Page 135 - Real English 2024 Book 8

DUSK

‘Here is my card with my address,’
continued Gortsby; ‘You can return the money
any day this week. And here is the soap – don’t

lose it again; it’s been a good friend to you.’
‘Lucky thing, your finding it,’ said the
youth; and then, as if finding it difficult to
speak, he uttered a word or two of thanks and

hurried away in the direction of Knightsbridge.
‘Poor boy, he nearly broke down,’ said
Gortsby to himself, ‘I am not surprised; it must
have been such a great relief to him. It’s a lesson
to me not to be too clever in judging people by
circumstances.’

As Gortsby walked back to his seat in the
park, he saw an elderly gentleman looking and
feeling with his hands beneath the bench and all
around it. Gortsby recognized him as the man
who had sat there before the young man.

‘Have you lost anything, sir?’ he asked.
‘Yes, sir, a cake of soap.’
Saki (H.H. Munro)

Saki was the pen name of the British writer Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916), who is
considered a master of the short story form. His witty stories are characterized by lifelike
characters and fine narratives.

A Reflect

A1 Based on your reading of the text, think carefully about the points given below and form your
own views.

1. According to the story, the young man is unfortunate enough to forget the name of his
hotel as well as lose the cake of soap. He seems to have really bad luck in the city of
London until he finds Norman Gortsby.
 Do you think ‘luck’ plays any role in our lives? Do you have anything which you believe
is ‘lucky’ for you?
 Has someone or something helped turn one of your bad days into a good one? What
did they do for you?

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