大学英语课前三分钟小故事中英文翻译

3分钟英语演讲短文(带翻译)

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Fox and cock 

One morning a fox sees a cockHe 

think,"This is my breakfast'' 

He comes up to the cock and says,"I know 

you can sing very wellCan you sing for me''The 

cock is gladHe closes his eyes and begins 

to singThe fox sees that and caches him in his mouth and carries him away 

The people in the field see the foxThey cry,"Look,look!The fox is carrying the cock away''The cock says to the fox,"Mr Fox,do you understandThe people say you are carrying their cock awayTell them it is yoursNot theirs'' 

The fox opens his mouth ang says,"The cock is mine,not yours''Just then the cock runs away from the fox and flies into the tree 

狐狸和公鸡 

一天早上，一只狐狸看到了一只公鸡。他想：这是我的早餐。 

他朝公鸡走来，对他说：“我知道，你能唱得非常好听，你能唱给我听么？”公鸡很高兴。他闭上眼睛开始唱歌。狐狸看到这些抓住它放到自己的嘴里走了。 

在田地里的人们看到了狐狸。大喊大叫：“看，看！狐狸抓住公鸡逃走了。”公鸡对狐狸说：“狐狸先生，你能理解么？人们认为你叼走了公鸡。告诉他们这是你的，不是他们的。” 

狐狸张开她的嘴说：“公鸡是我的，不是你们的。”就在那时，。公鸡跑到了树底下。

当你演讲时不要对着投影屏幕、白板或者显示的图表说话，如果要参当你开始准备一个演示时，很重要的一件事是了解你的听众。分析将要面临的听众，了解他们是怎样一个群体，将有何需求，可以帮助你准确有效的选择演示内容。如果确定了内容提纲，和演示的框架，接下来是如何用观众理解的语言表达出来。注意如下的问题，能够避免沟通的障碍，使你的听众更好地理解你的内容。 

避免语言浮夸空洞，要记住作为一个讲解者，你的任务是向听众传达信息。选择朴实容易理解的词语，避免采用华丽浮夸的词藻。这些夸张的词语使你看起来缺乏信心，也无益于帮助理解你想要表达的内容。简单常常是最可行的方案。

你要有关什么题目的。我可以帮你找，你先看看这个 smileWhen you smile, I smile, that’s the deal　　I will not walk past you and not look you in the eyes and not acknowledge you　　Instead we will pass each other and say hello　　Not with our words, for they are not the same; but with our faces　　I meet you and I see there is good in your eyes, there's passion in your heart and there's a friendly hello in your smile　　And for the first time we can relate and appreciate each other　　That’s all it takes, that’s where it starts　　Because I know that you will smile and I will smile and the rest is easy　　参考译文

　　微笑　　当你微笑，我也微笑，我们一言为定。　　我不会从你身边走过并且不看着你的双眼，不会给你任何回应。　　相反，我们互相走过时会对对方说：“你好”。　　不是我们的语言，因为它们是不一样的；而是用我们的脸。　　我遇到你，我从你的眼睛中看到美好，你心中拥有热情，还有从你的笑容中听到你说“你好”。　　这是我们第一次建立关系，第一次相互欣赏。　　就是这么简单，一切从这一刻开始。　　因为我知道你会微笑，我会微笑，其余一切都会很容易。

