A noble gangster 貴族歹徒

There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for 'protection'. If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters. 600 years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of 80, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue'.

7. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded.

每次意大利各城邦之間打伏,霍克伍德把他的士兵雇傭給愿給他出高價的君主。

語言點1:whenever意為“無論什么時候”，相當于no matter when。

語言點2:be willing to do的意思是“愿意做”。

8. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them.

和平時期,當生意蕭條時,霍克伍德便帶領士兵進入某個城邦,縱火燒毀一兩個農場,然后提出,如向他們繳納保護金,他們便主動撤離。

語言點1:句子結構分析:in times of peace為前置時間狀語，含蓄地說明是什么時間發生的事情。When引導時間狀語從句。And連接would march和would offer兩個并列的動作。在句子的最后一部分中，if 引導條件狀語從句，交代“撤離”的先決條件。

語言點2:in times of…的意思是“在…時期”。

9. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way.

霍克伍德用這種方法掙了大筆錢。

語言點:句子結構分析:in this way為方式狀語，說明“掙錢”的方式。