为了公平正义爱情与金钱中英文短篇小说

2021年1月18日发(作者：查振坤)
爱情与金钱中英文短篇小说




爱情与金钱



你是一名不错的侦探，
是吗？如果是的话，
那你得比沃尔什探长
先找出凶手。
沃尔什探长是名警探，
他工作虽说慢了点，
可十分细心。
你是位
“
快手
”
吗？侦探是干什么的呢？侦探就是寻找线索的人。
而线
索就是告诉你谁是凶手的重要但又细小的事物。
发现线索不容易，
但
本故 事中有许多线索。
有些线索有用
——
它们能帮助你，
可有些线索
却不 利
——
它们妨碍你找到凶手。
你得仔细点读，
否则你会错过线索。



但请记住：你不必相信人们说的每件事。凶手显然会撒谎，可能
其他人因 不同的理由也会撒谎。
也许他们希望某人死去。
但是谁希望
呢？谁杀的？你能找出凶手 吗？



罗伊纳
·
阿金耶米英国人，
但在非洲度 过了许多年。
《爱情与金钱》
是她为英语学生写的第一部故事。



1 Chapter


The Clarkson family lived in the country near Cambridge
，
about half
a mile from the nearest village and about a mile from the river
．
They had
a
big
，
old
house
with
a
beautiful
garden
，
a
lot
of
flowers
and
many
old
．
trees
．



One Thursday morning in July
，
Jackie came in from the garden
．
She
was a tall
，
fat woman
，
thirty years old
．
It was the hottest day of the year
，
but
she
wore
a
warm
brown
skirt
and
yellow
shirt
．
She
went
into
the
kitchen to get a drink of water
．
Just then the phone rang
．



Cambridge 1379
，
Jackie said
．



Hello
．
This is Diane
．
I want to talk to Mother
．



Mother isnt here
，
Jackie said
．
Shes at the doctors
．



Why
？
Whats Wrong
？



Nothings wrong
，
Jackie said
．
Why are you telephoning
？

You are
going to come this weekend
？

Mother wants everyone to be here
．



Yes
，
I want to come
，
Diane said
．
Im phoning because I have no
money for the train ticket
．



No money
！
Mother is always giving you money
！



This phone call is very expensive
，
Diane said coldly
．
Tell Mother
please
．
I need the money
．



Jackie put the phone down
．
She took a cigarette from her bag and
began
to
smoke
．
She
felt
angry
because
her
sister
al-ways
asked
for
money
．
Diane was twenty years old
，

the youngest in the family
．
She
lived
in
London
，
in
one
room
of
a
big
house
．
She
wanted
to
be
a
singer
．
She sang very well but she could never get work
．



Jackie
went
back
into
the
kitchen
and
began
to
make
some
sandwiches
．
Just then the back door opened
，
and her mother came in
．



Its very hot
！
Molly said
．
She took off her hat and put it down on the
table
．
She was a tall
，
dark woman with beautiful eyes
．



Two big
，
black dogs came into the kitchen after her and ran across to
her
．
She sat down and put her hands on their heads
．



Jackie put the sandwiches on the table
．
Mother
，
she said
，
Diane
phoned
．
She wants money for her train ticket
．



Molly
closed
her
eyes
for
a
minute
．
Then
she
stood
up
．
This
afternoon
I
want
you
to
get
the
house
ready
for
the
weekend
，
she
said
．
Oh
，
and please go to the village later and get my tablets
．



Yes
，
Mother
，
Jackie said
．



Molly went to the door
．



Mother
，
please wait a minute
，
Jackie said
．
Peter Hobbs came here
this morning
．
Hes very angry with you about that letter
．
He lost his job
，
you
know
．
Why
did
you
write
to
his
office
？
He
wants
to
talk
to
you
about it
．



Well
，
I dont want to talk to him
，
Molly said
．
She opened the door
．



But Mother
，
you dont understand
．
Hes seventeen
，
and it was his first
job
．
Hes very
，
very angry
．
He says… he says hes going to kill you
！