life's goodness　Though there is much to be concerned about, there is far, far more for which to be thankful Though life's goodness can at times be overshadowed, it is never outweighed　　尽管有很多事让人忧虑，但相比而言，值得感激的事要多得多。尽管生命的美好有时被蒙上阴影，但它却永远不会被埋没。　　For every single act that is senselessly destructive, there are thousands more small, quiet acts of love, kindness and compassion For every person who seeks to hurt, there are many, many more who devote their lives to helping and to healing　　相对于每一个无谓的破坏行为而言，都有更多数以千计更为微小的，包含着爱，友善和同情的举动静静地上演着。相对于每一个试图伤害他人的人而言，都有更多的人致力于帮助他人，治愈他人的创伤。　　　　There is goodness to life that cannot be denied　　In the most magnificent vistas and in the smallest details, look closely, for that goodness always comes shining through　　生命的美好不能否认。　在最为壮观的前景和最为琐碎的细节中，请仔细观察，因为美好的事物总是散发着耀眼的光芒闪亮登场。　　There is no limit to the goodness of life It grows more abundant with each new encounter The more you experience and appreciate the goodness of life, the more there is to be lived　　童年的记忆猪流感全球蔓延最快的提高英语口语的方法　　生命的美好没有界限。每一次相遇都会使这美好变得越发丰富。你经历得越多，越能欣赏生命的美好，生命中的美好就会变得越多。　　Even when the cold winds blow and the world seems to be covered in foggy shadows, the goodness of life lives on Open your eyes, open your heart, and you will see that goodness is everywhere　　即使当寒风袭来，整个世界似乎被雾气掩盖之时，生命的美好仍会存在。睁开双眼，打开心扉，你就会发现这美好无处不在。　　Though the goodness of life seems at times to suffer setbacks, it always endures For in the darkest moment it becomes vividly clear that life is a priceless treasure And so the goodness of life is made even stronger by the very things that would oppose it　　尽管生命的美好有时似乎遭受挫折，但它总会挺过来。因为，在最黑暗的时刻，有一点变得格外清楚，那就是，生命是无价的财富。因此，下正是与生命的美好相对立的事物使其越发强大。　　Time and time again when you feared it was gone forever you found that the goodness of life was really only a moment away Around the next corner, inside every moment, the goodness of life is there to surprise and delight you　　无数次地，当你担心这美好已经远离之时，你会发现生命的美好其实只与你相隔须臾。它就在下一角落，存在于每个时刻之间，等着给你惊喜。　　Take a moment to let the goodness of life touch your spirit and calm your thoughts Then, share your good fortune with another For the goodness of life grows more and more magnificent each time it is given away　　花些时间让生命的美好感动自己的灵魂，放松自己的思绪。然后，把你的幸运与他人分享。因为生命的美好会在每次给予之间变得越来越壮观。　　Though the problems constantly scream for attention and the conflicts appear to rage ever stronger, the goodness of life grows stronger still, quietly, peacefully, with more purpose and meaning than ever before　　尽管总是有问题让你去关注，冲突也似乎愈演愈烈，但生命的美好却总是静静地，平和地，带着比以往更强的意志和更多的价值变得更加强大。

找了几个，您自己选择吧，都是短小的。

A wolf had been badly wounded by dogs He lay sick and maimed in his lair

He felt very hungry and thirsty When a sheep passed by, he asked him to fetch some water from the stream

"If you bring me the water," he said, "I will find means to get some food"

"Yes," said the sheep, "if I bring you the water, you would undoubtedly make me your food"

狼和羊

●狼被狗所咬，伤势很严重，痛苦地躺在巢穴里，不能外出觅食。

●他感到又饿又渴，这时，他看见一只羊，便请求他到附近的小河里为他取一点水来。

●“你给我一点水解渴”，他说，“我就能自己去寻找食物了。”

●“是呀”，羊回答说，“如果我给你送水喝，那么我就会成为你的食物。”

寓意: 谎言是经不起推敲的，它很容易被人们识破。

Fox is with the grape

Hungry of the fox see the grape to up hang the radiant and extremely keen grape of a string, saliva direct current, and want to pick to eat, but again

Can not take offSee in a short while, helplessly walked, and his side walk the side oneself to comfort to by oneself say:" this grape have noes familiar, affirmative

Is sour"

This is to say, and the some person's ability is small, and do to not accomplish anything, borrow to say the opportune moment immaturity

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Wolf and egret

The wolf mistake swallowed a piece of bone, very suffered, running about, look for to visit the doctor everywhereHe met the egret, and talk to settle the service fees to invite him to take out the bone, egret to stretch in the wolf's throat the own head, and the 叼 outs bone, then toward to settle the good service fees wolfThe wolf answer says:" hello, friend, you can since the wolf 嘴 take back the head in the peace ground, and the difficult way return the dissatisfied foot, and how and still speak the guerdon"

This story elucidation, guerdon badly person act charitably, and is a bad person of cognition and does not speak the reputation's innate character

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Little boy and scorpion son

There is a child in front of city wall to catch the grasshopper, and in a short while caught the lots ofSuddenly see a scorpion son, he to think is also grasshopper,

Then two go to catch himThe scorpion son raises his poison to stab, say:" come, if you really dare to do like this, connect your grasshopper that catch to also would entirely lose"

