Find and read aloud the sentences explaining

1) why three months on the Blackwell Island was what his sole wished;

2) why Soapy chose the prison instead of the philantropic institution.

Chapter 2

Soapy left his bench and went along Broadway. He stopped at a glittering cafe, where the choicest products of the society were gathered together^l.

Soapy had confidence in himself. He was shaved, and his coat was clean. If he could reach a table in the restaurant, success would be his. The part of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter's mind. A roasted duck, thought Soapy, with a bottle of wine and then some cheese and a cigar. And after such a dinner he would gladly go to his winter home.

But as Soapy set foot inside² the restaurant door the head waiter's eye fell upon his shabby trou­sers and old shoes. Strong hands turned him about and pushed him in silence into the street.

Soapy turned off Broadway. It seemed that his way to the desirable island was not an easy one. He must think of some other way of entering the dear place.

At a corner of Sixth Avenue he saw a shop window glittering with electric lights. Soapy took a stone and dashed it through the glass. People came running round the corner, a policeman in the lead³. Soapy stood still with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of⁴ the policeman's bright but­tons.

"Where's the man that had done that?" asked the officer excitedly.

"Don't you figure out that I might have had some­thing to do with it⁵?" said Soapy, not without sar­casm, but friendly, as one greets good fortune.

The policeman didn't even speak to Soapy. Men who smash windows do not remain to talk with the representatives of the law. They take to their heels⁶. The policeman saw a man running to catch a car⁷. He took his club and ran after him. Soapy, with disgust in his heart, walked along, twice un­successful⁸.

On the opposite side of the street was a little res­taurant. It was intended for large appetites and modest purses. Into this place Soapy took⁹ his shoes and trousers. At a table he sat and ate beef and pie. And then he told the waiter that the tiniest coin and himself were strangers¹⁰.

"Now, go and call a cop," said Soapy. "And don't keep a gentleman waiting."

"No cop for you," said the waiter. "Hey!" In a mo­ment Soapy found himself on the pavement not on feet but upon his left ear. He arose and beat the dust from his clothes. Arrest seemed but¹¹ a rosy dream. The Island seemed very far away. A police­man who stood before a shop near the restaurant laughed and walked down the street.

Notes

¹ the choicest products of the society — "сливки об­щества"

² set foot inside — переступил через порог

³ a policeman in the lead — во главе с полицейским

⁴ at the sight of — при виде

⁵ Don't you figure out that I might have had something to do with it? — He можете ли вы представить, что я имел к этому какое-либо отношение?

⁶ they take to their heels — они удирают

⁷ running to catch a car — бежавшего вдогонку за трамваем

⁸ twice unsuccessful — вторично потерпев неудачу

⁹ took — зд.провел

¹⁰ that the tiniest coin and himself were strangers — что самая мелкая монета и он не имеют между собой ничего общего

¹¹ seemed but... — стал казаться только

EXERCISES

1. Find in the text English equivalents of the follo­wing words and expressions:

идти вдоль Бродвея; переступить через порог; вытолкнуть на улицу; представить себе; разбить окно; представители закона; вторично потерпев неудачу; на противоположной стороне дороги

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and expressions in the text and use them in the
sentences of your own:

to stop at a glittering cafe; the choicest products of the society; to have confidence in oneself; to raise no doubt; shabby trousers; to turn off Broadway; desirable island; at the sight of; not without sar­casm; friendly; modest purses; to keep waiting; to find oneself on the pavement; rosy dream.

3. Answer the questions:

1) Where did Soapy stop on Broadway?

2) What meal did Soapy want to have in the res­taurant?

3) Why was Soapy pushed into the street?

4) What was Soapy’s next attempt to get into the policemen’s hands?

5) Why didn’t the policemen take Soapy after he had smashed the window?

6) What happened in a little restaurant where Soapy managed to get in?

4. Discuss the folloving:

1) Soapy made several attempts to get into policemen’s hands but failed. Could a man do something else in his situation?

2) Arrest seemed to Soapy a rosy dream. Why? Do you think, he hadn’t any other desires or dreams?

5. Retell episodes which describe how Soapy tried to fall into the policemen’s hands.

Chapter 3

He walked till he came to the district of theatres and music-halls. Women in furs and men in great-coats moved gaily in the wintry air. A sudden fear seized Soapy that he was enchanted. The thought brought a little panic upon him¹, and when he came upon another policeman, he began to yell some drunken song at the top of his voice². He danced, howled and otherwise disturbed³ the passers-by.

The policeman turned his back to Soapy and remarked to a citizen:

"It’s one of the Yale⁴ students celebrating their victory over the Hartford College⁵ football team: six to one. Noisy but no harm. We have instructions not to harm them."

Soapy stopped yelling. Would never a policeman lay hands on him? The prison on the Island seemed to him an unattainable Arcadia⁶. He buttoned his thin coat against the cold wind.

In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man lighting a cigar. His silk umbrella he had left by the door. Soapy stepped inside, took the umbrella and went out with it slowly. The man with the cigar followed hastily.

"My umbrella," he said.

"Oh, is it?" smiled Soapy. "Well, why don’t you call a policeman? I took it. Your umbrella! Why don’t you call a cop? There stands one on the corner."

The umbrella owner slowed his steps. The policeman looked at two curiously.

"Of course," said the umbrella man, "that is — well, you know how these mistakes happen. If it's your umbrella I hope you'll excuse me — I picked it up this morning in a restaurant. If you recognize it as yours, why⁷ — I hope you'll — "

"Of course it's mine," said Soapy.

The ex-umbrella man⁸ retreated. The policeman hurried to help a tall blonde in a rich furcoat across the street in front of a street car that was ap­proaching two blocks away⁹.

Soapy walked eastward through a street where some repair was going on. He threw the umbrella into a pit.

He cursed the men who wear helmets and carry clubs¹⁰. Because he wanted to fall into their hands, they seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong.

Notes

¹ The thought brought a little panic upon him — эта мысль вызвала в нем некоторую панику

² at the top of his voice — так громко, как только мог

³ and otherwise disturbed — и другими способами беспокоил

⁴ Yale [jeil] — йэльский (Йэль —город, в котором находится один из наиболее привилегированных университетов в США)

⁵ Hartford College — Гартфордский колледж

⁶ Arcadia — Аркадия (область в древней Греции). В литературе изображается обычно как идиллическая, счастливая страна.

⁷ why — зд. восклицание ну что ж

⁸ the ex-umbrella man — бывший владелец зонтика

⁹ two blocks away — за два квартала

¹⁰ Американские полисмены носят шлемы (helmets)

и вооружены дубинками (clubs).

EXERCISES

1. Find in the text English equivalents of the following words and expressions:

весело (беззаботно); внезапный страх; прохожие; праздновать (отмечать) что-л.; оставить что-л. у двери; войти внутрь; владелец зонта; замедлить шаги; идти на восток; попасть в чьи-л. руки

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and expressions in the text and use them in the sentences of your own:

women in furs; be enchanted; to yell; at the top of his voice; unattainable; to follow hastily; curious­ly; to recognize smth. as yours; in front of; two blocks away; to regard smb. as...

3. Answer the questions:

1) What district did Soapy come to?

2) How did Soapy try to attract the policeman's attention?

3) Whom did he see in a cigar store?

4) Did the umbrella owner call the police when Soapy took his umbrella?

5) Did Soapy need this umbrella?

6) Why did he curse the policemen?

4. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1) Soapy came to a rich district where he was seized by a sudden fear.

2) On the street he did not disturb the passers-by.

3) In a cigar store he took an umbrella of a well-dressed man.

4) The umbrella owner called the police.

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