Those who Laugh Last,Laugh Best!
详细内容
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HenryKendalwalkedintohishouse,tookoffhisbigcoat,andsatdown.Thenhereadtheletteragain:
Iwantfivehundredpounds,andI'lletoyourhousetogetit.Youmayhavefourdaystogetthemoneyready.Fivehundredpoundsisnotverymuchforarichmanlikeyou."WhymustIpay？"youwillask.I'lltellyoutheanswer.Iknewyourfather.Hemadebanknotes,didn'the？Doyouwanteveryooknowthis？Idon'tthinkso.I'lltelleveryoneifyoudon'tpay.SohavethemoneyreadywhenIe.One－poundnotes,please,andoldnotes.Don'ttellanyone.BealonewhenIe.Idon'tlikethepolice.
A.B.C
Kendal'sfacewastroubled.Hewasrichnow,butintheolddayshewaspoor.WhenhewasaboyatCamber,hisfathergotintotroublewiththepolice.Hisfatherhadasmallroomatthebackofthehouse.Hemadebadmoneyinthisroom.Hemadebanknotes,hundredsofthem.Butthepolicecametothehouseoneday,andtheyfoundsomeofthenotes.Theydidnotfindallofthem,becausehisfatherhidalot,buttheyfoundsomeandtheycaughthisfather.Thatwastheendoftheboy'shomelife.Thepolicetookhisfatheraway,andyoungHenrylefthome.EveryoneinCamberknewhisfather,andtheboydidnotliketostayinthetown.Helefthismotherandranaway.HecametoNorton.
Atfirsttheboygotsomeworkinashop.Butaftersomeyearshefoundworkatthebank.Everyonelikedhim.Heworkedhard.Hehadahappyface.Hehelpedeveryonewhenhecould.Hegotbetterandbetterworkatthebank,andnowhehadthehighestplacethere.Alotofpeopleknewhimwellandlikedhim.
Hisfatherwasdeadnow,butsomeoneknewabouthim。WhatcouldKendaldo？"Ifanyoellspeopleaboutmyfather,"hethought,"Imustleavethebank.Thatwillbetheendofmyhappylife."ButKendalwasafighter."Iflifeishard",hethought,"Imustfightit.TheremustbesomethingthatIcando.Idon'twanttotellthepolice.Isthereanotherway？WhatshallIdo？"
Fournightslater,Kendalwassittingathistableathome.Heheardthenoiseofacarfaraway.Itcamenearer,butitdidnotetothehouse.Thecarstoppedsomewayalongtheroad.
Thesoundofaman'sfeetcametothedoorandKendalwenttoopenit.Therewasnotmuchlightoutside."Kendal？"askedthemanwhostoodthere.Kendalcouldjustseeafacewhichwaspartlycoveredwithapieceofcloth.Twohardeyeslookedoutthroughtwoholesinthecloth.
"Yes."saidKendal."AreyouthemanwhocallshimselfA.B.C？"
"Yes.Areyoualone？"
"Yes.ein."
"Walkinfrontofme."saidtheman.
Kendalturned,andthemanshutthedoor.Kendaltookhimintothehouse.Inthelightoftheroom,Kendalcouldseebetter.Themanwascarryingagun.Themancameintotheroomandturnedhisheadtoleftandright.
"There'snoonehere,"saidKendal."Youcanputthatgunaway.You'reabiggermanthanIam.There'sachairbythefire.Sitdown."Themansatdowninthechairbythefireandputhisgunaway.HiseyesneverleftKendal'sface,buthelaughed.
"Soyou'regoingtopay,"hesaid."You'reright.Kendal.It'sbetter.WhatwillpeoplethinkifItellthemaboutyourfather？Willtheywantyoutostayatthebank？Idon'tthinkso,andyoudon'tthinkso."Helaughedagain.
Kendalwalkedovertohistable.Theman'shardeyesundertheclothlookedathim.Kendaltookoutsomebanknotes.Hedidnotspeak.Heputthemoneyintotheman'shands.Thenoteswereoldanddirty.
"Good!"saidA.B.C.."Thenotesareold."Heturnedthemoverinhishands，onebyone."Yes，"hesaid.Hestoodup."Therearefivehundred，asItoldyou.We'vehadnotrouble，andI'mglad，Kendal."Hewalkedtothedooroftheroomandopeneditquickly.Noonewasoutside.
TendayslaterKendalwassittinginhisownroomatthebankwhenapolicemancamein.Thepolicemangavehimaone－poundnote."Willyoulookatthat，Sir?"heasked.Kendalputthenoteonhistableandlookedatit.Thenheputituptothelightofthewindowandlookedthroughit."Thisnote'sbad，"hesaid."Wethoughtso，"saidthepoliceman.
"Yes，it'sbad.Wheredidyougetit?Aretheresomemorebadnotesinthetown?"
"Yes，I'lltellyouaboutthem."Saidthepoliceman."Someshopkeepersbroughtussomenoteslikethis.Theywereallbad.Haveyouseenanybadnotesatthebank?"
"No，Idon'tknowofany."
"That'sagoodthing.Someoneinthetownwasbuyingthingsattheshopswithbadmoney.Westartedtolookfortheman.Ithappenedjustlately.Weneverhadanybefore."
"Wheredidhegetthem?Doyouknow?"
"No.Weaskedhim，buthedidn'ttellus."
Kendalsatbackinhischair."Whatwillhappentohimnow?"hesaid.
"Oh，weshall...er...takehimaway."
Kendalwenttothedoorwithhim."Whatistheman'sname?"heasked.
"AlanBrianCarroll."
"Oh，yes，Isee.AlanBrainCarroll.A.B.C.，"Kendallaughed."IdidverywellwhenIkeptsomeofmyfather'sbadoldnotesandgavethemtoA.B.C.."