偶然的遗忘(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。

偶然的遗忘
raymond swing was the berlin correspondent of the chicago daily news when the first world war began in 1914. he went to bethmann-hollweg, the german chancellor, who told him that germany had no intention of annexing belgium or any other territory, and gave him permission to convey that statement to edward grey, the british foreign secretary, adding however that if the allies agreed to a peace they would have to pay an indemnity.
swing embarked for england, where he was immediately received by grey. upon hearing the proposal of an indemnity grey began "a magnificent tirade" which was so magnificent that swing forgot to say he had the impression that the indemnity might not be insisted upon. this lapse of memory might have changed the course of history.

一九一四年第一次世界大战爆发时，《芝加哥日报》驻柏林记者雷蒙德．斯温进见德国首相贝特曼赫尔维希。贝特曼赫尔维希告诉他说，德国无意吞并比利时或任何其他地方，并说斯温可以把这话转告英国外交大臣爱德华．格雷。不过，他说同盟国答应议和，就须赔款。
斯温出发去英国，马上获格雷接见。格雷一听到要赔款，就来「一顿精彩的咒骂」，精彩得令斯温忘了说，他所得的印象是赔款一事，德国未必坚持。这偶然的遗忘，也许改变了历史。
【附注】第一次世界大战假如一九一四年结束，俄国共产党未必可以乘时而起建立苏联，战后德国的政治环境更未必容许纳粹党崛起。