjin]
; ~ sight (of) , Chinese ['t/ai'nrz]
chip [tjip] , ( )
categorically [,2' 1] adv choose (chose, chosen) [tjkz| ([tjouzj,
['tjouznj) v
cause [ko:z] v , christening ['krismi)] n
chuckle ['t/AkI] v ; n
caviare fkaevia:] (
) church [tfatJl n
celebrated I'selibreitid] churchwarden ['tjsit/woidn] n
,
celebrity [si'lebntf] circle ['said] v ,
cell [sell circumstance ['sakomstans] n
cent [sent] (. )
century ['sentjun] , clap [klasp] v ( )
117
clasp |klu:sp| n , consider [kan'sida] v
clean-shaven ['kli:nj'eivn] , ()',
,
clergyman ['ktaidsiman] ? constantly ['kanstontli] adv
clerk (klcck) n , ;
, convalescent [kanvo'lesnt]
close-cut ['klouskAt]
convince [kan'vins] v
closely I'kloush] adv cook [kuk] n , ; v
clothes [kloudz] n p i ()
coast [koust] n cool [kiri]
cockney ['kakm] n ( copper [') n
) countrywoman ['kAntn,wum3n] n
cocktail ['kakteil] n (
) couple ['1] n
coconut-tree I'koukaiut ,tn:] n courage |'1] n ,
(najibMa)
coin [] n course [ko:s| n ,
collapse [ka'laepsl v ; court |ko:t| v
. court-martial [#ko:t 'mtcjll n
come across [' a'kras) v
(), courtyard ['kat'jad] n
come-down 1] n cow-puncher ['kau,pAntjd| n
( , ) ,
comfort ['kAmfotl v cost (cost, cost) [kD S t] V
comfortable ['kAmfbtabl] cover [) v
common [') , crazy I'kreizi]
, ; in ~ -.;
compatriot [kam'pastnot] cream-coloured |'kri:m , ]

complain Ikam'plein] v creature ['krirtjs]
compliment ['komphmant) n creek [kri:k| ; ,

conclusion |'1:] n ; criminal ['kriminal)
to come to the ~ cripple ['kripl] ; v
cross |kros] v ;
condemned [kan'demd] p. p. ;
crude [kru:d|
condition [ksn'dijnl n crumple ['!] v , ;
confess [kan'fes] v ~
confidence Tkanfidansl n , cultivated ('kAltrveitid]
cunning ['}] ,
connect [ks'nekt] v cupola fkjirpalal
consent [ sent] v curly '|ka:li]
118
current ['| n dignified ['dignifaid]
cut (cut) [kxt] v ; ~ out
; . ;
cynical ['simkall dignity ['digniti]

D diminish [di'minij] v
disagree Ldisa'gri:) v
dagger ['daega| n
damned [daemd]<7 , disagreeable ^disa'gnabl]
; adv
dawn [do:n] n ; at ~ disappear ^disa'pia] v
death [de0] n disappointment jdiss'pomtmant] n
deck [dek| n ; chair ,
( ) disarming [dis'aimig]
declare Idi'kles] v ,
disclose [dis'klouz] v ,
deep [di:p]
defend [di'fend] v ) dish [di/] n
deformity [di'fo:miti] n dishonest [dis'onist]
degree (di'gri:] n ; by - dismay [dis'mci] n , ; v

delay [di'Iei] n displeased [dis'pli:zd]
delicacy ['delrkssil n distract [dis'tnekt] v ,
delicate ['delikit]
demand [di'ma:nd| v distress |dis'tres] n ,
den [den| n , disturb [dis'tab| v ,
department store [di'pcrtment 'sto:] ;
dock [dok| n ; (. .)
depend [di'pend] (on, upon) v dogmatic [dog'matik]
,
deposit Idi'pazit] n , domestic [do'mcstik]
dominoes ['dominouz] n ()
describe [dis'kraib] v doorway ['dorwei] n
desert [di'zo:t] v , doubt [daut| n ; v

deserve [di'zav | v doubtfully ['dautftili] adv
despair [dis'pea] n
despotic [des'potik] dozen [dxzn] n
devil ['devl] n , ; ~ish a draw (drew, drawn) \dro:] ([dm :],
[dn:n] v ; (
diamond ['daiamond] n ), ; ~ out
difference ['difrsns| n ,
drawer [dro:| (
digestion [di'd3estjen] n )
119
dreadful ['dredful] , embarrassment [im'bserasmant] n

