中英文双语短篇小说
Ⅰ 学英语，高分求推荐一本英文小说（最好双语），内容是现代的，贴近生活的，要求有大量对话和生活情境。。
别看剧本，剧本太崩溃了，现在上课天天学drama的剧本，演起来好看但是读的话。。。蜡烛
我现在加拿大高三，所以大概和你的水平差不多，你是想要娱乐性质比较强的还是比较专业的？
推荐：
哈利波特。简单易懂，逐步渐进。前面几本很轻松，后面的越来越难。有中文有英文，而且看完书之后再去看电影就能听懂啦，英式发音必选……而且好买，大书店里应该都有……
指环王。经典之作，理由同上。
暮光之城。这个书和电影我都没有觉得好看。hp我中英文加起来看过不下二十遍，指环王英文不下五遍，但是暮光一遍就够了……好处是，美式英语，语言比较贴近生活。
美剧绝望的主妇，速度很慢，读音标准，而且很规范。在国内新东方的老师经常用这个做教材……大概是跟我的生活离得太远了觉得没意思，不过建议可以试试。
这些都是娱乐性比较强的……别觉得哈利波特幼稚什么的，一提到最喜欢的书学校里有一半人都是它……而且我当时来这里之前啃了好几遍，然后专业性不强的阅读都没有问题啦……
如果想要专业一点的，比如名著什么的，再追问哦……
Ⅱ 有哪些好看的短篇英文小说
世界三大短篇小说之王
莫泊桑、契诃夫和欧~亨利
莫泊桑（Maupassant1850～1893）19世纪后半期法国优秀的批判现实主义作家。年仅43年生命历程竟创作了6部长篇小说和356多篇中短篇小说，莫泊桑短篇小说布局结构精巧合理。典型细节选用真实可信、叙事抒情的手法如行云流水，充分体现了这种的文学传统。莫泊桑的最出色的短篇代表作是《羊脂球》。《项链》、《我的叔叔于勒》；其作品在我国影响很大，近几年来，一直被作为中学生必课的文学作品.
欧~亨利（1862～1910）善于描写美国社会尤其是纽约百姓的生活。他的作品构思新颖，语言诙谐，结局常常出人意外；欧~亨利一生创作了270多个短篇小说和一部长篇小说，还有数量很少的诗歌他颇善情节设计，处处留下玄机，结局常常以出人意料出外而收场。读后使人不禁使人豁然开朗，拍案叫绝,被称为"欧~亨利式结尾".又因描写了众多的人物，富于生活情趣，被誉为“美国生活的幽默网络全书”.黑色幽默,“含泪水的微笑”。代表作有《爱的牺牲》、《警察与赞美诗》、《带家具出租的房间》、《麦琪的礼物》、《最后一片叶子》等.
契诃夫（1860-1904）他常以十九世界俄国社会中所常见的凡人小事为素材，用语言简练、讽刺尖刻笔触描写小人物和知识分子两类人的命运。代表作有《小职员之死》《变色龙》。《套中人》等。契河夫是19世纪末俄国伟大的剧作家和短篇小说家，俄国现实主义文学流派的杰出代表
其他的有:
茨威格短篇小说集
马克.吐温短篇小说集
窃贼(阿·康帕尼尔)
情书(岩井俊二)
永远占有(格雷厄姆·格林)
化石街(岛田庄司)
棋逢对手(西瑞尔·哈尔)
首领(卡拉维洛夫)
热爱生命(杰克·伦敦)
蚂蚁 (博里斯·维昂)
蠢猪 (马莱巴)
品酒 (罗·达尔)
打不碎的鸡蛋 (马莱巴)
劳驾，快点！(图戈依)
品酒 (罗·达尔)
Ⅲ 《老人与海海明威短篇小说集》epub下载在线阅读全文，求百度网盘云资源
《老人与海（中英双语）》（[美]海明威 ）电子书网盘下载免费在线阅读
链接：https://pan..com/s/1rimT5K4Ogx2zdMv2Ibbysg
书名：《老人与海（中英双语）》
豆瓣评分：8.7
作者:[美] 海明威
出版社:上海译文出版社
原作名:The old man and the sea
译者:吴劳
出版年:2012-2-1
页数:265
内容简介;
《老人与海》是世界上最为著名的中篇小说之一，海明威作品，讲述了一位老人只身到遥远的海域捕鱼的故事。在连续八十四天没捕到一条鱼而被人嘲笑的情况下，老人终于独自钓上了一条大马林鱼，但这条鱼实在是太大了，竟然在海上拖着老人的小渔船游逃了三天，最终筋疲力尽，老人才得以将它杀死并绑在了渔船的一边。可惜在归程中，老人不断遭到鲨鱼的袭击，到岸时这条大马林鱼只剩下鱼头、鱼尾和一条脊骨。尽管如此，老人却从未服输。
