But there was an unexpected and unfortunate sequel to this performance.
A few months later another officer of this American company came
post-haste to France to straighten out an ugly tangle. It developed that
the French firm chosen by the "interpreter guide" was not of the highest
standing: that the interpreter, for reasons and profits best known to
himself, had entirely misrepresented the conversation, that instead of
paying four per cent for services, the American firm was really paying
about ten. The whole transaction had to be called off and a new one
instituted at considerable expense of time and money.
Another American came to Paris without knowing the language, used an
interpreter every day for nine weeks, and was unable to place a single
order. Yet in this time he spent enough money on his language
intermediary to pay the rent of a suitable office in Paris for a whole
year.
The dependence of Americans with important interests or commissions upon
interpreters is well nigh incredible. On the steamer that took me to
France last summer was the new Continental Manager of a large American
manufacturing company. I assumed, of course, that he could speak French.
A few days after I arrived in Paris I met him in the Boulevard des
Italiens in the grip of a five franc a day interpreter. He told me with
great enthusiasm that an interpreter was "the greatest institution in
the world." In six months he will probably reverse his opinion.
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