dream [drirm] v , eminent ['eminant] ,

drink [dnrjk] n (, ); empty j'empti] , ;
v ,
endurance [in'djuarans] n
drive (drove, driven) [drarv] ([drouv],
energetic [ena'd3etik]
[drivn]) v ( ,
. .); ( engaged [in'geid 3d]
, ), - at something ;
- ( enormous [i'no:mas]
), ~ away ; entrust [m'trAst] v
envelope ['enviloup] n
drop [drop] v errand [erand] n
drunk [dr/vr)k] escape [is'keip] v
dry [drai] ; v especially fis'pejali] adv
duchess ['dAtJis] even [i.*vn|
evidently ['evidantli] adv
due to ('dju: ta] prp , -
duke [djixk] n exactly [ig'zaektli] adv ;
dull [ d A l ] , , examine [ig'zaemin] v ;

dust-covered |'dASt,kAvad] exceed [ik'siid] v
except (for) [ik'sept) prp
Dutchman ['dAtfman] n ,
duty ['djurtij n ; do ~ exclude |iks'klu;d] v ;
,
dye |dai] v , execute ['eksikjurt] v
exhibit [ig'zibit] v ,
E
exile ['eksail) n
earn [a:n] v expect [iks'pekt] v
earth |:] n expedition [ekspi'dijn] n
ebony ['abani] n ; a expensive [iks'pensTv] ,

edge [] expert ['ekspart] n ,
education [edju/keijn] ,
effort [efat] extraordinary [iks'tnxdnri]
either ['aida] adv ( . ,
.), ~... or cj ... (
, .) F
elderly ['eldali]
elegant ['eligant) fable ['feibl| n
elm [elm) (.) face [feis| v -.
embarrass [im'bseras] v fail | feil] v ,
da
120
faint [feint] v fleshy [fleji]
faintly ['feintlil adv ; , flick [flik] v {
)
fair [fra] , , flight [flait] n , ,
fling (flung) [flii)| ([]) v (),
false [foils] ()
familiar [fe'milja] , flirt [floit] n ; v
fluency ['fluionsi] n ,
famous ['feimas] , ()
flush [fL\J] v ( )
fancy ('fsnsi] v , fly [flai| n
; ~ dress ball follow ['folou| v ,

far off |'fair 'of] forbid (forbade, forbidden) (|fo'bid]
farm [faim] v ([fo'beid], [fo'bidn]) v
fashionable ['faejnobl] , force [fas] n ; v ; in
~ ,
fate [feit] n forehead ['fond] n
features ['fiitjoz] n forgive (forgave, forgiven) [fo'giv|
fell [fel] v ([fo'geiv], |fo'givn]) v
fellow ['felou] n ; ; formality [foi'maeliti]
; , ; man formula I'foimjulo] n
; guest fortunately I'foitjnitli] adv ,

female [Turned] fortune [Totjbn] n ,
fetch [fetf] v , ; ; make a ~
-., -.; , foul [faul] ,

fiction [frkfn] , fragment ['frcegmont] n , ,

fill (up) [fil] v frail [freil]
financier [fi'naensio], [fai'ruensio] n frame [freim] n
frighten ['fraitn] v
fire [faio| v frontier [] n
fire-place ['faiopleis] n fun [fi\n] n ,
firmness ['famnis] n , funeral ['fjuinorol] n
further [:5] ; adv
first [foist] adv
fish out ['fif'aut] v fuss [fXs] v ,
fist [fist] n -
fix [fiks] v ;
flash |fleef] v G
flask [flaiskl n
flatter [flasto] v gaily I'geili] adv ,
121
gain Igein] v , golf [golf] ()
, good-humoured ['gud'hjuimsd]
gamble ['gaembl) v
good-looking ['gud'lukiol
gang [qaeg] , ,
gasp [ga:spl v ( governess [gAvsnis]
); , government [']
gateway ['geitwei]
gather ['] v () gown [gaun| (),
gay [] ; vergers ~
generation [djena'reijn]
generous [] v grand [grand] ,
,
gesticulate [d3es'tikjuleit] v grasshopper [')
grave [greiv] ; ,
gesture ['d3estja] n
get (got) [get] dgat]) v ; grateful [greitful]
; ; gratify I'gratifai] v
(); ~ away , great nephew |greit 'nevju:]
; ~ back ; ~
down ; ~ frightened Greek [gri:k] n
; - off , ; ~ greet [grin] v
rid (of) greeting |'gri;tio] n
giant ['d3ai3nt] grief |gri:f] n ,
gin [d3in| ( grimly ['grimli] adv
, ) grin [grin] v ,
ginger ale |'d3ind33 ,eil] ; n
() grind (ground) [graind] ([graund]) v
give (gave, given) [give] ([geiv], [givnj) ,
v , ; - a blow grow (grew, grown) [grou] ([gru:|,
; ~ a glance ; [groun]) v , ; ~
~ in ; ~ way* , angry v ; ~ red
; - out ; ~ up ; ~ up
, grotesque |grou'tesk]
go (went, gone) [gou] ([went], [gon|) grudge |!] v -.
v , ; - broke Guatemaltecan [,gwaeti'ma:ltokn| n
; ; ~ off
; ~ on ; guess [ges] v
(- ); ~ out guest | gest] n
; ~ to pieces gum [ | n
; ~ round gun [| n
, ; ~ into service gun-runner[gAnrAn3] n ,

