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Текст для читання на тему: HatteKs Shop (after "Hatter Castle" by A. J. Cronin)
| 27.11.2010, 14:05 | |
| HatteKs Shop (after "Hatter Castle" by A. J. Cronin) The shop was old and quiet with a narrow, modest front with a small single window that displayed no mer¬chandise, but masked its face behind an interior screen of fine meshed wire, which though it veiled the window, re-vealed the hidden secret of the shop by bearing upon itself, in faded gilt letters, one word — Hatter, It was, then, appar¬ently a hat shop, but although it occu¬pied a very good place in the town, it not only disguised its character but seemed to remove itself from public observa¬tion, reserving its contents, and striving to conceal itself and all that lay within from curious eyes. Above the doorway the sign, too, was bleached by age and weather, its paint finely cracked by sun, and smoothly washed by rain; but, still distinguishable upon it in thin letters Тексти для читання та аудіювання across its surface, was the name — James Brodie. This was Brodie's shop. It was the only means of his living, its solid, steady business was the origin of his fine clothes and the money he rattled so eas¬ily in his pockets. He — Brodie — was a hatter. Inside the shop was dark, neglected, and almost dirty, its dim interior bi¬sected by a long counter which ran the length of the room, acting as a barrier between the public and the private part of the establishment and bering upon its worn, cut surface at one end a gradu¬ated series of tarnished brass stands each supporting a hat or cap of different style and colour. At the other end, the coun¬ter joined the wall with a door on the glass window of which was the word Office. In the shop itself the walls were covered in a drab crimson paper upon which hung several old prints; although few hats were to be seen, and upon these no prices were displayed, behind the counter stood a series of wide mahoga¬ny drawers for caps, and a long line of shelves upon which stacks of cardboard boxes raised from floor to ceiling. Behind the counter stood a young man. He was thin and pale. This was Peter Perry, messenger, assistant, sales¬man, lackey of the master, and general servant enrolled in one. As Brodie entered he inclined his body forward and awaited his masters greeting. "Morning, Perry". "Good morning, Mr. Brodie, sir" re¬plied Perry with a nervous haste. "A very beautiful morning again, sir! Wonder¬ful for this time of year. Delightful!" He paused. "Mr. Dron has come in to see you this morning, on business he said, sir". "Dron! What the devil does he want?" "I'm sure I couldn't say, sir. He said he'd come back later" "Humph!" grunted Brodie. He en¬tered his office, sat into a chair and, disregarding the several business letters that lay on the desk lit his pipe and took up the Glasgow Herald, that had been placed carefully for him. Half a column of the leading article had been read when an uncertain knock upon the glass panel disturbed him. "What is it?" shouted Brodie. Perry, for only Perry could have knocked like that, replied through the closed door: "Mr. Dron wants to see you, sir". "What the devil does he want? Does he not know I'm reading the Herald and can't be disturbed?" "He says, Mr. Brodie, he won't keep you a minute" said Perry. "A minute! He'll be lucky if he gets a second. I do not want to see him", shouted Brodie. Dron opened the door an inch. "Mr. Brodie, could I have a word with you for a minute? I'll not keep you more", he exclaimed, gradually entering the office through the slight opening he had cautiously made for himself. "What is it, then?" said Brodie, look¬ing up in annoyance. "I've no dealings with you that I'm aware of. You and me are birds that don't fly together". "I know that well, Mr. Brodie", replied the other modestly, "and that's the rea¬son I've come to see you. I came more or less to ask your advice, and to put a small suggestion before you" "What is it then?" Dron fumbled nervously with his cap. "Mr. Brodie, I haven't been doing too well at my trade, and I really came in to talk about that little property of mine next door". Texts for Reading and Listening Brodie looked up. "You mean that emp¬ty shop. Man, it's an eyesore in the street" "I know it's been empty a long time'' replied Dron patiently, "but it's an asset in a way — in fact it's the only asset I've got now". "Well! What is the great idea?" "I was thinking" answered the other quietly, "that with your grand business and a shop that perhaps was a little too small for you, you might consider extending by taking in my place and making one big premises with perhaps a plate-glass window or two". "Damn you, man, don't you know I've the most important people in the neighbourhood as my clients and my friends? Let your empty shop for God's sake. Let it by all means. Let it to old Nick if you like, but you'll never let it to me. Now get out and don't ever bother me like this again. I'm a busy man and I've no time for your stupid wails!" "Very well, Mr. Brodie", replied the other quietly, twisting his hat in his hands. "I'm sorry if I've offender" you, but I thought there was no harm in asking — but you're a hard man to speak to". He turned to leave, but at that mo¬ment Perry ran into the room. "Sir John is at the door, Mr. Brodie!" he muttered. The assistant might deal with the less important, with, indeed, the bulk of the customers, to whom it was his duty to attend without disturbing Brodie, but when an important person came into a shop he knew that he was to call in his master. Brodie raised his eyebrows with a look at Dron which said: "You see!"; then taking him firmly by the elbow, as he had no wish to be met by Sir John in such company, he hurried him out of the office and through the shop, speeding up his passage through the door with a final push... "I'm in really a hurry, Brodie", said Sir John., "I have a meeting — but I want a panama hat — the real thing, you know. I haven't felt sun like this since I was in Barbados. Get some from Glasgow if you need. You know my size". "You shall have a selection to choose from this afternoon", replied Brodie, pleased. "I'll not leave it to my staff. I'll see to it myself" "Good! I'm off now!" "Good-bye, Sir John" | |
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