what was he thinking?
Chester opened the book. It read:
/ like chicken better than pork. Fried chicken is the best. Followed by chocolate ice cream — my favourite. Mum's a great cook — I love you, Mum.
Chester couldn't help smiling at the man. The man saw him and gave him a dangerous look. Just then the train reached Chester's station.
Time to get off the train.
He closed die book and put it back into his pocket. As he walked the short distance to his office his mind turned from the book to Dorothy. He had been thinking of asking her out to dinner.
'I'll do it today,' he thought. 'But what if she hasn't thought about me in that way? Maybe she isn't as attracted to me as I am to her?'
For a moment his heart felt heavy.
'Hey, come on, Chester — she's not blind. She's sure to be interested — after all, you're a good-looking guy and you are a junior manager.'
Chester walked into his office. His secretary was already busy typing. 'Any messages, Miss Han?' he asked her.
'Yes, sir,' said Miss Han, 'from the Manager. He says he can't go to the meeting today about the Eastern business. He wants you to take over right away.'
Yes!
This was the kind of opportunity he'd been waiting for. yHe would show them all just how good he was. This was an important piece of business. If he could make sure that everything went well he would get noticed. He would be an obvious choice for the next manager's job. If he became a manager he would be the youngest manager in the business!
And Dorothy would like that, wouldn't she? What woman wouldn't?
He thought of her soft figure in his arms. Her voice was whispering his name softly, Oh, Chester. . . Chester. . .
Ah, Dorothy!
'No problem,' he told Miss Han. 'Tell the others I'll be there to prepare for the meeting in half an hour.'
When he met the others Chester was confident and did his job well. He made sure that everybody knew what to do. The meeting that afternoon was sure to be a success. If, of course, the figures he had were all correct.
Just then he noticed a little smile on the face of Mr Shaw.
'What's the old man got to smile about?' thought Chester. 'He never smiles — why is he smiling now?'
Then he remembered his little book.
He took it out of his pocket and hid it behind some papers. He pretended to be looking at his notes and thought of Mr Shaw. The words appeared immediately:
I'll teach that young fool a lesson. I've got some figures he doesn 't know about hidden in my office. I've been working on this longer than he has. When he can't come up with the right figures he'll look stupid. Then I'll produce them and save the day. He'll look like a boy trying to do a man's job. He needs to learn some respect for experienced professionals tike me.
Chester felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck. 'So the old man really does dislike me, after all!'
Chester wondered what all the others thought about him but had no time to
consult his book.
'Thanks everybody — see you all this afternoon,' Chester told them all. 'Enjoy your lunch.'
While Mr Shaw was eating his sandwiches in the park, as he always did, Chester spent his lunch hour looking for the missing figures in Mr Shaw's office. Shaw was old-fashioned and preferred to use paper rather than recording things on a computer. It was a simple matter to copy the figures then leave Shaw's copies where he had found them -in a box in a cupboard. Chester felt almost disappointed. This was too easy!
Chester had missed his lunch but it had been worth it. His little book was turning out to be most useful.
The meeting that afternoon was a great success. He had all the figures he needed. The Eastern company people were happy and the papers were signed. Chester's future looked good. And as for Shaw. . . well, Chester could tell from his red face that he was angry because his little plan had gone wrong.
Chester made himself a promise: he would make sure that Shaw's future would
not be good. Not if he could help it.
Chester did not like to lose.
After the meeting there would be just enough time to call in on Dorothy.
Perhaps she would like to congratulate him over a drink.
When he got to her desk he found that she was away on a training course. She would be back the next day.
Just my bad luck, thought Chester. -
Ah, well; for the time being he could find somebody else to share this happy time with. But how and who with?
Squash It was his favourite game. Why not arrange a
game with Kim, his younger brother? Kim was a salesman. He had not gone to college but he had, like Chester, moved to the city. Chester always beat Kim at squash. He liked playing with Kim. He would telephone him as soon as he got home and see if a game could be arranged for that very night.
'Yeah . . . mmm ... I see.'
yChester was in his apartment speaking on his mobile telephone. As he spoke he held the telephone more tightly than usual. He was listening to Kim. Kim was telling him that he had already promised to take his girlfriend to the cinema. As he spoke, Chester tried out the book to see if it would work over the telephone.