God [god] ; by ~ gutter I'gAta] n
122
hooked [hukt]
horror ['hors] n
habit ['haebit] , ; host [houst] n (,
be in the ~ of )
ham [hasm] , hostess ['houstis| n (
hammer I'haema] v ( - )
) hotel [hou'tel] n
hand (in) [hand] v however [hau'evs] adv ,
handsome I'haenssm] huge [hju:d3 |
hang (hang) [haer)] ([hAi]]) v ; humorist ['hjirmsrist] n ,
(hanged) [haegd] ,
harbour ['herbs] n , hunt [hAnt] v
hard |ha:d] , ; hurt [hart] v ;
adv , ; ,
, hush (up) [ v ,
hardly I'hoidli] adv ,
harm [herm] ,
harsh [ha:J] , I
harum-scarum ['hearsm'skearaml
, idle [aidl] ,
heart [ha:t] ; by ~ ignorant fignarsnt]
heartiness I'haitims] , ,
illusion [I'lugn] ,
heat [hi:t| imagine [I'maedsmI v ,
heated ['hi:tid|
height [hait] imitation [imi'tcijn] ,
hell [hei]
hesitate ['heziteit] v immediately [I'mkdjstlil adv
hide (hid, hidden) |haid] ([hid], | hidn]) ,
v () imposing [im'pouziril
high-flown ['hai 'floun] (
, . .)
hill [hil] n impress [im'pres] v
hint [hint] n
hire [hais] v impression [im'prejn]
hitherto [hifc/tu:] adv inadequate [in'aedikwit]
hoarse [hois]
hold (held) [hould| ([held]) ; inconsolable |,ink9n'soubbl|
- out ,
hole [houl] n inconvenient [,ink9n'vi:nj9nt]
hollow I'halou] n ,
honest ['anist] incredible [in'kredsbll
honour ['| n ; v , indeed [in'di:d] adv ,

123
Indian ['indian] n , judge [d3Ad3] v ,
indicated ['indikeitid]
indifferent [in'difrsnt] jump [d3Amp] v ,
,
industrious [in'dAstnasJ jungle [d3Aogl|
junk [d3AT)k] (
inevitably [in'evitsbli] )
infect [in'fckt] v
insist (on) [in'sist] v
inspection [in'spek/n] n
in spite of [m'spait ofj prp, cj keep (kept) [ki:p] ([kept]) v ;
-.; ~ warm
instinctively [in'stigktivli] adv
khaki I'kcuki] ;
instruct [in'strAkt] v
, kindliness ['kaindhnis]/?
interest I'intnst] n . ( knack [] ,
) kneel [ni:l] v
interval ['intavdl] n ; at knock [nok] v (),
~ knowledge ['nolid3 |
intimately ['intimitli| ^ ()
intrigued [int'iigd] L

