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，期望你这次旅途快乐。
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。但你了解，客机很舒适，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：你旅途愉快我也开心。想来你已安顿下来，旅馆设施都还认可。
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，所有都美满。噢，唐先生，如果你不在意的话，目前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：那非常不错，说实话，大家最好先谈业务，然后再聊聊。你想提出杨梅的事，是否？
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，或许你早已接到公告，最后一批60箱杨梅损毁紧急。柯娜轮到达伦敦时，大家发现其中有百分之五十左右是漏的，对此大家感到十分遗憾。经卫生检疫所官员细心检查，觉得内装的食品不再可以供大家食用。
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缘由是什么？如此的事还只有这么一次。大家已经出口了几千吨，在中途损毁的看来仅此头一回。
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：非常抱歉，我得说明，损毁不是发生在运输途中，是在装上柯娜轮之前，你可能觉得这是与众不同罕见的事。可是简单的事实就是这样，大家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，书上写得的一目了然。大家经办装卸的人仔细检察过，看出果汁漏出是什么原因罐头损毁池。非常明显，当货在上海码头搬运装船时，因操作不慎导致损毁货物。
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：我刚刚说过，这件事实在是非常不幸。大家从没遇见罐头正在装船时发生损毁的事。
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，大家成交的条约是伦敦到岸价。虽然大家对你产品检验局检验品质的能力是信赖的，可是损毁是在工厂中抽样化验之后发生的，操作不慎，罐头损毁，中途货物变质，势必会导致这个情景。唐先生，你非常了解大家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，我一定说，是公平的。请你给予补贴，这款就用于以后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大家。目前证书已经有了，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：听到你这么痛快地赞同，我非常高兴。办理业务这么公平，真的哪个也比不上你。大家将寄信给你证实这个协议，怎么样？
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，大家立刻回话。
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，大家可以叙叙友情。帕麦先生，再见。
重点词语：
1. talk shop: 三句不离本行（谈交易）
2. by way of: 通过办法
3. set against: 使平衡
