ACT III

How do you do? 你好。

Hello. 哈。

I’m Ralph Riley. 我叫Ralph Riley。

I’m Richard Stewart, and this is my wife, Marilyn. 我叫Richard Stewart，这是我妻子Marilyn。

Pleased to meet you. 很高兴与你见面。

Likewise, Mr. Riley. 我们也一样 Riley先生。

Please, sit down. What can I do for you? 请坐下。我能为你们做什么?

We’d like to discuss a mortgage. 我们想请教一下关于贷款的事。

For a house. 为了房子。

Fine. Are you buying a house 好的。你们是要买房子?

or are you refinancing your present home? 还是原有的房子重新申请贷款?

We’re planning to buy a house. 我们计划买一栋房子。

And we’d like to find out about a mortgage. 我们想知道如何贷款。

We are customers of the bank. 我们是贵行的顾客。

As a matter of fact, my whole family banks here. 事实上，我们全家都是贵行的顾客。

I have some questions to ask. 我有一些问题要问。

Do you own your house or do you rent? 你们自己有房子还是租房?

Neither. 都不是。

We live with my parents, Dr. and Mrs. Philip Stewart. 我们和父母住在一起，我父母是Philip Stewart夫妇。

And how old are you? 你多大了?

I’m twenty-nine. 我二十九岁。

I’m thirty. 我三十岁。

And, Mr. Stewart, what is your occupation? 那么，Stewart，请问你的职业是什么?

I’m a freelance photographer. 我是自由摄影师。

And, Mrs. Stewart, are you working? 嗯，Stewart太太，你有工作吗?

Yes. I’m a designer, and I work in a boutique. 是的，我是位设计师，我在一家服装店工作。

Did you bring any savings or salary information? 你是否带来储蓄和薪资的相关资料?

Last year’s tax forms? 譬如去年的税务申报表?

Yes. Here they are. 带来了，在这儿。

OK. What ... what kind of house did you have in mind? 好的，你们打算买什么样的房子?

We’re talking about buying 我们在商量购买

a two-bedroom house in Mount Kisco. 一栋有两间卧室的的房子，在Mount Kisco。

Here are the financial details on the house. 这是这房子的财务细节。

Thank you. 谢谢你。

Are you prepared to make a ten-percent down payment? 你打算缴纳10%做头期款吗?

Yes, we are. 是的，我们准备如此办。

Payments over thirty years? 三十年分期付款吗?

Yes. 是的。

Do you think we can get a loan? 你觉得我们能得到贷款吗?

Well, it depends. Do you own any other property? 嗯，这还要看情况。你们拥有其他什么财产吗?

Any stocks or bonds? 有股票或债券吗?

No. 没有。

I see. Then you don’t have any collateral. 我明白了。那么你们没有任何担保物。

Perhaps you could get a guarantor-- 也许你可以找一位担保人---

someone to sign for the loan for you. 找个人为你们的贷款签个名。

Why is that necessary? 为什么有此必要?

Since you don’t have enough income, 由于你们的收入不够，

and you don’t already own any property, 而你们又没拥有其他财产。

the bank needs to be sure 银行需要确定

you can pay the mortgage every month. 你们能每月按时付款。

A guarantor is responsible for the loan 担保人要对贷款负责

if you can’t make the payments. 如果你们不能还钱。

I see. Well, the idea of buying a house is exciting. 我明白了。嗯 ，买房子的念头叫人兴奋过头。

Thank you, Mr. Riley. We’ll read this over carefully. 谢谢你，Riley先生。我们会仔细阅读这些文件的。

Thank you. 谢谢你们。

Good-bye. Thanks. 再见。谢谢。

Good-bye. And hope to see you soon. 再见。希望很快再见到你们。

I hope so, too. 我也希望如此。

Take care. 慢走。

Good-bye. 再见。

It all sounded so easy 一切听起来那么容易

until they mentioned needing collateral or a guarantor. 在他们提到担保物或担保人之前。

We have no collateral. 我们没有担保物。

And I don’t think it’s a good idea 而且我觉得这不是个好主意。

to ask Dad to sign as a guarantor. 请爸爸当担保人为我签字。

I don’t feel right about it. 我觉得这样不对。

I understand your feelings about it, Richard. 我了解你对这种事的心情，Richard。

Now, tell me, what’s the problem? 现在，告诉我，你有什么问题?

