《中英對照讀新聞》Change of heart may cost you in Mexico在墨西哥，負心人可能得付出代價

◎俞智敏

Runaway brides-and grooms-in Mexico City could get stuck paying for the limo and flowers under a bill proposed by a local lawmaker.

在墨西哥市，臨時落跑的新娘與新郎可能必須負擔婚禮禮車與鮮花的費用，根據一名當地議員所提出的法案規定。

If approved by the city assembly, the law would offer engaged couples a legal contract outlining how much a man or woman can recoup if he or she gets jilted at the altar.

假如法案獲市議會通過，這項法令將提供訂婚的伴侶一項法定契約，明文規定若男方或女方在婚禮前遭另一半拋棄，可以得到多少補償金。

"What we want is to protect the person who is being hurt, not only emotionally but also economically," said Jose Zepeda, a divorce lawyer-turned-politician who proposed the bill. "Whoever rents a wedding hall, pays for the church, for the cake, has the right to be reimbursed."

根據提出這項法案的議員塞佩達表示，「我們的目的是要保護被傷害的一方，他們不只在情感上受傷，在金錢上也是受害者，」根據提出這項法案的議員塞佩達表示，塞佩達的本行是離婚律師。「出錢租借婚禮場地、付錢給教堂、訂結婚蛋糕的人，有權獲得補償。」

Laura Gomez, a 33-year-old, bride-to-be perusing a bridal shop in downtown Mexico City, said the contracts were "a perfect idea." They would "give more security and trust to both people involved," Gomez said.

正在墨西哥市中心一家新娘婚紗店挑選禮服的三十三歲準新娘葛梅茲說，這項契約是個「好主意」。它們能「提供婚禮雙方更多安全感與信任，」葛梅茲說。

But Pamela Montiel, a 19-year-old getting married in April, said she would never sign such an agreement. "Things like that are for immature people," she said.

但打算在今年四月結婚的十九歲準新娘孟提爾卻說，她絕對不會簽這種契約。「這是幼稚的人才會做的事，」她說。

新聞辭典

runaway：名詞、形容詞，指逃跑、逃亡，如a runaway child sleeping on the streets（睡在街頭的蹺家小孩）。

jilt：動詞，指突然（無情地）拋棄情人，如He jilted her for his best friend’s sister.（他為了死黨的妹妹而拋棄她。）

reimburse：動詞，正式用語，指償還、補償，如She was reimbursed by the gas company for the damage to her house.（瓦斯公司因為她的房屋受損而提供她補償金。）

來源：自由時報

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