精彩对白

Saito: Robert Fischer, heir to the Fischer Morrow energy conglomerate¹.

Cobb: What's your problem with this Mr. Fischer?

Saito: That's not your concern.

Cobb: Mr. Saito, this isn't your typical corporate² espionage³. You asked me for inception⁴. I do hope you understand the gravity of that request. Now, the seed that we plant in this man's mind will grow into an idea. This idea will define him. It may come to change... Well, it may come to change everything about him.

Saito: We're the last company standing⁵ between them and total energy dominance. And we can no longer compete. Soon, they'll control the energy supply of half the world. In effect, they become a new superpower. The world needs Robert Fischer to change his mind.

Eames: That's where we come in. How is Robert Fischer's relationship with his father?

Saito: Rumor⁶ is the relationship is quite complicated.

Cobb: Well, we can't work based solely⁷ on rumor, can we?

Eames: Can you get me access to this man here? Browning. Fischer Senior's right-hand man. Fischer Junior's godfather.

Saito: It should be possible, if you can get the right references.

Eames: References are something of a specialty⁸ for me, Mr. Saito.

Browning: I'm not smelling settlement here. Take them down.

Eames: Mr. Browning. Maurice Fischer's policy is always one of avoiding litigation.

Browning: Well, shall we voice your concerns with Maurice directly?

Eames: Not sure that's necessary.

Browning: No, no, no. I think we should. How is he? I don't want to bother him unnecessarily, but...

Maurice Fischer: Robert, I told you keep out the damn... Wait. So do it. Get...Never, never. Never do the same as I asked. Leave that. Here.

Browning: Must be a cherished memory of his.

Robert Fischer: I put it beside his bed. He hasn't even noticed.

Browning: Robert... Robert...we need to talk about a power of attorney. I know this is hard, but it's imperative⁹...

Robert Fischer: Not now, Uncle Peter.

Eames: The vultures are circling. And the sicker Maurice Fischer becomes,the more powerful Peter Browning becomes. I've had ample opportunity to observe Browning and adopt his physical presence, study his mannerisms, and so on and so forth¹¹. So now in the first layer of the dream, I can impersonate Browning. And suggest concepts to Fischer's conscious mind. Then, when we take him a level deeper...his own projection¹² of Browning should feed that right back to him.

Arthur: So he gives himself the idea.

Eames: Precisely¹³. That's the only way it will stick. It has to seem self-generated.

Arthur: Eames, I am impressed.

Eames: Arthur. Your condescension¹⁴, as always, is much appreciated, Arthur, thank you.

妙语佳句 活学活用

1. conglomerate：联合大公司，企业集团。

例如：The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.（该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。）

2. corporate espionage：商业间谍行为。

3. gravity：严重性，或严肃、庄严。这里的gravity of that request指的是“这个要求的严重性”。

4. right-hand man：the most helpful assistant，得力助手。同义词有chief assistant, man Friday

5. reference：介绍信，推荐函。

6. I'm not smelling settlement here：我看不出这有什么解决的办法。Smell这里表示“觉察出，感觉到”。

7. take them down：搞定他们。

8. a power of attorney：委托书，代理权。

9. vulture：秃鹰，贪婪的人。这句话原意是“秃鹰已经在盘旋了”，实际是说老费舍尔的病越重，布朗宁的权力就越大。

10. mannerism¹⁰：言语、写作中的习惯、怪癖。

例如：He's taken on some irritating mannerisms.（他新添了些讨人嫌的怪毛病。）

11. and so on and so forth：等等。

12. impersonate：模仿，扮演。

例如：He was caught trying to impersonate a military officer.（他企图冒充军官，但当场被抓获。）

13. condescension：屈尊俯就，硬要人家领情的态度。