A noble gangster 贵族歹徒

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间打伏,霍克伍德把他的士兵雇佣给愿给他出高价的君主。

语言点1:whenever意为“无论什么时候”，相当于no matter when。

语言点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.

和平时期,当生意萧条时,霍克伍德便带领士兵进入某个城邦,纵火烧毁一两个农场,然后提出,如向他们缴纳保护金,他们便主动撤离。

语言点1:句子结构分析:in times of peace为前置时间状语，含蓄地说明是什么时间发生的事情。When引导时间状语从句。And连接would march和would offer两个并列的动作。在句子的最后一部分中，if 引导条件状语从句，交代“撤离”的先决条件。

语言点2:in times of…的意思是“在…时期”。

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

霍克伍德用这种方法挣了大笔钱。

语言点:句子结构分析:in this way为方式状语，说明“挣钱”的方式。