刎頸之交英文原文
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Valley,'saysI.
"'BigSpringValley,'chipsinPaisley,outofalotofpotatoesandknuckle-boneofhaminhismouth.
"ThatwasthefirstsignInoticedthattheoldfidusDiogenesbusinessbetweenmeandPaisleyFishwasendedforever.HeknewhowIhatedatalkativeperson,andyethestampedesintotheconversationwithhisamendmentsandaddendumsofsyntax.OnthemapitwasBigSpringValleybutIhadheardPaisleyhimselfcallitSpringValleyathousandtimes.
"Withoutsayinganymore,wewentoutaftersupperandsetontherailroadtrack.Wehadbeenpardnerstoolongnottoknowwhatwasgoingonineachother'smind.
"'Ireckonyouunderstand,'saysPaisley,'thatI'vemadeupmymindtoaccruethatwidowwomanaspartandparcelinandtomyhereditamentsforever,bothdomestic,sociable,legal,andotherwise,untildeathusdopart.'
"'Why,yes,'saysI,'Ireaditbetweenthelines,thoughyouonlyspokeone.AndIsupposeyouareaware,'saysI,'thatIhaveamovementonfootthatleadsuptothewidow'schanginghernametoHicks,andleavesyouwritingtothesocietycolumntoinquirewhetherthebestmanwearsajaponicaorseamlesssocksatthewedding!'
"'There'llbesomehiatusesinyourprogram,'saysPaisley,chewingupapieceofarailroadtie.'I'dgiveintoyou,'sayshe,'in'mostanyrespectifitwassecularaffairs,butthisisnotso.Thesmilesofwoman,'goesonPaisley,'isthewhirlpoolofSquillsandChalybeates,intowhichvortexthegoodshipFriendshipisoftendrawnanddismembered.I'dassaultabearthatwasannoyingyou,'saysPaisley,'orI'dendorseyournote,orrubtheplacebetweenyourshoulder-bladeswithopodeldocthesameaseverbuttheremysenseofetiquetteceases.InthisfracaswithMrs.Jessupweplayitalone.I'venotifiedyoufair.'
"AndthenIcollaborateswithmyself,andoffersthefollowingresolutionsandby-laws:
"'Friendshipbetweenmanandman,'saysI,'isanancienthistoricalvirtueenactedinthedayswhenmenhadtoprotecteachotheragainstlizardswitheighty-foottailsandflyingturtles.Andthey'vekeptupthehabittothisday,andstandbyeachothertillthebellboycomesupandtellsthemtheanimalsarenotreallythere.I'veoftenheard,'Isays,'aboutladiessteppinginandbreakingupafriendshipbetweenmen.Whyshouldthatbe?I'lltellyou,Paisley,thefirstsightandhotbiscuitofMrs.Jessupappearstohaveinsertedaoscillationintoeachofourbosoms.Letthebestmanofushaveher.I'llplayyouasquaregame,andwon'tdoanyunderhandedwork.I'lldoallofmycourtingofherinyourpresence,soyouwillhaveanequalopportunity.WiththatarrangementIdon'tseewhyoursteamboatoffriendshipshouldfalloverboardinthemedicinalwhirlpoolsyouspeakof,whicheverofuswinsout.'
"'Goodoldhoss!'saysPaisley,shakingmyhand.'AndI'lldothesame,'sayshe.'We'llcourttheladysynonymously,andwithoutanyofthepruderyandbloodshedusualtosuchoccasions.Andwe'llbefriendsstill,winorlose.'
"Ato