至今，《老人与海》已经在全世界被印成了多个版本，并且有同名电影、动画、歌曲等作品面市。本书为《老人与海》中英文双语版。
作者简介······
欧内斯特•米勒•海明威（英文：Ernest Miller Hemingway，1899年7月21日－1961年7月2日），美国记者、作家以及二十世纪最著名的小说家之一。海明威出生于美国伊利诺伊州芝加哥市郊区的奥克帕克，晚年在爱达荷州凯彻姆的家中自杀身亡。海明威的一生感情错综复杂，先后结过四次婚，是美国「迷失的一代」（Lost Generation）作家中的代表人物，作品中对人生，世界，社会都表现出了迷茫和彷徨。
Ⅳ 介绍几部经典英文短篇小说
（少年维特的烦恼)，我正在看，可能不算短篇吧。但是它的英文我觉得还比较容易好理解。
Ⅳ 推荐几篇英文短篇童话故事
风和太阳(The Wind And The Sun)
One day the wind said to the sun, “Look at that man walking along the road. I can get his cloak off more quickly than you can.” (有一天风跟太阳说: “看看那个沿着路上走的人.我可以比你快让他把披风脱下来.)“We will see about that,” said the sun. “I will let you try first.” (“我们等着看吧,”太阳说, “我让你先试.)So the wind tried to make the man take off his cloak. He blew and blew, but the man only pulled his cloak more closely around himself. (因此风尝试让那个人把披风脱下来.他用力地吹,可是那个人把披风拉得更紧.)“I give up,” said the wind at last. “I cannot get his cloak off.” Then the sun tried. He shone as hard as he could. The man soon became hot and took off his cloak. (“我放弃了,”风最后说, “我无法让他把披风脱下来.”然后由太阳试试看.他尽可能地晒他.不久,那个人很热就把披风脱下来了.)
2. Long ago in a small, faraway village, there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he hounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and firendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?
很久以前的一个很远的小村庄里，有一个以"千镜屋"而著名的地方。一个乐观的小狗听说了这个地方并决定去参观。当来到这个地方，他蹦蹦跳欢恰快的上了台阶，来到房门口，他高高竖起耳朵，欢快地摇着尾巴，从门口往里张望，他惊奇地看到有1000只欢乐的小狗像他一样快的摇尾巴。他灿烂地微笑着，回报他的是1000张热情，友好的灿烂笑脸。离开时他心想："这是一个精彩的地主，我一定要经常来参观。"
在这个村里还有另一只想参观"千镜屋"的小狗，他不及第一只小狗乐观，他慢吞吞地爬上台阶，然后耷拉着脑袋往屋子里看。一看到有1000只小狗不友好地盯着他，他便开始冲他们狂吠，镜中的1000只小狗也冲着他狂吠，把他给吓坏了，他在离开时心想："这是一个恐怖的地方，我再也不会来了。"
世界上所有的脸都是镜子，在你所遇见的人的脸上你看到反射出来的是什么?
