作者介绍

马克·吐温像

马克·吐温（Mark Twain），美国著名作家和演说家，真实姓名是萨缪尔·兰亨·克莱门（Samuel Langhorne Clemens）。“马克·吐温”是他的笔名，原是密西西比河水手使用的表示在航道上所测水的深度的术语。

马克·吐温12岁时，父亲去世，他只好停学，到工厂当小工。后来他又换了不少职业，曾做过密西西比河的领航员、矿工及新闻记者工作。渐渐地着手写一些有趣的小品，开始了自己的写作生涯。

马克·吐温一生写了大量作品，题材涉及小说、剧本、散文、诗歌等各方面。从内

容上说，他的作品批判了不合理现象或人性的丑恶之处，表达了这位当过排字工人和水手的作家强烈的正义感和对普通人民的关心；从风格上说，专家们和一般读者都认为，幽默和讽刺是他的写作特点。

马克·吐温是美国批判现实主义文学的奠基人，他的主要作品已大多有中文译本。他经历了美国从初期资本主义到帝国主义的发展过程，其思想和创作也表现为从轻快调笑到辛辣讽刺再到悲观厌世的发展阶段，前期以辛辣的讽刺见长，到了后期语言更为暴露激烈。被誉为“美国文学史上的林肯”。他于1910年4月21日去世，享年七十五岁，安葬于纽约州艾玛拉。

作品原文

Eighty Dollars

By Mark Twain

A few years ago I asked my children's governess, Julia Vassilyevna, to come into my study." Sit down, Julia Vassilyevna," I said."Let's settle our accounts. Although you most likely need somemoney, you stand on ceremony and won't ask for it yourself. Now then, we agree on thirty rubles amonth…"" Forty."" No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay the governess thirty. Now then, you've been here twomonths, so…"" Two months and five days."" Exactly two months. I made a specific note of it. That means you have sixty rubles coming to you.Subtract nine Sundays… you know you didn't work with Kolya on Sundays, you only took walks. Andthree holidays…"Julia Vassilyevna flushed a deep red and picked at the flounce of her dress, but-not a word." Three holidays, therefore take off twelve rubles. Four days Kolya was sick and there were nolessons, as you were occupied only with Vanya. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave youpermission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven-nineteen. Subtract…that leaves…hmm…forty-onerubles. Correct?"Julia Vassilyena's left eye reddened and filled with moisture. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously andblew her nose, but-not a word." Around New Year's you broke a teacup and saucer: take off two rubles. The cup cost more, it wasan heirloom, but-let it go. When didn't I take a loss? Then, due to your neglect, Kolya climbed a treeand tore his jacket: take off ten. Also due to your heedlessness the maid stole Vanya's shoes. You oughtto watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more rubles off. The tenth of January I gaveyou ten rubles…"" You didn't " whispered Julia Vassilyevna." But I made a note of it."" Well…all right."" Take twenty-seven from forty-one-that leaves fourteen."Both eyes filled with tears. Perspiration appeared on the thin, pretty little nose. Poor girl!" Only once was I given any money," she said in a trembling voice, " and that was by your wife. Threerubles, nothing more."" Really? You see now, and I didn't make a note of it! Take three from fourteen… leaves eleven.Here's your money, my dear. Three , three, three, one and one. Here it is!"I handed her eleven rubles. She took them and with trembling fingers stuffed them into her pocket." Merci," she whispered.I jumped up and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger." For what, this-'merci'?" I asked." For the money."" But you know I've cheated you, God's sake-robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Whythis 'merci'?"" In my other places they didn't give me anything at all."" They didn't give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teachyou … I'm going to give you the entire eighty rubles! Here they are in an envelope all ready for you…Is itreally possible to be so spineless? Why don't you protest? Why be silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws-to be such a nincompoop?"She smiled crookedly and I read in her expression: " It is possible."I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and , to her great surprise, gave her the eighty rubles. Shemurmured her litter "merci" several times and went out. I looked after her and thought: "How easy it is tocrush the weak in this world!"1

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