羊皮卷的故事（23）

Pathros glanced again and again at the open tent flap

一边望着帐篷外洒满星光的大地。

and the brightness beyond which still illuminated¹ the camp grounds,

他不再困惑，

A smile began to form on his puzzled face

慢慢露出笑容。

and he did not notice that the lad had ceased with his story

他没有注意到少年已经把故事讲完，

and was now sobbing².

开始在一旁抽噎。

Soon the sobs³ subsided⁴

慢慢地，抽噎声也止住了，

and there was only silence in the great tent.

帐内一片沉寂。

Hafid dared not look up at his master.

海菲不敢抬头看他的主人。

He had failed

他已经失败了，

and proven that he was ill-equipped to be anything more than a camel boy.

事实证明，他只配喂养骆驼。

He fought back the urge to leap up and run from the tent.

他很想站起来逃出帐篷。

Then he felt the great salesman's hand on his shoulder

突然他感到那位推销大师的手正按在自己的肩上，

and forced himself to look into the eyes of Pathros.

他不得不看着主人的眼睛。

"My son, this trip has not been of much profit to you."

“孩子，这一趟，你没赚什么钱。”

"No, sire."

“是的，老爷。”

"But to me it has.

“但在我看来，你获益匪浅。

The star which followed you has cured me of a blindness that I am reluctant to admit.

我不得不承认，天上的那颗星星照亮了我的眼睛。

I will explain this matter to you only after we return to Palmyra.

等我们回到帕尔迈拉岛以后，我再解释给你听，

Now I make a request of thee."

现在我要你做一件事。

"Yes, master."

“好的，老爷。”

"Our sellers will begin returning to the caravan⁵ before sundown tomorrow

“明天日落以前，咱们的推销员都会回来，

and their animals will need your care.

到时候他们牲畜还需要人照料。

Are you willing to return to your duties as camel boy for the present?"

你愿不愿意先回去照料那些牲畜？”

Hafid rose resignedly

海菲顺从地站起身，

and bowed toward his benefactor⁶.

感激地向主人鞠了一躬，说道：

"Whatever you ask of me, that I will do . . .

“您吩咐我做什么，我都愿意去做……

and I am sorry that I have failed you."

这一趟让您失望，我很难过。”

"Go then, and prepare for the return of our men

“去吧，准备一下，大伙快要回来了。

and we shall meet again when we are in Palmyra."

我们回家以后再谈。”

As Hafid stepped through the tent opening,

海菲出了帐篷，

bright light from above momentarily blinded him.

星光亮得他睁不开眼。

He rubbed his eyes

他揉揉眼睛，

and heard Pathros call from inside the tent.

听到主人在里面叫他。

The youth turned

少年回身又进了帐篷，

and stepped back inside, waiting for the old man to speak.

听候主人差遣。

Pathros pointed⁷ toward him and said,

只听老人说道：

"Sleep in peace

“安心睡吧，

for you have not failed."

孩子，你没有失败。”

The bright star remained above

那颗明亮的星星，

throughout the night.

整晚都停在帐篷的上空。

1 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

2 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

3 sobs   

啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
• She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

4 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

6 benefactor   

n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人

参考例句：

• The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。
• The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。