3、An old cock and a foxIt is evening.An old cock is sitting in a tree.A fox comes to the tree and looks up at the cock."Hello,Mr Cock,I have good news for you,"says the fox."Oh"says thecock,"What good news for me?""All the animals are friends now."says the fox."Fine!"says the cock."I'm very glad to know that."Then he looks up、
"Look!A dog ia coming this way.""What?A dog?"says the fox."Well....well,I must go now.Goodbye,Mr Cock!""Wait,Mr Fox,Don't you like dogs?"Don't you like playing with the dog?Dogs are our friends now.""But,...but they may not know the news yet."Then he runs away."I see,I see,"says the cock.He smiles and goes to sleep
翻译：一只老公鸡和一只狐狸是夜。一只老公鸡呆在树上。一只狐狸走向大树要拜访公鸡。"你好，公鸡先生，我有一个关于你的好消息。"狐狸说。"噢，"公鸡说，"是什么关于我的好消息?""所有动物现在都是朋友了。"狐狸说。"好，"公鸡说，"我听到那非常高兴!"然后他看到了。
"看，一只狗正在往这边来。""什么?一只狗?"狐狸问。"好的好的，现在我该走了，再见，公鸡先生!""等等，狐狸先生，你难道不喜欢狗吗?难道你不喜欢和狗玩么?狗现在是我们的朋友。""但是，但是它们现在可能还不知道。"然后他跑走了。"我知道了，我知道了，"公鸡说。他微笑着然后去睡觉了。
4、The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city."
The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, " Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid.
After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy, than to be rich and afraid."
【译文】
城里老鼠和乡下老鼠
从前，有两只老鼠，它们是好朋友。一只老鼠居住在乡村，另一只住在城里。很多年以后，乡下老鼠碰到城里老鼠，它说：“你一定要来我乡下的家看看。”于是，城里老鼠就去了。乡下老鼠领着它到了一块田地上它自己的家里。它把所有最精美食物都找出来给城里老鼠。城里老鼠说：“这东西不好吃，你的家也不好，你为什么住在田野的地洞里呢？你应该搬到城里去住，你能住上用石头造的漂亮房子，还会吃上美味佳肴，你应该到我城里的家看看。”
乡下老鼠就到城里老鼠的家去。房子十分漂亮，好吃的东西也为他们摆好了。可是正当他们要开始吃的时候，听见很大的一阵响声，城里的老鼠叫喊起来：“快跑！快跑！猫来了！”他们飞快地跑开躲藏起来。
过了一会儿，他们出来了。当他们出来时，乡下老鼠说：“我不喜欢住在城里，我喜欢住在田野我的洞里。因为这样虽然贫穷但是快乐自在，比起虽然富有却要过着提心吊胆的生活来说，要好些。”
Ⅵ 推荐一些简单的英语英汉对照读物
“书虫”是外语教学与研究出版社和牛津大学出版社共同奉献给广大英语学习者的一大精品。中英双语对照阅读，提高阅读量，扩增单词量。建议初学者能熟练的掌握3-5本，通读100本左右。对英语的提高很有好处。 入门级 入门级：适合小学高年级、初一，共10本 1、《生存游戏》 2、《侠盗罗宾汉》 3、《白色巨石》 4、《红酋长的赎金》 5、《吸血鬼猎手》 6、《逆戟鲸》 7、《雾都疑案》 8、《亚瑟王传奇》 9、《亚瑟王朝里的美国人》 10、《把钱拿出来！》 