《中英對照讀新聞》Dutch Witches Get Tax Break for Studies荷蘭女巫學費可減免稅款

荷蘭女巫瑪莉塔塔二十八日在她位於艾波斯卡的巫術博物館內接受訪問。（美聯社）

◎俞智敏

Dutch witches were guaranteed a financial treat when the Leeuwarden District Court reaffirmed their legal right to write off the costs of schooling — including in witchcraft — against their tax bills. Those costs run to thousands of euros.

荷蘭女巫已確定可享受財務優惠，因為雷瓦登地方法院最近重申她們依法有權把學費──包括學習巫術的費用在內──自稅款中扣除。這些花費可高達數千歐元。

The case is brewing political fury in the halls of Dutch government where a member of parliament for the ruling Christian Democrats demanded an explanation.

但荷蘭政府內部卻因此判例而正醞釀一場政治風暴，一位隸屬執政的基督民主黨的國會議員就要求政府提出解釋。

“It's just because the word 'witch' was mentioned that they have woken up,” said Margarita Rongen, clad in flowing black velvet robes and wearing a Wiccan talisman. “This write-off has been around for a long time.”

「他們全是因為提到了『女巫』兩字才突然驚醒，」瑪格莉塔．隆根說，她身穿飄逸的黑色絲絨長袍，戴著一個女巫護身符。「這項減稅措施早已行之多時。」

The court found that a witch can declare schooling costs if it increases the likelihood of employment.

法院裁定，假如女巫的學費可增加就業機會，就可申報扣稅。

新聞辭典

tax break：所得稅減免額。

treat：在此做名詞，指難得的享受或樂事，如For dessert we had fresh strawberries -- a real treat.（飯後甜點我們吃的是新鮮草莓--真是難得的享受。）treat也可指請客，如It's my treat today.（今天我請客。）

write off：動詞片語，指一筆勾銷，如The World Bank is being urged to write off debts from developing countries.（敦促世界銀行應免除開發中國家的債務。）

brew：在此做動詞，指醞釀或圖謀、策劃，如Those imps are brewing mischief.（那些小鬼們正在打壞主意），或brew a plot to overthrow the government（策劃推翻政府的計畫）。