The f 1,000,000 Bank-NoteMark Twain

{.'U?ItA.

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Bancnota de un milion de lireMark Twain

Copyright @ 2076 Grup Media Literapentru versiunea ln limba romAni

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Traducere din limba englezi: Petru Comarnescu,Eugen B. Marian, Petre Solomon

Editor: Vidragcu 9i fiiiRedactor: Justina Bandol

Coperti: Flori ZahiuTehnoredactare gi prepress: Ofelia Cogman

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TWAIN, MARKBancnota de un milion de lire. The f1,000,000 Bank-Note /

Mark Twain; trad.: Petru Comarnescu, Eugen B. Marian,Petre Solomon - Bucuregti: Iitera,2076

ISBN 978-606 -33-0984-7

I. Comarnescu, Petru (trad.)II. Marian, Eugen B. (trad.)IIL Solomon, Petre (trad.)

827.777(94)-37=735.7

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MARK TWAINBancnota de un milion de lire

The 81,OOO,OOO Bank-Note

**

La vA.rsta de douS.zeci ;i ;apte de ani eram func-gionar la un antreprenor de mine din San Francisco

gi iscusit nevoie mare in toare chigibu;urileoperaliunilor cu acfiuni. Singur pe lume, pentru ainvinge greuti.tile, nu mi puteam bizui decit pe

inteligenga gi pe buna mea reputatie; de altfel,aceste doui atuuri imi erau de-ajuns pentru a-micLlLuzi pa;ii pe calea norocului, si aveam increderein viitor.

Cum, de obicei, sAmbita dupi-amiazL eramliber, mi foloseam de acest figaz plimb6.ndu-mi.cu barca cu pinze in jurul golfului. irtr-o zi, m-amaventurat prea deparre si am fost tLrA.t in larg.Tocmai cind se lisa noaptea si eram gata si-mipierd orice sperantS., soarra ftcu sL fiu luat la bor-dul unui bric cu destinatia Londra. Cilitoria fulungi si furtunoasi, gi am fost pus si-mi plitescdrumul fIcAnd treaba unui marinar de rA.nd.

\(hen I was twenty-seven years old, I was a

mining-broker's clerk in San Francisco, and an

expert in all the details of stock traffic. I was alone

in the world, and had nothing to depend uPon

but my wits and a clean rePutadon; but these were

setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune,

and I was content with the ProsPect.My time was my own after the afternoon board,

Saturdays, and I was accustomed to put it in on a

little sail-boat on the bay. One day I ventured too

far, and was carried out to sea. Just at nightfall,

when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a

small brig which was bound for London. It was

a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work

my passage without Pay, as a common sailor.

Bancnota de un milion de lire

Cind am pus piciorul pe p;.mentul englez,hainele mi-erau zdrentuite si ponosite in ultimulhal; iar drept avere aveam doar un singur dolar inbuzunar, care md ajuti sL nu mor de foame gisl-mi gisesc un acoperis in prima zi; ziua urmi-toare am rimas f}ri mAncare ;i flrl adipost.

A treia zi, pe la ora zece dimineata, istovit silihnit de foame, mi tiram anevoie pe portlandPlace, cind am intAlnit un copilag pe care guver-nanta il trigea de mA"ni.; la doi pagi de mine,copilul arunci in rigoli o pari ademenitoare dincare de-abia mugcase. M-am oprit, fireste, atin-tindu-mi ochii pofticiogi asupra acestei comoriminjite de noroi. imi lisa gura api, stomacul orAvnea, si, in acea clip5", o cerea cu dezni.dejdeintreaga mea fiingi.. Dar, de cAte ori schitam gestulde a o ridica, intAlneam privirea indiscreti. a citeunui trecitor; atunci, fireste, mi indreptam, luindo mini indiferenti, si mi preficeam cI" habarn-am de pari. Chinul meu se prelungi in chipulacesta de mai multe ori, incit n-am putut luafructul. in clipa cAnd deznidejdea mea ajunsese laculme si eram gata si lnfrunt orice rusine ridici.ndpara, am auzit deschizindu-se o fereastri in spatelemeu gi m-am pomenit chemat de un domn, careimi strigi.:

- Intrl", te rog!

The {,1,000,000 Bank'Note

'W'hen I stepped ashore in London my clothes

were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in

my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me

twenty-four hours. During the next twenry-four Iwent without food and shelter.

About ten o'clock on the following morning,

seedy and hungry, I was dragging myself along

Portland Place, when a child that was passing,

towed by a nurse-maid, tossed a luscious big

pear - minus one bite - into the gutter. I stopped,

of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that

muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stom-

ach craved it, my whole being begged for it. But

every time I made a move to get it some passing

eye detected my purpose, and of course I straight-

ened up then, and looked indifferent, and pretend-

ed that I hadnt been thinking about the pear at

all. This same thing kept happening and happen-

ing, and I couldn't get the pear. I was just getting

desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to

seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and

a gentleman spoke out of it, saYing:

"Step in here, please."