Buried Treasure By O. Henry There are many kinds of fools. Now, will everybody please sit still until they are called upon I had been every kind of fool except one. I had expended my patrimony, pretended my matrimony, played poker, lawn-tennis, and bucket-shops--parted soon with my money in many ways. But there remained one rule of the wearer of cap and bells that I had not played. That was the Seeker after Buried Treasure To few does the delectable furor come. But of all the woul d-be followers in the hoof- prints of King Midas none has found a pursuit so rich in pleasurable But, going back from my theme a while--as lame pens must do--I was a fool of the sentimental soft. I saw May Martha Mangum, and was hers. She was eighteen, the color of the white ivory keys of a new piano, beautiful, and possessed by the exquisite solemnity and pathetic witchery of an unsophisticated angel doomed to live in a small, dull, Texas prairie-town. She had a spirit and charm that could have enabled her to pluck rubies like raspberries from the crown of Belgium or any other sporty kingdom, but she did not know it, and I did not paint the picture for You see, I wanted May Martha Mangum for to have and to hold. I wanted her to abide with me, and put my slippers and pipe away every day in places where they cannot be found of evenings May Martha's father was a man hidden behind whiskers and spectacles. He lived for bugs and butterflies and all insects that fly or crawl or buzz or get down your back or in the butter. He was an etymologist, or words to that effect. He spent his life seining the air for flying fish of the June-bug order, and then sticking pins through 'em and calling 'em names He and May Martha were the whole family. He prized her highly as a fine specimen of the racibus humanus because she saw that he had food at times*, and put his clothes on right side before, and kept his alcohol-bottles filled. Scientists, they say, are apt to be absent-minded There was another besides myself who thought May Martha Mangum one to be desired. That was Goodloe Banks, a young man just home from college. He had all the attainments to be found in bookS--Latin, Greek, philosophy, and especially the higher branches of mathematics and logic If it hadn 't been for his habit of pouring out this information and learning on every one that addressed, I'd have liked him pretty well. But, even as it was, he and I were, you would have thought, great pals We got together every time we could because each of us wanted to pump the other for whatever straws we could to find which way the wind blew from the heart of May Martha Mangum'--rather a mixed metaphor; Goodloe Banks would never have been guilty of that. That is 1 Patrimony:祖上的遗产; matr imony:婚姻: pretend:在此做“试图”“妄为”解。耗尽家财,妄想结婚。 2 Wearer of cup and bell:这里指小丑,他们通常带着系着铃铛的帽子。 3 in the hoof- prints of King Midas:迈达斯,希腊神话中小亚细亚的国王,因贪财而向神灵索要了点石成金 的能力,最后在拥抱女儿时把女儿也变成了黄金。后又因冒犯阿波罗而被罚长出了驴耳朵 4see此处作“保证”解。她照看他的一日三餐。 Pump the other for whatever straws we could: straw有“鸡毛蒜皮”“细微的迹象”之意,双方都想从对方 嘴里套出些蛛丝马迹。 To find which way the wind blew from the heart of May Martha mangum:直译为“以求Buried Treasure By O. Henry There are many kinds of fools. Now, will everybody please sit still until they are called upon specifically to rise? I had been every kind of fool except one. I had expended my patrimony, pretended my matrimony1 , played poker, lawn-tennis, and bucket-shops--parted soon with my money in many ways. But there remained one rule of the wearer of cap and bells 2 that I had not played. That was the Seeker after Buried Treasure. To few does the delectable furor come. But of all the would-be followers in the hoof- prints of King Midas none has found a pursuit so rich in pleasurable promise.3 But, going back from my theme a while--as lame pens must do--I was a fool of the sentimental soft. I saw May Martha Mangum, and was hers. She was eighteen, the color of the white ivory keys of a new piano, beautiful, and possessed by the exquisite solemnity and pathetic witchery of an unsophisticated angel doomed to live in a small, dull, Texas prairie-town. She had a spirit and charm that could have enabled her to pluck rubies like raspberries from the crown of Belgium or any other sporty kingdom, but she did not know it, and I did not paint the picture for her. You see, I wanted May Martha Mangum for to have and to hold. I wanted her to abide with me, and put my slippers and pipe away every day in places where they cannot be found of evenings. May Martha's father was a man hidden behind whiskers and spectacles. He lived for bugs and butterflies and all insects that fly or crawl or buzz or get down your back or in the butter. He was an etymologist, or words to that effect. He spent his life seining the air for flying fish of the June-bug order, and then sticking pins through 'em and calling 'em names. He and May Martha were the whole family. He prized her highly as a fine specimen of the racibus humanus because she saw that he had food at times4 , and put his clothes on right side before, and kept his alcohol-bottles filled. Scientists, they say, are apt to be absent- minded. There was another besides myself who thought May Martha Mangum one to be desired. That was Goodloe Banks, a young man just home from college. He had all the attainments to be found in books--Latin, Greek, philosophy, and especially the higher branches of mathematics and logic. If it hadn't been for his habit of pouring out this information and learning on every one that he addressed, I'd have liked him pretty well. But, even as it was, he and I were, you would have thought, great pals. We got together every time we could because each of us wanted to pump the other for whatever straws we could to find which way the wind blew from the heart of May Martha Mangum5 --rather a mixed metaphor; Goodloe Banks would never have been guilty of that. That is 1 Patrimony：祖上的遗产；matrimony：婚姻；pretend：在此做“试图”“妄为”解。耗尽家财，妄想结婚。 2 Wearer of cup and bell: 这里指小丑，他们通常带着系着铃铛的帽子。 3 in the hoof- prints of King Midas：迈达斯，希腊神话中小亚细亚的国王，因贪财而向神灵索要了点石成金 的能力，最后在拥抱女儿时把女儿也变成了黄金。后又因冒犯阿波罗而被罚长出了驴耳朵。 4 See 此处作“保证”解。她照看他的一日三餐。 5 Pump the other for whatever straws we could：straw 有“鸡毛蒜皮”“细微的迹象”之意，双方都想从对方 嘴里套出些蛛丝马迹。To find which way the wind blew from the heart of May Martha Mangum：直译为“以求