[00:00.00] come across\ make out\ hope for\ clue
[00:03.10]碰上\辨认出\希望\线索
[00:06.19]identity\ forbid\ other than\ exchange
[00:09.40]身份\禁止\除了\交换
[00:12.62]match up to\ for sure\ goodness\ relief
[00:16.09]比得上\毫无疑问\天哪\轻松
[00:19.57]come to an end\ knot\ erect
[00:25.00]He hesitated.
[00:27.04]Was it better to leave them with their dreams of yesteryear
[00:32.37]rather than risk a rude awakening?
[00:36.44]THE WALLET by Arnold Fine
[00:40.67]Tt was a year ago today when I came across a wallet in the street.
[00:45.66](1)lnside was a letter that looked as if it had been carried around for years
[00:50.91]dated in 1924.
[00:53.76]The envelope was worn and all I could make out was the retun address
[00:59.40]I opened the letter carefully，
[01:00.34]hoping for some clue to the identity ofthe owner of the wallet.
[01:04.88]It was signed Hannah and written to someone called Michael.
[01:09.61]She wrote that she could not see him any more
[01:13.43]because her mother forbade it.
[01:16.06]She would always love him，but felt it would be best if they never met again.
[01:21.99]It was a beautifull letter.
[01:24.55](2)But there was no way,
[01:27.79]other than the name Michael,that the owner could be identified.
[01:32.47]There turn address was nearby,so I called in.
[01:36.96]I asked if anyone there knew of a Hannah，and was told
[01:41.64]"Oh，0f course!We bought this house from her some time ago.
[01:46.65]She's in a nursing home now."
[01:49.42]They gave me the name of the home and I called the director.
[01:54.23](3)I explained the situation and was invited over
[01:58.38]arriving to find him chatting to the door guard
[02:02.33]We exchanged greetings and the director took me up to Hannah's room on the third floor ofthe large building.
[02:09.46]She was a sweet，silver-haired old lady with a warm smile,full oflife.
[02:15.68]I told her about finding the wallet and took out the letter
[02:20.53]The moment she saw it she recognized.
[02:23.67]"Young man,"she said， "this lette was the last contact I had with Michael
[02:31.22]I never heard from him again.
[02:34.67]"She 1ooked away for a moment in deep thought and continued，
[02:39.92]"I loved him very much
[02:42.95]I was 16 at the time
[02:45.93]and my mother felt I was much too young to even be seeing Michael
[02:51.86]He was so handsome."
[02:54.81]Just then the director was called away and we were left alone.
[03:00.08]"Yes，Michael Goldstein was his name,
[03:05.83]she began once more."If you do find him，
[03:10.79]give him my regards and tell him I still think of him often.That..."
[03:17.64]She hesitated for a moment，took a deep breath，and added，
[03:22.37]"I still love him.You know..."she said
[03:28.19]smiling through her tears，"I never did marry.
[03:33.63]I guess no one ever matched up to Michael."
[03:37.88]At that moment the director returned.I thanked her and said goodbye.
[03:43.73]Downstairs the guard at the front door looked at me and asked
[03:48.41]Any luck?Was the old lady able to help you?"
[03:52.75]I told him she had given me a lead."But I think I'll let this go for a while
[03:58.68]I spent almost a who1e day trying to find the owner of this wallet."
[04:03.40]I took it out and showed it to the guard.·
[04:06.43]The guard took one look and said，"(4)Hey,wait a minute.
[04:11.79]That's Mr.Goldstein's wallet.
[04:14.92]I'd know that anywhere.He's always losing it."
[04:18.84]Who'S Mr GOldstein?"I pressed him as my hand started to shake.
[04:24.25]"He's one of the old guys on the eighth floor.
[04:27.70]That's Mike Goldstein's wallet for sure.
[04:31.85]I'll take you up to him,if you like."
[04:34.73]We found Mr.Goldstein in his room
[04:38.15]and the security man asked if he had lost his wallet.
[04:42.12]Mr.Goldstein put his hand to his back pocket,
[04:45.93]and realizing it was empty,said，"Oh，my goodness.it is missing."
[04:52.59]"could this be yours?"I asked，handing him the wallet.
[04:58.37]The second he saw it he smiled with relief and said，
[05:02.62]"Yes...yes... that's it.Thank you so much."
[05:09.08]"Not at all，"I replied.
[05:11.92]"But I have to tell you something.I read the letter."
[05:16.29]The smile on his face disappeared."You read that letter?"
[05:21.46]"Not only did I read it，I know where Hannah is."
[05:25.77]The blood 1eft his face as he suddenly grew pale.
[05:30.68]"Hannah?You know where she is?How is she?
[05:36.64]Is she still as pretty as she was?"
[05:40.71]The security man looked at me suggesting that I not say any more.
[05:45.83]I hesitated.
[05:47.89]"P1ease!Please tell me!"he begged.
[05:52.23]"she's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her，"I said softly.
[05:59.88]"could you tell me where she is?"
[06:02.81]He grabbed my hand and said，"You know something...
[06:07.80]I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came，
[06:13.44]my life seemed to come to an end.I never married
[06:18.30]I guess I'll aways.love her.
[06:21.36]Oh，she was beautiful...and so sweet."He smiled to himself.
[06:29.30]"Michael."I said."Come with me."
[06:33.01]The three of us took the elevator down to the third floor.
[06:37.06]Hannah was sitting alone watching television.
[06:40.90]"Hallnah,''the guard said softly.
[06:44.63]"DO you know this man?''She adjusted her glasses.
[06:50.69]She looked for a moment but didn't say a word.
[06:54.82]"Hannah，it's Michael.D0 you remember me?''
[07:01.06]"Michael?I don't believe it! Michael?It's you!Michael!"
[07:08.40]He walked slowly to her side.
[07:11.77]Michael took her around the waist and she held him fight，whispering
[07:17.02]"Michael...my darling Michael..."
[07:21.28]The two of them sat down on a sofa，holding hands，and started to talk
[07:26.95]They had some sixty years'worth to catch up on.
[07:31.08]The guard and I walked out，both of us crying.
[07:36.04]Three weeks later I got a call from the director：
[07:40.09]"You're invited to a wedding
[07:43.25]Michael and Hannah are finally going to tie the knot!You kown
[07:49.00]The two of them were in this building for years and they never met,
[07:53.75]or if they did they didn't recognize each otller."
[07:57.59]Hannah wore,a light brown dress for the wedding and 1ooked beautiful.
[08:02.71]Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood erect like a soldier.
[08:08.28]The hospital gave them a special room together,
[08:12.33]and if you ever wanted to see a 79-year-o1d bride
[08:17.18]and an 81-year-old groom acting like two teenagers，
[08:22.64]you had to see this couple.
