作品原文
许均铨 《一只名贵手袋》
阿伯拉汉从行李中取出一只名贵的手袋,放在设计室的桌子上,之后拿出相机,开始拍照,正面、侧面、反面都各照了两张。之后打内线电话叫设计员巴兹尔到设计室。
“这只手袋的价值是四千港元,你看这个款式,高贵又美观。我要这手袋的详细纸格,你马上处理。”阿伯拉汉边说边摸着下巴的一小撮山羊胡子。
“明白,波士!我马上处理。要不要照样做一个出来?”巴兹尔知道老板的下一步计划。
阿伯拉汉点点头。“喂!你量尺寸时,一定要小心,手袋上不能有任何磨擦的痕迹,下班前还要原装包好交给我。”
“明白!我会戴上手套。”巴兹尔不知老板为何对此手袋情有独钟,办公室其他手袋样品也不便宜,只是这一只更贵一点。
阿伯拉汉是一名手袋批发商,这只手袋他是在不久前的一次商品展上购得,他公司里的员工只要有一只手袋样品,就能照款式做出仿照品,几乎可以乱真。所以,他才花本钱买下。只为一个款式,花这样多钱,是有点心疼。然而一转念,他突然想到买这只手袋除喜欢这款式可投资生产外,还有另外一个用途。
阿伯拉汉下班回到家,照常先拥抱妻子。
“我有一件礼物送给你。”阿伯拉汉从行李中取出一个彩纸包装的盒子,然后交给太太。“看看喜不喜欢?”
妻子接过礼物,迫不及待地撕开彩纸,一个透明的塑料盒装着一只精美的手袋,还有发票,竟是四千港元,妻子一时呆了。她以一双柔情、感激的眼光看着丈夫,之后就是一个香吻。
“阿伯拉汉!我亲爱的,你真好!男人看手表,女人看手袋,我终于有一只名贵手袋。”说完又给丈夫几个香吻……
作品译文
A Designer Handbag
Abraham drew out a designer handbag from his luggage and placed it on the table in the designing room. Then he took out his camera and started taking pictures of the front, sides and back, two of each. After that he called his designer Basil through his extension, asking him to come over.
“This handbag cost me four thousand Hong Kong dollars. Look at it. Isn’t it a beautiful, splendid design? I want the sewing pattern of this handbag. Do it for me at once,” said Abraham, stroking the goatee on his chin.
“Got it, Boss! I’ll do it right away. Do you want to have one made as well?” Basil knew what his boss wanted next.
Abraham nodded. “Hey, be very careful and don’t scratch the handbag when you do the measurements. Also, return it to me in its original packaging before you go home.”
“Got it! I’ll wear my gloves.” Basil did not know why his boss loved this handbag so much. The other handbags in the office were also quite expensive, though slightly cheaper.
Abraham was a handbag wholesaler. He had purchased his favorite handbag at a commodities fair not long before. As long as his employees had a sample, they would be able to produce fair imitations. That is why he was willing to make such an investment. At first, he did find it a little too costly for just one single design, but on second thought decided to use it for another purpose in addition to producing knockoffs.
As usual, Abraham hugged his wife when he returned home from work.
“I have a gift for you.” He drew out from his luggage a box wrapped in colored paper and gave it to his wife. “See if you like it.”
On receiving the gift, his wife, who could not wait, tore open the wrapper and saw an elegant handbag inside a transparent plastic box. She became speechless when she found a receipt for the unbelievable amount of four thousand Hong Kong dollars. She gazed at her husband with gentle, grateful eyes, followed by a sudden, sweet kiss.
“Abraham, my darling, how sweet of you! A watch shows the man and a handbag shows the woman. I have finally got a designer handbag!” With this she dropped on her husband another string of sweet kisses …