文档介绍：2
【英文读物】Bartleby, The Scrivener A Story of Wall-Street
Chapter 1
I am a rather elderly man. The nature of my avocations for the lastthirty years has brought me into more than ordinary contact with whatwould seem an interesting and somewhat singular set of men, of whom asyet nothing that I know of has ever been written:--I mean thelaw-copyists or scriveners. I have known very many of them,professionally and privately, and if I pleased, could relate divershistories, at which good-natured gentlemen might smile, and sentimentalsouls might weep. But I waive the biographies of all other scrivenersfor a few passages in the life of Bartleby, who was a scrivener of thestrangest I ever saw or heard of. While of other law-copyists I mightwrite the complete life, of Bartleby nothing of that sort can be done.
I believe that no materials exist for a full and satisfactory biographyof this man. It is an irreparable loss to literature. Bartleby was oneof those beings of whom nothing is ascertainable, except from theoriginal sources, and in his case those are very small. What my ownastonished eyes saw of Bartleby, _that_ is all I know of him, except,indeed, one vague report which will appear in the sequel.
Ere introducing the scrivener, as he first appeared to me, it is fit Imake some mention of myself, my _employees_, my business, my chambers,and general surroundings; because some such description is indispensableto an adequate understanding of the chief character about to bepresented.
Imprimis: I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled witha profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. Hence,though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, evento turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever sufferedto invade my peace. I am one of those unambitious lawyers who neveraddresses a jury, or in any way draws down public applause; but in thecool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among