It did. It read:
/ hate it when Chester and I play squash - he always wants to beat me. But he's always wanted to be a winner, at home, at school — it never stops, even when he has a career of his own. He never thinks of me, but then he never was much of a brother. He can do without his game this time. I'm staying home to watch television.
'OK, Kim,' said Chester. 'Enjoy the film. Yes . . . goodbye.'
Chester had never realised that his brother felt like that towards him. It came as a shock.
He spent the evening watching television and drieking wine with a takeaway meal.
At least, he thought, he would see Dorothy tomorrow.
The next morning Chester was sitting on his train to work. He was wondering whether he should look at The Book of Thoughts again when he noticed a photograph of the attractive middle-aged woman he had seen the day before. It
appeared on the front page of a newspaper held open by the person sitting opposite him. Her picture was next to that of an older man. The headline read: TWO DIE IN LOVERS' SHOOTING.
He didn't have to read any more. It was obvious that the book had correctly read the woman's mind the day before and that she had carried out her plan. But it was too late to do anything now.
Anyway, it was none of his business.
Chester didn't feel like looking at the book for the rest of the journey. However, he did start to think more about the book. Why, he wondered, had he not told anyone else about it?
The truth was that he could hardly believe in it himself. If he started telling others about an amazing book that could read thoughts they would think he was crazy. And what harm might it do to his career? In any case, he did not know whether it would work for other people. Perhaps the book only worked for him.
'Best leave the book alone for now,' thought Chester. 'Yes, that would be best.' But the book still sat in his pocket as he walked off the train.
The first part of the morning was brilliant. The Manager was very happy indeed with the way Chester had arranged
the meeting with the Eastern company. It had been a great success. He received congratulations from all the people at the office. Many fine words were said to him about his bright future. Chester felt very pleased with himself.
Then he thought of his book.
"What were they all really thinking about him? He wanted to know who he could trust and who he couldn't. He couldn't trust Shaw, he knew that. But, surely, there were not many like him. 'After all,' thought Chester, 'I am young, good-looking, cheerful, successful - and I'm one of the rising stars of the company. I must be one of the most popular guys here!'
But he wasn't.
In fact, the book told him so every time he looked at it. At first he thought it was only the older people who were jealous of his success. But it was the young ones, too. All of them. They thought he was clever but believed himself better than they were: good-looking but without any feelings. Some even thought he might be dishonest. Y They hated him.
Chester had a lonely lunch at a cafe near the park. As he sat at his table, drinking strong coffee, he took out the book and looked at its cover. He read it: The Book of Thoughts.
He opened it. There was nothing there. Not a word. He wondered why it didn't show his own thoughts. Maybe it was because he already knew them. Maybe.
But what if he asked it to show him his deepest thoughts, the ones he didn't realise he was thinking? Would it do that? Should he ask it?
The idea frightened him. If thoughts were hidden,
perhaps there was a good reason for it. Yet he still wanted to look. It was almost too much for him.
'I won't do it!' he told himself. 'The last time I looked in the book it told me things I wish I hadn't found out. No, I won't do it! ... Not yet.'
The cafe was becoming crowded so Chester walked back to the office. Back to Dorothy.
She would be back from her training course by now. He would see her and ask her to dinner. He was certain that she would not be like the other people in the office.
