活期贷款
In those days the cattlemen were the anointed. They were the grandees of the grass，kings of the kine，lords of the lea，barons of beef and bone. They might have ridden in golden chariots chariot n.战车 had their tastes so inclined. The cattleman was caught in a stampede of dollars. It seemed to him that he had more money than was decent. But when he had bought a watch with precious stones set in the case so large that they hurt his ribs，and a California saddle with silver nails and Angora skin suaderos，and ordered everybody up to the bar for whisky—what else was there for him to spend money for？
在那时代，牧牛人都是天之骄子。他们是草原的大公，牛群的帝王，收地的君主，牛肉和牛骨的大王。只要高兴，他们有条件乘坐镀金的马车。金钱劈头盖脑地落到牧牛人身上，他似乎觉得自己钱多得邪门。但是，除了买一只表盖上镶着许多大宝石、掠得肋骨生癌的金表，买一具嵌着银钉、配着安哥拉皮垫的马鞍，和在酒吧间与大伙喝威士忌之外，他还有什么地方可以花钱呢？
Not so circumscribed in expedient for the reduction of surplus wealth were those lairds of the lariat who had womenfolk womenfolk n.妇女，女性 to their name. In the breast of the ribsprung sex the genius of purse lightening may slumber slumber n.睡眠 v.睡眠 through years of inopportunity，but never，my brothers，does it become extinct.
至于那些有女眷的牧场主，他们减少超额财富的门路就不那么局限了。在境况不如意的时候，夏娃后裔减轻钱包的本领也许会沉睡多年，可是，弟兄们哪，这种本领是永远不会灭绝的。
So，out of the chaparral came Long Bill Longley from the Bar Circle Branch on the Frio—a wifedriven man—to taste the urban joys of success. Something like half a million dollars he had，with an income steadily increasing.
因此，为妻子所迫的“高个儿”比尔·朗利，离开了弗里奥河畔株树丛生的圆圈栈道牧场，到城里去享受成功的乐趣了。他的财产有五十来万元，收入还在持续增加。
Long Bill was a graduate of the camp and trail. Luck and thrift，a cool head，and a telescopic telescopic adj.远视的，伸缩的 eye for mavericks had raised him from cowboy to be a cowman. Then came the boom in cattle，and Fortune，stepping gingerly among the cactus thorns，came and emptied her cornucopia cornucopia n.[希神］哺乳宙斯的羊角，满装花果象征丰饶的羊角（通常用于绘画或雕刻中），丰富，丰饶 at the doorstep of the ranch.
“高个儿”比尔是在营地和草原上磨炼出来的。幸运和节俭，冷静的头脑和寻找无主小牛的锐利目光，这种种因素加起来，使他从牧牛人变成了牧场主。后来，牛只买卖突然兴旺，幸运女神小心翼翼地穿过仙人掌刺丛来了，把她的丰饶之角倾注在牧场庄园的门口。
In the little frontier city of Chaparosa，Longley built a costly residence. Here he became a captivecaptive n.俘虏，被美色或爱情迷住的人 adj.被俘的，被迷住的，bound to the chariot of social existence. He was doomed to become a leading citizen. He struggled for a time like a mustang in his first corral，and then he hung up his quirt and spurs. Time hung heavily on his hands. He organised the First National Bank of Chaparosa，and was elected its president…
朗利在边疆小城查帕罗萨盖了一幢豪华的住宅。他成了俘虏，被套在社会生活的马车上。他注定要成为当地的头面人物。一开始，他像野马初次被关进栅栏里那样，挣扎了一阵子，接着就把马鞭和马刺挂起，安于现状了。他无所事事，日子不好打发，便创办了查帕罗萨第一国民银行，被选为总经理。
One day a dyspeptic man，wearing doublemagnifying glasses，inserted an officiallooking card between the bars of the cashiers window of the First National Bank. Five minutes later the bank force was dancing at the beck and call of a national bank examiner.