This story warns people, and want to distinguish the pure good man with the bad person, and distinct to treat them

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Drop at the fox in the well with the 公 goat

An only the fox take a wrong stepped the well, in spite of how he struggle can not still climb up, and have to be foolish thereThe 公 goat feels

Thirsty pole, arrive at this well the side, and see the fox under the well, and then ask him the well water the how about it to drinkThe fox feels the opportunity to come, heart inside

The 暗 pleaseds, right away the town quiet down, make every effort the laudation well water good drink, say this water is a world the first spring, pure and sweet and good to eat, and advise the goat to hurry up

Come down, and drink to heart's content with himA the heart think only of to drink the water letter to think the true goat, then the without stopping to think ground jump downed to go to, and be his 咕咚咕 the 咚 painful

After finishing drinking, have to with the fox together totally the company ascend the well's wayFox early contain preparation, he to archly say:" I pour to have a

MethodYou pick with forepaw on the well wall, again Cape 竖直 , I behind carry on the back to jump up the well to go to from you, and pull you again to come up, we all

Save" the 公 goat agreed his proposal, fox to trample the feet of his empress, and jump he carry top on his back, and then make an effort from the Cape a

Jump, jump outed the mouth of a wellThe fox go ups the hereafter, and the preparation alone escapeThe 公 goat blames the fox and does not keep the 诺 speechThe fox returns overdo

Say to 公 goat:" hello, friend, beard that you of brains if resemble you are so perfect, you not to the extent of at did not see the pure exit it

Front blindly jump down to go to"

This story elucidation, cleverness of the person should to in advance think it over the affair's result, then just go to do

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译文：

狐狸和葡萄

饥饿的狐狸看见葡萄架上挂着一串串晶莹剔透的葡萄，口水直流，想要摘下来吃，但又

摘不到。看了一会儿，无可奈何地走了，他边走边自己安慰自己说：“这葡萄没有熟，肯定

是酸的。”

这就是说，有些人能力小，做不成事，就借口说时机未成熟。

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狼与鹭鸶

狼误吞下了一块骨头，十分难受，四处奔走，寻访医生。他遇见了鹭鸶，谈定酬金请他取出骨头，鹭鸶把自己的头伸进狼的喉咙里，叼出了骨头，便向狼要定好的酬金。狼回答说：“喂，朋友，你能从狼嘴里平安无事地收回头来，难道还不满足，怎么还要讲报酬？”

这故事说明，对坏人行善的报酬，就是认识坏人不讲信用的本质。

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小男孩与蝎子

有个小孩在城墙前捉蚱蜢，一会儿就捉了许多。忽然看见一只蝎子，他以为也是蚱蜢，

便着两手去捕捉他。蝎子举起他的毒刺，说道：“来吧，如果你真敢这样做，就连你捉的蚱蜢也会统统失掉。”

这故事告诫人们，要分辨清好人和坏人，区别对待他们。

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掉在井里的狐狸和公山羊

一只狐狸失足掉到了井里，不论他如何挣扎仍没法爬上去，只好呆在那里。公山羊觉得

口渴极了，来到这井边，看见狐狸在井下，便问他井水好不好喝？狐狸觉得机会来了，心中

暗喜，马上镇静下来，极力赞美井水好喝，说这水是天下第一泉，清甜爽口，并劝山羊赶快

下来，与他痛饮。一心只想喝水信以为真的山羊，便不假思索地跳了下去，当他咕咚咕咚痛

饮完后，就不得不与狐狸一起共商上井的办法。狐狸早有准备，他狡猾地说：“我倒有一个

方法。你用前脚扒在井墙上，再把角竖直了，我从你后背跳上井去，再拉你上来，我们就都

得救了。”公山羊同意了他的提议，狐狸踩着他的后脚，跳到他背上，然后再从角上用力一

跳，跳出了井口。狐狸上去以后，准备独自逃离。公山羊指责狐狸不信守诺言。狐狸回过头

对公山羊说：“喂，朋友，你的头脑如果像你的胡须那样完美，你就不至于在没看清出口之

前就盲目地跳下去。”

这故事说明，聪明的人应当事先考虑清楚事情的结果，然后才去做。

守株待兔Staying by a Stump Waiting for More Hares To Come and Dash Themselves Against It

