The Condition

My father climbed the stairs one at a time, holding the rail. On the fifth floor, in an hour, the licensing committee would decide whether the market opened tomorrow, as it had every year since 1976, or never opened on the square again. He had had his only suit cleaned for the hearing. It was dark grey and slightly too big, and he wore it with a tie that my mother must have bought him, because he would never have chosen it himself.

我父亲一步一步地上楼，手扶着栏杆。一个小时以后，在五楼，许可委员会要决定市集明天是不是像1976年以来的每一年那样开张，还是以后再也不在广场上开了。他为了听证会把他唯一的西装洗了。西装是深灰色的，有点太大，他配了一条领带，那一定是我母亲买给他的，因为他自己绝不会选这一条。

“You look like a lawyer,” I said.

“您看起来像个律师。”我说。

“You look like a carpenter,” he said, and it was true. I had cut my hand again the night before and there was a plaster across two of my knuckles.

“你看起来像个木匠。”他说，这话没错。我前一天夜里又割伤了手，两个指节上贴着一块创可贴。

The room had a long table, a jug of water nobody drank, and a view of the railway. Three councillors sat on one side. In the middle, as chair of the committee, sat Martin Lloyd, his tie pulled loose, a coffee by his elbow. He smiled at us warmly when we came in. Hannah sat at the end of the table with her clipboard and a thick file. She did not smile, but she gave me a very small nod, the kind you could miss.

房间里有一张长桌子，一壶没人喝的水，窗外能看到铁路。三位委员坐在一边。中间是委员会主席Martin Lloyd，领带松着，手边放着一杯咖啡。我们进去的时候，他亲切地对我们笑了。Hannah坐在桌子的尽头，拿着她的夹板和一份很厚的文件。她没有笑，但是她对我轻轻点了一下头，很容易看漏。

It went better than I had dared to hope. Hannah presented the officer’s report in a clear, flat voice. Gary Holt’s sign-off: twenty-nine huts acceptable, one acceptable in its present condition. Bev’s certificate for all the electrical work, including the carousel. The insurance, paid in full. Twenty-one stall-holders, named, with addresses. One of the councillors, a large woman with a necklace of wooden beads, said, “Goodness, that was quick,” and another one said Walter would be proud. I spoke for five minutes on behalf of the Association and said nothing clever, which I have since learned is often the cleverest thing to do.

事情比我敢想的顺利。Hannah用清楚平静的声音念了承办人的报告。Gary Holt的验收：二十九间木屋合格，一间按现状可以通过。Bev给所有电路工作开的证书，包括旋转木马。保险，已经全部付清。二十一个摊主，有名字，有地址。一位委员是个高大的女士，戴着木珠项链，她说：“天哪，这么快。”另一位说Walter会为此骄傲。我代表协会讲了五分钟，没有说什么聪明的话，后来我才知道，这往往是最聪明的做法。

The committee voted. Three hands went up. The market was licensed.

委员会投票。三只手举了起来。市集得到了许可。

I felt my father let out a breath beside me.

我感觉到我父亲在我旁边松了一口气。

“Thank you,” said Martin Lloyd. “Before we close, there’s one more thing I want to add, as chair, and I’m sure the committee will agree.” He turned a page in front of him, though I don’t think he read it. “We’ve all seen Mr Holt’s first report. Whatever has been done since, these are old structures, and the report found them unsafe. I think it’s only right, given that, that the licence carries one further condition. If there is any accident at the market involving the huts or their equipment, of any kind, the market will close at once, pending a review by this committee. And the named person, Mr Yousef, will remain personally responsible for any injury, as on the form he has signed.”

“谢谢您。”Martin Lloyd说。“散会以前，我作为主席，还想补充一件事，我相信委员会会同意。”他翻了一页面前的纸，不过我想他没有看。“Holt先生的第一份报告，我们都看过了。不管后来做了什么，这些都是老建筑，报告里说它们不安全。所以我认为，许可证应该再加一个条件，这才合适。如果市集上发生任何事故，只要和木屋或者里面的设备有关，不管是什么事故，市集立刻关闭，等本委员会审查。还有，登记的负责人Yousef先生，要像他签的表格上写的那样，对任何伤害个人负责。”