introduce [intrs'djirs] v label [leibl] ,
invalid ['invalid] n , lad |laed] ,
invest [in'vest] v , ladder ['laeda] ; .
land [laend] v
iron ['aian] v () landscape ['laenskeip] n ;
ivory I'aivan] n ;
last [la:st| adv
Latin Quarter ['laetin 'kwoito]
J -
latter ['laeto] (
jail [d3eil] , )
jaundice ['d3o:ndis] . law [1:]
jaw [d3o:] lawyer ['bja] ,
jewel ['d3u:dl] lay (laid) [lei] ([leid]) v
, lean [li:n] v
jeweller ['d3u:ab] learn [1:] v
join [d33in] v (), least [list] ; adv
() ; at ~
joke [d3ouk] lend [lend] v
journey ['d33:m| , let (let) [let] v ;
(. )
124
liar [lais] n ~ a place ; ~ sure
liberty f'liboti] n ; ;. ~ up ones mind
; take a - ; ~ ones way
male [meil] {)
light (lit) [lait] (|lit|) v manage ['maenid3] v ,
limb [lim] n ,
liner ['lams] n manager ['^] n ;
; ocean-going -
manner ['mamo] n
lion [laisn] marvel ['mavol] n
lip [lip] master ['masts] n
liqueur [li'kjuo] . matron ['meitron] n -
liquor [lika] matter ['imeto] n ; ;
lively ['larvlil ;
load [loud] v mean (meant) [mim| ([ment]) v
local [loukl] , ; ;
lock [lok] v
log-cabin [log'kaebm] n mean [mi:n] ,
melted ['meltid] p.p.
lonely ['lounli] mention [menjn] v
long chair [ |] n menu ['menju:] n
look [luk] v ; ~ about merchant ['martjont] n ,
; ~ after
(); - for ; ~ into mercilessly ['mo:silssli| /v

loose [lu:s] merry ['men]
Lord [lord] n Mexican ['meksiksn] n
lottery ['btori] n mild ['maild] ; ,
lounge [Iaund3] n ;
, mile [mail] n
loveliness I'Lwlims] n , mind ['maind] v ;
; ,
luck [Lvk] n ; bad ~ , might [mait] ,
; good ~ misery ['mizsn] ,
luggage ['Ugid3 | n mixer ['mikso| . .

M moan [moun] v
modest ['modist|
macaroni [,maeks'rouni] n monogram ['monogram | n
make (made) [meik) ([meid]) v
; ; ~ money monster ['monsto] n
, ; - friends monstrous ['monstros]
; - a fortune moral [moral] ,
; ~ the most ;
125
more [mo:] adv ; a bit ~ nonsense ['nonsons] n ,

motto ['motou] n non-smoker ['non'smouka] n
mosquito [mos'kirtou] n
move [muy] v ; nostril ['nostril] n
, note [nout| n
Mr = Mister ['misto] n , notice ['noutis] v ; take no
( ~ ,
)
Mrs = Mistress ['misiz| , notion [noufn] ,
(
, nowadays ['nauodciz] adv
)
murderer [':| nuisance |'nju:sons]
murmur [' : ] v number ['] ; ~ of
mutton chop ['tm tn 'tjbp]

mysterious [mis'tionos]
, objection [9b'd3ekfn]
occasion ['] ; on one ~
N
occur [':] v ;
namesake ['neimseik| n ;
native ['ncitiv] n ; ~ of the odd [od]
place offal ['ofelj
natural ['naet/rsll , offensive [s'fensiv] ,

nearly | moli] adv offer ['ofe| v
neat [ni:t] , office [ofis] ; ,
neck [nek] n ; , ,
necklace [neklis] n
nerve [no:v] n ; , oil []
old-fashioned ['ould'fejand]
nervous |'no:vos] ; be ~
, only ['ounli]
net [net] n opinion [o'pinpn] ;
netting ['netii]] n , opportunity [op3tju:mti|
news-agent ['nju:zeid3ont] n ,
opposite ['opszitl adv, prp ;
next (to) [nekst]
noble ['noubl| order ['o:da] v ; ;
nod [nod] v ; n n ; ; ; out of
~
none [run] pron oriental [o:nentl|
126
outhouse ['authausj n peep (in) [pi:p] v
peeress [pioris] n ,
outlive ['autliv] v peg [peg] n
outright I'autrart] n , penniless I'penilis] ,

outside ['autsaid] adv penny ['pern] n (
outstretched ['autstretft] )
overload [,ouvo'loud] v perch [portfl v ( )
overlook [ouvo'luk] v ( perfect ['porfikt] ,
)
perform [po'fo:m| v ,

persuade [po'sweid] v
pack [pask] v ; peso I'pcisou] n (. )
; () photograph ['foutograrf] n
painter ['peinto] pick [pik] v , (
pal [pael] , )
Palace Hotel [paelis hou'tel] - picturesque |,piktfo'resk]
( )
pale [peil] ; turn (go, pink [pirjk]
grow) ~ pitiful ['pitiful] ,
pale-boy [peilboi] n -
paralyse ['paerolaiz] v place [pieis] v ; n
parish ['pasnj] n ; plain [plein] ,
please [pli:z] v ;
party I'paiti] n ; ,
; give ~ pleased [pli:zd| ,
,
pass |po:s] v ; pleasure [1] n
; ; ~ on point [point] v ; ~ out

