课文阅读

"You are disillusioned," Ausable told him. "But take cheer, my young friend. Before long you will see a paper, a quite important paper for which several men and women have risked their lives, come to me in the next-to-last step of its journey into official hands. Some day soon that paper may well affect the course of history. There is drama in that thought, don't you think?" As he spoke, Ausable closed the door behind him. Then he switched on the light.

And as the light came on, Fowler had his first real thrill of the day. For halfway across the room, a small automatic pistol in his hand, stood a man.

Ausable blinked a few times.
"Max," he wheezed, "you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin. What are you doing in my room?"
Max was slender, not tall, and with a face that suggested the look of a fox. Except for the gun, he did not look very dangerous.
"The report," he murmured. "The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles. I thought I would take it from you. It will be safer in my hands than in yours."

Ausable moved to an armchair and sat down heavily. "I'm going to raise the devil with the management this time; I am angry," he said grimly. "This is the second time in a month that somebody has gotten into my room off that confounded balcony!" Fowler's eyes went to the single window of the room. It was an ordinary window, against which now the night was pressing blackly.

参考译文

“你明白了吧，”Ausable跟他说。“不过别担心，我的朋友，不久你就可以看到一份文件，一份非常重要的文件、几名男女为之冒生命危险的文件，它在到我手中之前，是在官方手中。不久后的某天，这份文件可能还会影响历史的进程。你不认为这是个戏剧吗？”Ausable边说边关上身后的门，并打开灯。灯打开后，Fowler开始发抖，这是这天的第一次发抖。房间的中央，站着一个男子，手中是一把小自动手枪。

Ausable眨了眨眼。
“Max，”他喘着气说，“你真的让我吃了一惊，我还以为你在柏林呢，你在我房间做什么呢？”
Max身材瘦弱、个子不高，脸上是狐狸般的表情。如果没有这把枪，他看起来并不那么危险。
“那份报告，”他咕哝着说，“那份今晚要交给你的报告，里面是关于新导弹的信息。我想我可以从你手中拿走，在我手中比在你手中要安全些。”

Ausable走向一把扶手椅，重重地坐下。“这次我会兴风作浪，我很生气，”他冷酷地说。“这是本月第二次有人从那个讨厌的阳台进入我的房间！” Fowler看看这个房间唯一的窗子。这是个普通的窗子，窗外，夜色愈重。

词汇释义

1.disillusioned adj. 不再抱幻想的,大失所望的,幻想破灭的

例句：
He's very disillusioned with the present government.
他对现政府的幻想完全破灭了。

2.switch on v.接通

例句：
Switch on the light at the wall-socket.
把电灯接通在墙上的电源插座上.

3.blink v. 眨眼

例句：
How long can you stare without blinking your eyes?
你能瞪着看多长时间不眨眼?

4.missile n. 导弹

例句：
A missile was projected into space.
导弹被发射升空。

5.armchair n. 扶手椅

例句：
This armchair is made of bamboo.
这个扶手椅是用竹子做成的。

难句讲解

1.Before long you will see a paper, a quite important paper for which several men and women have risked their lives...

【参考译文】不久你就可以看到一份文件，一份非常重要的文件、几名男女为之冒生命危险的文件...
【结构解析】before long 意思是“不久以后”，“for which several men...”做定语修饰“paper”，其中的"for"承“risk”，即risk for sth.为某事冒险。

2.you gave me quite a start...

【参考译文】你真的让我吃了一惊...
【结构解析】start此处做名词，意思是“惊动、吃惊”。

3.This is the second time in a month that somebody has gotten into my room off that confounded balcony!

【参考译文】这是本月第二次有人从那个讨厌的阳台进入我的房间！
【结构解析】这里用的固定结构是"This/it is the +序数词+that sb. had done sth",句中sb.后一定要用完成时。