段落摘要：作为世界金融中心，伦敦的金融银行家手中握有大量的资金。

原文段落 London was the sun in the financial solar system. Only Britain had a huge surplus of funds in a capital-short world, and sterling was the currency of world trade; its official use dated back to William the Conqueror. In the afterglow of the Napoleonic Wars, bankers of the City—London’s financial district—were self-styled potentates, often with access to more money than the governments and companies they financed.

单词与短语

Potentate n. A monarch 君主

Self-styled adj. using a name, tile, etc. which one has given oneself, esp without having any right to do so. 自封为⋯

A huge surplus of funds 大量剩余资金

In a capital-short world 在资本短缺的世界上

It’s official use dated back to ... 早在⋯时期就开始正式使用

In the afterglow of ... 在⋯的余辉中

Self-styled potentates 自封为君主

段落摘要：伦敦的金融公司保持着王府般的威严。他们要求客户与其建立独家业务关系。对许多欧州和拉美国家的政府官员而言，有机会与这些金融家吃上一餐饭就好比得到国王觐见一般。

原文段落 Firms such as Barings and Rothschilds maintained an imperial reserve, omitting their names from doorways and letterheads, refusing to solicit business or open branches, and demanding exclusive client relations. Statesmen from Europe and Latin America trooped humbly to their doorsteps. One observer remarked, “to be asked for lunch was like being received in audience by a king.”

单词与短语

Reserve n. Self-restraint in expression or bearing 高深莫测

Solicit v. To seek to obtain by persuasion, entreaty, or formal application  招揽

Maintain an imperial reserve 保持着帝王般的尊贵

Refuse to solicit 决不招揽业务

Demand exclusive client relations 要求客户建立专属业务关系

Be received in audience by a king 受国王招见

金立群译文

伦敦是金融太阳系中的太阳。在资本短缺的世界上，只有伦敦拥有大量剩余资金；英镑又是世界贸易的通用货币，早在征服者威廉时期就开始正式使用了。在拿破仑战争的余辉中，伦敦金融城的银行家们都是自封的君主，他们所能获得的金钱，比接受他们资金供给的政府或公司的钱都多。

像巴林和罗斯柴尔德这样的公司，保持着帝王般的威严，高深莫测，门口不挂牌子，信笺上不印公司笺头，决不招揽业务，也不开设分部，而是要求客户与其建立独家业务关系。欧洲及拉丁美洲的政治家们谦卑地结队于他们门前。一位观察家曾说：“应邀参加他们的宴请就像被国王接见一样。”