OnacoldwinterSunday，thelittlemancameuptomeasIwasabouttoenterthetelephoneboxandaskedmewhetherIhadamatch．"I'msorry，"Isaid．"Idon'tsmoke，soIhaven'tany．You'dbetterasksomeoneelse．"Hel

　　OnacoldwinterSunday，thelittlemancameuptomeasIwasabouttoenterthetelephoneboxandaskedmewhetherIhadamatch．

　　"I'msorry，"Isaid．"Idon'tsmoke，soIhaven'tany．You'dbetterasksomeoneelse．"

　　Helookedratherdisappointed，hesitated，andthenturnedaway．IwatchedhimwalkslowlydownthestreetbeoreIpickedupthetelephonedirectorytolookupthenumberImeanttodial．I'mnotusedtoapubliccallbox，so，atmyfirstattempttogetthrough，thewarningpips（ 嘟嘟声） hadstoppedbeforeIrealizedIhadtoinsertacoin．WhenIwasatlastabletospeak，IwastoldthatthepersonwhomIurgentlywantedtogiveamessagetohadjustgoneout．Swearingslightlyundermybreath，Igotoutoftheboxandcamefacetofacewiththelittleman．Asheraisedhishatagain，Icouldseehewasquitebald，andathinline，resemblingadueling（ 决斗） scar，crossedonecheek．

　　"Excusemytroublingyouagain．"hesaidnervously．"MayIwalkalongwithyoualittleway？Imusttellyouthetruth．Ineedhelpdesperately．"

　　Hehadanunusuallydeepvoicewhichsuggestedastrangecombinationofshynessandself-confidence．IwasconsciousofafairlystrongforeignaccentandIwonderedwhatcountryhehadactuallycomefrom．IsaidthatIhadtocatchatrainintwentyminutes'time，butthathemightaccompanymetothestation．

　　"I'mgoingtoshockyou，"hesaidsuddenly，afteramoment'ssilence．"Canyoulendmefivepounds？Ihavenomoneyatall．"Ihavecomeacrossmanystrangecharactersduringmylifeandplentyofpeoplehavetriedtoborrowmoneyfromme．Ihavegenerallymanagedtoavoidlendingthemany．But，perhapsbecauseoftheverydirectnessofhisappeal，Isomehowhadtheimpressionthathisneedmightbedesperatelyurgent．

　　"I'msorry，"Ireplied，"I'mafraidIcan'tlendyouanything，asI'mnotinthehabitofcarryingmuchmoneyaboutwithme．Don'tyouthinkthepolicemightbethebestpeopletoaskforhelp？"

　　Hehesitated，"Idarenotgotothepolice，"hesaidquietly．"IfIdogo，theywillhavetosendmehome．That'swhatI'mafraidof．Idon'tknowwhattodo．"Heshookhisheadrathersadly，raisedhishatandleftme．Icaughtmytrainandsoonforgottheincident．