Staying by a Stump Waiting for More Hares To Come and Dash Themselves Against It

This story took place more than 2,000 years ago,in the Warring States period（475-221 BC）Tradition has it that in the State of Song at that time there was a man who was famous for staying by a stump waiting for more hares to come and dash themselves against it

He was a yong farmer,and his family had been farmers for generationsYear after year and generation after generation, farmers used to sow in spring and harvest in autumn,beginning to work at sunrise and retiring at sunsetIn good harvest years,they could only have enough food to eat and enough clothing to wearIf there was a famine due to crop failure,they had to go hungry

This young farmer wanted to improve his lifeBut he was too lazy and too cowardlyBeing lazy and cowardly over everything,he often dreamed of having unexpected blessings

A miracle took place at last One day in late autumn,when he was ploughing in the field,two groups of people were hunting nearbyAs shoutings were rising one after another,scared hares were running desperatelySuddenly,a blind hare dashed itself headlong against the stump of a dead tree in his field and died

That day,he ate his fill

From that day on,he no longer went in for farming againFrom morning till night,he stayed by that miraculous stump,waiting for miracles to take place again

This story comes from"The Five Vermin"in The Works of Han FeiziLater generations often use the set phrase"staying by a stump waiting for more hares to come and dash themselves against it"to show grusting to chance and windfalls or dreaming to reap without sowingIt is also used to show adhering to narrow experiences and not being able to be flexible

相传在战国时代宋国，有一个农民，日出而作，日入而息．遇到好年景，也不过刚刚吃饱穿暖；一遇灾荒，可就要忍饥挨饿了．他想改善生活，但他太懒，胆子又特小，干什么都是又懒又怕，总想碰到送上门来的意外之财。

奇迹终于发生了。深秋的一天，他正在田里耕地，周围有人在打猎。吆喝之声四处起伏，受惊的小野兽没命的奔跑。突然， 有一只兔子，不偏不倚，一头撞死在他田边的树根上。

Three Good Friends

One day, a monkey rides his bike near the river This time he sees a lion under a tree The lion runs at him He is afraid and falls into the river He can’t swim He shouts The rabbit hears him He jumps into the river The rabbit swims to the monkey, but he can’t help him Luckily, an elephant comes along He is very strong He helps the rabbit and monkey Three friends are very happy They go to the elephant’s home Then, three of them become good friends

三个好朋友

一天， 一只猴子在河边骑车。这时他看见树下有一只狮子，狮子向他跑来。他非常的害怕，掉进河里。他不会游泳，大叫起来。兔子听见了，跳进水里，但他却没有办法救猴子。幸运的是，一只大象过来了。大象非常强壮，救出了兔子和猴子。他们来到大象的家，在那里吃了一顿大餐。从此他们成了好朋友。

呃，再短的我也找不到……浪漫的话很难三言两语说完的，凑活一下，自己缩一缩吧

The Romance of a Busy Broker证券经纪人的浪漫故事

Pitcher, confidential clerk in the office of Harvey Maxwell, broker, allowed a look of mild interest and surprise to visit his usually expressionless countenance when his employer briskly entered at half past nine in company with his young lady stenographer With a snappy Good-morning, Pitcher, Maxwell dashed at his desk as though he were intending to leap over it, and then plunged into the great heap of letters and telegrams waiting there for him

The young lady had been Maxwell's stenographer for a year She was beautiful in a way that was decidedly unstenographic She forewent the pomp of the alluring pompadour She wore no chains, bracelets or lockets She had not the air of being about to accept an invitation to luncheon Her dress was grey and plain, but it fitted her figure with fidelity and discretion In her neat black turban hat was the gold-green wing of a macaw On this morning she was softly and shyly radiant Her eyes were dreamily bright, her cheeks genuine peachblow, her expression a happy one, tinged with reminiscence

Pitcher, still mildly curious, noticed a difference in her ways this morning Instead of going straight into the adjoining room, where her desk was, she lingered, slightly irresolute, in the outer office Once she moved over by Maxwell's desk, near enough for him to be aware of her presence

The machine sitting at that desk was no longer a man; it was a busy New York broker, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling springs

Well--what is it Anything asked Maxwell sharply His opened mail lay like a bank of stage snow on his crowded desk His keen grey eye, impersonal and brusque, flashed upon her half impatiently