Molly
did
not
answer
．
She
went
out
of
the
room
and
closed
the
door
．



1


克拉克森家住在剑桥附近的乡下，离最近的村庄约有半英里路，
距离河有
1
英里左右。
他们有幢大而古老带有美丽花园的房子，
花园
里有许多花和许多古 树。



7
月的一个星期四早上，
杰基从花园进了屋。< br>她是个高大，
肥胖，
30
来岁的女人。这是一年中最热的日子，而她却穿着暖色 调的黄色
衬衫和棕色裙子。她走进厨房去喝水，这时电话响了。



“
剑桥
1379
号，
”
杰基说。



“
你好！我是黛安娜。我想和妈妈说话。
”



“
妈妈不在家，
”
杰基说。
“
她看医生去了。
”< br>


“
怎么了？出了什么事？
”



“
没什么，
”
杰基说。
“
你打电话干嘛？这个周 末你回来吗？妈妈
希望每个人都在。
”



“
是 啊，我想回来，
”
黛安娜说。
“
我正因为没钱买火车票，才打
电话。
”



“
没钱！妈妈总是给你钱！
”



“
电话费很贵，
”
黛安娜冷冷说道。
“
请告诉妈妈，我需要钱。
”



杰基放下电话，
她从包 里拿了枝烟抽起来。
她因她的妹妹总是要
钱感到生气。黛安娜
20
岁了，在家 里最校她住在伦敦，在一所大房
子里有间屋子。
她想成为一个歌唱家，
她唱得很棒可是 她却从来不愿
找工作。



杰基走回厨房动手做一些三明治。这时后门开了，
她的母亲走了
进来。



“
天太热了！
”
莫利说道，她脱下帽子放在桌上。她是位高个子、
皮肤浅黑，有双美丽眼 睛的女人。



两条大黑狗跟着她进了厨房围着她转，
她坐下来把手放在它们的
头上。



杰基把三明治放在桌上。
“
妈妈，
”
她说道，
“
黛安娜打来电话，
她想要钱买火车票。
”



莫利闭上眼一会，然后站起来。
“
下午我希望你收拾一下房子为
周末做准备，
”
她说。
“
哦，随后请去村里给我买些药片。
”



“
好的，妈妈，
”
杰基说。



莫利向门口走去。



“
妈妈，请等一会。
”< br>杰基说。
“
彼得霍布斯今早来了，他对你的
那封信很生气。你知道，他丢了工作 。你为什么写信给他的办公室？
他想和你谈谈这事。
”



“
好啦，我不想和他谈，
”
莫利说，她打开门。



“
可是妈妈，你不明白。他
17
岁了，那是他第一份工作，他非常
非常生气。他说
……
他说他会杀了你！
”



莫利没答话，她走出房间关上了门。



2 Chapter


It
was
seven
oclock
on
Saturday
evening
．
Jackie
stood
at
the
window
．
A car drove slowly up to the front door and stopped
．
A tall man
with white hair got out
，
It was Albert
，
the husband of Mollys sister
．



Heres Uncle Albert
，
Jackie said
．
Always late
．



She went out of the room and opened the front door
．
Albert came in
and went at once to Molly
．



Oh
，
dear
．
Im very late
．
I am sorry
，
Albert said
．
Fifty years old today
！
What a wonderful dress
！



Molly
did
not
smile
．
Thank
you
，
Albert
．
Were
all
getting
older
．
Tonight she wore a long black dress
，
and the two black dogs sat at
her feet
．
Everyone is here now
．
Lets go in to dinner
，
she said
．



Everyone stood up and went to the table
．



The
table
looks
nice
，
Jackie
．
What
wonderful
flowers
！
Diane
said
．
She
was
a
beautiful
girl
，
with
long
black
hair
and
dark
blue
eyes
．
She wore a long red dress
．



Albert sat down next to Roger Roger was Mollys son
，
her second
child
．
He lived in Cambridge
，
in an expensive house
．



