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1、Title:AnAmericanTragedy(1925)Author:TheodoreDreiser(1871-1945)BOOKONEChapter1Dusk--ofasummernight.AndthetallwallsofthecommercialheartofanAmericancityofperhaps400,000inhabitants--suchwallsasintimemaylingerasamerefable.Andupthebroadstreet,nowcomparativelyhushed,alittlebandofsix,--amanofaboutfifty,s
2、hort,stout,withbushyhairprotrudingfromunderaroundblackfelthat,amostunimportant-lookingperson,whocarriedasmall第1页共577页http://www.en8848.com.cn/原版英语阅读网portableorgansuchasiscustomarilyusedbystreetpreachersandsingers.Andwithhimawomanperhapsfiveyearshisjunior,taller,notsobroad,butsolidofframeandvigoro
3、us,veryplaininfaceanddress,andyetnothomely,leadingwithonehandasmallboyofsevenandintheothercarryingaBibleandseveralhymnbooks.Withthesethree,butwalkingindependentlybehind,wasagirloffifteen,aboyoftwelveandanothergirlofnine,allfollowingobediently,butnottooenthusiastically,inthewakeoftheothers.Itwasho
4、t,yetwithasweetlanguoraboutitall.Crossingatrightanglesthegreatthoroughfareonwhichtheywalked,wasasecondcanyon-likeway,threadedbythrongsandvehiclesandvariouslinesofcarswhichclangedtheirbellsandmadesuchprogressastheymightamidswiftlymovingstreamsoftraffic.Yetthelittlegroupseemedunconsciousofanythings
5、aveasetpurposetomakeitswaybetweenthecontendinglinesoftrafficandpedestrianswhichflowedbythem.Havingreachedanintersectionthissideofthesecondprincipalthoroughfare--reallyjustanalleybetweentwotallstructures--nowquitebareoflifeofanykind,themanputdowntheorgan,whichthewomanimmediatelyopened,settingupamu
6、sicrackuponwhichsheplacedawideflathymnbook.ThenhandingtheBibletotheman,shefellbackinlinewithhim,whilethetwelve-year-oldboyputdownasmallcamp-stoolinfrontoftheorgan.Theman--thefather,ashechancedtobe--lookedabouthimwithseemingwide-eyedassurance,andannounced,withoutappearingtocarewhetherhehadanyaudit
7、orsornot:"Wewillfirstsingahymnofpraise,sothatanywhomaywishtoacknowledgetheLordmayjoinus.Willyouoblige,Hester?"Atthistheeldestgirl,whountilnowhadattemptedtoappearasunconsciousandunaffectedaspossible,bestowedherrathersli