passenger ['paesind3o| poker [pouko] n (
passion [paejn] )
patience ['peijns| ( police Ipo'lirs] n
) politeness Ipo'laitnis] n
patriarchal |,peitn'a:kol] - politics ['politiks) n
poorly ['puoli] a predic.
pause |po:z] ; v pope [poup| n
, port [port] n
pawn [porn] v , porter I'porto] n
postpone Ipoust'poun] v
pay [] v ; ~ attention to pound [paund] n ( ),
(
peach [pirtfl )
127
powerful [pausful] push [pujl v
, put [put] v , ; ~
precede [prr'siid] v aside (away) ; ~ in
precious ['prejbs] ; ~ on airs ;
prefer [pri'fs] v - up , ;
prehistoric [priihis'tonk] ~ upon
puzzle fpAzl] v ,
present ['preznt] n ; (oneself)
[pri'zent] v
presently I'prezsntli] adv Q
press [pres] v ; ; ~
upon ; quaint ['kweint] ,
pretend [pn'tend] v
pretty ['priti] ; adv quarter ['kwata] n ;
quay [ki:] n (
prevent [pri'vent] v )
previous ['priivjes] queer [kwia]
priceless ['praislisj ; quieten (down) ['kwaiatan] v
,
pride [praid] n quietly ['kwaiatli] adv ,
prince [pnns] n
prison [pnzn] n quiver ['kwiva] v ,
private [ praivTt] ,
prize [praiz] n
probably I'probobli] adv , R

profession [pre'fejn] n rage [1| n
progress ['prougros] n ; . rags [negz] n
ragged ['ragid] ;
prohibition [,proui'bijn] n , ; ,
promise [#pn>mis] v ; n
raise [reiz] v
promptly [promptli] adv , rate [reit | n ; ,
rather ['raids] adv ;
propose (to) [prs'pouz] v ; ()
( ) ready-made [redi'meid] ;
prospect ['prospekt] n
protect [pro'tektj v ; realize ['nalaizl v

proud (of) [praud] ; be ~ of reassure ['riia'Jua] v
rebel frcbl] ,
prove [pru:v| v rebellion [ri'beljan] ,
puppet I'pApit] n rebellious [rt'beljas] ,
purpose ['papas | n
128
recall [':1] v , rock [] v ,
, ( roof [riri]
) rough [rAf| ; ;
recognize ['rekagnaiz] v ; : in the ~
-.
redouble [n'dvbl] roughneck I'rAfnek]
refiise [n'fjirz] v () row | ]
regiment ['red3imant| n row [rouj
regret [n'gret] v rub []
rejoin [n'd 30in] v . ruddy I'rAdi]
ruffian ['| ,

relief [n'liif] ; rug [|
ruin ['ruin] v ; ~s pi
remain [n'm ein| v ; .
remark [n'maik] v , run (ran, ) [] ([raen|) ;
-. (); ; ~ across
rem arkable [ri'ma:kabl] ,