Nothing, answered the stenographer, moving away with a little smile

Mr Pitcher, she said to the confidential clerk, did Mr Maxwell say anything yesterday about engaging another stenographer

He did, answered Pitcher He told me to get another one I notified the agency yesterday afternoon to send over a few samples this morning It's 945 o'clock, and not a single picture hat or piece of pineapple chewing gum has showed up yet

I will do the work as usual, then, said the young lady, until some one comes to fill the place And she went to her desk at once and hung the black turban hat with the gold-green macaw wing in its accustomed place

He who has been denied the spectacle of a busy Manhattan broker during a rush of business is handicapped for the profession of anthropology The poet sings of the crowded hour of glorious life The broker's hour is not only crowded, but the minutes and seconds are hanging to all the straps and packing both front and rear platforms

And this day was Harvey Maxwell's busy day The ticker began to reel out jerkily its fitful coils of tape, the desk telephone had a chronic attack of buzzing Men began to throng into the office and call at him over the railing, jovially, sharply, viciously, excitedly Messenger boys ran in and out with messages and telegrams The clerks in the office jumped about like sailors during a storm Even Pitcher's face relaxed into something resembling animation

On the Exchange there were hurricanes and landslides and snowstorms and glaciers and volcanoes, and those elemental disturbances were reproduced in miniature in the broker's offices Maxwell shoved his chair against the wall and transacted business after the manner of a toe dancer He jumped from ticker to 'phone, from desk to door with the trained agility of a harlequin

In the midst of this growing and important stress the broker became suddenly aware of a high-rolled fringe of golden hair under a nodding canopy of velvet and ostrich tips, an imitation sealskin sacque and a string of beads as large as hickory nuts, ending near the floor with a silver heart There was a self-possessed young lady connected with these accessories; and Pitcher was there to construe her

Lady from the Stenographer's Agency to see about the position, said Pitcher

Maxwell turned half around, with his hands full of papers and ticker tape

What position he asked, with a frown

Position of stenographer, said Pitcher You told me yesterday to call them up and have one sent over this morning

You are losing your mind, Pitcher, said Maxwell Why should I have given you any such instructions Miss Leslie has given perfect satisfaction during the year she has been here The place is hers as long as she chooses to retain it There's no place open here, madam Countermand that order with the agency, Pitcher, and don't bring any more of 'em in here

The silver heart left the office, swinging and banging itself independently against the office furniture as it indignantly departed Pitcher seized a moment to remark to the bookkeeper that the old man seemed to get more absent-minded and forgetful every day of the world

The rush and pace of business grew fiercer and faster On the floor they were pounding half a dozen stocks in which Maxwell's customers were heavy investors Orders to buy and sell were coming and going as swift as the flight of swallows Some of his own holdings were imperilled, and the man was working like some high-geared, delicate, strong machine--strung to full tension, going at full speed, accurate, never hesitating, with the proper word and decision and act ready and prompt as clockwork Stocks and bonds, loans and mortgages, margins and securities--here was a world of finance, and there was no room in it for the human world or the world of nature

When the luncheon hour drew near there came a slight lull in the uproar

Maxwell stood by his desk with his hands full of telegrams and memoranda, with a fountain pen over his right ear and his hair hanging in disorderly strings over his forehead His window was open, for the beloved janitress Spring had turned on a little warmth through the waking registers of the earth

And through the window came a wandering--perhaps a lost--odour--a delicate, sweet odour of lilac that fixed the broker for a moment immovable For this odour belonged to Miss Leslie; it was her own, and hers only

The odour brought her vividly, almost tangibly before him The world of finance dwindled suddenly to a speck And she was in the next room--twenty steps away

By George, I'll do it now, said Maxwell, half aloud I'll ask her now I wonder I didn't do it long ago

He dashed into the inner office with the haste of a short trying to cover He charged upon the desk of the stenographer

She looked up at him with a smile A soft pink crept over her cheek, and her eyes were kind and frank Maxwell leaned one elbow on her desk He still clutched fluttering papers with both hands and the pen was above his ear

Miss Leslie, he began hurriedly, I have but a moment to spare I want to say something in that moment Will you he my wife I haven't had time to make love to you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you Talk quick, please--those fellows are clubbing the stuffing out of Union Pacific

Oh, what are you talking about exclaimed the young lady She rose to her feet and gazed upon him, round-eyed