เขาไม่คิดอะไรเชสเตอร์เปิดหนังสือ อ่าน:/ ชอบไก่ดีกว่าหมู ไก่ทอดจะดีสุด ตาม ด้วยไอศกรีมช็อกโกแลตซึ่งชื่นชอบการ สี่มุมของอาหารที่ดีคือรักคุณ Mumเชสเตอร์ไม่ช่วยยิ้มที่คน คนเห็นเขา และให้เขามองอันตราย เพียงแล้ว รถไฟถึงสถานีของเชสเตอร์เวลาที่จะไปรถไฟเขาปิดจองตาย และใส่กลับเข้าไปในกระเป๋าของเขา ขณะที่เขาเดินระยะทางสั้น ๆ ไปจิตใจของเขาเปิดหนังสือโดโรธี เขาได้รับความคิดของถามเธอออกไปทานอาหารค่ำ'ฉันก็วันนี้ เขาคิดว่า " แต่ถ้าเธอไม่คิดว่า เกี่ยวกับฉันกระนั้นหรือ บางทีเธอไม่ได้ดูดให้ฉันเป็นฉันกับเธอหรือไม่ 'ช่วง หัวใจของเขารู้สึกหนัก' เฮ้ มา เชสเตอร์ – เธอไม่ตาบอด เธอจะต้องมีความสนใจตัวคุณผู้ชายหน้าตาหลังจากที่ทุก และคุณเป็นผู้จัดการห้อง 'เชสเตอร์เดินเข้าไปในสำนักงานของเขา เลขานุการของเขาไม่ว่างพิมพ์แล้วได้ 'ข้อ นางสาวฮัน "เขาถามเธอ' ใช่ รัก กล่าวว่า นางสาวหาน, ' จากผู้จัดการ เขากล่าวว่า เขาไม่ไปประชุมวันนี้เกี่ยวกับธุรกิจภาคตะวันออก อยากให้ถ่ายทันที 'ใช่นี้เป็นชนิดโอกาสที่เขามารอ yHe จะแสดงเพียงวิธีที่ดีเขาไม่ นี้เป็นชิ้นส่วนสำคัญของธุรกิจได้ ถ้าเขาไม่แน่ใจว่า ทุกอย่างไปด้วยเขาจะได้เห็น เขาจะเป็นตัวเลือกที่ชัดเจนสำหรับงานของผู้บริหารต่อไป ถ้าเขาเป็นผู้จัดการ เขาจะเป็นผู้จัดการที่อายุน้อยที่สุดในธุรกิจและโดโรธีที่ ไม่เธอ หญิงใดไม่เขาคิดว่า รูปของเธออ่อนในอ้อมแขนของเขา เสียงของเธอถูกวิสเปอริ่งเขาชื่อเบา ๆ Oh เชสเตอร์ เชสเตอร์อา โดโรธี'ไม่มีปัญหา เขาบอกนางสาวฮั่น 'บอกคนอื่น ๆ ว่าจะมีการเตรียมตัวสำหรับการประชุมในครึ่งชั่วโมง'เมื่อเขาพบอื่นเชสเตอร์มีความมั่นใจ และทำงานดีขึ้น เขาทำแน่ใจว่า ทุกคนรู้ว่าจะทำอย่างไร การประชุมช่วงบ่ายที่แน่ใจว่าจะ ประสบความสำเร็จได้ ถ้า แน่นอน ตัวเลขที่เขาได้ถูกต้องทั้งหมดเพียงแล้ว เขาสังเกตเห็นรอยยิ้มเล็ก ๆ บนใบหน้าของนาย Shaw'อะไรคนมียิ้มเกี่ยวกับ ' คิดว่า เชสเตอร์ ' ไม่เคยยิ้ม — ทำไมเขายิ้มตอนนี้? "แล้ว เขาจดจำหนังสือของเขาเล็กน้อยเขาเอาออกจากกระเป๋าของเขา และซ่อนอยู่หลังกระดาษบาง เขา pretended ต้องมองที่เขาบันทึกและความคิดของนาย Shaw คำที่ปรากฏทันที:ฉันจะสอนหลอกสาวว่าเป็นบทเรียน ได้ตัวเลขบางเขา doesn ไม่รู้ซ่อนอยู่ในสำนักงานของฉัน ฉันได้ทำงานนี้อีกต่อไปกว่าเขา เมื่อเขาไม่สามารถเกิดขึ้น กับตัวเลขด้านขวา เขาจะดูโง่ แล้ว ฉันจะผลิตพวกเขา และบันทึกวัน เขาจะดูเหมือนเด็กที่พยายามทำงานของมนุษย์ ต้องการเรียนรู้บางเคารพสำหรับ tike มืออาชีพมีประสบการณ์ผมเชสเตอร์รู้สึกกาฬบนด้านหลังของคอของเขา 'เพื่อคนจริง ๆ ไม่ชอบฉัน หลังจากทั้งหมด'เชสเตอร์สงสัยว่า สิ่งที่ทุกคนคิดว่า เกี่ยวกับเขา แต่ก็ไม่ consult his book.'Thanks everybody — see you all this afternoon,' Chester told them all. 'Enjoy your lunch.'While Mr Shaw was eating his sandwiches in the park, as he always did, Chester spent his lunch hour looking for the missing figures in Mr Shaw's office. Shaw was old-fashioned and preferred to use paper rather than recording things on a computer. It was a simple matter to copy the figures then leave Shaw's copies where he had found them -in a box in a cupboard. Chester felt almost disappointed. This was too easy!Chester had missed his lunch but it had been worth it. His little book was turning out to be most useful.The meeting that afternoon was a great success. He had all the figures he needed. The Eastern company people were happy and the papers were signed. Chester's future looked good. And as for Shaw. . . well, Chester could tell from his red face that he was angry because his little plan had gone wrong.Chester made himself a promise: he would make sure that Shaw's future wouldnot be good. Not if he could help it.Chester did not like to lose.After the meeting there would be just enough time to call in on Dorothy.Perhaps she would like to congratulate him over a drink.When he got to her desk he found that she was away on a training course. She would be back the next day.Just my bad luck, thought Chester. -Ah, well; for the time being he could find somebody else to share this happy time with. But how and who with?Squash It was his favourite game. Why not arrange agame with Kim, his younger brother? Kim was a salesman. He had not gone to college but he had, like Chester, moved to the city. Chester always beat Kim at squash. He liked playing with Kim. He would telephone him as soon as he got home and see if a game could be arranged for that very night.'Yeah . . . mmm ... I see.'yChester was in his apartment speaking on his mobile telephone. As he spoke he held the telephone more tightly than usual. He was listening to Kim. Kim was telling him that he had already promised to take his girlfriend to the cinema. As he spoke, Chester tried out the book to see if it would work over the telephone.It did. It read:/ hate it when Chester and I play squash - he always wants to beat me. But he's always wanted to be a winner, at home, at school — it never stops, even when he has a career of his own. He never thinks of me, but then he never was much of a brother. He can do without his game this time. I'm staying home to watch television.'OK, Kim,' said Chester. 