美國語文第五冊 第241期：比較好的復(fù)仇（02）
Humbled by misery, he presented himself at the countinghouse of the wronged.
懷著痛苦的謙卑心情，來到格蘭特兄弟的公司。
Mr. William Grant was there alone, and his first words to the delinquent were, “Shut the door, sir!” sternly uttered.
威廉·格蘭特先生獨自在辦公室里，“關(guān)上門，先生。”他對品行低劣者開口說出第一句話，話語相當嚴厲。
The door was shut, and the libeler stood trembling before the libeled.
門關(guān)上了，那位誹謗者顫抖地站在受害人面前，
He told his tale and produced his certificate, which was instantly clutched by the injured merchant.
他說出了此行目的，拿出了他的商業(yè)執(zhí)照，遭受肆意誣陷的威廉·格蘭特先生很快抓住了這份執(zhí)照，
“You wrote a pamphlet against us once!” exclaimed Mr. Grant.
“你寫過宣傳冊惡意誣陷我們！”格蘭特先生尖聲高叫起來。
The suppliant expected to see his parchment thrown into the fire. But this was not its destination.
那位哀求者原以為那份羊皮文稿的執(zhí)照文本會被扔進火里，但事情結(jié)局大出所料，
Mr. Grant took a pen, and writing something upon the document, handed it back to the bankrupt.
格蘭特先生取出一支筆，在文件上寫下幾個字，然后將其遞交與那位破產(chǎn)者。
He, poor wretch, expected to see “rogue, scoundrel, libeler,” insCRIbed;
那位可憐的窮光蛋仍然認為會看見“流氓、無賴或誹謗者”諸如此類字樣出現(xiàn)在文件上，
but there was, in fair round characters, the signature of the firm.
萬萬沒想到，他竟然看到了字體圓潤的格蘭特公司簽名。
“We make it a rule,” said Mr. Grant,
“我們立下規(guī)則，”格蘭特先生說，
never to refuse signing the certificate of an honest tradesman, and we have never heard that you were anything else.
絕不會拒絕為誠信的商人簽署證書，我們從未聽說你有什么不可以。
The tears started into the poor man’s eyes.
眼淚涌入那位可憐人眼眶。
