牛津书虫系列《化学秘密》Chapter6 附中英双语文本

“我当然读到，约翰。我的确很认真地读了你的报告。你的报告也说到大部分日子里我们放入河里的是少于百万分之二。不，请等一下，听我说一会儿！我们俩都知道饮用水不是来自河的这一方，不是吗？再流两公里，河水就进入大海。所以怎么会有危险呢？从没有人会去喝它，约翰！我们不需要制造新机器！”
John thought of his children， sailing on the river in their boat．He thought of the seals，and people fishing， and little children playing on the beach and swimming．'We've got to build them！'he said．
约翰想到他的孩子们，乘他们的船行驶在这条河上。他想到海豹，想到人们钓鱼，想到小孩们在河滩上玩耍，在河里游泳。他说：“我们不得不造机器！”
David Wilson looked at him carefully． His voice，when he spoke，was very quiet and hard．'Listen to me，John．You're a very good scientist，and we're lucky to have you in this com-pany．But you're not a businessman， and I am．Look at this．'He picked up a sheet of paper， and held it across the table for John to see．It showed how much money the compa-ny had．'We borrowed ten million pounds last year， and we employed four hundred more people．Think how much that means to a small town like this！'
大卫·威尔逊仔细地看着他。他说话时的声音非常平静而且坚定。“听我说，约翰。你是一个很出色的科学家，我们有幸雇你在这个公司干活。但是你不是一个商人，而我是。你瞧。”他拿起一张纸，从桌子对面递过来给约翰看。它显示出公司有多少钱。“去年我们借了1000万英镑，并且又雇用了400人。想想对这样一个小镇来说这意味着多少？”
'I know，'said John．'But…'
“我知道，”约翰说。“但是……”
'Just a minute．Listen to me．If we build these cleaning machines of yours，people will lose their jobs—a lot of people！This company can't afford to borrow any more money，John．We just can't do it！'
“等等。听我说。如果我们制造你建议的这些净化机器，人们将会丢失他们的工作——很多人！这个公司担负不起借更多的钱，约翰。我们真是不能那样做。”
John stood up．'And what happens if people get ill because of this？ Have you thought of that？What will the newspapers say then？'
约翰站了起来。“那么如果人们因此而得病怎么办？你想过没有？到那时报纸会怎么说？”
'No one will get ill，because no one drinks that water，John．The newspapers will never know about it．'
“没人会得病，因为没人喝那种水，约翰。报纸永远不会知道此事。”
'They will if I tell them．'
“如果我告诉他们，他们就会知道。”
There was a long silence．Then David Wilson stood up． He walked past John Duncan，without looking at him， and sat down behind his desk．When he looked up，his eyes were cold and grey，like stones from the beach．
长时间的沉默后，大卫·威尔逊站了起来，他从约翰·邓肯身旁走过，没看他，在他的桌子后面坐下。当他抬头时，他的目光冷酷而暗淡，如同沙滩上的石头。
'If you do that， John， I shall say you're a liar．You'll lose your job．You'll have to sell your house， and go back to living in a nasty little flat． You'll never get another job， and you'll never have a house or any money again． You'll just be an old man， walking the streets without friends or money． Is that what you want？'
“如果你那样做，约翰，我会说你是一个骗子。你将失去你的工作。你将不得不卖掉你的房子，回去住那龌龊的小公寓。你将永远找不到另一份工作，你再也不会有房子和任何钱了。你将只是一个走在街上没有朋友没有钱的老头，这难道是你所想要的吗？”
John didn't answer．He stood for a long time， and stared at David Wilson， and didn't say a word．After nearly two min-utes，Wilson smiled—a thin quiet smile．
约翰没有回答。他站了许久，盯着大卫·威尔逊，没有说任何话。大约两分钟过后，威尔逊露出微笑——非常勉强的轻轻一笑。
'But if you stay with us，you will be paid twice as much next year．And no one will ever be hurt， because no one will ever drink that water．'
“但是如果你跟我们在一起，明年你的收入将增加一倍，并且没人会受到伤害，因为没人会去喝那水。”
He got up from his desk， came round to the front，and held out his hand． John stood still for a long moment． Then he shook hands．
他从桌子旁站起来，绕到前面，伸出他的手。约翰一动不动地站了很长时间，然后他与威尔逊握了手。
'Think about it，John，'said David Wilson．
“考虑考虑，约翰，”大卫·威尔逊说。
John Duncan turned，and walked slowly towards the door．