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E-Books (english-e-reader), Soapy's Choice

Soapy's Choice

Soapy sat on a seat in Madison Square, New York, and looked up at the sky. A dead leaf fell onto his arm. Winter was coming, and Soapy knew that he must make his plans. He moved unhappily on his seat.

He wanted three months in a nice, warm prison, with food and good friends. This was how he usually spent his winters. And now it was time, because, at night on his seat in the square, three newspapers did not keep out the cold.

So Soapy decided to go to prison, and at once began to try his first plan. It was usually easy. He ate dinner in an expensive restaurant. Then he told them he had no money and they called a policeman. Nice and easy, with no trouble.

So Soapy left his seat, and walked slowly along the street. Soon he came to a bright restaurant on Broadway. Ah! This was all right. He just had to get to a table in the restaurant and sit down. That was all, because, when he sat down, people could only see his coat and his shirt, which were not very old. Nobody could see his trousers. He thought about the meal - not too expensive, but good.

But when Soapy went into the restaurant, the waiter saw Soapy's dirty old trousers and terrible shoes.

Strong hands turned him round and helped him out into the street again.

So now he had to think of something different. Soapy walked away from Broadway and soon he found himself on Sixth Avenue. He stopped in front of a shop window and looked at it. It was nice and bright, and everybody in the street could see him. Slowly and carefully he picked up a stone and threw it at the window. The glass broke with a loud noise. People ran round the corner and Soapy was happy, because the man in front was a policeman. Soapy did not move. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, and he smiled. 'I'll soon be in prison now,' he thought.

The policeman came up to Soapy. 'Who did that?' he asked.

'Perhaps I did,' Soapy replied.

But the policeman knew that people who break windows do not stop to talk to policemen. They run away. And just then the policeman saw another man, who was running to catch a bus. So the policeman ran after him. Soapy watched for a minute. Then he walked away. No luck again! He began to feel cross.

But on the opposite side of the road he saw a little restaurant. 'Ah, that'll be all right,' he thought, and he went in. This time nobody looked at his trousers and his shoes. He enjoyed his meal, and then he looked up at the waiter, smiled and said, 'I haven't got any money, you know. Now, call the police. And do it quickly. I'm tired!'

'No police for you!' the waiter answered. 'Hey! Jo!'

Another waiter came, and together they threw Soapy out into the cold street. Soapy lay there, very angry. With difficulty, he stood up. His nice warm prison was still far away, and Soapy was very unhappy. He felt worse because a policeman, who was standing near, laughed and walked away.

Soapy moved on, but he walked for a long time before he tried again. This time it looked easy.

A nice young woman was standing in front of a shop window. Not very far away there was also a policeman. Soapy moved nearer to the young woman. He saw that the policeman was watching him. Then he said to the young woman, with a smile, 'Why don't you come with me, my dear? I can give you a good time.'

The young woman moved away a little and looked more carefully into the shop window. Soapy looked at the policeman. Yes, he was still watching. Then he spoke to the young woman again. In a minute she would call the policeman. Soapy could almost see the prison doors. Suddenly, the young woman took hold of his arm.

'OK,' she said happily. 'If you buy me a drink. Let's go before that policeman sees us.'

And poor Soapy walked away with the young woman, who still held on to his arm. He was very unhappy.

At the next corner he ran away from the woman. Suddenly he was afraid. 'I'm never going to get to prison,' he thought.

Slowly, he walked on and came to a street with a lot of theatres. There were a lot of people there, rich people in their best clothes. Soapy had to do something to get to prison. He did not want to spend another night on his seat in Madison Square. What could he do? Then he saw a policeman near him, so he began to sing and shout and make a lot of noise. This time they must send him to prison. But the policeman turned his back to Soapy and said to a man who was standing near, 'He's had too much to drink, but he's not dangerous. We'll leave him alone tonight.'

What was the matter with the police? Soapy was really unhappy now, but he stopped making a noise. How could he get to prison? The wind was cold, and he pulled his thin coat around him.

But, just then, inside a shop, he saw a man with an expensive umbrella. The man put his umbrella down near the door, and took out a cigarette. Soapy went into the shop, picked up the umbrella, and, slowly, he began to walk away. The man came quickly after him. 'That's my umbrella,' he said.

'Oh, is it?' Soapy replied. 'Then why don't you call a policeman? I took it, and you say it's your umbrella. Go on, then. Call a policeman! Look! There's one on the corner.'

The umbrella man looked unhappy. 'Well, you know, perhaps I've made a mistake. I took it from a restaurant this morning. If it's yours, well, I'm very sorry...'

'Of course it's my umbrella,' Soapy said.

The policeman looked at them - and the umbrella man walked away. The policeman went to help a beautiful young girl to cross the road.

Soapy was really angry now. He threw the umbrella away and said many bad things about policemen. Just because he wanted to go to prison, they did not want to send him there. He could do nothing wrong!

