《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 19 老人显露身份

"In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens².

“要想到达那里，你必须循迹而行，

God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you."

上帝为每个人预示了应走的道路，你只需看懂上帝给你的预示就行了。”

Before the boy could reply, a butterfly appeared and fluttered between him and the old man.

男孩正要说话，但尚未开口，却飞来了一只蝴蝶，在他和老人之间上下翻飞。

He remembered something his grandfather had once told him: that butterflies were a good omen¹.

他想起小时候祖父对他说过，蝴蝶预示着好运将至，

Like crickets, and like expectations; like lizards³ and four-leaf clovers.

就像蟋蟀、蝈蝈、蜥蜴和四叶草一样。

"That's right," said the old man, able to read the boy's thoughts. "Just as your grandfather taught you. These are good omens."

“的确如此，就像你祖父对你说的，这些都是好运将至的兆头。”老人说。他能看透男孩心里的想法。

The old man opened his cape⁴, and the boy was struck by what he saw.

老人打开遮在胸前的披风。男孩看到眼前的情景，深感惊讶，

The old man wore a breastplate of heavy gold, covered with precious stones.

老人竟戴着一块缀满了宝石的纯金胸牌。

The boy recalled the brilliance⁵ he had noticed on the previous day.

他想起前一天曾经见到过的发光物。

He really was a king! He must be disguised to avoid encounters with thieves.

他真的是一位王，装扮成这副模样，大概是为了躲避强盗。

"Take these," said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black stone that had been embedded⁶ at the center of the breastplate.

“给你。”老人一边说，一边将纯金胸牌中央镶着的一块白色宝石和一块黑色宝石取下来。

"They are called Urim and Thummim. The black signifies 'yes,' and the white 'no.'

“这两块宝石名叫乌凌和图明。黑宝石的名字意味着‘是，白宝石的名字意味着‘否’。

When you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so. Always ask an objective question.

当你辨别不出预兆的时候，它们就能派上用场。你提出问题时永远要客观。

But, if you can, try to make your own decisions. The treasure is at the Pyramids; that you already knew.

但是一般情况下，你要尽量自己拿主意。财宝就在金字塔附近，这你已经知道了。

But I had to insist on the payment of six sheep because I helped you to make your decision."

不过你得拿出六只羊做报酬。因为我帮你作出了一个决定。”

The boy put the stones in his pouch⁷. From then on, he would make his own decisions.

男孩将两块宝石放进褡裢里。从今往后，凡事就要自己做主了。

1 omen   

n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示

参考例句：

• The superstitious regard it as a bad omen.迷信的人认为那是一种恶兆。
• Could this at last be a good omen for peace?这是否终于可以视作和平的吉兆了？

2 omens   

n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The omens for the game are still not propitious. 这场比赛仍不被看好。 来自辞典例句
• Such omens betide no good. 这种征兆预示情况不妙。 来自辞典例句

3 lizards   

n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
• Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？ 来自辞典例句

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 brilliance   

n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智

参考例句：

• I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。
• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

6 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

7 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。