“2000单词读遍世界名著丛书”是一套用现代美语改编的文学名著，采用中英对照方式，让你可以突破语言隔阂，充分享受阅读乐趣。丛书用词精纯生动，彻底强化你的英语能力，让你阅读、写作、翻译与考试都绝对得心应手。本书为丛书之一，现在就让我们进入书中的故事，去看看那三十九级台阶的秘密。

“2000单词读遍世界名著丛书”是一套经过改编的文学名著，以浅显易懂的现代美语改写并保留原著精神，带领读者突破原著中趋近文言的用字遣词及冗长篇幅的隔阂，重新开启一扇轻松领略世界文学之美的窗口。

本套书精选实用性高的美语词汇，不论是单词、词组或语法，都展现出当今美国日常生活语言的特色，对提高中学生英语阅读水平大有裨益。

第一章 死去的人

第二章 送牛奶的人

第三章 酒店老板

第四章 险遇哈瑞爵士

第五章 戴眼镜的养路工

第六章 险遇秃头绅士

第七章 渔夫

第八章 黑石头

第九章 三十九级台阶

第十章 海边别墅

My name is Richard Hannay and I am thirty-seven years old. I was born in Scotland, but in 1883 my family moved to Rhodesiao, where I grew up and worked hard for twenty years. Then in March 1914 I came back to Britain with a great sum of money, since I wanted to have a good holiday. It was five months before the First World War began. Britain was the center of all my dreams and plans, and I hoped to stay there to spend the rest of my life.

In May I was living in London in a flat which I had bought. One evening I was reading the newspaper there alone. There was some trouble in the East, and I also read a story about Karolides, the Greek Prime Minister.

I thought he was a good and honest. He may be the strongest Prime Minister in Europe, but the Germans hate him.

Suddenly I heard someone knocked at the door quickly. I put down the newspaper and opened the door. A man was standing outside, and I recognized him at once. I did not know his name, but he lived on the top floor. He was a thin fellow with small bright blue eyes.

"I live on the top floor,"he said. "Can I speak to you? May I come in?"

I invited him in and shut the door.

"I’m very sorry,"he said. "But I’m in trouble. Will you help me?"

"Well, I’ll listen to you," I said. "But I won’t promise before I know what you ask me to do. "

I could see that he was nervous since he could not stand still. I mixed a strong drink for him, and he drank it at once. When he put down the glass, he broke it.

"Excuse me, "he said. "I’m rather nervous tonight and there’s a good reason for it. Now you seem honest, sir, and you look brave too. Well, I’m in great trouble and I need a friend. "

"Tell me about it,"I said, "and then I’ll tell you whether I’ll help you. "

我叫里查德·亨内，今年三十七岁，出生于苏格兰。1883年我们全家搬到了罗得西亚。我在那儿长大，辛辛苦苦地工作了二十年。第一次世界大战爆发前的五个月，也就是1914年3月我带着一大笔钱回到了英国，想好好地度个假。英国就是我所有梦想和计划中的一切，我希望能在那儿度过我的余生。

五月份我在伦敦买了套公寓住下。一天晚上，我独自一人正在看报，上面说东部出了些乱子，我还读到了一篇关于希腊首相卡洛利得斯的文章。

我觉得他是个诚实的好人，他也许是欧洲最强硬的首相，但是德国人却恨他。

突然我听见有人急切地敲门，于是放下报纸，打开门，看到一个男人正站在门口。我立刻认出他来了，虽然不知道他的名字，但我知道他住在顶楼。他是个瘦瘦的小伙子，一双蓝眼睛虽然很小却很明亮。

“我住在顶楼，”他说，“能跟你谈谈吗?我能进来吗?”

我邀请他进来，随后关上了门。

“非常抱歉。我遇到麻烦了，您能帮帮我吗?”

“哦?说来听听，”我回答说，“但我还不能事先答应你什么。”  看得出他非常紧张，坐立不安。我给他调了一杯烈酒，他一口就喝了下去。当他放玻璃杯时，却一不小心把它打碎了。

“对不起，我今晚太紧张，但这是有原因的。先生，你看起来诚实而勇敢。嗯，我遇到了一个大麻烦，非常需要一位朋友的帮助。”他说。

“说来听听，”我说，“然后我才知道能否帮你。”

P2-5