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30 The Dinner Guest
晚餐时的来客
My new employer told me that they needed someone with my capabilities to lead their unpopular forest clearing campaign.
我的新雇主告诉我，他们需要一个像我这样有能力的人去领导那项不太受欢迎的森林采伐工程。
They said I was the best candidate for the job.
他们说我是最佳人选。
I was a canny negotiator and a very capable speaker.
我是个精明的谈判者，又及其善于言辞。
To me, it was just a matter of being candid with the resident natives.
对于我来说，只需与当地居民坦诚相待即可。
I would captivate them with money before telling them that we needed to deforest their land.
我会先用钱迷惑住他们，然后再告诉他们我们要采伐森林。
Then, I could easily calculate and negotiate a reasonable price.
接下来，我可以很容易地计算出一个好价钱，再和他们谈妥。
I got the job, rather easily I thought.
我轻而易举的争取到这份工作。
The company directed me to travel into the wilderness by boat to canvass the resident natives.
公司指示我坐船进入一片荒野，去游说当地居民。
The night before the trip, I weighed myself.
出发前的那个晚上，我称了体重。
“Could the calibration on this scale the correct?” I said to myself.
“称的刻度会不会不准呢？”我自言自语道，
“I guess I better cancel my dinner plans.
“我想我还是取消晚餐计划好了。
Otherwise the boat might sink.”
否则，那船没准会沉。”
But I knew that such a cancellation would make me too sad to travel, so I ate my usual meal.
但我知道取消晚餐只会让我忧伤得无意出差，所以我一如平常地吃了晚饭。
The boat was capacious.
船很宽敞，
The boat's large canopy was made of green and brown canvas.
它的顶蓬是一块绿褐色的帆布，
It served as a nice camouflage for the boat.
算是这艘船不错的伪装。
We floated down through the canyon for hours until we finally stopped.
我们顺流直下，漂了几个小时才穿过大峡谷，最后船停了。
“You'll travel by foot now, alone!” the boat captain said.
“现在你得步行了，一个人！”船长说道。
He filled my water bottle to capacity and pointed the way with a strange smile.
他将我得水瓶装满水，然后怪怪地笑着为我指路。
Not long after, I ran into a resident native.
很快，我就遇上了一个当地人，
He led me deep into the forest where I met their chief.
他领着我往森林深处走去。在那里，我见到了他们的酋长。
He smiled and said, “You've had a long trip.
他微笑着说：“你经历了一番长途跋涉，
My family would love to have you for dinner.”
我的家人会很高兴与你共进晚餐。”
Expection a feast, I replied, “I'd be honored.”
我料想会是一顿丰盛的晚宴，便回答到：“不胜荣幸。”
