評(píng)論
打印
"Well, then, you've lost your fiver, for it's town bred," snapped the salesman.
"嘿，你那五英鎊算是輸?shù)袅?，因?yàn)樗窃诔抢镂勾蟮摹?quot;這位老板說(shuō)。
"It's nothing of the kind." "I say it is." "I don't believe it."
"不是這樣。""我說(shuō)是這樣。""我不信。"
"D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled them ever since I was a nipper?
"你以為你對(duì)于家禽的了解，比我這個(gè)從當(dāng)小伙計(jì)開(kāi)始就同它們打交道的人還要內(nèi)行嗎？
I tell you, all those birds that went to the Alpha were town bred."
我告訴你，那些送到阿爾法酒店的鵝全是在城里喂大的。"
"You'll never persuade me to believe that."
"你決不可能使我相信你的話。"
"Will you bet, then?"
"那么你愿意打賭嗎？"
"It's merely taking your money, for I know that I am right.
"這不過(guò)是要讓你輸錢罷了，因?yàn)槲抑牢沂钦_的。
But I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be obstinate."
但是我還是愿意拿出一個(gè)金鎊的硬幣和你打賭，僅僅是為了教訓(xùn)你不要固執(zhí)己見(jiàn)。"
The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said he.
店主獰笑起來(lái)。"把帳簿給我拿來(lái)，比爾，"他說(shuō)道。
The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great greasy-backed one,
那個(gè)小男孩取來(lái)一個(gè)薄薄的小帳本和一個(gè)封面沾滿油膩的大帳本，
laying them out together beneath the hanging lamp.
把它們一起攤在吊燈下。
"Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I was out of geese,
"喂，過(guò)于自信的先生，"店主人說(shuō)道，"剛才我以為我把鵝都賣光了，
but before I finish you'll find that there is still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" "Well?"
可是在我結(jié)束營(yíng)業(yè)之前，你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)我們店里還剩下一只鵝，你看見(jiàn)這個(gè)小帳本了嗎？""怎么回事？"
"That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'you see?
"那就是賣鵝給我的人的名單，你明白了嗎？
Well, then, here on this page are the country folk,
好！這一頁(yè)上的名字是鄉(xiāng)下人的，
and the numbers after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger.
在他們名字后面的數(shù)目字是總帳的頁(yè)碼，他們的帳戶就記載在那一頁(yè)上。
Now, then! You see this other page in red ink?
喂！你看見(jiàn)用紅墨水寫的另外一頁(yè)了嗎？
Well, that is a list of my town suppliers.
這是一張賣鵝給我的城里人的名單。
Now, look at that third name. Just read it out to me."
好！看一下那第三個(gè)人的名字。把它念給我聽(tīng)。"