'Enjoy the film. Yes . . . goodbye.'Chester had never realised that his brother felt like that towards him. It came as a shock.He spent the evening watching television and drieking wine with a takeaway meal.At least, he thought, he would see Dorothy tomorrow.The next morning Chester was sitting on his train to work. He was wondering whether he should look at The Book of Thoughts again when he noticed a photograph of the attractive middle-aged woman he had seen the day before. It appeared on the front page of a newspaper held open by the person sitting opposite him. Her picture was next to that of an older man. The headline read: TWO DIE IN LOVERS' SHOOTING.He didn't have to read any more. It was obvious that the book had correctly read the woman's mind the day before and that she had carried out her plan. But it was too late to do anything now.Anyway, it was none of his business.Chester didn't feel like looking at the book for the rest of the journey. However, he did start to think more about the book. Why, he wondered, had he not told anyone else about it?The truth was that he could hardly believe in it himself. If he started telling others about an amazing book that could read thoughts they would think he was crazy. And what harm might it do to his career? In any case, he did not know whether it would work for other people. Perhaps the book only worked for him.'Best leave the book alone for now,' thought Chester. 'Yes, that would be best.' But the book still sat in his pocket as he walked off the train.The first part of the morning was brilliant. The Manager was very happy indeed with the way Chester had arrangedthe meeting with the Eastern company. It had been a great success. He received congratulations from all the people at the office. Many fine words were said to him about his bright future. Chester felt very pleased with himself.Then he thought of his book."What were they all really thinking about him? He wanted to know who he could trust and who he couldn't. He couldn't trust Shaw, he knew that. But, surely, there were not many like him. 'After all,' thought Chester, 'I am young, good-looking, cheerful, successful - and I'm one of the rising stars of the company. I must be one of the most popular guys here!'But he wasn't.In fact, the book told him so every time he looked at it. At first he thought it was only the older people who were jealous of his success. But it was the young ones, too. All of them. They thought he was clever but believed himself better than they were: good-looking but without any feelings. Some even thought he might be dishonest. Y They hated him.Chester had a lonely lunch at a cafe near the park. As he sat at his table, drinking strong coffee, he took out the book and looked at its cover. He read it: The Book of Thoughts.He opened it. There was nothing there. Not a word. He wondered why it didn't show his own thoughts. Maybe it was because he already knew them. Maybe.But what if he asked it to show him his deepest thoughts, the ones he didn't realise he was thinking? Would it do that? Should he ask it?The idea frightened him. If thoughts were hidden,perhaps there was a good reason for it. Yet he still wanted to look. It was almost too much for him.'I won't do it!' he told himself. 'The last time I looked in the book it told me things I wish I hadn't found out. No, I won't do it! ... Not yet.'The cafe was becoming crowded so Chester walked back to the office. Back to Dorothy.
She would be back from her training course by now. He would see her and ask her to dinner. He was certain that she would not be like the other people in the office.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
