《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第23则
Utilise Slips. That is how smart people get out of difficulties. They extricate themselves from the most intricate labyrinth by some witty application of a bright remark. They get out of a serious contention by an airy nothing or by raising a smile. Most of the great leaders are well grounded in this art. When you have to refuse, it is often the polite way to talk of something else. Sometimes it proves the highest understanding not to understand.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文构成一句完整的话：利用疏漏——聪明人就是这样摆脱困境的。西班牙原文里的“deslices”一词，本义是脚步打滑或舌头说溜，葛拉西安在这里有意让它同时指向言语上的小小失言与行为上的微小过失。“利用”不是指利用别人的过错去攻击，而是指一个人如果自己在谈话或交涉中出现了磕绊，可以用灵巧的言辞把它圆回来，甚至把它变成优势。这与他反复谈论的“ag…