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LESSON 56 Story of sir Richard Arkwright
第五十六课 理查德·阿科莱特先生的故事
Somewhere about the year 1752, any one passing along a certain obscure alley in Preston,
大概是1752年，从普勒斯顿一个不起眼一个小村子，
then a mere village, might have observed projecting from the entrance to the under-ground flat of one of the houses a blue and white pole,
凡是过路的人都会注意到从地下室的入口处的其中一间房子中，伸出来的一根蓝白相间的杆子，
with a battered tin plate dangling at the end of it.
上面挂着一块破旧的白铁皮。
The object of the sign was to intimate that if any one wanted his hair cut, or his chin shaved,
这根杆子的意思是，如果想找他理发或者刮胡子，
he had only to step down-stairs, and the owner of the sign would be delighted to accommodate him.
就必须要到地下室去，凡是到来的顾客，店主都会好好招待。
But Richard Arkwright, the owner of the pole and plate, had few opportunities of displaying his talents.
但是，店主理查德·阿科莱特的人很少有机会施展手艺。
He spent most of his time in whetting his razors on a long piece of leather,
大部分时间他都会在一片长长的皮革上磨剃刀，
and in keeping the hot water and the soap ready for customers who seldom or never came.
或者烧好热水，准备好肥皂，等待顾客上门，虽然很少、甚至从没有人来过。
As he sat one night, before tumbling into his trundle bed, meditating on the hardness of the times, a bright idea struck him.
有一天晚上，他在睡觉前苦思冥想，终于想出一个好主意。
If he could not get customers to come to him to be shaved for two-pence
如果他每次收费两便士，却没有顾客愿意来
—then the standard charge—it occurred to him that they might be induced to try his powers if he asked a lower fee.
——那他就调整收费——他想，如果他把价钱降得一点，就能够吸引顾客了。
Accordingly, the next morning the attractions of the sign-pole were enhanced, by a staring placard, bearing the urgent invitation:
因此，第二天一早，他就把牌子挂出去了，是一个写着邀请字样的亮眼的广告牌：
——Come to the SUBTERRANEOUS BARBER! He Shaves for a Penny!!
——本店每次理发只收一便士！欢迎前来！！
As soon as this innovation became known, we can fancy how indignant the fraternity were at the unprincipled conduct of one of their number
很快，这一消息传遍开来。我们可以想象，他的同行们对这种不遵守行规的做法是多么气愤
—how they denounced him, and prophesied his speedy ruin.
——他们予以谴责，并预言他的理发店很快就会关门大吉。
