The Plot Summary of The Million Pound Note

张士宏

《百万英镑》是马克·吐温的一篇非常著名的小说，它描绘了美国的一个小办事员出海游玩，迷失方向后幸运获救，随船来到英国伦敦。他身无分文，举目无亲，两个富有的兄弟给了他一张一百万英镑的钞票，并以他在三十天内凭这张百万英镑的钞票能否活下去而打赌。在小说的结尾，小人物不仅活过了三十天，并且利用这张百万英镑发了一笔财，还获得了一位小姐的芳心。小说通过小办事员的种种“历险”嘲弄了金钱在资产阶级社会叱咤风云、呼风唤雨的作用。

In 1903， American seaman Henry Adams， wandering penniless in England， gets caught in an unusual bet between two wealthy brothers， Oliver and Roderick Montpelier. They get a bank to issue a one million pound note， which they present to Adams in an envelope. Oliver believes that the existence of the note will enable the possessor to obtain whatever he needs， while Roderick argues that it would actually have to be spent for it to be of any use.

When Adams discovers how much the note is worth， he tries to return it to the brothers， but is told that they have left for a month. He then finds a letter in the envelope， explaining the wager and promising him a job if he can avoid spending the note for the month.

At first， everything goes as Oliver had predicted. Adams has no trouble getting food， clothes， and a apartment， just by showing his note. The story of the note is reported in the newspapers. Adams is welcomed into noble social circles， meeting the American ambassador（大使） and English aristocracy （貴族）. Also， he becomes very popular with Portia Lansdowne， the niece of the Duchess of Cromarty.

Then， fellow American Hastings asks him to support a business. Hastings tells Adams that he does not have to put up any money himself; the mere association will allow Hastings to raise the money he needs to start up a gold mine by selling shares.

Trouble arises when the Duke of Frognal， who had been unceremoniously evicted （逐离） from the apartment Adams now occupies， hides the note as a joke. When Adams is unable to produce the note， panic breaks out among the shareholders and Adams' creditors. Fortunately， all is straightened out in the end， and Adams is able to return the note to the brothers at the end of the month.

【读写空间】

通过阅读上面的短文，我们知道了马克·吐温的名著《百万英镑》的故事梗概。假定你校英语校刊《名人空间》栏目本期准备介绍该名著。现在请你根据下面的图表提示，写一篇作者介绍连同名著一起刊登在该栏目上。

注意：1. 词数：100左右 2. 参考词汇：popularity声望，humourist幽默家