2024年5月19日发(作者：手机可用的swf播放器)

Lesson11 Not guilty

Going through the Customs is a tiresome business. The strangest

thing about it is that really honest people are often made to feel

guilty. 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. When I returned from abroad

recently, a particularly officious young Customs Officer clearly

regarded me as a smuggler.

'Have you anything to declare?' he asked, looking me in the eye.

'No,' I answered confidently.

'Would you mind unlocking this suitcase please ?'

'Not at all,' I answered.

The Officer went through the case with great care. All the things I

had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess. I felt sure I

would never be able to close the case again. Suddenly, I saw the

Officer's face light up. He had spotted a tiny bottle at the bottom

of my case and he pounced on it with delight.

'Perfume, eh?' he asked sarcastically. 'You should have declared

that.' Perfume is not exempt from import duty.'

'But it isn't perfume,' I said.' It's hairoil.' Then I added with a

smile,' It's a strange mixture I make myself.' As I expected, he did

not believe me.

'Try it!' I said encouragingly.

The Officer unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils.

He was greeted by an unpleasant smell which convinced him that

I was telling the truth. A few minutes later, I was able to hurry

away with precious chalkmarks on my baggage.

现在的海关官员往往相当宽容。但是，当你通过绿色通道，没有任何东

西需要申报时，他们仍可以挡住你。甚至是最老实的人也常弄得觉得有

罪似的，而老练的职业走私犯却使手提箱里藏着500只金表，却也处之

泰然。最近一次，我也出国归来，碰上一位特殊好管闲事的年轻海关官

员，他明显把我当成走私犯。

“您有什么需要申报的吗？〞他直盯着我的眼睛问。

“没有。〞我自信地答复说。

“请翻开这只手提箱好吗？〞

“好的。〞我答复说。

那位官员特别认真地把箱子检查了一遍。全部细心包装好的东西一会儿

工夫就乱成一团。我信任那箱子再也关不上了。突然，我看到官员脸上

露出了得意的神色。他在我的箱底发觉了一只小瓶，快乐地一把抓了起

来。

“香水，嗯？〞他讥讽地说道，“你刚刚应当申报，香水要上进口税的。〞

“不，这不是香水，〞我说，“是发胶。〞接着我脸带微笑补充说：“这

是一种我自己配制的奇怪的混合物。〞

“你就闻一闻吧！〞我督促说。