　　自称纽约400万小市民之一的欧·亨利不仅早年混迹江湖，而且成名后一直与下层百姓为伍，因而对曼哈顿的旧街道、老房屋、小饭馆了如指掌，一生以平民生活为题材创作的短篇小说逾300篇。作者着力刻画小市民阶层的众生相，尤长于平中见奇，寓庄于谐，或白描，或漫画，举凡《麦琪的礼物》、《警察与赞美诗》、《最后一片叶子》等篇均脍炙人口，在世界上一直拥有广泛的读者。
　　《欧·亨利短篇小说集（英文版）》取欧·亨利的短篇小说30篇，每篇都很有特色，是作家一生创作的精华所在。欧，亨利的小说还是学习地道的美国英语的极好教材，他的作品常常使用双关语、讹音、谐音等手法，活泼生动，这也是欧，亨利具有“惊人的持久的影响”的一个重要因素。

作者简介

O. HENRY（the pen name ofWilliam Sydney Porter， 1862-igio） is one of the most famousAmerican short story writers.While in prison he first startedto write short storics and it'sbelieved that he has found hiswriter's pseudonym there. From December 1903 to January 1906O. Henry wrote a story a weekfor the New York Worldmagazine， and published several short stories in other magazines.
In his last years O. Henry had financial and health problems. As an alcoholic， O. Henry died in igio in New York City， virtuallybroke.

内页插图

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
A SERVICE OF LOVE
THE COP AND THE ANTHEM
MAMMON AND THE ARCHER
AN UNFINISHED STORY
THE FURNISHED ROOM
THE ROMANCE OF A BUSY BROKER
LOST ON DRESS PARADE
TELEMACHUS, FRIEND
THE HANDBOOK OF HYMEN
THE PIMIENTA PANCAKES
HYGEIA AT THE SOLITO
THE PRINCESS AND THE PUMA
JEFF PETERS AS A PERSONAL
MAGNET
THE CHAIR OF
PHILANTHROMATHEMATICS
THE EXACT SCIENCE OF
MATRIMONY
SHEARING THE WOLF
CONSCIENCE IN ART
THE MAN HIGHER UP
NEXT TO READING MATTER
A DOUBLE-DYED DECEIVER
WITCHES' LOAVES
JIMMY HAYES AND MURIEL
THE WHIRLIGIG OF LIFE
THE ROADS WE TAKE
THE ATAVISM OF JOHN TOM LITTLE
BEAR
THE MARIONETTES
WHILE THE AUTO WAITS
TWO THANKSGIVING DAY
GENTLEMEN
THE LAST LEAF
BABES IN THE JUNGLE

精彩书摘

"Tut！" said the old man. "Do you mean to tell me that withall the money I've got you can't get an hour or two of a girl'stime for yourself？" "I've put it off too late. She's going to sail for Europeat noon day after tomorrow for a two years' stay. I'm tosee her alone tomorrow evening for a few minutes. She'sat Larchmont now at her aunt's. I can't go there. ButI'm allowed to meet her with a cab at the Grand CentralStation tomorrow evening at the 8.30 train. We drive downBroadway to Wallack's at a gallop， where her mother and abox party will be waiting for us in the lobby. Do you thinkshe would listen to a declaration from me during that sixor eight minutes under those circumstances？ No. And whatchance would I have in the theatre or afterward？ None. No，dad， this is one tangle that your money can't unravel. Wecan't buy one minute of time with cash; if we could， richpeople would live longer. There's no hope of getting a talkwith Miss Lantry before she sails."
"All right， Richard， my boy，" said old Anthony， cheerfully."You may run along down to your club now. I'm glad it ain'tyour liver. But don't forget to burn a few punk sticks in thejoss house to the great god Mazuma from time to time. Yousay money won't buy time？ Well， of course， you can't ordereternity wrapped up and delivered at your residence for aprice， but I've seen Father Time get pretty bad stone bruiseson his heels when he walked through the gold diggings."
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