He began to walk back to Madison Square and home - his seat.

But on a quiet corner, Soapy suddenly stopped. Here, in the middle of the city, was a beautiful old church. Through one purple window he could see a soft light, and sweet music was coming from inside the church. The moon was high in the sky and everything was quiet. For a few seconds it was like a country church and Soapy remembered other, happier days. He thought of the days when he had a mother, and friends, and beautiful things in his life.

Then he thought about his life now - the empty days, the dead plans. And then a wonderful thing happened. Soapy decided to change his life and be a new man. 'Tomorrow,' he said to himself, 'I'll go into town and find work. My life will be good again. I'll be somebody important. Everything will be different. I'll...'

Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He jumped and looked round quickly - into the face of a policeman!

'What are you doing here?' asked the policeman. 'Nothing,' Soapy answered.

'Then come with me,' the policeman said.

'Three months in prison,' they told Soapy the next day.

- THE END -

Soapy's Choice Sabunun seçimi Soapy's Choice La elección de Soapy Le choix de Soapy La scelta di Soapy ソープの選択 소피의 선택 A escolha de Soapy Выбор Сопи Вибір Соупі

Soapy sat on a seat in Madison Square, New York, and looked up at the sky. Soapyはニューヨークのマディソンスクエアの座席に座って、空を見上げました。 Мыльный сидел на стуле на Мэдисон-сквер в Нью-Йорке и смотрел на небо. A dead leaf fell onto his arm. Мертвый лист упал ему на руку. Winter was coming, and Soapy knew that he must make his plans. L'hiver approche et Soapy sait qu'il doit faire des projets. Приближалась зима, и Мыльный знал, что должен строить свои планы. He moved unhappily on his seat. Il se déplaça malencontreusement sur son siège. Он недовольно поерзал на своем месте.

He wanted three months in a nice, warm prison, with food and good friends. Il voulait trois mois dans une prison agréable et chaude, avec de la nourriture et de bons amis. Он хотел три месяца в хорошей, теплой тюрьме, с едой и хорошими друзьями. This was how he usually spent his winters. C'est ainsi qu'il passe habituellement ses hivers. Так он обычно проводил зимы. And now it was time, because, at night on his seat in the square, three newspapers did not keep out the cold. И вот пора было, потому что ночью на его месте на площади три газеты не спасали от холода.

So Soapy decided to go to prison, and at once began to try his first plan. Итак, Мыльный решил отправиться в тюрьму и сразу же начал пробовать свой первый план. It was usually easy. Обычно это было легко. He ate dinner in an expensive restaurant. Он ужинал в дорогом ресторане. Then he told them he had no money and they called a policeman. Nice and easy, with no trouble. Красиво и легко, без проблем.

So Soapy left his seat, and walked slowly along the street. Итак, Мыльный встал со своего места и медленно пошел по улице. Soon he came to a bright restaurant on Broadway. Вскоре он пришел в яркий ресторан на Бродвее. Ah! This was all right. Все было в порядке. He just had to get to a table in the restaurant and sit down. Ему оставалось только добраться до столика в ресторане и сесть. That was all, because, when he sat down, people could only see his coat and his shirt, which were not very old. Это было все, потому что, когда он садился, люди могли видеть только его пальто и рубашку, которые были не очень старыми. Nobody could see his trousers. Никто не мог видеть его штаны. He thought about the meal - not too expensive, but good. Он подумал о еде - не слишком дорого, но хорошо.

But when Soapy went into the restaurant, the waiter saw Soapy's dirty old trousers and terrible shoes. Но когда Сопи зашел в ресторан, официант увидел грязные старые штаны Соупи и ужасные туфли.

Strong hands turned him round and helped him out into the street again. Сильные руки развернули его и снова вывели на улицу.

So now he had to think of something different. Так что теперь ему нужно было думать о чем-то другом. Soapy walked away from Broadway and soon he found himself on Sixth Avenue. Мыльный ушел с Бродвея и вскоре оказался на Шестой авеню. He stopped in front of a shop window and looked at it. It was nice and bright, and everybody in the street could see him. Было красиво и светло, и все на улице могли его видеть. Slowly and carefully he picked up a stone and threw it at the window. Медленно и осторожно он поднял камень и бросил его в окно. The glass broke with a loud noise. Стекло разбилось с громким грохотом. People ran round the corner and Soapy was happy, because the man in front was a policeman. Люди выбегали из-за угла, и Мыльный был счастлив, потому что мужчина впереди был полицейским. Soapy did not move. Сопи не шевелился. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, and he smiled. Он стоял, засунув руки в карманы, и улыбался. 'I'll soon be in prison now,' he thought. «Теперь я скоро буду в тюрьме», — подумал он.