Someone called Peter stopped me down the road
，
Albert said
．
Who
is he
？

Hes very angry with you
，
Molly
．



Thats
Peter
Hobbs
，
from
the
house
across
the
road
，
Jackie
said
quickly
．
She looked across the table at Molly
．
He lost his job last week
and hes angry with everyone
．



Its Molly he doesnt like
，
Albert said
．



Molly said nothing
．
Everyone began to eat
．



How is Aunt Annie
？
Jackie asked
．



Shes much worse now
，
Albert said
．
She stays in bed all the time
．
She
needs a nurse twenty- four hours a day
．



I am sorry
，
Molly said
．



Albert stopped eating and looked at Molly
．
Its very difficult and very
expensive
，
you know
．
Annie feels very unhappy because you dont visit
her
，
Molly
．
She loves you very much
．
You are her little sister
；
you know
．



Molly closed her eyes for a minute
．

I know that
，
Albert
．
I am fifty
years old
，
but I am always her“little”sister
．
Well
，
we can talk about it
later
．



Albert laughed
．
Oh yes
，
we can talk later
．
Its always later with you
，
Molly
．
Always tomorrow
．
Never today
．



Jackie
watched
her
mother
．
Her
mother
was
angry
with
Albert
．
Molly never liked talking about her sister Annie and she did not
like visiting her because she was very ill
．



Thats a beautiful dress
，
Diane
．
Is it new
？
Jackie asked
．



Thank you
，
Jackie
．
Yes
，
its new
，
and very expensive
．
I got it on
Wednesday
，
Diane said
．
She smiled at Jackie
．



All
your
things
are
expensive
，
Jackie
said
．
She
remembered
the
phone call on Thursday about the train ticket
．



I dont like cheap things
，
Diane said
．
And Im going to need more
money soon
．
I want to go to America
．
Can you help me
，
Roger
？



Oh no
，
Roger said
．
Nobody wants to help you
，

Diane
．
You dont
like working
，
we all know that
，
but we all want you to get a job
．



Diane
laughed
．
It
doesnt
matter
，
Roger
．
I
dont
need
your
help
．
Mother
always
helps
me
．
Mother
loves
me
best
．
She
suddenly
smiled
，
a quick
，
beautiful smile
．
But her eyes were cold
．



Jackie looked at her mother
．
Mollys face was white
．
Jackie did not
understand
．
Was her mother afraid of Diane
？
Jackie wanted her mother
to be happy today
．



Would
you
like
some
more
meat
，
Uncle
Albert
？
Jackie
asked
．
Roger
，
can you give everyone some more to drink
？



Roger got up and began to give more wine to everyone
．
This is good
wine
，
he said
．



Molly smiled for the first time
．
Yes
，
your father loved this wine
．
He
often drank it
．



Yes
，
Albert said
，
and looked at Molly
．
Expensive
，
too
．



Would
you
like
to
meet
Mr
Briggs
this
weekend
，
Roger
？
Jackie
asked quickly
．
Hes the new man at the farm
．
He wants to meet you
．



Briggs
？
Briggs
？
Molly said
，
suddenly angry
．
Dont talk to me about
that man
．
I dont like him
．
He wants half my garden for his farm
．
He needs
more land
，
he says
．
I dont want him in my house
．
Hes always dirty and
he has bad teeth
．



Jackie stood up and got her bag
．
Excuse me
，
I want a cigarette
．



Cigarettes
！
Always a cigarette in your mouth
，
Molly said
．
I dont like
it
．
Cigarettes arent good for you
．



Jackie
began
to
smoke
．
She
felt
angry
but
she
said
nothing
．
She
wanted her mother to be happy this evening
，
but it was very difficult
．



Roger drank some more wine
．
Well
，
Mother
，
perhaps Mr Briggs is
right
．
The garden is very big
，
you know
，
he said
．
Its a lot of work for
you
．
The house is big
，
too
．
Youre fifty now
．
You need to be more careful
．