第一级 第一级：300生词量，适合初一、初二学生，分上、下两册，共20本 上册（共10本） 1、《爱情与金钱》 2、《苏格兰玛丽女王》 3、《在月亮下面》 4、《潘德尔的巫师》 5、《歌剧院的幽灵》 6、《猴爪》 7、《象人》 8、《世界上最冷的地方》 9、《阿拉丁和神灯》 10、《别了，好莱坞先生》 下册（共10本） 1、《小公主》 2、《邦蒂号暴动》 3、《奥米茄文件》 4、《谁谋杀了总统》 5、《福尔摩斯和公爵的儿子》 6、《白色死亡》 7、《绿野仙踪》 8、《难忘米兰达》 9、《福尔摩斯与赛马》 10、《汤姆·索亚历险记》 第二级 第二级：600生词量，适合初二、初三学生，分上、下两册，共25本 上册（共12本） 1、《威廉·莎士比亚》 2、《格雷丝·达林》 3、《钢琴之恋》 4、《莫尔格街凶杀案》 5、《鲁宾孙漂流记》 6、《爱丽丝漫游奇境记》 7、《格林·盖布尔斯来的安妮》 8、《五个孩子和沙精》 9、《风中奇缘》 10、《长池村的故事》 11、《欧·亨利短篇小说集》 12、《分享年》 下册（共13本） 1、《神秘女人——阿加莎·克里斯蒂》 2、《德拉库拉》 3、《乔纳森·哈克的日记》 4、《亨利八世和他的六位妻子》 5、《哈克贝利·费恩历险记》 6、《阿利格拉之谜》 7、《五镇故事》 8、《法兰克福的耳环》 9、《新森林的孩子们》 10、《福尔摩斯探案故事》 11、《一个国王的爱情故事》 12、《亡灵岛》 13、《坎特维尔幽灵》 第三级 第三级：1000生词量，适合初三、高一学生，分上、下两册，共19本 上册（共10本） 1、《弗兰肯斯坦》 2、《野性的呼唤》 3、《秘密花园》 4、《曾达的囚徒》 5、《爱丽丝镜中世界奇遇记》 6、《风语河岸柳》 7、《神秘幻想故事集》 8、《铁路少年》 9、《三个陌生人》 10、《伊桑·佛罗姆》 下册（共9本） 1、《圣诞欢歌》 2、《多里安·格雷的画像》 3、《勃朗特一家的故事》 4、《牙齿和爪子》 5、《星际动物园》 6、《诱拐》 7、《公正》 8、《化学秘密》 9、《劫机！》 第四级 第四级：1500生词量，适合高一、高二学生，分上、下两册，共17本 上册（共9本） 1、《巴斯克维尔猎犬》 2、《不平静的坟墓》 3、《三怪客泛舟记》 4、《三十九级台阶》 5、《小妇人》 6、《克兰福德》 7、《华盛顿广场》 8、《织工马南》 9、《化身博士》 下册（共8本） 1、《双城记》 2、《格列佛游记》 3、《金银岛》 4、《黑骏马》 5、《红字》 6、《极限之旅》 7、《吉姆老爷》 8、《洛娜·杜恩》 第五级 第五级：2000生词量，适合高二、高三学生，共6本。 1、《大卫·科波菲尔》 2、《远离尘嚣》 3、《远大前程》 4、《呼啸山庄》 5、《园会》 6、《理智与情感》 第六级 第六级：2300生词量，适合高三、大学低年级学生，共5本 1、《简·爱》 2、《雾都孤儿》 3、《傲慢与偏见》 4、《苔丝》 5、《白衣女人》
Ⅶ 有哪些好看的短篇英文小说
《了不起的盖茨比》
作者简介：弗·司各特·菲茨杰拉德，美国小说家，年轻时试写过剧本。1920年出版了长篇小说《人间天堂》，从此出了名，小说出版后他与泽尔达结婚。1925年《了不起的盖茨比》问世，奠定了他在现代美国文学史上的地位，成了20年代“爵士时代”的发言人和“迷惘的一代”的代表作家之一。
内容简介：20世纪20年代的美国，空气里弥漫着欢歌与纵饮的气息。一个偶然的机会，穷职员尼克闯人了挥金如土的大富翁盖茨比隐秘的世界，惊讶地发现，他内心惟一的牵绊竟是河对岸那盏小小的绿灯——-灯影婆娑中，住着他心爱的黛西。然而，冰冷的现实容不下飘渺的梦，到头来，盖茨比心中的女神只不过是凡尘俗世的物质女郎。当一切真相大白，盖茨比的悲剧人生亦如烟花般，璀璨只是一瞬，幻灭才是永恒。
推荐理由：一阕华丽的“爵士时代”的挽歌，在菲茨杰拉德笔下，如诗如梦，在美国当代文学史上留下了墨色浓重的印痕。20世纪末，美国学术界权威在百年英语文学长河中选出一百部最优秀的小说，《了不起的盖茨比》高居第二位，傲然跻身当代经典行列。
Ⅷ 经典短篇英文小说
经典短篇小说好多呢！用词比较简单，但意义深刻！更重要的是每一篇都短小精悍！（符合你的要求哦）
1.《生火》杰克.伦敦 To Build a Fire (Jack LondonP
2.《厄谢尔府的倒塌》 爱伦.坡
The Fall of the House of Usher (Edgar Allan Poe)
3.《项链》莫泊桑 The Necklace (Guy de Maupassant)
4.《警察与赞美诗》欧.亨利 The Cop and the Anthem
(O Henry)
5.《麦琪的礼物》欧.亨利 Magi's gift (O Henry)
6.《最后一片藤叶》欧.亨利 The Last Leaf (O Henry)
7.《加利维拉县有名的跳蛙》马克.吐温 The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
