第二册第8篇：托钵僧和四个贼(寓言)

8 The Dervise And The Four Robbers 托钵僧和四个贼(寓言)
Richard Doddridge Blackmore 理查德·D·布莱克默

A Dervise had once made a purchase of a fine fat sheep, intending to offer it up in sacrifice; and having tied a cord about its neck, was leading it to his home, when four thieves perceived him, and instantly made up their minds to steal the sheep. They knew the Dervise to be an honest, inoffensive man, and one who thought of no more harm in others than he had in himself. They dared not, however, take the sheep away from the Dervise by force, for they were too near the city; therefore they made use of this stratagem¹: they first parted company, and then accosted² the Dervise, as if they had come from several distinct parts.
有一次，一个托钵僧买了一头硕大的肥羊，打算用它作祭品。正当他用绳子缚住了羊的脖子，牵着它回家的时候，四个贼看见了他，就立刻决定要把这头羊偷到手。他们知道这个托钵僧是一个老老实实、与世无争的人，是一个自己心中从不想伤害别人而且认为别人也跟他-'样没有恶意的人。尽管如此，这四个贼还是不敢从他手中强夺这头羊，因为当时他们离城太近了，因此，他们采用了这样一个计策；首先，四人各自分散，然后走上前去与托钵僧搭讪，好象他们来自几个不同的地方。

The first thief, who had contrived³ to meet him full- face, said, "My good old man, whither are you leading this dog ?"
第一个贼设法从他正面迎上去，跟他说："好心的老人，您牵着这条狗上哪儿去呀?"

At this instant the second robber, coming from another quarter, cried to him, "Venerable old man, I hope you have not so far forgot yourself as to have stolen this dog;" and immediately after him, the third coming up, asked him, "Whither are you going with that handsome greyhound ?"
这时候，第二个贼从另一个方向走过来，向他喊道："尊敬的老人，我希望您不至于糊涂到偷了这条狗吧!"紧接着，第三个贼走上前来，问道："您带着这条漂亮的猎狗到哪儿去呀?"

The poor Dervise began to doubt whether the sheep which he had was a sheep or not. But the fourth robber put him quite beside himself(2) by approaching him and asking what the dog cost him.
可怜的托钵僧开始怀疑自己买的那头羊是否真的是羊了。但是第四个贼走到他跟前问他花了多少钱买这条狗，这把他完全弄糊涂了。

The Dervise, absolutely persuaded(3) that four men, coming from four several directions, could not all be deceived, verily believed that the grazier who had sold him the sheep was a conjurer, and had bewitched his sight; inasmuch that, no longer giving credit to his Own eyes,(4) he began to be firmly convinced that the sheep he was leading was a dog. In full persuasion⁴ of this, the Dervise went back to the market to demand his money of the grazier(5), leaving the wether with the felons⁵, who made off with(6) it.
托钵僧因为绝对相信四个来自不同方向的人不可能全都搞错了，就确实认为那个卖这头羊给他的牧人是个魔术师，迷了他的眼，于是，他不再相信自己的眼睛，确信自己所牵着的那头羊是一条狗了。托钵僧完全信以为真，于是就回到市场去向牧人讨钱，而把那头阉羊交给了这些坏蛋，他们就牵着羊逃走了。

英文注释：
(1)dervise：托钵僧。英语中应为dervish，这里的Dervise是借用土耳其浯中的读音而拼成。
(2) put him quite beside himself: 把他完全弄糊涂了。 beside oneself：若狂，发狂。
(3)a bsolutely persuaded：绝对相信。persuaded在这里是过去分词，相当于who Was persuaded(被说服而相信)，后面可以接of短语或that所引导的从句。
(4)no longer giving credit to his own eyes：不再相信他自己的眼睛。credit在这里解作"信任"。
(5)demand his money of the grazier：向牧人讨回他的钱。demand．．．of．叫向……要求(索取)……。
(6)made off with…：携……而逃。

1 stratagem   

n.诡计，计谋

参考例句：

• Knit the brows and a stratagem comes to mind.眉头一皱，计上心来。
• Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty.商业折扣可以用作维护顾客忠诚度的一种竞争策略。

2 accosted   

v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭

参考例句：

• She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 contrived   

adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的

参考例句：

• There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
• The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

4 persuasion   

n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派

参考例句：

• He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。
• After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

5 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网