The Road. Аудирование на 50000+ английских слов с текстовым сопровождением

They give, and they withhold never, from what they need for themselves, and very often from what they cruelly need for themselves. A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog when you are just as hungry as the dog.

There was one house in particular where I was turned down that evening. The porch windows opened on the dining room, and through them I saw a man eating pie – a big meat-pie. I stood in the open door, and while he talked with me, he went on eating. He was prosperous, and out of his prosperity had been bred resentment against his less fortunate brothers.

He cut short my request for something to eat, snapping out, «I don’t believe you want to work.»

Now this was irrelevant. I hadn’t said anything about work. The topic of conversation I had introduced was «food.» In fact, I didn’t want to work. I wanted to take the westbound overland that night.

«You wouldn’t work if you had a chance,» he bullied.

I glanced at his meek-faced wife, and knew that but for the presence of this Cerberus I’d have a whack at that meat-pie myself.

But Cerberus sopped himself in the pie, and I saw that I must placate him if I were to get a share of it. So I sighed to myself and accepted his work-morality.

«Of course I want work,» I bluffed.

«Don’t believe it,» he snorted.

«Try me,» I answered, warming to the bluff.

«All right,» he said. «Come to the corner of blank and blank streets» – (I have forgotten the address) – «to-morrow morning.

You know where that burned building is, and I’ll put you to work tossing bricks.»

«All right, sir; I’ll be there.»

He grunted and went on eating. I waited. After a couple of minutes he looked up with an I-thought-you-were-gone expression on his face, and demanded:—

«Well?»

«I… I am waiting for something to eat,» I said gently.

«I knew you wouldn’t work!» he roared.

He was right, of course; but his conclusion must have been reached by mind-reading, for his logic wouldn’t bear it out.

But the beggar at the door must be humble, so I accepted his logic as I had accepted his morality.

«You see, I am now hungry,» I said still gently. «To-morrow morning I shall be hungrier. Think how hungry I shall be when I have tossed bricks all day without anything to eat. Now if you will give me something to eat, I’ll be in great shape for those bricks.