（Mark Twain)
8.《人生的五种恩赐》马克.吐温
The Five Boons of Life （Mark Twain)
9.《三生客》 托马斯.哈代 The Three Strangers
(Thomas Hardy)
10.《敞开的落地窗》萨基 The Open Window (Saki)
11.《末代佳人》菲茨杰拉德 The Last of the Belles
(F.S.Fitzgerald)
12.《手》舍伍德.安德森 Hands
13.《伊芙琳》詹姆斯.乔伊斯 Eveline
14.《教长的黑色面纱》纳撒尼尔.霍桑
Ⅸ 欧亨利中英文短篇小说集
爱洋葱有很多欧亨利中英文短篇小说，而且还是中英双语的，下面的只是一部分，如果你感兴趣可以去网站看看。
《三叶草和棕榈树》Shamrock and the Palm
借主人公之口，回忆了克兰西从一位暴君的魔掌中逃脱的故事。
《失语漫游》A Ramble in Aphasia
如果有一天，你一觉醒来发现自己失忆了，你会怎么办？欧·亨利的《失语漫游》讲述的正是一个失忆者的故事。一位成天钻研法律的名律师，几乎与娱乐绝缘，他的生活可谓了无生趣。有一天他的生活突然有趣了起来：他带着巨款，在客车上失忆了！接下来他该何去何从？且看欧·亨利如何将一个成功男士失忆后的心理、生活状态写得惟妙惟肖！
《黄狗自传》Memoirs of a Yellow Dog
动物会写文章？动物会用语言表达自己？一只黄狗会有怎样的倾诉欲。欧·亨利短篇小说《黄狗自传》，以一只黄狗为第一人称，讲述一只狗的日常生活
《恭贺佳节》Compliments of the Season
流浪汉、布娃娃、百元大钞、百万富翁、圣诞佳节这看似风马牛不相及的一切到底有何关联？走进欧·亨利千回百转、光怪陆离、惊奇不断的奇妙小说世界，《恭贺佳节》即将向您揭晓满意的答案。
《巴格达之鸡》A Bird of Bagdad
一个谜语引发了一群人的思考，欧·亨利似的结尾总能在最后让读者恍然大悟，又或者哑然失笑。奎格在路上偶遇一个小伙，小伙子为了取得参加心上人生日宴会的资格，正在为一个谜语而困惑不已。
《没有结局的故事》An Unfinished Story
描写了一位每周只挣五美圆的贫穷女工达尔西在阔佬的诱惑下，虽一时动摇但最终拒绝。她复杂的内心世界被真实的表现出来。
《鞋》Shoes
《鞋》是由一个玩笑引发的故事，读来诙谐幽默又意味深长。小说的结尾是典型的“欧·亨利式
的结尾”，既在意料之外，又在情理之中。美国驻科拉里奥领事约翰收到了来自家乡的一封信，咨询关于来科拉里奥开鞋店是否可行。出于消遣，他回信说这里急需一家鞋店。实际情况则是，这个三千多人的小镇没有几个人愿受穿鞋之苦。没想到，真的有人变卖了家产，满怀希望载着鞋子来了，而这个人竟然还是约翰心上人的父亲……
《闪光的金子》The Gold That Glittered
自以为是的骗子自作聪明却弄巧成拙，有勇无谋的将军无心插柳却误打误撞狠狠地捉弄了骗子。世事难料，往往事与愿违，是造化弄人，还是万事皆有因？欧·亨利的短篇小说《闪光的金子》向我们讲述了这样一个荒谬的幽默讽喻故事。
Ⅹ 推荐一些英文短篇小说
相信你会喜欢这篇短小的小说的。
Appointment With Love －－By Sulamith Ish-Kishor
Six minutes to six, said the great round clock over the information booth in Grand Central Station. The tall young Army lieutenant who had just come from the direction of the tracks lifted his sunburned face, and his eyes narrowed to note the exact time. His heart was pounding with a beat that shocked him because he could not control it. In six minutes, he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 13 months, the woman he had never seen, yet whose written words had been with him and sustained him unfailingly.
