第三錘定音

（美國）喬治·艾迪

陳榮生  譯

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（圖片欣賞——區(qū)怡攝/湛江）

婚姻登記處的一位官員從小窗口伸頭出來，大聲喊道：“下一個(gè)！”

一位上年紀(jì)的姑娘挨近窗口，說她想要一份2美元的逮捕證，她也許可以用它來阻止和約束配偶。

“受害者叫什么名字？”官員問。

“我可不知道，”對方回答?！拔业瓜Ｍ抑?。我從戰(zhàn)爭開始就一直在等著他。我想象不出是什么留住了他?！?/span>

“除非獵物已經(jīng)在柵欄中，否則許可證又有什么用呢？”官員問。

“我想要留一處空白，這樣我在緊急情況下就可以用，”她回答。“我承擔(dān)不起冒險(xiǎn)的代價(jià)。到下午就太遲了。18年前，我送我心中的偶像出去取那張能讓我們永恒之愛合法化的羊皮紙，但他碰巧上了一輛綠車而不是黃車。他錯(cuò)過了法庭兩英里，并趕上了一趟去洛杉磯的火車。我只好熬了兩夜，把我們倆名字的首字母從我的嫁妝中剔除掉。另外一次，我在等候室定下了一位，然后就去辦證。這時(shí)，一位姑娘進(jìn)來打掃房間，他得挪動(dòng)身子，就這樣我從此再也沒有見到過他了。下一次，如果我有機(jī)會得到一位，行動(dòng)將會是立即要做的事情。我會直接說，'就是你了，’并立即簽署這份文件。然后，如果他跑掉的話，他就得背負(fù)巨重。”

由此可見，今天的事情，絕不要拖到明天去做。

《譯自《四十個(gè)現(xiàn)代寓言》）

您若認(rèn)為此文對教育有益，敬 請 傳 閱、推 薦、轉(zhuǎn) 載。

原文如下，若有問題，可留言，我將盡量回答。

The Fable of The Third & Last Call

by George Ade

A PUBLIC Official presiding at a Marriage-License Counter put his Head through the Window and shouted "Next!"

There sidled up a well-seasoned Girlie who said she would take a $2 Writ of Attachment which she might use in gagging and binding a Helpmate.

"What is the Victim's Name?" asked the Clerk.

"You can search me," was the reply. "I wish to goodness I knew. I've been waiting for him ever since the War. I can't imagine what keeps him."

"What good is a License unless you have your Prey already in the Stockade?" asked the Official.

"I want one with a Space left blank, so that I can use it in a quick Emergency," she replied. "I can't afford to take Chances. It is getting too late in the Afternoon. Eighteen Years ago I sent my Heart's Idol out for the Parchment that would legalize our undying Love, but he happened to get on a Green Car instead of a Yellow one. He missed the Court House two miles and caught a Train for Los Angeles. I had to sit up for two Nights picking the Initials out of my Trousseau. Another time I planted one in a Waiting-Room while I went after the Permit. A Girl came in to dust the Room and he had to move, so I haven't seen him since. Next time I get one in Chancery there will be immediate Doings. I will simply say 'You 're On' and flash the Document. And then if he runs away he will have to carry a lot of Weight."

MORAL: Never put off until To-Morrow what should have been done early in the Seventies.