牛津书虫系列《化学秘密》Chapter3 附中英双语文本

3 Rich man
3 富人
John Duncan started work on Monday，and Mary Carter showed him round the factory．The most important thing that the company produced was a new paint for cars．It was a very strong，hard paint，which nothing could damage．Mary and her chemists had developed it，and they had tested it all over the world．Neither acid nor salt water could damage it，and cars came back from both the Arctic and the Sahara looking like new．
约翰·邓肯星期一开始工作，玛丽·卡特带他参观了工厂。公司最重要的产品是一种新的汽车油漆，它是一种附着力很强的坚固油漆，任何东西都不易损坏它。玛丽和她的化学师们研制出它，并在全世界测试。它抗含酸或含盐的水，上过这种油漆的汽车从北极和撒哈拉沙漠回来如同新车一样。
The company was beginning to make a lot of money from this paint，and it had brought four hundred new jobs to the town．
公司开始从这种油漆上赚很多钱，同时也给小镇带来400个新的就业机会。
One day，when he was working with the paint，John spilt some of the waste products on his leg．He cleaned it off quickly，but it left a red，painful place on his skin，which would not go away．It kept him awake at night．He told his doctor what he had spilt on it，and the doctor looked at him strangely．
一天，当约翰正在使用油漆时，一些油漆废料溅在他腿上。他很快把它擦拭掉，但漆料在他皮肤上留下了一块红色、发疼的地方，总不消退。这使他夜间睡不了觉。他告诉他的医生他洒在腿上的是什么，医生很奇怪地看着他。
'So these chemicals had something to do with the new paint，did they？'the doctor asked carefully．
医生小心地问：“这么说，这些化学制品与新研制的油漆有关，对吧？”
'Yes，I told you．It was a bottle of the waste products．I was looking at them in my office．'
“是的，我说过，那是一瓶产品废料。当时我在办公室正观察着它们。”
'I see．'the doctor looked out of the window thoughtfully．His fingers moved quietly on his desk．'And your company is producing a lot of these waste products now，I suppose．'
“我明白了。”医生望着窗外沉思着。他的手指轻轻地在桌上移动着。“我想，你们公司现在正在生产大量的这种废料。”
'Yes，of course．'John was in a hurry． He had to meet someone important in ten minutes．'Look，can you give me something to put on it，or not？'
“是的，当然。”约翰有急事。他要在10分钟后见一个重要人物。“我说，你能否给我一些涂抹的药？”
'Oh yes．'the doctor began to write something on a piece of paper．'Put this on night and morning，and the pain will go in a day or two．But I'm afraid the skin there will stay red for a year or two．They're nasty chemicals，Mr Duncan，you know．'
“噢，可以。”医生开始在一张纸上写着什么。“早晚上药，疼痛一两天就会消失。但是那块皮肤上的红肿恐怕要持续一两年。它们是讨厌的化学制品，这你是知道的，邓肯先生。”
'Yes，I know．'John smiled at him．'But don't worry，Doctor，we're very careful with them in the factory．No one can go near them without special safe clothing．You can come and see if you like．'
“是的，我知道。”约翰对他笑笑。“别担心，医生，我们在工厂里会非常小心地处理它们。不穿特别安全服，任何人也不能靠近它们。如果你愿意，可以来看看。”
'I'm very pleased to hear it，'said the doctor．He gave the piece of paper to John．
医生说：“你这么说我非常高兴。”他把纸递给约翰。
'Thank you，'said John．He went towards the door．
“谢谢，”约翰说道。他向门口走去。
'Mr Duncan？'
“邓肯先生？”
'Yes？'John looked back，surprised．
“啊？”约翰吃惊地回头望去。
'Where do these waste products go，when the factory has finished with them？Into the river？'
“工厂用完这些废料，往哪里倾倒？是往河里倒吗？”
'Well，yes，of course，'said John．'But it's all right，you know，'he added quickly．'It's very carefully checked，all the time．It's a big river，and we only produce a few hundred litres of the waste products a day．And we're only two kilo-metres from the sea，after all．'
“那当然，”约翰说。“但没关系，你知道，”他很快接着说，“废料随时都经过认真检验。河大得很，而我们每天只生产出几百公升废料。再说，我们毕竟离大海只有两公里。”
'Good，'said the doctor．'I wouldn't want anyone to drink those waste products，that's all．'
“这就好，我只不过不想让任何人喝带有废料的水，”医生说。
'They won't，doctor，'said John．'All the drinking water comes out of the river five kilometres upstream，you know that．Who's going to drink salt water from the river mouth，for heaven's sake？Chemists from London have checked it，too，you know，and our company lawyers know all about it．So it's not dangerous and we're not doing anything wrong．Don't worry about it．'