伦敦一家进口行的代表约琴夫-帕麦先生正在访问中国，自几天前他抵达广州，他就一直参加广州交易会。他受伦敦总公司的指示，要和中国外贸公司广州分公司的唐同志联系，商谈索赔案件。唐是代表上海分公司处理这一案件的。

　　Palmer: Hello, Mr Tang, how are you? It is nice to meet you again.
　　帕：唐先生，你好。又见到你感到愉快。

　　Tang: How are you, Mr Palmer. It's really a pleasure to see you here again. I do hope you have had a very enjoyable trip from London.
　　唐：帕麦先生，你好。在这儿又见到你，实在荣幸。你从伦敦回来，希望你这次旅途快乐。

　　Palmer: I must confess that the air trip is really a long one. But, you see, the air-lines are very comforable so that one does not feel tired at all the end of the journey.
　　帕：我该承认这次乘飞机航程够长的了。但是你知道，客机非常舒适，到终点时一点不感到劳累。

　　Tang: Glad you have had a pleasant trip. I have to doubt you are comfortably settled and find things at the hotel satisfactory.
　　唐：你旅途愉快我也高兴。想必你已安顿下来，旅馆设备都还满意。

　　Palmer: Everything is perfect, thank you. Well, now, Mr Tang, if you don't mind. I'll talk shop with you directly.
　　帕：谢谢你，一切都美满。噢，唐先生，要是你不介意的话，现在咱们直截了当谈谈业务吧。

　　Tang: Perfectly¹ all right with me. In fact, we'd better talk over our business first and then have a chat afterwards. You wish to take up the subject of the Arbutus, don't you?
　　唐：那很好，说实话，我们最好先谈业务，然后再聊聊。你想提出杨梅的事，是不是？

　　Palmer: That's right. You see, Mr Tang, you have probably been advised of the serious damage done to the last consignment² of 60 cases of Arbutus. Upon its arrival in London on board S. S. Corna, it was found, much to our regret, that about 50% of the cases were leaking. Closer inspection³ by the Health Officers showed that the contents were considered unfit for human consumption.
　　帕：是，唐先生，也许你早已接到通知，最后一批60箱杨梅损坏严重。“柯娜”轮到达伦敦时，我们发现其中有百分之五十左右是漏的，对此我们感到十分遗憾。经卫生检疫所官员仔细检查，认为内装的食品不再可以供人们食用。

　　Tang: Just a minute, if you please, Mr Palmer. Have your people in London discovered what were the exact causes of the leakage⁴? It was rather a singular case, for thounsands of tons of this product have been exported and this seems to be the only case of having been damaged en route.
　　唐：帕麦先生，稍等一等。我请问，在伦敦你们有人发现漏的确切原因是什么？这样的事还只有这么一次。我们已经出口了几千吨，在中途损坏的看来仅此头一回。

　　Palmer: I am sorry I have to say it was not en route. It was definitely damaged prior to loading onto the S. S Corna. You may think it a singular case, yet the fact remains⁵ that this has made it necessary for us to file a claim on you. Here, Mr. Tang, I have brought along with me the certificate issued by the London Health Officer. It speaks for itself. As to the causes, closer inspection and examination by our cargohandling people revealed that the leakage of juice was brought about by damaged tins. They were evidently broken through careless handling while being loaded into the ship's hold in Shanghai dock.
　　帕：很抱歉，我得说明，损坏不是发生在运输途中，是在装上“柯娜”轮之前，你可能认为这是独一无二罕见的事。可是简单的事实就是如此，我们有必要向你提出索赔。唐先生，这儿有伦敦卫生检疫所官员发的证书，书上写得的一清二楚。我们经办装卸的人仔细检察过，看出果汁漏出的原因是罐头损坏池。很明显，当货在上海码头搬运装船时，因操作不慎造成损坏货物。

　　Tang: As I have said before, the whole business is most unfortunate. We have never come across such a case of damage during loading.
　　唐：我刚才讲过，这件事实在是很不幸。我们从没有遇到罐头正在装船时发生损坏的事。

　　Palmer: I have to remind you that our terms are C.I.F London port. While we have full confidence in your Commodities Inspection Bureau in its capacity of quality inspection, this is a case which occured after their sampling and analysis at the works. And the broken tins through careless handling and deterioration⁶ of contents en route necessarily about this state of affairs. Now, Mr Tang, you are well aware that our business has just started this branch of activites and the losses thus sustained will be a blow to this department. I am sure you will think it fair on our part when we suggest that the total value of the parcel should be reduced by 50% and that you should give us an allowance by way of credit for the amount to be set against our future purchases of canned fruits from you.
　　帕：我得提醒你，我们成交的条款是伦敦到岸价。虽然我们对你商品检验局检验品质的能力是信任的，可是损坏是在工厂中抽样化验之后发生的，操作不慎，罐头损坏，中途货物变质，必然会造成这个情景。唐先生，你很清楚我们才开始经营这项业务，蒙受的损失将对业务部门是一个打击。我建议这批货从总价中削减百分之五十，我肯定说，是公平的。请你给予补贴，这款就用于将来向你们订购罐头水果时冲销。

　　Tang: To be fair to your company, I am directed by my Shanghai Branch to settle this issue with you amicably⁷ on condition that you give us a certificate issued by your Health Department. Now that this is a available, I think everything will be in order.
　　唐：上海分公司给我提示，对于你公司办事要公平，要和你友好解决问题，可是有一个条件，卫生检疫所官员发的证书要给我们。现在证书已经有了，我想万事俱备。

　　Palmer: I am so glad to hear of your ready agreement. Your fairness in business dealings is really unsurpassed. shall we send you a letter confirming this?
　　帕：听到你这么痛快地同意，我很高兴。办理业务这么公平，真的谁也比不上你。我们将寄信给你证实这个协议，好吗？

　　Tang: As soons as you send us a letter confirmning this conversation, we'll send you a reply immediately.
　　唐：你们寄出证实这次谈话的信之后，我们立刻答复。

　　Palmer: Thanks ever so much for your co-operation, Mr Tang. Good-bye.
　　帕：万分感谢你的合作。唐先生，再会。

　　Tang: Good-bye Mr Palmer. Come over here when you are through with your business and we'll have a friendly chat.
　　唐：你办完业务后就到这儿来，我们可以叙叙友情。帕麦先生，再见。

　　重点词汇：

　　1. talk shop: 三句不离本行（谈买卖）

　　2. by way of: 通过……方法

　　3. set against: 使平衡

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