\
―当然。‖
\are we interviewing in this hotel room? The other firms interview on campus through the placement office. \
―为什么我们在饭店里面试？其他公司都是在学校里进行。‖
\.
―这个问题提得好，米切尔，‖负责管理的合伙人罗伊斯?麦克耐特说道。
\
―你必须理解我们的事务所。我们与众不同，并且以此为荣。
We have forty-one lawyers, so we are small compared with other firms.
我们有41位律师，因此和其他公司相比我们很小
We don't hire too many people; about one every other year.
我们不雇佣过多的人，每隔两年招聘一个。
We offer the highest salary and fringes附加福利 in the country,
我们提供全国最高的工资和附加福利，
and I'm not exaggerating夸大. So we are very selective.
我没有夸大其词。所以我们很挑剔，
We selected you. The letter you received last month was sent after we screened over 篩選two thousand third-year students at the best schools.
我们选择了你。你上个月收到的那封信是我们通过在最好的学校里对2000多名学生进行筛选后寄出的。
Only one letter was sent. We don't advertise openings and we don't solicit applications.
只发了一封信。我们不登招聘广告来让人们应聘。
We keep a low profile, and we do things differently. Thai's our explanation.
我们总是低调处理并且做事与众不同。这就是我们的解释。‖
\
―很好。这是一个什么样的事务所呢？‖
\股票, real estate房地產 and banking, but eighty percent is tax work. That's why we wanted to meet you, Mitch. You have an incredibly strong tax background. \
―税务。有一些股票、房地产和银行业务，但80％是税务工作。这就是我们想见你的原因。米切尔，你有非常好的税务方面的背景。‖
\
―你为什么想去肯塔基大学呢？‖奥利佛?兰伯特问道。
\that, college would've been impossible. \
―很简单。他们为我打橄榄球提供全额奖学金。如果不是因为这个原因，我是不可能去这个学校的。‖
\
―米切尔，我们的事务所在孟斐斯，‖拉马尔说道，―你不会介意吧？‖
\. \
―不介意。我不喜欢寒冷的天气。‖
\
―你去过孟斐斯吗？‖
\
―没有。‖
\
―我们不久就会让你去那里。你一定会喜欢那里的。‖
Mitch smiled and nodded and played along. Were these guys serious? How could he consider such a small firm in such a small town when Wall Street was waiting?
米切尔微笑着点点头，装出同意的样子。这些人是认真的吗？有华尔街的工作正等着去，他怎么会考虑到这个小镇上的这么小的事务所来工作呢？
\. Lambert asked.
―你在你们班里是第几名？‖兰伯特先生问道。
\all of them. Top five out of three hundred.
―前5名。不是前5％。而是前5名。‖这已经足以回答他们的问题。300个人中的前5名。
\
―你为什么选择哈佛大学？‖
\everywhere. Harvard offered more financial assistance. I thought il was the best school. Still do. \
―实际上是哈佛选择了我。我申请了几所学校，而且都被录取了。哈佛提供的资助较多。我当时觉得这是一所最好的学校，现在我仍然这样认为。‖
\
―你的税务和有价证券的成绩相当高。‖
\
―那是我的兴趣所在。‖
\nonsacred area explored by every firm.
―好的，米切尔，谈谈你妻子吧。‖罗伊斯?麦克耐特说道。这是每个公司都要问及的一个普遍问题。
\Kentucky. For the past three years she's taught at a private kindergarten near
Boston College. \
―她叫阿比。在西肯塔基大学获得了初等教育专业学位。最近三年她一直在波士顿大学附近的一所私立幼儿园任教。‖
\—\
―你们的婚姻？‖
\
―我们很幸福。我们从高中就认识了。‖
\
―我觉得西肯塔基大学不是什么学术水平很高的学校。‖
Lamar blurted with a stupid grin, and immediately wished he could take it back.
马尔?奎恩笑着脱口而出，但他马上就后悔了。
\a few seconds
stared incredulously難以置信 at each other.
―有点像堪萨斯大学，‖米切尔回答道，三个人都惊呆了，用难以置信的目光相互对视了一会儿。
This guy McDeere knew Lamar Quin went to Kansas State. He had never met Lamar Quin and had no idea who would appear on behalf of the firm and conduct the interview.
麦克迪尔这家伙知道拉马尔?奎恩曾在堪萨斯大学上学。他与拉马尔?奎恩从未谋面，而且并不知道谁将代表事务所来面试。
Yet, he knew. He had checked them out. He had read the biographical sketches of all of the forty-one lawyers in the firm, and in a split second he had recalled that Lamar Quin had gone to Kansas State. They were impressed.
然而，他知道。他查出来了。他阅读了有关该事务所所有41名律师的介绍，而且能在一瞬间回忆起拉马尔?奎恩曾在堪萨斯大学读过书。这点给他们留下了深刻的印象。
\
―我不该这么说，‖拉马尔表示道歉。
\
―没问题，‖米切尔热情地微笑着，他已经不介意了。
Oliver Lambert cleared his throat and. decided to get personal again.
奥利佛?兰伯特清了清嗓子，决定亲自出马了。
\of everything. We keep low profiles and we work very hard. And we make plenty of money.\
―米切尔，我们事务所反对酗酒和玩女人。
我们把业务放在一切之首。我们采取低姿态，但工作很努力。而且我们赚的钱很多。‖
\
―我可以接受这些。‖
\
―我们保留事务所对任何成员进行吸毒的药检权。‖
\
―我不吸毒。‖
\The reason why we ask these questions is because we want stable families. Happy lawyers are productive lawyers.'\
―好的，我们之所以问这些问题是因为我们需要稳定的家庭，幸福的律师是能干的。‖
Milch smiled and nodded. He had heard this before.
米切尔微笑着点点头。他以前听过这话。
The three looked at: each other, then at Mitch.
三个人互相看了看，又看了看米切尔。