The Plot Summary of The Million Pound Note

張士宏

《百萬英鎊》是馬克·吐溫的一篇非常著名的小說，它描繪了美國的一個小辦事員出海游玩，迷失方向后幸運獲救，隨船來到英國倫敦。他身無分文，舉目無親，兩個富有的兄弟給了他一張一百萬英鎊的鈔票，并以他在三十天內憑這張百萬英鎊的鈔票能否活下去而打賭。在小說的結尾，小人物不僅活過了三十天，并且利用這張百萬英鎊發了一筆財，還獲得了一位小姐的芳心。小說通過小辦事員的種種“歷險”嘲弄了金錢在資產階級社會叱咤風云、呼風喚雨的作用。

In 1903， American seaman Henry Adams， wandering penniless in England， gets caught in an unusual bet between two wealthy brothers， Oliver and Roderick Montpelier. They get a bank to issue a one million pound note， which they present to Adams in an envelope. Oliver believes that the existence of the note will enable the possessor to obtain whatever he needs， while Roderick argues that it would actually have to be spent for it to be of any use.

When Adams discovers how much the note is worth， he tries to return it to the brothers， but is told that they have left for a month. He then finds a letter in the envelope， explaining the wager and promising him a job if he can avoid spending the note for the month.

At first， everything goes as Oliver had predicted. Adams has no trouble getting food， clothes， and a apartment， just by showing his note. The story of the note is reported in the newspapers. Adams is welcomed into noble social circles， meeting the American ambassador（大使） and English aristocracy （貴族）. Also， he becomes very popular with Portia Lansdowne， the niece of the Duchess of Cromarty.

Then， fellow American Hastings asks him to support a business. Hastings tells Adams that he does not have to put up any money himself; the mere association will allow Hastings to raise the money he needs to start up a gold mine by selling shares.

Trouble arises when the Duke of Frognal， who had been unceremoniously evicted （逐離） from the apartment Adams now occupies， hides the note as a joke. When Adams is unable to produce the note， panic breaks out among the shareholders and Adams' creditors. Fortunately， all is straightened out in the end， and Adams is able to return the note to the brothers at the end of the month.

【讀寫空間】

通過閱讀上面的短文，我們知道了馬克·吐溫的名著《百萬英鎊》的故事梗概。假定你校英語校刊《名人空間》欄目本期準備介紹該名著。現在請你根據下面的圖表提示，寫一篇作者介紹連同名著一起刊登在該欄目上。

注意：1. 詞數：100左右 2. 參考詞匯：popularity聲望，humourist幽默家