We can get a loan from the bank 我们能够从银行得到贷款

if we can put up some collateral. 如果我们能提供担保物的话。

And we don’t own anything to use as collateral. 可是我们没有任何可以做担保物的东西。

Or someone can sign with us as a guarantor. 或者有人能当担保人帮我们签字。

Why don’t you speak to Dad? 你们为什么不跟爸爸说说?

No. If we buy a house, I want to be able to handle it alone. 不，如果我们买房子，我希望能够自行负责。

Everybody needs help sometimes, Richard. 每个人都有需要帮助的时候，Richard。

I understand Richard’s feelings about it, Ellen. 我了解Richard的感受，Ellen。

In two or three months, I’ll have an advance on my book 两到三个月后，我能得到我那本书的预付款

and be able to put more money down. 也就可以增加头期款的数目。

What about the house in Mount Kisco? 在Mount Kisco的方子呢?

Somebody else’ll buy it by then. 别人也许买走了。

Then there’ll be other houses, Marilyn. 还会有别的房子，Marilyn。

Richard has a point. You’re just beginning to look. Richard，说得对。你们只是开始看房子而已。

We’re in no great rush. It’s true. 我们不很急，这是真的。

This has been a great learning experience for us, Marilyn. 这对我们来讲是一次很好的学习经验，Marilyn。

Talking to the real-estate agent. 与房地产中介商谈。

Looking at the houses. 看房子。

Talking to the loan officer at the bank. 与银行的贷款负责人谈。

It has been a learning experience. That’s true. 这真是一次学习经验，真的。

I think you’re doing the right thing. Taking your time. 我觉得你们做得对。慢慢来。

Looking around. Especially with a purchase of this kind. 到处看看，特别是这一类买卖。

You’re talking about a lot of money. 你们谈的可是一大笔钱。

We’ll call Mrs. Martinelli and tell her to keep looking for us. 我们会打电话给Martinelli太太告诉她继续帮我们物色房子。

And I’ll call Mr. Riley at the bank 我打电话到银行给Riley先生

and tell him we’ll see him in a couple of months. 告诉他过几个月我们再去找他。

And if you ever need Dad or me to help you ... 如果你们的确需要我和爸爸的帮助的话 …

We know. 我们知道。

You know we’ll be there for you. 你们知道我们是会伸出援手的。

It’s a Stewart tradition. We’re a family. 这是Stewart家的传统。我们是一家人。

"They want to buy a house.

But can they afford it?"

We’re planning to buy a house.

And we’d like to find out about mortgage.

"Here’s the application. We need some information."

"How old are you?"

I’m 29. I’m 30.

"How many years were they in school?"

Richard, 16. Marilyn, 14.

"And Mr. Stewart, what’s your occupation?"

I’m a freelance photographer.

"And Mrs. Stewart, are you working?"

Yes, I’m a designer and I work in a boutique.

"Here’s the application. We need some information."

Income. Property. Debt.

What’s their income?

How much money do they make?

They make $2,000 a month.

That’s $24,000 a year.

Can they afford a house?

Do you own your house or do you rent?

Do you own any other property?

Any stocks or bonds?

"Can they afford a house?"

Since you don’t have enough income,

and you don’t already own any property,

the bank needs to be sure

you can pay the mortgage every month.

"They need a guarantor."

A guarantor is responsible for the loan

if you can’t make the payments.

I see.

"They can’t afford a house."

And I don’t think its a good idea to ask Dad

to sign as a guarantor.

I don’t feel right about it.

"They can’t afford a house.

They can’t afford it yet."