OnacoldwinterSundaythelittlemancameuptomeasIwasabouttoenterthetelephoneboxandaskedmewhetherIhadamatch.“I'msorry”Isaid.“Idon'tsmokesoIhaven'tany.You'dbetterasksomeoneelse.”111]Helookedr

　　OnacoldwinterSundaythelittlemancameuptomeasIwasabouttoenterthetelephoneboxandaskedmewhetherIhadamatch.

　　“I'msorry”Isaid.“Idon'tsmokesoIhaven'tany.You'dbetterasksomeoneelse.”111]

　　Helookedratherdisappointedhesitatedandthenturnedaway.IwatchedhimwalkslowlydownthestreetbeforeIpickedupthetelephonedirectorytolookupthenumberImeanttodial.I'mnotusedtoapubliccallboxsoatmyfirstattempttogetthroughthewarningpips(嘟嘟声)hadstoppedbeforeIrealizedIhadtoinsertacoin.WhenIwasatlastabletospeakIwastoldthatthepersonwhomIurgentlywantedtogiveamessagetohadjustgoneout.SwearingslightlyundermybreathIgotoutoftheboxandcamefacetofacewiththelittleman.AsheraisedhishatagainIcouldseehewasquitebaldandathinlineresemblingadueling(决斗)scarcrossedonecheek.

　　“Excusemytroublingyouagain.”hesaidnervously.“MayIwalkalongwithyoualittleway?Imusttellyouthetruth.Ineedhelpdesperately.”

　　Hehadanunusuallydeepvoicewhichsuggestedastrangecombinationofshynessandself-confidence.IwasconsciousofafairlystrongforeignaccentandIwonderedwhatcountryhehadactuallycomefrom.IsaidthatIhadtocatchatrainintwentyminutes’timebutthathemightaccompanymetothestation.

　　“I'mgoingtoshockyou，”hesaidsuddenlyafteramoment'ssilence.“Canyoulendmefivepounds?Ihavenomoneyatall.”Ihavecomeacrossmanystrangecharactersduringmylifeandplentyofpeoplehavetriedtoborrowmoneyfromme.Ihavegenerallymanagedtoavoidlendingthemany.ButperhapsbecauseoftheverydirectnessofhisappealIsomehowhadtheimpressionthathisneedmightbedesperatelyurgent.

　　“I'msorry”Ireplied“I'mafraidIcan'tlendyouanythingasI'mnotinthehabitofcarryingmuchmoneyaboutwithme.Don'tyouthinkthepolicemightbethebestpeopletoaskforhelp?”

　　Hehesitated“Idarenotgotothepolice”hesaidquietly.“IfIdogotheywillhavetosendmehome.That'swhatI'mafraidof.Idon'tknowwhattodo.”Heshookhisheadrathersadlyraisedhishatandleftme.Icaughtmytrainandsoonforgottheincident.

　　ItwasthreeweekslaterthatIhappenedtoglanceatanoldeveningpaperandcaughtsightofasmallparagraphatthebottomofthefrontpag