课文阅读

The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.

"You're not Jimmy Wells," he said sharply. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change the size of a man's nose."

"It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one," said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes, 'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have come over our way and telegraphs us she wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand to you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Policeman Wells."

The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed to him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was short.

Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar, I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.

参考译文

突然间，那个从西部来的男子停住了脚步，松开手。

“你不是吉米·维尔斯。”他厉声说，“2O年的时间虽然不短，但它不足以改变鼻子的大小。”

“然而，20年的时间却有可能使一个好人变成坏人。”高个子 说，“十分钟前你已被捕了，鲍勃。芝加哥的警方猜到你会到这个城市来的，于是他们通知我们说，他们想跟你‘聊聊’。好吧，在我们还没有去警察局之前，先给你看一张条子，是你的朋友写给你的。你可以在这个窗口读下，是警察维尔斯写的。”

西部来的男子接过小便条。读着读着，他的双手微微地颤抖起来，直到看完。便条很短：

Bob：刚才我准时赶到了我们的约会地点。当你划着火柴点烟时，我发现你正是那个芝加哥警方所通缉的人。不知怎么的，我不忍自己亲自逮捕你，只得找了个便衣警察来做这件事。

词汇释义

1.release vt. 释放, 解放; 免除, 赦免; 解除(痛苦等)，投, 扔，放出, 放松

例句：

The latest developments have just been released to the media.
最新的进展情况已向大众传播媒介发表。

2.unfold v. 展开,开放,显露

例句：

The story unfolds as the film goes on.
随着影片的放映，故事情节展开了。

3.appointed adj.指定的, 约定的, 指派的

例句：

He wasn't there at the appointed time.
他没有在指定的时间在那里。