Special Duties译文_乔.docx

fortunately bombed into car parks或不幸中的万幸，被炸弹夷为平地，变成了停车场moused in悄无声息地走了进来Special DutiesGraham Greene特别职责格雷厄姆·格林William Ferraro, of Ferraro Smith, lived in a great house in Montagu Square. One wing was occupied by his wife who believed herself to be an invalid and obeyed strictly the dictate that one should live every day as if it were one’s last. For this reason her wing for the last ten years had invariably housed some Jesuit or Dominican priest with a taste for good wine and whisky and an emergency bell in his bedroom. Mr. Ferraro looked after his salvation in more independent fashion. He retained the firm grasp on practical affairs that had enabled his grandfather, who had been a fellow exile with Mazzini, to found the great business of Ferraro Smith in a foreign land. God has made man in his image, and it was not unreasonable for Mr. Ferraro to return the compliment and to regard God as the director of some supreme business which yet depended for certain of its operations on Ferraro Smith. The strength of a chain is in its weakest link, and Mr. Ferraro did not forget his responsibility.费拉罗史密斯公司的老板威廉·费拉罗住在蒙塔古广场的一座豪宅里。他的夫人居住在豪宅的一个侧翼。她认为自己体弱多病，便恪守训诫，把每一天都当成生命中的最后一天来过。因此，过去十年来，她那侧总住着一个耶稣会会士或多明峨会修道士。这位教士喜喝上好的葡萄酒和威士忌，房间里装着一个应急铃以供紧急呼叫。费拉罗先生拯救自己灵魂的方式，就独立多了。他的祖父曾追随马志尼在意大利流亡，因其实干精神而在异乡创立了费拉罗史密斯公司这个大公司；这种务实的风格如今便由费拉罗先生继承下来。既然上帝按照自己的模样创造了人，那么，费拉罗先生便合情合理地回馈了上帝的这份赞美，认为上帝是某个至高无上的公司的老板，其公司的运转在某些方面还得依靠费拉罗史密斯公司。链条结实与否，取决于其中最薄弱的一环；费拉罗先生从不忘记自己应尽的责任。On this particular Monday morning it was also May the first. With his confidential secretary—a man called Hopkinson—he went through the schedule for the day. It was not very onerous, for Mr. Ferraro had the rare quality of being able to delegate responsibility. He did this the more readily because he was accustomed to making unexpected checks, and woe betide the employee who failed him.这一天是星期一，也正好是5月1日。早晨，费拉罗先生和机要秘书（一个叫哈普金斯的男人）过了一下当天的日程。事情不算多，因为费拉罗先生善于分派任务，这种本领可不多见。在这方面他之所以能做得得心应手，是因为他惯于突然检查。手下的人如果令他失望了，那就活该倒霉了！Miss Saunders moused in