American Tragedy 美国悲剧 chapter 1

Dusk -- of a summer night., ,And the tall walls of the commercial heart of an American city of perhaps 400,000 inhabitants -- such walls as intime may linger as a mere ¹ fable ²., ,And up the broad street, now comparatively hushed, a little band of six, -- a man of about fifty, short, stout ³, withbushy hair protruding ⁴ from under a round black felt hat, a most unimportant- looking person, who carried a small portable organ such as is customarily used by street preachers and singers. And with him a woman perhaps fiveyears his junior, taller, not so broad, but solid of frame and vigorous, very plain in face and dress, and yet nothomely, leading with one hand a small boy of seven and in the other carrying a Bible and several hymn ⁵ books., , ,It was hot, yet with a sweet languor ⁶ about it all., ,Crossing at right angles the great thoroughfare on which they walked, was a second canyon-like way, threadedby throngs ⁸ and vehicles and various lines of cars which clanged their bells and made such progress as they mightamid swiftly moving streams of traffic. Yet the little group seemed unconscious of anything save a set purpose tomake its way between the contending lines of traffic and pedestrians ⁹ which flowed by them., ,It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。,The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上 。