歐·亨利/O. Henry
歐·亨利（1862—1910），20世紀初美國著名短篇小說家，美國現代短篇小說創始人，批判現實主義作家，被譽為“美國的莫泊桑”。他一生極富傳奇色彩，當過藥房學徒、牧羊人、辦事員、新聞記者、銀行出納員。1898年2月，他因貪汙銀行公款罪被判處五年徒刑，後提前獲釋。他的作品貼近百姓生活，結局往往出人意料，以“含淚微笑”的風格被譽為“美國生活的幽默百科全書”。其代表作有《麥琪的禮物》《警察與讚美詩》《最後一片葉》等。
In a little district west of Washington Square the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called "places" . These"places" make strange angles and curves. One Street crosses itself a time or two. An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street. Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account!
So, to quaint old Greenwich Village the art people soon came prowling, hunting for north windows and eighteenth-century gables and Dutch attics and low rents. Then they imported some pewter mugs and a chafing dish or two from Sixth Avenue, and became a "colony".
At the top of a squatty, three-story brick Sue and Johnsy had their studio. "Johnsy" was familiar for Joanna. One was from Maine; the other from California. They had met at the table d'hote of an Eighth Street "Delmonico's" , and found their tastes in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves so congenial that the joint studio resulted.
That was in May. In November a cold, unseen stranger, whom the doctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the colony, touching one here and there with his icy fingers. Over on the east side this ravager strode boldly, smiting his victims by scores, but his feet trod slowly through the maze of the narrow and moss-grown "places" .