Roger
！
I dont need a nurse
，
you know
！
I work in the garden every
day
；
I
feel
happy
there
．
Molly
stood
up
．
I
know
you
all
want
my
money
．
You come here for a free dinner
，
you dont want to see me
．
You
dont love me
．
You want my house
，
and my money
．
Well
，
you can all
wait
．
No-body is getting more money from me
，
not before I die
！



Dont say that
，
Mother
！
Jackie cried
．



Molly walked across the room to the door
．
I feel ill now
．
Im going
upstairs to bed
．



Molly left the room
．
Nobody moved
．



One day Im going to kill that woman
，
Diane said quietly
．



Roger
looked
at
Diane
but
said
nothing
．
Albert
moved
his
head
slowly up and down
．
Ill
！
Shes angry
，
thats all
，
he said
．
Molly always
gets
angry
about
money
．
Why
cant
she
be
good
to
her
sister
？
Annies
going to die soon
．
Molly knows that
．



Jackie
finished
her
cigarette
and
stood
up
．
Would
everyone
like
some coffee
？
Come into the kitchen and lets drink it there
．



2


星期六晚上
7
点。
杰基站在窗前。
一辆小车徐徐驶到前门停下来。
一个白头发、高个子的男人下了车，他是艾伯特 ，莫利姐姐的丈夫。



“
是艾伯特姨父，
”
杰 基说。
“
他总是迟到。
”



她走出房间打开前门。艾伯特走进来，立刻便走向莫利。



“< br>哦，亲爱的，抱歉，我来得太迟了，
”
艾伯特说。
“
今天是你
50
岁生日！多漂亮的裙子！
”



莫利没有笑。
“
谢谢你，艾伯特。我们都老了。
”
今晚她穿了一条
长长的黑裙子，两条黑 狗蹲在她脚边。
“
现在大家都到了，咱们吃饭
吧。
”
她说。



大家都站起来走到桌前。



“
餐 桌看起来不错，杰基。多美的花啊！
”
黛安娜说。她是个美丽
的女孩，
有一头 长长的黑头发和一双深蓝色的眼睛，
她穿了一条红色
的长裙。



艾伯特坐在罗杰的旁边。罗杰是莫利的儿子，她的第二个孩子。
他住在剑桥一幢昂贵的房子里。



“
有个叫彼特的人沿路阻挡我，
”
艾伯特说 。
“
他是谁？他很生你
的气，莫利。
”


“
那是彼得霍布斯，家住在马路对面的房子里。
”
杰基很快地说。
她看着 餐桌对面的莫利。
“
他上周丢了工作，他生每个人的气。
”



“
他不喜欢的是莫利，
”
艾伯特说。



莫利一言不发。大家开始吃东西。



“
安妮姨妈好吗？
”
杰基问。



“< br>她现在更糟糕了，
”
艾伯特说。
“
她所有时间都呆在床上。她一
天
24
小时都需要护士。
”



“
我真难过
”
，莫利说。



艾伯特停 下来看着莫利。
“
你知道，
这事非常麻烦并且非常花钱。
莫利，安妮因为你不 去看她很不高兴。她非常爱你，你知道，你是她
的小妹妹。
”



莫利闭上了眼。
“
我知道这些，艾伯特。我都
50
岁了，可我总是< br>她的小妹妹。好吧，我们以后再谈这事。
”



艾伯特笑道 。
“
哦，是啊，我们以后再谈。莫利，和你总是以后，
总是明天。从来不是今天。”



杰基看着她的母亲，
她的母亲生艾伯特的气。
莫利从来就不喜欢
谈论她姐姐，也不喜欢去拜访她。而她病得很重。



“
这裙子真漂亮，黛安娜。是新的吗？
”
杰基问。



“
谢谢，杰基。是的，新裙子，非常贵。我周三才买的。
”
黛安娜
说。她冲着杰基微笑。



“
你所有的东西都昂贵，”
杰基说。
她记起周四关于火车票的电话。



“< br>我不喜欢便宜的东西，
”
黛安娜说。
“
我不久会需要更多的钱，
我想去美国。罗杰，你能帮我吗？
”