一天，有个戴着镜片像放大镜那么厚的眼镜，害消化不良症的人，来到第一国民银行，在出纳员窗口递进一张气派十足的名片。五分钟后，银行全体职员在查账稽核的指使下忙开了。
This examiner，Mr. J. Edgar Todd，proved to be a thorough one.
这位稽核，杰·埃德加·托德先生，竟然非常认真。
At the end of it all the examiner put on his hat，and called the president，Mr. William R. Longley，into the private office.
查完账目以后，稽核戴上帽子，请总经理威廉·雷·朗利先生到小办公室去。
“Well，how do you find things？” asked Longley，in his slow，deep tones. “Any brands in the roundup you didnt like the looks of？”
“嗯，你觉得怎么样？”朗利声调深沉缓慢地问道。“牛群中有没有你看不顺眼的印记？”
“The bank checks up all right，Mr. Longley，” said Todd，“and I find your loans in very good shape—with one exception. You are carrying one very bad bit of paper—one that is so bad that I have been thinking that you surely do not realise the serious position it places you in. I refer to a call loan of 10，000 made to Thomas Merwin. Not only is the amount in excessexcess n.过度，剩余，无节制，超过，超额 adj.过度的，额外的 of the maximum sum the bank can loan any individual legally，but it is absolutely without endorsement or security. Thus you have doubly violated violate vt.违犯，亵渎（圣物），冒犯，干扰，违反，妨碍，侵犯，强暴 the national banking laws，and have laid yourself open to criminal prosecution prosecution n.进行，经营，检举，起诉 by the Government. A report of the matter to the comptroller of the Currency—which I am bound to make—would，I am sure，result in the matter being turned over to the Department of Justice for action. You see what a serious thing it is.”
“账目都很清楚，朗利先生，”托德说，“我发现你的贷款也都符合手续——不过有一笔例外。有一张借据很糟糕——糟到这种程度，我猜想你一定还不了解情况的严重性。我指的是那笔借给托马斯·默温的一万元活期贷款。问题不仅在于数目超过了银行发放私人贷款的最高限额，而且既无担保，又无抵押。
因此，你在两方面都违犯了国民银行法，政府随时都可以向你提出刑事诉讼。假如把这件事报告货币审计处——我有责任这么做——我相信一定会移交司法部执行。你该明白情况有多么严重了吧？”
Bill Longley was leaning his lengthy，slowly moving frame back in his swivel chair. His hands were claspedclasp n.扣子，钩，紧握，抱住 v.扣紧，紧握，搂抱，密切合作 behind his head，and he turned a little to look the examiner in the face. The examiner was surprised to see a smile creep about the rugged mouth of the banker，and a kindly twinkle in his lightblue eyes. If he saw the seriousness of the affair，it did not show in his countenance.
比尔·朗利坐在转椅上，颀长的身躯慢慢向后靠去。他双手合抱，托着后脑，略微倒过头，望着稽核。稽核看到银行家果断的嘴角上泛起一丝笑容，浅蓝色的眼睛里闪着和善的亮光，不禁有点纳闷。等到他了解了这件事的严重性时，他的脸色就不会这样了。
“Of course，you dont know Tom Merwin.” said Longley，almost genially. “Yes，I know about that loan. It hasnt any security except Tom Merwins word. Somehow，Ive always found that when a mans word is good its the best security there is. Oh，yes，I know the Government doesnt think so. I guess Ill see Tom about that note.”
“当然，这也难怪，你根本不认识汤姆·默温。”朗利几乎是亲切地说。“不错，我知道这笔贷款。除了汤姆·默温一句话以外，没有任何抵押品。不过我一向认为，一个人只要讲信用，他的话就是最好的抵押品。哦，是呀，我知道政府不是这样想的。看来我还得为这笔贷款去找一次汤姆。”
Mr. Todds dyspepsia dyspepsia n.[医］消化不良，胃弱 seemed to grow suddenly worse. He looked at the chaparral banker through his doublemagnifying glasses in amazement.
托德先生的消化不良症仿佛突然恶化了。他从放大镜似的眼镜后面惊讶地瞅着这位牧牛人出身的银行家。