The policeman came up to Soapy. Полицейский подошел к Мыльному. 'Who did that?' he asked.

'Perhaps I did,' Soapy replied. — Возможно, да, — ответил Соупи.

But the policeman knew that people who break windows do not stop to talk to policemen. Но полицейский знал, что люди, которые разбивают окна, не останавливаются, чтобы поговорить с полицейскими. They run away. Они убегают. And just then the policeman saw another man, who was running to catch a bus. И тут милиционер увидел другого мужчину, который бежал за автобусом. So the policeman ran after him. Soapy watched for a minute. Then he walked away. Затем он ушел. No luck again! Опять не повезло! He began to feel cross. Он начал злиться.

But on the opposite side of the road he saw a little restaurant. 'Ah, that'll be all right,' he thought, and he went in. «А, все будет хорошо», — подумал он и вошел. This time nobody looked at his trousers and his shoes. На этот раз никто не смотрел на его штаны и туфли. He enjoyed his meal, and then he looked up at the waiter, smiled and said, 'I haven't got any money, you know. Он наслаждался едой, а затем посмотрел на официанта, улыбнулся и сказал: «Знаешь, у меня нет денег. Now, call the police. А теперь вызовите полицию. And do it quickly. И сделать это быстро. I'm tired!' Я устал!'

'No police for you!' — Никакой полиции! the waiter answered. 'Hey! Jo!'

Another waiter came, and together they threw Soapy out into the cold street. Подошел еще один официант, и вместе они выбросили Сопи на холодную улицу. Soapy lay there, very angry. Мыльный лежал там, очень злой. With difficulty, he stood up. С трудом встал. His nice warm prison was still far away, and Soapy was very unhappy. Его милая теплая тюрьма была еще далеко, и Сопи был очень несчастен. He felt worse because a policeman, who was standing near, laughed and walked away. Ему стало хуже, потому что полицейский, стоявший рядом, засмеялся и ушел.

Soapy moved on, but he walked for a long time before he tried again. Мыльный пошел дальше, но долго шел, прежде чем попытался снова. This time it looked easy.

A nice young woman was standing in front of a shop window. Симпатичная молодая женщина стояла перед витриной магазина. Not very far away there was also a policeman. Не очень далеко был и полицейский. Soapy moved nearer to the young woman. Мыльный подошел ближе к молодой женщине. He saw that the policeman was watching him. Он увидел, что полицейский наблюдает за ним. Then he said to the young woman, with a smile, 'Why don't you come with me, my dear? Затем он сказал молодой женщине с улыбкой: «Почему бы тебе не пойти со мной, моя дорогая? I can give you a good time.' Я могу хорошо провести время.

The young woman moved away a little and looked more carefully into the shop window. Молодая женщина немного отошла и внимательнее заглянула в витрину. Soapy looked at the policeman. Yes, he was still watching. Да, он все еще смотрел. Then he spoke to the young woman again. Затем он снова заговорил с молодой женщиной. In a minute she would call the policeman. Через минуту она позвонит полицейскому. Soapy could almost see the prison doors. Мыльный почти мог видеть тюремные двери. Suddenly, the young woman took hold of his arm. Soudain, la jeune femme lui saisit le bras. Внезапно молодая женщина взяла его за руку.

'OK,' she said happily. OK", dit-elle joyeusement. 'If you buy me a drink. — Если ты купишь мне выпить. Let's go before that policeman sees us.' Пошли, пока этот полицейский нас не увидел.

And poor Soapy walked away with the young woman, who still held on to his arm. Et le pauvre Soapy s'en va avec la jeune femme, qui s'accroche toujours à son bras. И бедняга Соупи ушел с молодой женщиной, которая все еще держала его за руку. He was very unhappy. Il était très malheureux.

At the next corner he ran away from the woman. Au coin suivant, il s'enfuit de la femme. Na następnym zakręcie uciekł od kobiety. На следующем углу он убежал от женщины. Suddenly he was afraid. Soudain, il a peur. Внезапно он испугался. 'I'm never going to get to prison,' he thought. Je n'arriverai jamais à aller en prison", pensait-il. «Я никогда не попаду в тюрьму, — думал он.

Slowly, he walked on and came to a street with a lot of theatres. Lentement, il continua à marcher et arriva dans une rue où se trouvaient de nombreux théâtres. Медленно он пошел дальше и вышел на улицу со множеством театров. There were a lot of people there, rich people in their best clothes. Soapy had to do something to get to prison. Мыльному нужно было что-то сделать, чтобы попасть в тюрьму. He did not want to spend another night on his seat in Madison Square. Il ne voulait pas passer une nuit de plus sur son siège au Madison Square. Он не хотел провести еще одну ночь на своем месте на Мэдисон-сквер. What could he do? Что он мог сделать? Then he saw a policeman near him, so he began to sing and shout and make a lot of noise. Потом он увидел рядом с собой милиционера, поэтому начал петь, кричать и сильно шуметь. This time they must send him to prison. But the policeman turned his back to Soapy and said to a man who was standing near, 'He's had too much to drink, but he's not dangerous. Но полицейский повернулся к Мыльному спиной и сказал стоявшему рядом человеку: «Он слишком много выпил, но он не опасен. We'll leave him alone tonight.' Nous le laisserons tranquille ce soir". Мы оставим его сегодня в покое.

