课文THEMILLIONPOUNDBANKNOTE.doc

THE MILLION POUND BANK NOTE
Act I, Scene 3
NARRATOR: It is the summer of 1903. Two old and wealthy brothers, Roderick and Oliver, have made a bet. Oliver believes that with a million pound bank note a man could survive a month in London. His brother Roderick doubts it. At this moment, they see a penniless young man wandering on the pavement outside their house. It is Henry Adams, an American businessman, who is lost in London and does not know what he should do.
RODERICK:   Young man, would you step inside a moment, please?
HENRY:           Who? Me, sir?
RODERICK:   Yes, you.
OLIVER:          Through the front door on your left.
HENRY:           (A servant opens a door) Thanks.
SERVANT:      Good morning, sir. Would you please come
in?  Permit me to lead the way, sir.
OLIVER:           (Henry enters) Thank you, James. That will be all.
RODERICK:     How do you do, Mr... er...?
HENRY:            Adams. Henry Adams.
OLIVER:          Come and sit down, Mr. Adams.
HENRY:           Thank you.
RODERICK:    You're an American?
HENRY:           That's right, from San Francisco.
RODERICK:    How well do you know London?
HENRY:           Not at all, it's my first trip here.
RODERICK:   I wonder, Mr. Adams, if you'd mind us asking a few questions.
HENRY:          Not at all. Go right ahead.
RODERICK:   May we ask what you're doing in this country and what your plans are?
HENRY:          Well, I can't say that I have any plans. I'm hoping to find work. As a matter of fact, I landed in Britain by accident.
OLIVER:         How is that possible?
HENRY:          Well, you see, back home I had my own boat. About a month ago, I was sailing out of the bay ... (his eyes stare at what is left of the brother's dinner on table)
OLIVER:         Well, go on.
HENRY:          Oh, yes. Well, towards nightfall I found myself carried out to sea by a strong wind. It was all my fault. I didn't know whether I could survive until morning. The next morning I'd just about given myself up for lost when I was spotted by a ship.
OLIVER:         And it was the ship that brought you to England.
HENRY:          Yes. The fact is that I earned my passage by working as an unpaid hand, which accounts for my appearance. I went to the American embassy to seek help, but ... (The brothers smile at each other.)
RODERICK:  Well, you mustn't worry about that. It's an advantage.
HENRY:          I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, sir.
RODERICK:  Tell us, Mr. Adams, what sort of work did you do in America?
HENRY:          I worked for a mining company. Could you offer me some kind of work here?
RODERICK:   Patience, Mr. Adams. If you don't mind, may I ask you how much money you have?
HENRY:          Well, to be honest, I have none.
OLIVER:         (happily) What luck! Brother, what luck! (claps his hands together)
HENRY:          Well, it may seem lucky to you but not to me! On the contrary, in fact. If this is your idea of some kind of joke, I don't think it's very funny. (Henry stands up to leave) Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll be on my way.
RODERICK:   Please don't go, Mr. Adams. You mustn't think we don't care about you. Oliver, give him the letter.
OLIVER:         Yes, the letter. (gets it from a desk and gives it to Henry like a gift) The letter.
HENRY:          (taking it carefully) For me?
RODERICK:   For you. (Henry starts to open it) Oh, no, you mustn't open it. Not yet. You can't open it until two o'clock.
HENRY:          Oh, this is silly.
RODERICK:  Not silly. There's money in it. (calls to the servant) James?
HENRY:          Oh, no. I don't want your charity. I just want an honest job.
RODERICK:  We know you're hard-working. That's why we've given you the letter. James, show Mr. Adams out.
OLIVER:        Good luck, Mr. Adams.
HENRY:          Well, why don't you explain what this is all
about?
RODERICK:  You'll soon know. (looks at the clock) In
exactly an hour and a half.
SERVANT:    This way, sir.
RODERICK:   Mr. Adams, not until 2 o'clock. Promise?
HENRY:          Promise. Goodbye.
THE MILLION POUND BANK NOTE
Act I, Scene 4
(Outside a restaurant Henry looks at the envelope without opening it and decides to go in. He sits down at a table next to the front window.)
OWNER:   (seeing Henry's poor appearance) That one's reserved. This way, please. (to the waiter) Take this gentleman's order, Horace.
HENRY:     (after sitting down and putting the letter on the table) I'd like some ham and eggs and a nice big steak. Make it extra thick. I'd also like a cup of coffee and a pineapple  dessert.
WAITER:   Right, sir. I'm afraid it'll cost a large amount of money.
HENRY:    I understand. And I'll have a large glass of beer.
WAITER:   OK. (The waiter leaves and soon returns with all the food.)
HOSTESS:  My goodness! Why, look at him. He eats like a wolf.
OWNER:   We'll see if he's clever as a wolf, eh?
HENRY:    (having just finished every bit of food) Ah, waiter. (waiter returns) Same thing again, please. Oh, and another beer.
WAITER:   Again? Everything?
HENRY:    Yes, that's right. (sees the look on the waiter's face) Anything wrong?
WAITER:   No, not at all. (to the owner) He's asked for more of the same.
OWNER:   Well, it is well-known that Americans like to eat a lot. Well, we'll have to take a chance. Go
ahead and let him have it.
WAITER:   (reading the bill after the meal) All right. That's two orders of ham and eggs, two extra thick steaks, two large glasses of beer, two cups of coffee and two desserts.
HENRY:    (looking at the clock on the wall) Would you mind waiting just a few minutes?
WAITER:   (in a rude manner) What's there to wait for?
OWNER:   All right, Horace. I'll take care of this.
HENRY:    (to owner) That was a wonderful meal. It's amazing how much pleasure you get out of the simple things in life, especially if you can't have them for a while.
OWNER:   Yes, very interesting. Now perhaps, sir, if you pay your bill I can help the other customers.
HENRY:    (looking at the clock on the wall again) Well, I see it's two o'clock. (he opens the envelope and holds a million pound bank note in his hands. Henry is surprised but the owner and waiter are shocked) I'm very sorry. But ... I ... I don't have anything smaller.
OWNER:   (still shocked and nervous) Well .. er... just one moment. Maggie, look! (the hostess screams, the other customers look at her and she puts a hand to her mouth) Do you think it's genuine?
HOSTESS: Oh, dear, I don't know. I simply don't know.
OWNER:   Well, I did hear that the Bank of England had issued two notes in this amount ... Anyway, I don't think it can be a fake. People would pay too much attention to a bank note of this amount. No thief would want that to happen.
HOSTESS: But he's in rags!
OWNER:   Perhaps he's a very strange, rich man. (as if he has discovered something for the first time) Why, yes! That must be it!
HOSTESS: (hits her husband's arm) And you put him in the back of the restaurant! Go and see him at once.
OWNER:   (to Henry) I'm so sorry, sir, so sorry, but I cannot change this bank note.
HENRY:    But it's all I have on me.
OWNER:   Oh, please, don't worry, sir. Doesn't matter at all. We're so very glad that you even entered our little eating place. Indeed, sir, I hope you'll come here whenever you like.
HENRY:    Well, that's very kind of you.
OWNER:   Kind, sir? No, it's kind of you. You must come whenever you want and have whatever you like. Just having you sit here is a great honor! As for the bill, sir, please forget it.
HENRY:    Forget it? Well ... thank you very much. That's very nice of you.
OWNER:   Oh, it's for us to thank you, sir and I do, sir, from the bottom of my heart. (The owner, hostess and waiter all bow as Henry leaves.)