“
哦，不行，
”
罗杰说。
“
没有人想帮你，黛安娜。我们都知道，
你不喜欢工作， 但是我们都希望你找份工作。
”



黛安娜笑道。
“没关系，罗杰。我不需要你的帮助，妈妈总是会
帮我的，妈妈最爱我。
”
她突然笑 了一下，一个转瞬即逝美丽的微笑。
可她的眼神却是冷冷的。



杰基看着她的妈妈，莫利脸色苍白。杰基不明白为什么。她的妈
妈会怕黛安娜？杰基希望她的妈妈今天快 快乐乐。



“
艾伯特姨父，你还要些肉吗？
”
杰基问。
“
罗杰，你能给每人再
添些饮料吗？
”



罗杰站起来动手给大家加了些酒。
“
这酒不错，
”
他说。



莫利第一次笑了。
“
是啊，你父亲爱喝这种酒。他经常喝。
”



“
是啊
”
，艾伯特看着莫利说
“
也非 常贵。
”



“
罗杰，这个周末你想见见布里格斯吗？< br>”
杰基急忙问。
“
他刚来
农常他想见见你。
”



“
布里格斯？布里格斯？
”
莫利说，她突然生气了。< br>“
不要和我谈
那个男人，我不喜欢他。他想要我把一半的花园当他的农常他说，他
需要更多的土地。我不希望他来我家，他总是脏兮兮的，还有一口坏
牙。
”



杰基站起来拿她的包。
“
抱歉，我想抽枝烟。
”



“
烟！
你的嘴总是叼着烟，
”
莫利说。
“
我讨厌烟，
抽烟对你不好。
”



杰基开始抽烟，她感 到很生气，但她什么也没说。她想让她妈妈
今晚快乐些，可看来这非常难。



罗杰喝了好些酒。
“
好啦，妈妈，布里格斯先生可能是对的。你
清 楚，花园是太大了，
”
他说。
“
你要干许多的事，房子也太大了。你
都
50
岁了，你需要更多的照顾。
”



“罗杰！你明白，我不需要护士！我每天在花园里干点活，我在
那儿感到快乐。
”
莫 利站起来。
“
我知道你们都想要我的钱。你们来这
儿只为一顿免费的晚餐，不是想来看 看我，你们不爱我。你们想要我
的房子，我的钱。好吧，你们都等着。在我死之前，任何人都别想从我这儿得一点儿！
”



“
别说这些，妈妈！
”
杰基叫道。



莫利穿过房间走到门前。
“
现在我感到不舒服。
我要上楼睡觉了。
”



莫利离开了房间，大家都没动。



“
有一天我会杀了这女人，
”
黛安娜平静地说。



罗杰看看黛安娜，但什么也没说。艾伯特上下摇晃着脑袋。
“
不
舒 服！她生气了，就这样，
”
他说。
“
莫利谈到钱总要生气。为什么她
不能对她姐姐好点？安妮不久就要死了，莫利知道这些。
”



杰 基抽完烟站起来。
“
每人都来些咖啡吗？到厨房去，咱们在那
儿喝吧！
”


3 Chapter


Early next morning the house was quiet
．
Suddenly there was a cry
from the room next to Rogers
，
his mothers room
．
Roger opened his eyes
and looked at the clock
．
It was nearly seven oclock
．
He got out of bed and
opened the door quietly
．
At the same time the door of his mothers room
opened and Diane came out
．
Her face was very white
．



Roger
！
It s Mother
！
I brought a cup of coffee for her and I found her
dead
．
Shes dead…dead in her bed
，
she cried
．



Roger
went
quickly
to
the
door
of
his
mothers
room
and
looked
in
．
The window was open but the room was warm
．
Molly was on the bed
，
one hand under her head
．
Roger went across to the bed and put his hand
on her arm
．
It was cold
．
On the little table next to the bed was a hot cup of
coffee and an empty cup
．



Im going to call the doctor
，
Diane said
．