我的表弟哈里，在他的书房里长期陈列着一个形状奇特的大瓶子。
My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study.
尽管这个瓶子被染成了淡雅的绿色，但一位细心的访客很快就会注意到，瓶内装的是看起来像某种浓稠灰色物质的东西。
Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick, greyish substance.
如果你要问哈里瓶子里装的是什么，他会告诉你里面装的是香味泥巴。
If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud.
如果你表示怀疑或惊讶，他会立刻邀请你去闻一闻，然后把一些抹进皮肤里。
If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.
这个简短的试验会消除她可能还有的任何疑虑。
The brief experiment would dispel any further doubts she might have.
这个瓶子里确实装着香味泥巴。
The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.
哈里是如何获得这件奇特之物的，这本身就构成了一个有趣的故事，而他也乐于讲述这个故事。
How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.
更重要的是，获得这个瓶子还治好了他多年来一直在养成的一个坏习惯。
Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.
哈里过去常常把走进昂贵的化妆品店、提出荒唐的商品索求（要求那些根本不存在的东西）视为一个了不起的笑话。
Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist.
他会当场即兴编造一些奇特的名称。
He would invent fanciful names on the spot.
一进店，他就会索要一种叫做"香影"的新香水，或者要"不溶于水的浴盐块"。
On entering a shop, he would ask for a new perfume called 'Scented Shadow' or for 'insoluble bath cubes'.
如果一位店员告诉他她没听说过这种产品，他就会装作相当恼火的样子。
If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out.
他最喜欢听到有人告诉他，他某件臆想的产品暂时缺货了，他则会信誓旦旦地承诺改日再来，但当然他从未兑现。
He loved to be told that one of his imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to call again at some future date, but of course he never did.
哈里是如何在这些表演过程中绷住脸不笑出来的，这对我来说实在难以理解。
How Harry managed to keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me.
不需要催促，哈里就会主动解释他是如何买到那瓶珍贵泥巴的。
Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud.
有一天，他走进伦敦一家高档店，索要"米罗莱特"。
One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for 'Myrolite'.
店员显出困惑的神情，哈里便重复了这个词，缓慢地逐个音节地加以强调。
The shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each syllable.
当那位女士茫然地摇了摇头时，哈里接着解释说，"米罗莱特"是一种坚硬的、类似琥珀的物质，可用于去除雀斑。
When the woman shook her head in bewilderment, Harry went on to explain that 'myrolite' was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles.
这番解释显然让那位女士有所触动，她开始逐架翻找货架。
This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf.
她拿出了各种各样奇怪的混合物，但没有一件符合哈里的要求。
She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met with Harry's requirements.
当哈里摆出他那一副轻度恼火的架势时，那位店员答应为他订货。
When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the assistant promised to order some for him.
被自己的成功冲昏了头脑，哈里接着索要起香味泥巴来。
Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.
他预料那位店员会目瞪口呆地盯着他看。
He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.
然而，这次轮到他大吃一惊了，因为那位女士的眼睛立刻亮了起来，她取来几个瓶子，摆在柜台上让哈里查看。
However, it was his turn to be surprised, for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.
这一次，哈里不得不承认失败了。
For once, Harry had to admit defeat.
他拿起看起来似乎是最小的一个瓶子，低调地询问了价格。
He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price.
他庆幸只花了区区二十英镑就得以脱身，随即仓皇撤退，把那瓶珍贵的东西紧抱在腋下。
He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm.
从那以后，哈里认定他发明的这个小把戏有可能会变得代价高昂。
From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive.
那个如今装点着他书房书架的奇特瓶子，是他第一次也是最后一次购买稀有化妆品。
The curious bottle which now adorns the bookcase in his study was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.