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'Mr. John Duncan, please! '
“约翰·邓肯先生，请！”
He walked to the front of the room. As he sat down, he saw David Wilson's cold, grey eyes watching him from the other side of the room. That man should be up here instead, he thought. He should tell his own lies.
他走到大厅前面。当他要坐下时，他看到大卫·威尔逊那双冷酷、灰暗的眼睛正从屋子的另一边望着他。那个人本应在此，他想，他应该讲述他自己的谎言。
A lawyer began to ask him questions. At first it was easy. John explained how long he had worked for the company, and how much paint the factory produced. Then the lawyer asked about the waste products.
一个律师开始向他提问。一开始很容易，约翰解释了他在公司工作多久，工厂生产多少油漆。然后律师问到废料。
'These are very dangerous chemicals, aren't they? 'the lawyer said.
“这是非常危险的化学物质，是吗？”律师问道。
'Well yes, of course, 'John answered. 'Most chemicals are dangerous if people aren't careful with them. But we're very careful with them in our factory. Everyone wears special clothing. We haven't had a single serious accident in three years. '
“是的，当然，”约翰答道。“如果人们不小心谨慎，大部分化学制品都有危险。但是在我们工厂我们对它们非常谨慎。每个人都穿特制的服装，3年里我们没发生一件重大事故。”
'I'm pleased to hear it, 'said the lawyer. 'But what happens outside the factory? Do you really put these very dangerous chemicals into the river? '
“听你这么说我非常满意，”律师说。“但是在工厂外发生了什么？你们真的往河里倒了这些非常危险的化学制品吗？”
'Yes, we do, 'said John. There was a noise in the room. Someone near Christine shouted something angrily, and a policewoman told him to be quiet. John went on. 'Of course we put these chemicals in the river, but we don't put a lot in. Only two or three hundred litres every day. That's not much. And we check the river all the time—three times every day. There are usually only two parts per million, or less, in the water near the factory, and there is much less downstream. That's not dangerous. '
“是的，”约翰说。屋里传出嘈杂声。克里斯汀的附近有人气愤地喊着什么，一个女警察让他安静。约翰继续说：“当然我们把它们倒入水中，但不多，每天仅仅两三百公升，那不算多。而且我们一日三次一直检测河水。工厂附近水中通常只含百万分之二或更少的成分，下游就更少了。那不危险。”
