小学英语 英语故事（童话故事）The Old Street Lamp 老路灯.doc

5TheOldStreetLamp老路灯Haveyoueverheardthestoryoftheoldstreetlamp?Itisnotreallyveryamusing,butonecanbeartohearitonce,anyway.Therewasoncearespectableoldstreetlampwhohadperformedhisdutiesfaithfullyandwellformanyyears;butnowhadbeendeclaredtobetooold-fashioned.Thiswasthelasteveningthatitwouldhangfromthelamppostandilluminatethestreet;andhefeltlikeaballerinawhowasdancingforthelasttimeandknewthattomorrowshewouldbeahas-been.Thelampwasveryfrightenedofthecomingday,forhehadbeentoldthathewouldbeinspectedbythesixandthirtymenofthetowncouncil.Theyweretodecidewhetherthelampwasfitforfurtherserviceand,ifso,whatkind.Theymightsuggestthathebehungoveroneofthelesserbridges,orbesoldtoafactory,orcondemnedaltogether,whichmeantthathewouldbemelteddown.Thenhewouldbemadeintosomethingelse,ofcourse;butwhatworriedhimwasthathedidnotknowwhetherhewouldthenbeabletorecallthathehadbeenastreetlamp.Nomatterwhathappenedtohim,onethingwascertain:tomorrowhewouldbeseparatedfromthenightwatchmanandhiswife,andthatwasatragedy,forheconsideredthemtobehisfamily.Hehadbeenhungonhislampposttheveryyearthatthemanbecameanightwatchman.Hiswifehadbeenyoungandsnobbish.Shewouldlookatthestreetlampatnightbutshewouldn'tsomuchasglanceatitindaylight.Duringrecentyears,however,whenallthreeofthem--thenightwatchman,hiswife,andthestreetlamp--hadgrownold,thewifehadtakencareofthelamp:polisheditandfilleditwithoil.Theoldcouplewereanhonestpairwhohadnevercheatedthelampoutofasingledropofoil.Thiswastobethelastnightthattheoldlampwouldshinedownuponthepavement.Tomorrowitwouldbetakentoaroominthetownhall.Thesetwofactsmadethelampfeelsosadthatheflickered.Otherthoughtscame:memoriesofallhehadseen.Hehadcasthislightuponmanyacurioussightandhadseenmorethanallthesixandthirtymenofthetowncouncilputtogether.Buttheoldlampwouldneverhaveexpressedsuchathoughtoutloud,forhehadthegreatestrespectfortheauthorities.Itisalwayspleasantfortheoldtoreminisce,andeachtimethelamprememberedsomethingdifferent,theflameinsidehimseemedtogrowbrighter."TheywillremembermeasIrememberthem,"tho