Don't you understand said Maxwell, restively I want you to marry me I love you, Miss Leslie I wanted to tell you, and I snatched a minute when things had slackened up a bit They're calling me for the 'phone now Tell 'em to wait a minute, Pitcher Won't you, Miss Leslie

The stenographer acted very queerly At first she seemed overcome with amazement; then tears flowed from her wondering eyes; and then she smiled sunnily through them, and one of her arms slid tenderly about the broker's neck

I know now, she said, softly It's this old business that has driven everything else out of your head for the time I was frightened at first Don't you remember, Harvey We were married last evening at 8 o'clock in the Little Church Around the Corner

证券经纪人哈维·马克斯韦尔于九点半在年轻女速记员陪同下步履轻快地来到办公室。机要秘书皮彻那通常毫无表情的面孔不禁露出一丝好奇和诧异。马克斯韦尔只随口道了声“早上好”，便径直奔向办公桌，匆忙得好像想一步跨过桌面，随后就一头扎进一大堆等着他处理的信件和电报。

年轻女郎给马克斯韦尔当速记员已经有一年。她异常秀美动人，绝非速记员草草几笔所能简单描述。她不愿采用华丽诱人的庞巴杜式发型，不戴项链、手镯或鸡心。她脸上没有随时准备受邀外出进餐的神气。她的灰色衣服素净朴实，但却生动勾勒出她的身材而不失典雅。她那顶精巧的黑色无边帽上插了根艳绿色金刚鹦鹉毛。今天早上，她春风飘逸，温柔而羞涩。她的眼睛流波瞑瞑，双颊桃红妖娆，满面乐融，又略带一丝回味。

好奇之余，皮彻发现今天她的举止也有点儿异样。她没有直接到放有她办公桌的里间办公室去，而是滞留在外间办公室，有点儿拿不定主意似的。她慢慢蹭到马克斯韦尔桌边，离他很近，足以让他意识到她的存在。

坐在办公桌前的他已经不再是个常人，而是一个繁忙的纽约证券经纪人，一架完全受嗡嗡作响的轮子和张开的弹簧所驱动的机器。

“嘿，怎么啦？有事？”马克斯韦尔问，语气尖刻。那些拆开的邮件堆了满满一桌，就像演戏用的假雪。他那锐利的灰蓝色眼睛，毫无人情味儿，严厉粗暴，不耐烦地盯着她。

“没什么，”速记员回答说，然后微笑着走开了。

“皮彻先生，”她问机要秘书，“马克斯韦尔先生昨天提没提过另外雇一名速记员的事？”

“提过，”皮彻说。“他吩咐我另外找一个。昨天下午我已通知职业介绍所，让他们今天上午送几个来面试。现在已经九点四十五了，可还没有哪个戴阔边帽或嚼波萝口香糖的人露面哩。”

“那我还是照常工作好啦，”年轻女郎说，“等有人替补再说。”说完她马上走到自己的办公桌边，在老地方挂起那顶插有金刚鹦鹉毛的黑色无边帽。

谁无缘目睹曼哈顿经纪人在生意高峰时刻那股紧张劲儿，谁搞人类学研究就有极大缺陷。有诗人赞颂“绚丽生活中的拥挤时辰”。证券经纪人不仅时辰拥挤，他的分分秒秒都是挤得满满当当的，像是前后站台都挤满乘客的车厢里的拉手吊带，每根都被拉得紧绷绷的。

今天又正是哈维·马克斯韦尔的大忙天。行情收录器的滚轴开始瑟瑟卷动，忽停忽动地吐出卷纸，桌上的电话像害了慢性病似的响个不停。人们开始涌入办公室，隔着扶手栏杆朝他大喊大叫，有的欣喜若狂，有的横眉竖眼，有的恶意满怀，有的激动不已。信童拿着信件和电报跑进跑出。办公室的职员们忙得跳来跳去，就像与风暴搏斗的水手。连皮彻的脸也舒张开来，显得生机勃勃。

证券交易所里风云变幻，飓风、山崩、雪暴、冰川、火山瞬息交替；这些自然力的剧动以微观形式在经纪人办公室中再现。马克斯韦尔把椅子掀到墙边，如踢跶舞演员般敏捷地处理业务，时而从自动收录器跳向电话，时而从桌前跳到门口，其灵活不亚于受过专门训练的滑稽丑角。