rem ittance [ri'mitsns] S
; ~ man ,
, sabre ['seiba| ,
sacrifice ['saskrifais] v ,
reply [n'plai] ; v
report ['] , safe [seif] ; ;
residence [rezidens] be ~
resignation [,rezig'neifn] safely ['seifli] adv
sail [seil] , ,
resolute frezslurt]
respect | ns'pekt] sailor ['seils]
respectful (ns'pektful] salmon ['saemsn]
sane |sem] ,
rest [rest) v ;
sa tisfa c to rily |,saetis'fcekt3nli| adv
restful ['restfol]
restaurant ['restanxol satisfied I'saetisfaid]
retired [n'taiad] ;
save [seiv] v ; ;
retort [n'tart] v (
), savings-bank [seivigzbaggk] n
rheumatism ['iumatizm]
rib [nb] Scandinavian [skaendi'nervjan]
rid [rid] v ; to get ~
scanty ['skccnti]
129
scar [ska:] n , shell Lfel] n
scarcely ['skessli] adven$a (); shine ] v ()
show in ['Jou 'in] v ,
scarlet fever ['ska:lrt Tlvs] m
shrewd Lfiud] ,
scent [sent] n
scream [skiim] v , shrug ] v ()
scrub [skrAb] n () shutter ['Jxts] n
seat [si:t] v ; ~ oneself shy [fai] ,
; n side street ['said 'stitt | n
second-best [!] siege [si:d3] n
siesta [si'ests] n .
securities [si'kjusrrtiz] n
see off ['si: 'of] v ( sigh [sai] ; n
, . .) sign [sain] n ; v
seize [ s l z | v , signore [si'njo:r] n um. ,
self-assurance [selfs'Jusrsns]
signora [si'njo:ra:] n um. ,
selfish ['selfifl
senator ['senoto) sight [sait] n ; ; to catch ~
seflor [so'njo:] . (of)
sense [sens] similar f'simila] ,
sensible ['sensobl]
sentence ['sentsns] v simplicity [sim'plisiti] n ,
separate ['seporeit] v ,
since [sms] adv
serve [so:v| , singlet ['sigglit] n
settle ['setl] v , sink (sank, sunk) [sirjk] ([saegk],
[sxpk]) v ;, ; my
shabby I'Jeebi] , heart sank
sip [sip] ,
shake (shook, shaken) [/eik| ( Lfuk], skin [skm] ;
[feikn]) v () ~ hands skinny ['skini] ,
skipper [skips] ; (
shape Lfeip] n )
shapeless ['Jeiplis] slap [slaep] ,
share [fes] v , ; n slender ['slends] ,
, slip [slip] v ; .
sharply |'Ja:pii] adv slight [slait] ,
shatter ['Jasts] v .
shave [fciv| v slim [slim] ,
shawl ['Jo:l] n small change [,smo:l 'tjeind^l
sheer Lfb] , ,
smart [sma:t]
130
small [smel| n ; v stagger ['suego] v
snack [snack] n staff [stall] n
snub [snAb] v , stare [stco] v ,
society [sa'saisti] n . ,
startle ['staitl] v ,
soft [soft] , ( startling ['staitlip]
) state |steit]
sombrero [som'brcorou] . statement ['steitmont] n
( ) ;
somewhat ['sAmwot] adv , state-room [ sternum |

sorry ['son] a predic. ; be station [steijn] n (
~ ; ; ); v
stay [stei] v &,
soul [soul] steady [stedi] ,
sound [saund] ,
soundly ['saundli] adv ; sleep steal (stole, stolen) [sti:l| ([stoul],
~ ['stouln|) v
sovereign ['sovnn] ( steep [sti.p|
) steer [stio] n
space [speis] step [step| n ;
Spaniard ['spaenjod] steward ['stjuad] n (
specialist ['spejblistj , )
specialize ['spejolaiz] v - stick (stuck) [stik] ([stAkj) v ,
, ; ~ together
speedily j'sphdili] adv ,
stifling ['staiflir)]
spirit I'spint] n , ; high ~s sting (stung) [stir>l ([stArj]) v ;
,
splendid ['splendid] , stir [sto:] v (); n
,
spoil [spoil] v stock [stok] n
spot [spot] n stolid ['stolid) ,
spotless I'spotlis]
stomach | stAmak] n
spread (spread, spread) [spred| v straighten [streitn] v
strain [strein] n
spring (sprang, sprung) [spnp] ([spraegl, stranger |'streind 3o] n
[sprAi)]) v strengthen ['strerjGan] v ,
spurt [spo:t| v ()
squad [skwod] n . , strike (struck) [straik] ([strAk]) v
square [skwco] , ; n
stab [staeb] v stroll [stroul] v ,

131
stub [stAbJ n talkative ['toikotiv]
sturdy f'stgxli) , , ,
talk over ['tsk'ouvs] v
suburbs I'sAbsbz] n , taste [teist] n
() tavern I'tacvsn] n
success [ssk'ses] n ; to be a ~ tear (tore, torn) [tca| (|to:|, [to:n]) v
,
suicide I'sjuisaid] n temple [tempi] n
suit [sjixt] n ; v , tempt [tempt] v
tender ['tends]
suitcase I'sjixtkeis] n terrible fterobl]
suggest [s o re st] v ; terrific [ts'nfik]
() terrifying ['terrfanp]
sum ($1 n therefore ['death:| adv
supply [ss'plai] v , thick [0ik|
thief |0i:f] (pi thieves) n
suppose [ss'pouz] v , thoroughly ['0.\r3li| adv
, ,
surprise [so'praizl v ; n though [dou] cj. ;
, ,
surround [ss'raund] v thread [Ored] ,
survive [ss'vaiv] v , throat [Orout]
throw (threw, thrown) [0rou] ([0ru:],
suspect [sss'pekt] v |0roun]) v
suspicion [ssspijnl n ticket ['tikrt] n
swear (swore, sworn) [swesl (|swo:j, tickle ['tiki) v
[swo:n]) v tidy (up) ['taidi] v ;
sweet [swi:t| , ; ( )
tin [tin] n ,
swim (swam, swum) |swim] ([swaem], tiny I'taini]
[swAm|) v tip [tip] n ; (^-
symbol ['simbl] n . m y . .)
tire |tais] v , ;
T ~ing of
tiresome I'taiassm] ,
tactlessly [taektlisli | adv ,
take (took, taken) [teik] ( |tu k |, tobacconist [ta'bsekanist] n
Iteikn]) v , ; ~ care of
, ; ~ to-night [ts'nart] adv
notice , toothless [;tu:01is|
; ~ part ; ~ total ('toutl|
place ; ; touching ['tAtJip]
~ a risk ; ~ someone's towards [to'wo:dz| ,
place
132
tower [taus] n up ; ;
toy [toi] n ; ~ theatre ; give someone ~ ,

