《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 109 男孩把大家吓到了

The simum blew that day as it had never blown before.

西蒙风从没像今天刮得这么凶猛。

For generations thereafter, the Arabs recounted the legend of a boy who had turned himself into the wind,

阿拉伯地区将会世世代代流传一个男孩的传说，说他把自己变成了风，

almost destroying a military camp, in defiance¹ of the most powerful chief in the desert.

几乎摧垮了一座军营，挑战了沙漠中最声名显赫的指挥官的权威。

When the simum ceased to blow, everyone looked to the place where the boy had been.

当西蒙风停止了咆哮，所有人都朝男孩所在的地方望去。

But he was no longer there; he was standing² next to a sand-covered sentinel, on the far side of the camp.

他已经不在那里了，他站在了军营的另一边，在一名几乎被埋在沙下的哨兵身边。

The men were terrified at his sorcery. But there were two people who were smiling:

所有人都被这种魔法吓坏了，只有两个人脸上露出了微笑：

the alchemist, because he had found his perfect disciple³, and the chief, because that disciple had understood the glory of God.

一个是炼金术士，因为他找对了弟子；另一个是指挥官，因为他理解了上帝的荣耀。

The following day, the general bade the boy and the alchemist farewell, and provided them with an escort party to accompany them as far as they chose.

第二天，指挥官为男孩和炼金术士饯行，并下令让一支卫队护送他们，直到他们到达目的地为止。

1 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 disciple   

n.信徒，门徒，追随者

参考例句：

• Your disciple failed to welcome you.你的徒弟没能迎接你。
• He was an ardent disciple of Gandhi.他是甘地的忠实信徒。