Lesson 52

My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study.
我的表弟哈里在他的书房里永久陈列着一个形状奇特的大瓶子。
Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick, greyish substance.
尽管这个瓶子被着成了一种淡绿色，但一个敏锐的访客很快就会注意到，里面装满了看起来像一种粘稠的、灰色的物质。
If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud.
如果你问哈利瓶子里装的是什么，他会告诉你那里面装的是香水味的泥巴。
If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.
如果你表达了怀疑或惊讶，他会立即邀请你闻闻它，然后抹一点在你的皮肤上。
This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have.
这次简短的实验将消除你可能有的任何进一步疑虑。
The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.
这个瓶子里装的确实是带香味的泥土。
How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.
哈利是如何得到这些古怪玩意的，这构成了一个他乐于讲述的有趣故事。
Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.
此外，获得这个瓶子治愈了他多年来养成的坏习惯。
Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist.
哈利过去常以进入昂贵的化妆品店，并针对那些不存在的商品提出无理的要求为乐。
He would invent fanciful names on the spot.
他会当场发明奇特的名字。
On entering a shop, he would ask for a new perfume called 'Scented Shadow' or for 'insoluble bath cubes'.
一进商店，他总要买一种名为“闻香识影”的新香水，或者要一种“不溶性浴盐块”。
If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out.
如果店员告诉他没听说过那件商品，他就会假装大为不悦。
He loved to be told that one of his imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to call again at some future date, but of course he never did.
他喜欢听人说他虚构的某种产品暂时缺货了，于是他会煞有介事地承诺以后再来，但当然他从未再来过。
How Harry managed to keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me.
哈利在这些表演期间是如何设法保持一本正经的，这我完全无法理解。
Harry does not need to be
哈利不需要成为
prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud.
被要求解释他是如何买到那瓶珍贵的泥土的。
One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for 'Myrolite'.
有一天，他去了伦敦的一家高级商店，要求购买“Myrolite”。
The shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each syllable.
店员看起来很困惑，哈利重复了这个词，缓慢地重读每个音节。
When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to explain that 'myrolite' was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles.
当那个女人困惑地摇了摇头时，哈里继续解释说，“myrolite”是一种坚硬的、琥珀般的、可以用来去除雀斑的物质。
This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf.
这个解释显然给那个搜寻了一个又一个书架的女人传达了某种信息。
She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met with Harry's requirements.
她制作了各种各样的古怪混合物，但没有一个符合哈利的要求。
When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the assistant promised to order some for him.
当哈利摆出那副略显烦恼的姿态时，助手承诺会为他订购一些。
Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.
陶醉于他的成功，哈利随后要求得到香水软泥。
He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.
他预料助手会茫然地盯着他看。
However, it was his turn to be surprised, for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.
然而，轮到他大吃一惊了，因为那女人的眼睛立刻亮了起来，她拿来几个瓶子放在柜台上供哈利检查。
For once, Harry had to admit defeat.
有生以来第一次，哈利不得不承认失败。
He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price.
他拿起了那个看起来最小的瓶子，并谨慎地询问了价格。
He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm.
他很高兴只花了二十英镑就脱身了，于是他匆忙撤退，胳膊下夹着那只珍贵的瓶子。
From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive.
从那时起，哈利认定他发明的这个小游戏代价可能很高。
The curious bottle, which now adorns the bookcase in his study, was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.
这个好奇的瓶子，现在装饰在他书房的书架上，是他第一次也是最后一次购买稀有化妆品。