美國語文第五冊(cè) 第240期：比較好的復(fù)仇（01）
Some years ago a warehouseman in Manchester, England, published a scurrilous pamphlet,
前些年，英國曼徹斯特一位羊毛制品批發(fā)商印刷了一本充滿粗鄙辱罵的宣傳冊(cè)，
in which he endeavored to hold up the house of Grant Brothers to ridicule.
文章里不遺余力地公開嘲笑格蘭特兄弟機(jī)構(gòu)。
William Grant remarked upon the occurrence that the man would live to repent of what he had done;
一位叫威廉·格蘭特的人對(duì)此進(jìn)行評(píng)價(jià)，這家伙將會(huì)為他所做的事后悔一生。
and this was conveyed by some talebearer to the libeler,
這句評(píng)價(jià)被某位搬弄是非的人轉(zhuǎn)告那位肆意誹謗者，
who said, “Oh, I suppose he thinks I shall some time or other be in his debt; but I will take good care of that.”
后者說：“哦，我猜想，威廉·格蘭特或許認(rèn)為，或遲或早我將會(huì)欠格蘭特兄弟的錢，這一點(diǎn)，我會(huì)格外倍加小心。”
It happens, however, that a man in business can not always choose who shall be his creditors.
然而生意場(chǎng)上波譎詭異，誰也無法總能稱心如愿地選擇自己的債權(quán)人。
The pamphleteer became a bankrupt,
那位批發(fā)商，即宣傳冊(cè)的始作俑者不巧破產(chǎn)了，
and the brothers held an acceptance of his which had been indorsed to them by the drawer, who had also become a bankrupt.
于是他將債權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)給一位商人，但那位商人隨后同樣破產(chǎn)，他無奈之下只好將債權(quán)以背書形式轉(zhuǎn)與格蘭特兄弟，于是格蘭特兄弟最終成為那位羊毛制品批發(fā)商的債權(quán)人。
The wantonly libeled men had thus become creditors of the libeler!
由此看來，被侮蔑中傷者居然成了惡毒毀謗者的債權(quán)人！
They now had it in their power to make him repent of his audacity.
如今，格蘭特兄弟有能力讓那家伙為自己的厚顏無恥埋單。
He could not obtain his certificate without their signature, and without it he could not enter into business again.
接下來的情況是，如果無法獲得債權(quán)人的簽字認(rèn)可，那位羊毛制品批發(fā)商老板將無法領(lǐng)取他的商業(yè)執(zhí)照；如果沒有商業(yè)執(zhí)照，他根本無法再度經(jīng)商。
He had obtained the number of signatures required by the bankrupt law except one.
當(dāng)時(shí)，他獲得了破產(chǎn)法要求債權(quán)人的簽名認(rèn)可數(shù)，最后唯獨(dú)缺少格蘭特公司的簽名。
It seemed folly to hope that the firm of “the brothers” would supply the deficiency.
如果他指望格蘭特兄弟公司能提供法律要求的不足名額簽認(rèn)，看來確實(shí)愚蠢至極。
What! they who had cruelly been made the laughingstock of the public, forget the wrong and favor the wrongdoer?
天呀！被公眾無情恥笑、留作笑柄的格拉特兄弟豈能忘記過錯(cuò)方的肆意誹謗與行為卑劣？
He despaired. But the claims of a wife and children forced him at last to make the application.
那位羊毛批發(fā)商老板陷入絕望之中，然而迫于對(duì)其妻兒的追索賠償壓力，最終他萬般無奈提出申請(qǐng)，
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