1、【导读】三十九级台阶被改编成电影，于1935年在美国上映。讲述了加拿大人汉纳意外被卷入间谍战，他不得不一次次的躲避追踪和暗杀，并要在有限的时间里找出真相。I sat down in an armchair and felt very sick.After about five minutes I started shaking.The poor white face with its staring eyes was too much for me，so I got a tablecloth and covered it.Then I took the whisky bottle and dr
2、ank several mouthfuls.I had seen men die violently before.I had killed a few myself in the Matabele War; but this was different.After a few more minutes I managed to calm myself down a little.I looked at my watch and saw that it was halfpast ten.I searched the flat carefully，but there was nobody the
3、re.Then I locked the doors and windows.By this time I was beginning to think more clearly.It looked bad for methat was clear.It was now certain that Scudders story was truethe proof was lying under the tablecloth.His enemies had found him and made sure of his silence.But he had been in my flat for f
4、our days，and they must think he had told his story to me.So I would be the next to die.It might be that night，or the next day，or the day after，but it was sure to happen.Then I thought of another problem.I could call the police now，or go to bed and wait for Paddock to discover the body and call them
5、in the morning.But what would the police think? What story would I tell them about Scudder? I had lied to Paddock about him，and my story would be hard to believe.They would arrest me for murder，and I had no real friends in England to help me.Perhaps that was part of the plan.An English prison would
6、be a safe place for me until the 15th of June.Even if the police did believe my story，I would still be helping Scudders enemies.Karolides would stay at home，which was what they wanted.Scudders death had made me certain that his story was true; now I felt responsible for continuing his work.I hated t
7、o see a good man beaten，and if I carried on in Scudders place，the murderers might not win.I decided I must disappear，and remain hidden until just before the 15th of June.Then I must contact some government people and tell them Scudders story.I wished he had told me more，and that I had listened more
8、carefully to what he had told me.There was a risk that the government would not believe me，but it was my best chance.Perhaps more evidence would appear which would help me to make my story believable.It was now the 24th of May，so I had twenty days of hiding.Two groups of people would be looking for
9、meScudders enemies，who would want to kill me，and the police，who would want me for Scudders murder.There was going to be a chase，and，surprisingly，I was almost happy about this.I did not want to sit in one place and wait.If I could move，the situation did not seem so bad.我坐在扶手椅上，感到很恶心。五分钟后开始颤栗。我受不了那张可怜
10、的、惨白的脸和直瞪瞪的眼睛，因此，拿了一块桌布把它盖起来。然后抄起威士忌酒瓶喝了几口。以前我见过暴死的，在麦特比尔战争中也亲手杀过几个人；但这次却有所不同。又过了几分钟我才使自己稍微平静一点。看了看表，是十点半。我仔细地把寓所搜查了一遍，没发现什么人。然后就把门窗都锁起来了。直到此刻我才开始比较清晰地思考。情况对我不利这很显然。斯卡德尔所言肯定不虚证据就在桌布下面躺着。他的敌人找到了他，使他彻底沉默了。然而他在我寓所待了四天，他们肯定认为他把事情告诉了我。所以下一个大概就轮到我死了。可能在今天晚上，可能在明天，也可能在后天，但我是死定了。接着我考虑了另一个问题。我可以现在就报警，或者上床睡觉，
11、等帕多克早晨来发现了尸体再报警。可是警察会怎么想呢？我该如何向警察讲斯卡德尔的事呢？关于斯卡德尔的事我已经对帕多克撒了谎，因此我的话很难令人相信。他们会以谋杀的罪名逮捕我，在英格兰我又没有好朋友帮忙。也许这正是他们计划的一部分。在英国监狱待到六月十五日对我来说倒是最安全的。即使警察相信我的话，我仍然是帮了斯卡德尔敌人的忙。卡罗里德斯就会留在国内，这正中他们的下怀。斯卡德尔的死使我确信他的话不假；我觉得现在有责任把他的事做下去。看到好人被打败我心有不甘，而如果我代替斯卡德尔干下去，那些凶手也许就不能得手。我决定必须躲起来，一直藏到六月十五日前。然后我得找政府的人，把斯卡德尔的事告诉他们。我真希望
12、当初他多说点，或者我对他的话听仔细点。虽然有政府的人不相信我的危险，但我只有这个最佳机会。也许将来证据会多一些，使我的话叫人相信。现在是五月二十四日，所以我要躲二十天。有两拨人要找我一拨是斯卡德尔的敌人，他们找我想要杀我；另一拨是警察，他们找我是为斯卡德尔的谋杀案。追踪马上就要开始，不知怎么的，我反倒为此有点乐滋滋的。我不想坐等别人来抓。如果我有所行动，情况未必那么糟糕。知识积累1manage(to)v.设法完成；设法把做成了 2arrest v. 逮捕3responsible(for)adj. 对负责文化链接故事发生在世界大战爆发前夕的英国，理查德是一名工程师，一次偶然中，他获得了前英国特工人员留下的密码，正义感极强的他决定揭穿德国间谍一手策划的刺杀阴谋，因此而遭到了德国间谍机构的猛烈追杀。就这样，理查德踏上了逃亡的旅途，途中，他结识了议员的女儿帕梅拉，帕梅拉为身陷险境的理查德提供了保护和帮助，在此过程中，彼此吸引的两人渐渐走到了一起。在帕梅拉的帮助下，理查德最终同警方和反间谍机构搭上了线，并在紧要关头破译了手中的密码。
