What was the matter with the police?Soapy was really unhappy now,but he stopped making a noise. How could he get to prison(监狱)?The wind was cold
But,just then,inside a shop,and took out a cigarette. Soapy went into the shop,picked up the umbrella,slowly,he began to walk away. The man came quickly after him. "That's my umbrella
"Oh,is it?"Soapy replied. "Then why don't you call a policeman?I took it,and you say you're your umbrella. Go on
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,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▲now. He threw the umbrella away and said many bad things about policemen. Just because he wanted to go to prison to spend the coming cold days,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,and sweet music was coming from inside the church. 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,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
Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He jumped and looked round quickly into the face of a policeman!
——Adapted from Soapy's Choice by O. Henry
①Soapy said many bad things about the policemen.
②Soapy decided to change his life and be a new man.
③Soapy went into the shop and picked up the umbrella.
④Soapy thought of the days with his mother and friends.