经纪人全神致力于这堆越来越多但又十分重要的事务之中，这时他突然注意到一头高高卷起的金发，上面是顶微微抖动的鹅绒帽和鸵毛羽饰；一件人造海豹皮短大衣，一串大如山核桃的珠子垂近地板，尾端还吊了一个银鸡心。这一大套装饰物与一个沉着镇定的年轻女子相关联。皮彻正准备引荐她，替她作解释。

“这位**从速记员介绍所来，说招聘的事。”

马克斯韦尔侧过身子，手上捏了一把文件和行情纸带。

“招聘什么？”他皱起眉头问。

“速记员，”皮彻说。“昨天你叫我打电话，让他们今天上午送一个过来。”

“你搞糊涂了吧？”马克斯韦尔说。“我干吗给你下这个命令？莱丝丽这一年工作表现十全十美。只要她愿意，这份工作就是她的。**，这儿没有空缺。皮彻，通知事务所，取消要人申请，叫他们别再送人过来。”

银鸡心离开了办公室。一路上她愤愤不平，大摇大摆，把桌椅沙发碰得乒乒乓乓。皮彻忙中偷闲给簿记员说，“老太爷”一天比一天心不在焉，多事健忘。

业务处理越来越紧张，节奏越来越快。在交易所马克斯韦尔的顾客投资巨额的六七种股票正在暴跌。收进和抛出的单据来来去去，疾如燕飞。有些他本人持有的股票也处于危险之中。经纪人工作起来就像一架高速运转、精密复杂、强壮有力的机器——绷紧到最大限度，运转至最快速度，精确无误，坚决果断，措词贴切而决策恰当，行动时机的选择如时钟般准确无误。股票，证券，贷款，抵押，保证金，债券——这是一个金融世界，人际感情或自然本性在这里毫无落脚之地。

午餐时间逐渐临近，喧嚣之中慢慢出现片刻暂息。

马克斯韦尔站在办公桌边，手上捏满了电报和备忘录，右耳上夹了支钢笔，几撮头发零乱地披在脑门上。窗户敞开着，因为亲爱的女门房——春——已经打开苏醒大地的暖气管，送来一丝暖意。

通过窗户飘来一丝悠悠——也许是失散——的香气。这是紫丁香幽微、甜美的芳菲。刹那间，经纪人给怔住了。因为这香气属于莱丝丽**；

这是她本人的气息，她独有的气息。

芳香在他心中唤出她的容貌，栩栩如生，几乎伸手可及。

金融世界转瞬间缩成一点。而她就在隔壁房间，仅二十步之遥。

“天哪，我现在就得去，”马克斯韦尔压低嗓子说。“我现在就去跟她说。怎么我没早点儿想起？”

他箭步冲进里间办公室，像个卖空头的人急于补足那样急不可耐。他对直冲向速记员的办公桌。

她抬起头，笑盈盈地看着他，服上泛出淡淡红晕，眼睛里闪动着温柔和坦率。马克斯韦尔一支胳膊撑在桌上，手上依然握满了文件，耳朵上还夹着那支钢笔。

“莱丝丽**，”他仓仓促促地说，“我只能呆一小会儿，趁这个时候给你说件事。你愿意做我的妻子吗？我没时间以常人的方式向你求爱，但我确确实实爱你。请快回答我。那些人又在抢购太平洋联合公司的股票罗。”

“喔，你在说什么呀？”年轻女郎惊诧不已。她站起身，直愣愣地看着他，眼睛瞪得圆圆的。

“你不懂？”马克斯韦尔倔头倔脑地说。“我要你嫁给我。我爱你，莱丝丽**。我早就想告诉你，手头的事情稍微松些后，我才瞅空过来。又有人在打电话找我。皮彻，叫他们等一下。答应我吗，莱丝丽**？”

速记员的神态叫人莫名其妙。起初，她好像惊愕万分；继而，泪水又涌出她迷惘的眼睛；其后，泪眼又发出欢笑的光芒；最后，她又柔情地搂住经纪人的脖子。

“现在我懂了，”她亲切地说。“是这生意让你忘记了一切。刚才我还吓了一大跳。哈维，不记得了吗？昨天晚上八点，我们已经在街上拐角处的小教堂结过婚了。”