trace [treis] n ,
, U
trade [trcid) n , ;
be in ~ uncanny ['] ,

traffic f'traefik] ; uncertain [An'sartn]
,
tragic |'tre d 3ik] ; uncomplaining [Ankam'plemiQ]
,
transfer ['traensfo: | undo [W du:] v
uneasily [An'i:zili| adv
transform [traens'foimj v unexpected [Amks'pektrd]
;
tremble ['trembl] v unhappy [An'haepi]
trick [tnk] n . united Ijir'naitid] ;
trifle ['traifl| n , ; a ~ - family
, unless [on'lcs) cj ;
trip [tnp] n ; unlike [] prp
triumph ['traiamf] n unpleasant [An'pleznt]
triumphantly [trai'Amfantli] adv ,
unpretentious [Anpn'tcnfas|
troop Itrurp] n ; ~s ,
trouble [trAbl] v , unwise [An'waiz]
; n , ;
upright ['| ,
troublesome ['trAblsam] ; adv ,
upset (upset, upset) |Ap'set] v
trousers ['trauzoz] n pi.
trousseau ['tru:sou| n . upstanding [Ap'staendip]
trunk |trApk| n ,
urchin ['at/in | n ,
try [trail v ; , ; street ~
;
tumbler [' ] ( V
)
turmoil ['tamoil] , vacancy [veikonsi] ,
,
turn [t3:n| v (); - vaguely [Veigli] adv ,
(); , ; ~ pale
; ~ away ; vain [vein] ; in -
~ out ; ; ~
133
value ['vselju:] n , , way [wei] , ; by the ~
; give ~ ; in ~
vanity ['vamiti] n ; on the ~
vary [ vcori] v paxi , wear (wore, worn) [w] ([wo:], [worn])
v (),
veil [veil] n ; -.; ~ on
vein [vein] n ( ); - out
verandah [vo'raencte] n weather-beaten ['wedo ,bi:tn]
verger |'va:d33| n ( );
,
vestry [Vestn] n . wedding f'wedii)]
vicar [] n , weigh [wei] v
well-off jwel'of] ,
view [vju:] n ; a point of -
well-read [wel'red]
villa [Vilp] n wet [wet| ,
vitality [vai'taliti] n whenever [wen'evo] adv
,
vivid [Vivid] , while [wail] cj , ;
vulgar |'1] , ,
whip out [Vvip aut] v
whole [houl] ,
W widow fwidou] n ; ~ed

waiter ['we its] n wild fwaild] ,
wake (woke, woken; waked, ;
waked) [weik] ([wouk], [Vvoukn], will [wil| n
|weikt] v (. to ~ willing [ViIiq] ()
up); win (won) [win] ([wxn]) v
want [wont] v ; ( ),
-.; , wonder [V\nda] v ,
war [wo:| , ;
wardrobe [Vvo:droub | ; ~
trunk wonderful [Vvndaful]
wash-tub [ wofl\b)
, worry [Vah]
waste [weist] () worship ['woifip] v ,
wasted ['weistidl ,
worth [wo:6] ; be ~
watch [wotfl v ;
wave [wervl worthless I'waBlis]
wave [werv] v ; ~ aside ;
, -. worthy [Vo:di] ,

134
wound [wu:nd] ; wrinkled I'rirjkld]
wrap [rsepj v
wretchedness ['ret/idms| n , Y

yacht [jot]

Arizona ['] ( Paris I'psensl .