He placed himself as close as he could to the information booth, just beyond the ring of people besieging the clerks...
Lieutenant Blandford remembered one night in particular, the worst of the fighting, when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of Zeros. He had seen the grinning face of one of the enemy pilots.
In one of his letters, he had confessed to her that he often felt fear, and only a few days before this battle, he had received her answer: "Of course you fear...all brave men do. Didn't King David know fear? That's why he wrote the 23rd Psalm. Next time you doubt yourself, I want you to hear my voice reciting to you: 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.'" And he had remembered; he had heard her imagined voice, and it had renewed his strength and skill.
Now he was going to hear her real voice. Four minutes to six. His face grew sharp.
Under the immense, starred roof, people were walking fast, like threads of color being woven into a gray web. A girl passed close to him, and Lieutenant Blandford started. She was wearing a red flower in her suit lapel, but it was a crimson sweet pea, not the little red rose they had agreed upon. Besides, this girl was too young, about 18, whereas Hollis Meynell had frankly told him she was 30. "Well, what of it?" he had answered. "I'm 32." He was 29.
His mind went back to that book - the book the Lord Himself must have put into his hands out of the hundreds of Army library books sent to the Florida training camp. Of Human Bondage, it was; and throughout the book were notes in a woman's writing. He had always hated that writing-in habit, but these remarks were different. He had never believed that a woman could see into a man's heart so tenderly, so understandingly. Her name was on the bookplate: Hollis Meynell. He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address. He had written, she had answered. Next day he had been shipped out, but they had gone on writing.
For 13 months, she had faithfully replied, and more than replied. When his letters did not arrive she wrote anyway, and now he believed he loved her, and she loved him.
But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph. That seemed rather bad, of course. But she had explained: "If your feeling for me has any reality, any honest basis, what I look like won't matter. Suppose I'm beautiful. I'd always be haunted by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just that, and that kind of love would disgust me. Suppose I'm plain (and you must admit that this is more likely). Then I'd always fear that you were going on writing to me only because you were lonely and had no one else. No, don't ask for my picture. When you come to New York, you shall see me and then you shall make your decision. Remember, both of us are free to stop or to go on after that - whichever we choose..."
One minute to six - Lieutenant Blandford's heart leaped higher than his plane had ever done.
A young woman was coming toward him. Her figure was long and slim; her blond hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears. Her eyes were blue as flowers, her lips and chin had a gentle firmness. In her pale green suit, she was like springtime come alive.
He started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was wearing no rose, and as he moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips.
"Going my way, soldier?" she murmured.
Uncontrollably, he made one step closer to her. Then he saw Hollis Meynell.
She was standing almost directly behind the girl, a woman well past 40, her graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump; her thick-ankled feet were thrust into low-heeled shoes. But she wore a red rose in the rumpled lapel of her brown coat.
The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away.
Blandford felt as though he were being split in two, so keen was his desire to follow the girl, yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own; and there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible; he could see that now. Her gray eyes had a warm, kindly twinkle.
Lieutenant Blandford did not hesitate. His fingers gripped the small worn, blue leather of Of Human Bondage, which was to identify him to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even rarer than love - a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful.
He squared his broad shoulders, saluted and held the book out toward the woman, although even while he spoke he felt shocked by the bitterness of his disappointment.
"I'm Lieutenant John Blandford, and you - you are Miss Meynell. I'm so glad you could meet me. May...may I take you to dinner?"
The woman's face broadened in a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is all about, son," she answered. "That young lady in the green suit - the one who just went by - begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said that if you asked me to go out with you, I should tell you that she's waiting for you in that big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of a test. I've got two boys with Uncle Sam myself, so I didn't mind to oblige you."