自考英語綜合一下冊課文 lesson 8
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The Great Idea of Mr.Budd(II)
Mr.Budd finished drying the man's head and began to comb the hair which nature had never
never made such a deep red.
'Be as quick as you can,won't you?"
said the man pleasantly,but a little impatiently.
"It's getting late.I'm afraid that I'll keep you late."
"Not at all,sir,"said Mr.Budd."It doesn't matter in the least."
No if he tried to rush out of the door,
this terrible man would jump on him,
drag him back and break his head open as he had done t his aunt.
But Mr.Budd was certainly in a position of advantage.
A determined man would be out in the street
before the man could get out of the chair.
Mr.Budd began to move round cautiously towards the door.
"What's the matter?"said the man.
"I was just going outside to look at the time,sir,"said Mr.Budd,pausing obediently
"It's twenty-five minutes past eight,"said the man."
I'll pay extra for keeping you late."
"Certainly not,sir,"said Mr.Budd.It was too late now.
He couldn't make another attempt.
Was it really too late?He could take a razor,
go up quietly behind the unsuspecting man and say in a firm,loud voice:
"William Strickland,put up your hands.
Your life is in my hands.Stand up until I take your gun away.
Now walk straight out to the nearest policeman.
But Mr.Budd couldn't seriously believe that the attempt would succeed.
If he held the razor to the man's throat and said,"Put up your hands."
the man would probably seize him by the wrist and take the razor away.
Mr.Budd told himself that he didn't have to arrest the man."
Information which results in the arrest"those were the words.
It was at this moment that Mr.Budd had his Great Idea.
As he fetched a bottle from the glass fronted case,
he remembered with great clearness,
an old wooden paper knife that had belonged to his mother.
On the handle had been painted the words"Knowledge is Power."
Mr.Budd experienced a strange feeling of freedom and confidence.
He made light conversation as he skilfully dyed the man's hair dark brown.
The streets were less crowded when Mr.Budd let him out.
He watched the tall figure cross the square and get onto a bus.
The man at the police headquarters didn't take Mr.Budd seriously at first
when he demanded to see"somebody very important."
But when the little barber continued so earnestly to say that he had information about the Manchester murder
and that there was no time to waste,he allowed him to pass through.
Mr.Budd told his story to an important looking officer,
who listened very politely and made him repeat the bits about the tooth
which was filled with gold,
the thumbnail and the hair which had been black before it was grey or red
and which was now dark brown.
He crushed his soft hat into a ball as he leaned across the table
and explained the Great Idea that he had had.
"Tzee--z-z-z--tzee-z-z---tzee---z-z---."
The message flashed to ships all round the coast of Britain,
to harbours and police centres in England,France,Holland,Germany,
Denmark and Norway,
and the people in them heard,with laughter and excitement,
the story of Mr.Budd's Great Idea.
The Miranda reached Ostend at 7 a.m.
A man burst into the cabin where the radio officer was just finishing his work
"Here!"he cried,"you're to send this message.
Something's happening,and the Captain's sent for the police."
The officer turned to his radio.
A message started on its way to the English police.
"Man described by police is on board.
Has locked himself in cabin and refuses to come out.
Is demanding that a hairdresser be see to him.
We have been in touch with Ostend police.Waiting for orders."
The captain,with five sailors,went to first class cabin number 36.
The passenger inside could be heard walking up and down the narrow cabin,
moving things and knocking them over.
Soon,six Belgian policemen arrived.
"Are you ready?""Yes."The captain knocked at the door.
"Who is it?"cried a hard,sharp voice.
"The hairdresser that you sent for is here,sir."
"Ah!"The voice was full of relief."
Send him in alone,please,II have had an accident.""Yes,sir."
At the sound of the lock being turned,the captain stepped forward.
The door opened a little and was quickly pushed to again,
but the captain had stuck his boot between it and the doorpost.
The policemen rushed forward.
There was a shout and a shot,which went harmlessly through the window,
and the passenger was brought out.
"Good heavens!"shouted the cabin boy."He's gone green in the night."Green!
Mr.Budd had not wasted the years which he had spent studying the behaviour of dyes
"Knowledge is Power."
The knowledge of Mr.Budd had given him the power to put a mark on his man
which made him different from every other person in the world.
A murderer could hide himself nowhere
when every hair on his head was bright green.
Mr.Budd got his five hundred pounds.
The Evening Messenger printed the full story of his Great Idea.
But Mr.Budd was afraid.Surely no one would ever come to him again.
The next morning a large blue car stopped outside his door.
A lady,wearing many jewels and an expensive fur coat,
walked into the little shop.
"You are the great Mr.Budd?You're wonderful.
And now,dear Mr.Budd,you must do me a favour.
You must dye my hair green,at once.
Now,I want to be able to say that I'm the first to be done by you.
I'm the Duchess of Winchester and Lady Melcaster is following me down the street
because she wants to be the first!"