What was the matter with the police? Что случилось с полицией? Soapy was really unhappy now, but he stopped making a noise. How could he get to prison? The wind was cold, and he pulled his thin coat around him. Le vent est froid et il resserre son mince manteau autour de lui. Ветер был холодный, и он накинул на себя тонкое пальто.

But, just then, inside a shop, he saw a man with an expensive umbrella. Но именно тогда в магазине он увидел мужчину с дорогим зонтиком. The man put his umbrella down near the door, and took out a cigarette. Мужчина положил зонт возле двери и достал сигарету. Soapy went into the shop, picked up the umbrella, and, slowly, he began to walk away. Мыльный зашел в магазин, взял зонт и медленно пошел прочь. The man came quickly after him. Мужчина быстро последовал за ним. 'That's my umbrella,' he said.

'Oh, is it?' Soapy replied. 'Then why don't you call a policeman? I took it, and you say it's your umbrella. Я взял его, а ты говоришь, что это твой зонт. Go on, then. Тогда продолжай. Call a policeman! Look! There's one on the corner.'

The umbrella man looked unhappy. 'Well, you know, perhaps I've made a mistake. I took it from a restaurant this morning. Я взял его из ресторана сегодня утром. If it's yours, well, I'm very sorry...'

'Of course it's my umbrella,' Soapy said.

The policeman looked at them - and the umbrella man walked away. The policeman went to help a beautiful young girl to cross the road. Полицейский пошел помочь красивой молодой девушке перейти дорогу.

Soapy was really angry now. He threw the umbrella away and said many bad things about policemen. Он выбросил зонт и сказал много плохого о полицейских. Just because he wanted to go to prison, they did not want to send him there. Только потому, что он хотел попасть в тюрьму, они не хотели его туда отправлять. He could do nothing wrong! Он не мог сделать ничего плохого!

He began to walk back to Madison Square and home - his seat. Он пошел обратно на Мэдисон-сквер и домой — на свое место.

But on a quiet corner, Soapy suddenly stopped. Но в тихом уголке Мыльный вдруг остановился. Here, in the middle of the city, was a beautiful old church. Здесь, посреди города, стояла красивая старинная церковь. Through one purple window he could see a soft light, and sweet music was coming from inside the church. Через одно фиолетовое окно он мог видеть мягкий свет, и из церкви доносилась сладкая музыка. The moon was high in the sky and everything was quiet. 月は空高く、すべてが静かでした。 Луна была высоко в небе, и все было тихо. For a few seconds it was like a country church and Soapy remembered other, happier days. 数秒間、それは田舎の教会のようで、ソーピーは他のもっと幸せな日々を思い出しました。 На несколько секунд это было похоже на деревенскую церковь, и Мыльный вспомнил другие, более счастливые дни. He thought of the days when he had a mother, and friends, and beautiful things in his life. 彼は、母親や友人がいた時代、そして人生の美しいものについて考えました。 Он думал о днях, когда у него была мать, друзья и прекрасные вещи в его жизни.

Then he thought about his life now - the empty days, the dead plans. それから彼は今彼の人生について考えました-空の日、死んだ計画。 And then a wonderful thing happened. そして、素晴らしいことが起こりました。 И тут случилось чудесное. Soapy decided to change his life and be a new man. Soapyは彼の人生を変えて新しい人になることを決心しました。 'Tomorrow,' he said to himself, 'I'll go into town and find work. 「明日」と彼は独り言を言いました。「私は町に行って仕事を見つけます。 My life will be good again. 私の人生はまた良くなるでしょう。 I'll be somebody important. 私は誰か重要になります。 Everything will be different. すべてが異なります。 I'll...'

Soapy felt a hand on his arm. Мыльный почувствовал чью-то руку на своей руке. He jumped and looked round quickly - into the face of a policeman! 彼はジャンプしてすぐに周りを見回しました-警官の顔に! Он вскочил и быстро оглянулся — в лицо полицейскому!

'What are you doing here?' 'Что ты здесь делаешь?' asked the policeman. 'Nothing,' Soapy answered.

'Then come with me,' the policeman said. 「それなら私と一緒に来なさい」と警官は言った。

'Three months in prison,' they told Soapy the next day. 「3ヶ月の刑務所で」彼らは翌日ソーピーに語った。 «Три месяца в тюрьме», — сказали они Соупи на следующий день.

- THE END -