- Pennsylvania Lpensil'veinjs]
) ( -
Balkans ['bsilksnz] )
Batavia [bs'teivjal ( Portsmouth ['pottsmsG) (

) -)
Borneo [:] - Rome [roum| .
Capri fkeipn] - Shanghai [faen'hai] .
Central America I'sentrl ' ] Singapore [^':] .
Soerabaya [sure'bais] (
China ['tfains] )
Europe [juarsp] Somerset(shire) I'sAmssitCfis)]
Guatemala City Lgwseti'mcda 'siti] ) ( Anejiuu)
( ) Sorbonne [:]
Hong Kong [hor)'kog|
Japan '] Southampton [sauO'aempton]
Kobe ['koubi] ( (
) )
Kuching ['kutjii)] ( Sumatra [su/maitrs] -
) Vancouver [vam'kirval .
Mediterranean Sea ^medita'reinjsn Vera Cruz ['vera'kruiz]
si:J (
Mexico City ['meksikou 'siti| )
( ) Vienna [vi'ens] .
Monte Carlo [mounts 'kcdou] Yokohama [jouko'ha:m3|
- ( (
, )
) Yucatan ['juikotsn] -
Nicaragua [,']|
(
)

The M an W ith the S c a r ............................................................................... 3

Exercises.........................................................................................................7
The L uncheon............................................................................................... 14
Exercises.......................................................................................................19
A Friend in N e e d ......................................................................................... 25
Exercises.......................................................................................................30
L ouise............................................................................ ..37
Exercises...................................................................................................... 43
H o m e .............................................................................................................. 50
Exercises...................................................................................................... 55
The End o f the F lig h t.................................................................................. 62
Exercises...................................................................................................... 68
The V e ig e r.....................................................................................................75
Exercises.......................................................................................................81
The B u m ........................................................................................................ 88
Exercises...................................................................................................... 93
The W a sh -tu b ..................... 100
Exercises............................ 107
V ocabulary.................................................................................................... 114
.................................................... 136

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S.

Maugham, the celebrated 1 9 -2 0 B eginner

Upper Interm ediate

It was on account o f the scar that I first noticed h im ,1 for it

1 it was on account of the scar that I first noticed him -

1 I saw him offered a drink ,

1 what the devil they were keeping him waiting for

ffl Pre-reading Tasks

Sabre, height, sombrero, G uatem ala, exile, Nicaragua, ruffian,

I's e ib s ] [h a it] [s a m 'b re o ro u ] |,g w aeti'm a:l3 ] ['e k sa il]

Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks

1 Find in the story the English for:

2 Use one of the words or word combinations from the box in an

now and then

1) It was unexpected on that round, fat a n d __________face.

3 Choose the right word.

1) But now and then I saw h i m _________ a drink.

4) The general asked the condem ned m en w hether there was

5) The general com m anding the troops wished t o ________

6) The blood spurted from the cut vein a n d ________ the

7) They the girl on the ground and stood watching

8) To tell the truth I think it the story.

A into direct speech.

1) I wondered whether it had been caused by a sabre or by

into indirect speech.

5 Put the verbs:

A into the Active Voice.

1) N o notice was taken o f him.

into the Passive Voice.

1) My com panion greeted him.

1) a d rin k , a b ran d y , tea ...

Reading Comprehension and Discussion Tasks

Answer the following questions:

1) The frame o f the story: the beginning which expresses the

3 Discuss the following:

I caught sight o f her at the play and in answer to her beckoning

1 if someone had not mentioned her name... 1 would have recognized

1 the Latin Quarter ( ,

1 Unless you had a little caviare. ,

3 1 wondered what the bill would come to ,

5 it would he terrible to find myself ten francs short

1 the head waiter

1 Luncheon is a formal lunch.

Latin Q uarter, restaurant, senator, m enu, reassure, salm on,

I'lsetin 'kwortal |'restoro:r)] ['senoto] ['menju] [rb'JUol ['saeman]

^ Vocabulary and Grammar Tasks

1 Find in the story the English for:

1 21 stone = 133,3 kg. (stone = 6,33 )

1) Its many years since we first met. H o w ________ !

3 Replace the italicized words and word combinations with a synonym

A Which of the verb tenses in the sentences below is used to describe:

a) an action that happened before another past action?

1) I ve just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.

Use the verbs in brackets in an appropriate tense (active or

1) The prices were a great deal higher than I ________ . (to

A Decide why the italicized nouns are used with o, the or 0 .

1) a) I never eat anything for luncheon.

Use the proper article.

1) You asked me t o _____ luncheon.

Reading Comprehension and Discussion Tasks

Answer the following questions:

Discuss the following:

1) Make guesses about the w om ans background.