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afriendinneedSomersetMaughamBritishplaywright,novelistandshortstorywriter,whosenovelsandshortstoriesarecharacterizedbygreatnarrativefacility,simplicityofstyle,andadisillusionedandironicpointofview.SomersetMaugham•Theauthor•EdwardHydeBurton•LennyBurtonHewasatinylittlefellow,notmuchmorethanfivefeetfourinheight,andveryslender,withwhitehair,aredfacemuchwrinkled,andblueeyes.IsupposehewasaboutsixtywhenIknewhim.Hewasalwaysneatlyandquietlydressedinaccordancewithhisageandstation.(paragraph2)Hisvoicewasgentle;youcouldnotimaginethathecouldpossiblyraiseitinanger;hissmilewasbenign.Herewasamanwhoattractedyoubecauseyoufeltinhimarealloveforhisfellows.Atthesametimehelikedhisgameofcardsandhiscocktail,hecouldtellwithpointagoodandspicystory,andinhisyouthhehadbeensomethingofanathlete.Hewasarichmanandhehadmadeeverypennyhimself.Isupposeonethingthatmadeyoulikehimwasthathewassosmallandfrail;hearousedyourinstinctsofprotection.Youfeltthathecouldnotbeartohurtafly.DoyouknowTurner?saidBurtonasInoddedagreeting.I'vemethimattheclub.I'mtoldhe'saremittanceman.Yes,Ibelieveheis.Wehaveagoodmanyhere.Heplaysbridgewell.Theygenerallydo.Therewasafellowherelastyear,oddlyenoughanamesakeofmine,whowasthebestbridgeplayerIevermet.IsupposeyounevercameacrosshiminLondon.LennyBurtonhecalledhimself.Ibelievehe'dbelongedtosomeverygoodclubs.No,Idon'tbelieveIrememberthename.•OnedayLennywenttoBurtontoaskforajob.BrutontoldLennythatifhecouldsuccessfullyswimforthreemiles,hewouldgavehimajob.BurtonknewitwouldbeverydifficultforLennytomakeit,Lennyacceptedthechallengeanddrowned.Popularfeelingisseparatedbyabelly人心隔肚皮awell-dressedmanofbeastlytemper衣冠禽兽Edwardwasnot“afriendinneed”,butacold,calculatingandinhumanperson.Hehadnocompassionforpeopleindistress.Onthecontrary,hegloatedoverthemisfortuneofhisnamesake,andsimplytookadvantageofLenny’sdesperatesituation.Thetitle“AFriendinNeed”isthusheavilyironic.Bye