$课文12 银行和顾客

177. When anyone opens a current account at a bank, he is lending the bank money, repayment of which he may demand at any time, either in cash or by drawing a cheque in favour of another person.

任何人在银行开一个活期账户，就等于把钱借给了银行。这笔钱他可以随时提取，提取的方式可以是取现金，也可以是开一张以他人为收款人的支票。

178. Primarily, the banker-customer relationship is that of debtor and creditor -- who is which depending on whether the customer’s account is in credit or is overdrawn.

银行与储户的关系主要是债务人和债权人的关系。究竟谁是债务人谁是债权人，要看储户是有结余还是透支。

179. But, in addition to that basically simple concept, the bank and its customer owe a large number of obligations to one another.

除了这一基本的简单的概念外，银行和储户彼此还需承担大量义务。

180. Many of these obligations can give in to problems and complications but a bank customer, unlike, say, a buyer of goods, cannot complain that the law is loaded against him.

其中许多义务往往引起问题和纠纷。但是储户不能像货物的买主那样来抱怨法律对自己不利。

181. The bank must obey its customer’s instructions, and not those of anyone else.

银行必须遵照储户的嘱托办事，不能听从其他人的指令。