乔布斯传 第226期:靠自己(5)

 　　At the beginning of November 1985, just five weeks after Apple filed suit against him,

　　1985年11月初，苹果对乔布斯提起诉讼5周后，

　　Jobs wrote to Eisenstat and asked for a dispensation.

　　乔布斯就写信给艾森斯塔特，要求取消诉讼。

　　"I spoke¹ with Hartmut Esslinger this weekend and he suggested I write you a note

　　“我这周同哈特穆特·艾斯林格聊过，他建议我给你写一封信，

　　expressing why I wish to work with him and frogdesign on the new products for NeXT," he said.

　　表达我想同他及青眭设计公司合作NeXT新产品的原因。”乔布斯写道。

　　Astonishingly, Jobs's argument was that he did not know what Apple had in the works, but Esslinger did.

　　令人惊讶是，乔布斯的说法是，他自己不知道苹果公司正在做的东西，但是艾斯林格知道。

　　乔布斯传

　　"NeXT has no knowledge as to the current or future directions of Apple's product designs,

　　“NeXT对于苹果公司产品设计现在和未来的方向都一无所知。

　　nor do other design firms we might deal with,

　　如果我们和其他那些同样对苹果不了解的设计公司合作的话，

　　so it is possible to inadvertently design similar looking products.

　　那就有可能会不经意地设计出外观类似的产品。

　　It is in both Apple's and NeXT's best interest to rely on Hartmut's professionalism to make sure this does not occur."

　　而哈特穆特他们了解苹果，能够确保不会让设计与苹果的产品类似，因此这对苹果公司和NeXT公司都最有利。”

　　Eisenstat recalled being flabbergasted by Jobs's audacity², and he replied curtly³.

　　艾森斯塔特回忆，自己为乔布斯的厚颜无耻瞠目结舌，他对此作出了简短的回复。

　　"I have previously⁴ expressed my concern on behalf of Apple that

　　“我曾代表苹果公司表达过担忧，

　　you are engaged in a business course which involves your utilization⁵ of Apple's confidential⁶ business information," he wrote.

　　你所从事的业务会利用苹果公司的机密商业信息。”他写道，

　　"Your letter does not alleviate⁷ my concern in any way.

　　“你的信函无论如何无法减轻我的忧虑。

　　In fact it heightens my concern because it states that

　　事实上，它加深了我的担忧，因为你在信中表示

　　you have 'no knowledge as to the current or future directions of Apple's product designs,' a statement which is not true."

　　自己‘对苹果公司产品设计现在和未来的方向一无所知’，而这一说法并非事实。”

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

3 curtly   

adv.简短地

参考例句：

• He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 utilization   

n.利用，效用

参考例句：

• Computer has found an increasingly wide utilization in all fields.电子计算机已越来越广泛地在各个领域得到应用。
• Modern forms of agricultural utilization,have completely refuted this assumption.现代农业利用形式，完全驳倒了这种想象。

6 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

7 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。