The Million Pound Bank Note
NARRATOR It is the summer of 1903, Two old and wealthy
brothers ,Roderick and Oliver .have made a bet .Oliver believes that with a million pound bank note a man could survive a month in London. His brother Roderick doubts it .At this moment ,they see a penniless young man wandering on the
pavement outside their house ,It is Henry Adams, an American businessman, who is lost in London and does not know what he should do.
RODERICK Young man, would you step inside a moment, please? HENRY Who? Me, sir? RODERICK Yes, you.
OLIVER Through the front door on your left.
HENRY (a servant opens the door for him) Thanks.
SERVANT Good morning, sir, would you please come in? Permit me to lead the way ,sir.
OLIVER (Henry enters)Thank you, James. That will be all. RODERICK How do you do, Mister－er－? HENRY Adams, Henry Adams.
OLIVER Come and sit down, Mr Adams. HENRY Thank you.
RODERICK You’re an American?
HENRY That’s right, from San Francisco. RODERICK How well do you know London HENRY Not at all. It’s my first trip here.
RODERICK I wonder, Mr Adams, if you’d mind us asking a few questions. HENRY Go right ahead.
RODERICK May we ask what you’re doing in this country and what your plans are?
HENRY Well, I can’t say that I have any plans. I’m hoping to find work. As a matter of fact, I landed in Britian by accident. OLIVER How is that possible?
HENRY Well, you see, back home I had my own boat. About a month ago I was sailing out of the bay－(his eyes stare at what is left of the brother’s dinner on the table)
RODERICK Well, go on.
HENRY Oh, yes. Well, towards nightfall I found myself carried out to sea by a strong wind. I did not know whether I could survive until morning. The next morning I’d just about given myself up for lost when I was spotted by a ship. OLIVER And it was the ship that bought you to England.
HENRY Yes .The fact is that I earned my passage by working as an unpaid hand, which accounts for my appearance. I went to the American embassy to seek help , but…(the brothers smile at each other)
RODERICK Well, you mustn’t worry about that. It’s an advantage. HENRY I’m afraid I don’t quite follow you, sir.
RODERICK Tell us, Mr Adams, what sort of work did you do in America?
HENRY I worked for a mining company. Could you offer me some kind of work here?
RODERICK Patience, Mr Adams. If you don’t mind, may I ask you how much money you have?
HENRY Well, to be honest, I have none.
OLIVER (happily) What luck! Brother, what luck!(claps his hands together) HENRY Well, it may seem lucky to you but not to me. On the contrary ,in fact ,If this is your idea of some kind of joke, I don’t think it’s very funny. (Henry stands up to leave)Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll be on my way.
RODERICK Please don’t go, Mr Adams.You mustn’t think we don’t care about you. Oliver, give him the letter.
OLIVER Yes, the letter.(gets it from a desk and gives it to Henry like a gift) The letter.
HENRY (taking it carefully) For me?
RODERICK For you. (Henry starts to open to it) Oh, no, you mustn’t open it. Not yet. You can’t open it until two two o’clock. HENRY Oh, this is silly.
RODERICK Not silly. There’s money in it. (calls to the servant) James. HENRY Oh, no, I don’t want your charity. I just want an honest job.
RODERICK We know you’re hard-working. That’s why we’ve given you the letter. James, show Mr Adams out. OLIVER Good luck, Mr Adams.
HENRY Well, why don’t you explain what this is all about?
RODERICK You’ll soon know. (Looks at the clock)In exactly an hour and a half. SERVANT This way, sir.
RODERICK Mr Adams, not until 2 o’clock. Promise? HENRY Promise. Good-bye.
B3U3p20
One day my uncle told me a about a man who made a that he would be able to walk to the foot of a mountain by .The mountain was over 100 kilometres away from his home so people were happy to take the bet
because they thought it was that anybody could walk so far in one day. But they did not realise that the man had a plan ready. He got his
to drive a large truck which would meet him on the road as if . The truck would give the man a ride and he would continue to pretend to walk as the truck moved along. In this way the man made his at the foot of the mountain before nightfall and he won his bet. He said he had walked all the way though not always on the road!