亚瑟王

Chapter Two: The Sword in the Stone

Each nobleman tried to pull the sword out of the stone. No one was able to do it.

On New Year's Day, the sword was still in the stone. Arthur was there with Sir Ector. Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone without difficulty!

This was the sign from God. All the noblemen were surprised. He was the new King of Britain.

Sir Ector said, "Arthur, you are now the king of Britain."

Arthur said, "Father, I don't want to leave you!"

Sir Ector said, "I'm not your real father. I don't know who you are. The magician Merlin brought you to us when you were born. I raised you like a son, and I love you. Now you are a king. God wants you to lead Britain.

You must go and do your duty ."

Merlin said to the noblemen, "This is King Uther's son and he is our new king!"

Young Arthur first became a knight. Then he became King of Britain.

Chapter Three: Britain has a King

Arthur was a young king. He was about twenty years old. He lived at Camelot. His first years as king were difficult. He fought against many enemies from other lands, particularly the Saxons. Some noblemen of his court caused trouble . They did not want to obey a young king.

King Arthur was very adventurous . He liked riding his horse and looking for adventures. He was courageous, loyal and friendly. His people loved him.

One day, King Arthur was riding in the forest. He saw a fountain . Near the fountain there was a knight named Sir Pellinore.

"Stop!" said Sir Pellinore. "You cannot go past the fountain! You must fight with me first!"

King Arthur answered, "I'm ready to fight!" The two knights began fighting. First they fought with their lances. Then they fought with their swords.

During the fight, Arthur's sword broke. Sir Pellinore said, "I'm the winner!"

At that moment, Merlin appeared and said, "Pellinore, this knight is your king! King Arthur!" Sir Pellinore stopped fighting immediately.

百万英镑

Part Six: The Dinner Party

There were fourteen people at the dinner party. The Duke and Duchess of Shoreditch, and their daughter, Lady Anne-Grace-Eleanor de Bohun, the Earl and Countess of Newgate, Viscount Cheapside, Lord and Lady Blatherskite, the Ambassador and his wife and daughter, and some other people. There was also a beautiful, twenty-two-year old English girl, named Portia Langham. I fell in love with her in two minutes, and she with me!

After a while, the house servant presented another guest, Mr Lloyd Hastings. When Mr Hastings saw me, he said, "I think I know you."

"Yes, you probably do."

"Are you the — the —"

"Yes, I'm the strange millionaire with the million-pound note in his pocket!"

"Well, well, this is a surprise. I never thought you were the same Henry Adams from San Francisco! Six months ago, you were working in the offices of Blake Hopkins in San Francisco. I remember clearly. You had a very small salary. And, at night, you helped me arrange the papers for the Gould and Curry Mining Company. Now you're a millionaire, a celebrity here in London. I can't believe it! How exciting!"

"I can't believe it, either, Lloyd."

"Just three months ago, we went to the Miner's Restaurant"

"No, no, it was the What Cheer Restaurant."

"Right, it was the What Cheer. We went there at two o'clock in the morning. We had steak and coffee. That night we worked for six long hours on the Gould and Curry Mining Company papers. Do you remember,

Henry, I asked you to come to London with me. I wanted you to help me sell the Gould and Curry gold mine shares. But you refused."

Of course I remember. I didn't want to leave my job in San Francisco. And I still think it's difficult to sell shares of a California gold mine here in London."

"You were right, Henry. You were so right. It is impossible to sell these shares here in London. My plan failed and I spent all my money. I don't want to talk about it."

"But you must talk about it. When we leave the dinner party, you must tell me what happened."

"Oh, can I? I really need to talk to a friend," Lloyd said, with water in his eyes.

"Yes, I want to hear the whole story, every word of it."

"Thank you, Henry. You're a true friend."

At this point, it was time for dinner. Thanks to the English system of precedence, there was no dinner.

The Duke of Shoreditch wanted to sit at the head of the table. The American Ambassador also wanted to sit at the head of the table. It was impossible for them to decide, so we had no dinner.

The English know about the system of precedence. They have dinner before going out to dinner. But strangers know nothing about it. They remain hungry all evening.

Instead, we had a dish of sardines and a strawberry . Now it was time for everyone to play a game called cribbage . The English never play a game for fun. They play to win or to lose something.

Miss Langham and I played the game, but with little interest.

I looked at her beautiful face and said, "Miss Langham, I love you!"

"Mr Adams," she said softly and smiled, "I love you too!"

This was a wonderful evening. Miss Langham and I were very happy. We smiled, laughed and talked.

I was honest with her. I told her that I was poor and that I didn't have a cent in the world. I explained that the million-pound note was not mine. She was very curious to know more. I told her the whole story from the start. She laughed and laughed. She thought the story was very funny. I didn't understand why it was funny. I also explained that I needed an important job with a big salary to pay all my debts .

"Portia, dear, can you come with me on the day I must meet those two gentlemen?

"Well, yes, if I can help you," she replied.

"Of course you can help me. You are so lovely that when the two gentlemen see you, I can ask for any job and any salary. With you there, my sweet Portia, the two gentlemen won't refuse me anything."

Part Seven: A Million-Dollar Idea 

At the end of the dinner party, I returned to the hotel with Hastings. He talked about his problems, but I didn't listen to him. I was thinking about Portia the whole time.

When we arrived at the hotel, Hastings said, "Let me just stand here and look at this marvelous hotel. It's a palace! What expensive furniture! You have everything you want. You are rich, Henry. And I am poor."

His words scared me. I too, was poor. I didn't have a cent in the world,

and I had debts to pay. I needed to win the gentleman's bet. This was my last hope. Hastings didn't know the truth.

"Henry, just a tiny part of your income can save me. I'm desperate!"

Hastings cried.

"My dear Hastings, sit down here and drink this hot whiskey. Now tell me your whole story, every word of it."

"Do you want to hear my story again?"

"But, you never told me your story."

"Of course I told you my story, as we walked to the hotel. Don't you remember?"

"I didn't hear one word of it."

"Henry, are you ill? Is something wrong with you? What did you drink at the dinner party?"

"Oh, Hastings, I'm in love! I can only think about my sweet Portia. This is why I didn't hear your story before."

Hastings got up from his chair, shook my hand and laughed.

''I'm very happy for you, Henry, very happy," he said smiling.

"I'll tell you the whole story again." So he sat down and patiently started to tell me his story.

To make a long story short, the owners of the Gould and Curry Gold Mine sent Lloyd to England, to sell the shares of the mine for one million dollars. Any money he received over one million dollars was his to keep.

Hastings's dream was to sell the shares for more than one million dollars,and become rich.

He had only one month to sell the shares. He had done everything to sell them, but nobody wanted to buy them. Then he jumped up and cried, "Henry,you can help me! Will you do it?"

"Tell me how."

"Give me a million dollars and I'll sell you all the shares. You will be the new owner of the gold mine. Don't, don't refuse."

I did not know what to say. I wanted to tell Hastings the truth. But then, an intelligent idea came to me. I thought about it for a moment and then calmly said, "I will save you, Lloyd."

"Then I am already saved! How can I thank you —"

"Let me finish, Lloyd. I will save you, but not in that way. I have a better way. I know everything about that mine. I know its great value. You will sell the shares by using my name. You can send anyone to me, since people in London know me. I will guarantee ③

the gold mine. In a week or two, you will sell the shares for three million dollars, by using my name. And we'll share the money you earn. Half to you and half to me."

Lloyd was very happy and excited. He danced around the room and laughed.

"I can use your name! Your name — think of it. The rich Londoners will run to buy these shares. I'm saved! And I'll never forget you, Henry!"