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John thought of his children， sailing on the river in their boat．He thought of the seals，and people fishing， and little children playing on the beach and swimming．'We've got to build them！'he said．
约翰想到他的孩子们，乘他们的船行驶在这条河上。他想到海豹，想到人们钓鱼，想到小孩们在河滩上玩耍，在河里游泳。他说：“我们不得不造机器！”
David Wilson looked at him carefully． His voice，when he spoke，was very quiet and hard．'Listen to me，John．You're a very good scientist，and we're lucky to have you in this com-pany．But you're not a businessman， and I am．Look at this．'He picked up a sheet of paper， and held it across the table for John to see．It showed how much money the compa-ny had．'We borrowed ten million pounds last year， and we employed four hundred more people．Think how much that means to a small town like this！'
大卫·威尔逊仔细地看着他。他说话时的声音非常平静而且坚定。“听我说，约翰。你是一个很出色的科学家，我们有幸雇你在这个公司干活。但是你不是一个商人，而我是。你瞧。”他拿起一张纸，从桌子对面递过来给约翰看。它显示出公司有多少钱。“去年我们借了1000万英镑，并且又雇用了400人。想想对这样一个小镇来说这意味着多少？”
'I know，'said John．'But…'
“我知道，”约翰说。“但是……”
'Just a minute．Listen to me．If we build these cleaning machines of yours，people will lose their jobs—a lot of people！This company can't afford to borrow any more money，John．We just can't do it！'
“等等。听我说。如果我们制造你建议的这些净化机器，人们将会丢失他们的工作——很多人！这个公司担负不起借更多的钱，约翰。我们真是不能那样做。”
John stood up．'And what happens if people get ill because of this？ Have you thought of that？What will the newspapers say then？'
约翰站了起来。“那么如果人们因此而得病怎么办？你想过没有？到那时报纸会怎么说？”
'No one will get ill，because no one drinks that water，John．The newspapers will never know about it．'
“没人会得病，因为没人喝那种水，约翰。报纸永远不会知道此事。”
'They will if I tell them．'
“如果我告诉他们，他们就会知道。”
