Lesson 11

Customs Officers are quite tolerant these days, but they can still stop you when you are going through the Green Channel and have nothing to declare.
如今海关官员们相当宽容，但当阁下正在通过绿色通道且没有什么要申报时，他们仍然可以拦下你。
Even really honest people are often made to feel guilty.
甚至真正诚实的人也经常被弄得感到内疚。
The hardened professional smuggler, on the other hand, is never troubled by such feelings, even if he has five hundred gold watches hidden in his suitcase.
另一方面，老练的职业走私者从不为这种感觉所困扰，即使他的手提箱里藏着五百只金表。
When I returned from abroad recently, a particularly officious young Customs Officer clearly regarded me as a smuggler.
当我最近从国外回来时，一个特别爱管闲事的年轻海关官员显然把我当成了一个走私犯。
'Have you anything to declare?' he asked, looking me in the eye.
“你有任何要申报的东西吗？”他直视着我的眼睛问道。
'No,' I answered confidently.
“不，”我自信地回答道
Would you mind unlocking this suitcase please?
请问你介意打开这个手提箱吗？
'Not at all,' I answered.
“一点也不，”我回答道。
The Officer went through the case with great care.
这名官员非常仔细地检查了案情。
All the things I had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess.
所有我曾如此仔细打包的东西很快就变得一团糟。
I felt sure I would never be able to close the case again.
我觉得确信我再也无法把这箱子关上了。
Suddenly, I saw the Officer's face light up.
突然，我看见那位军官的脸亮了起来。
He had spotted a tiny bottle at the bottom of my case and he pounced on it with delight.
他在我箱子底部发现了一个小瓶子，然后欣喜地扑向了它。
'Perfume, eh?' he asked sarcastically.
“香水，嗯？”他讽刺地问道。
'You should have declared that. Perfume is not exempt from import duty.'
“你本应该申报那个。香水不能免征进口税。”
'But it isn't perfume,' I said.
“但它不是香水，”我说道。
It's hair gel.
它是发胶。
Then I added with a smile, 'It's a strange mixture I make myself.'
然后我带着微笑补充道：“这是我自己配制的奇怪混合物。”
As I expected, he did not believe me.
正如我所预料的，他不相信我。
'Try it!' I said encouragingly.
“试试看！”我鼓励地说道。
The Officer unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils.
这名官员拧开了瓶盖，把瓶子凑到鼻孔前。
He was greeted by an unpleasant smell which convinced him that I was telling the truth.
他闻到了一股难闻的气味，这使他确信我是在说实话。
A few minutes later, I was able to hurry away with precious chalk marks on my baggage.
几分钟后，我得以带着行李上珍贵的粉笔标记匆忙离去。