羊皮卷的故事（29）

As he watched, some landed on the window ledge¹

有几只小鸟停落在窗台上，海菲稍微一动，

but quickly flew away when Hafid moved even slightly.

它们马上拍动着翅膀飞开了。

Then he toned and looked at the chest again.

他回过头来看看箱子，

His feathered visitor cocked its head

那上面身披羽毛的小客人

and stared back at the youth.

也正看着他频频点头。

Hafid walked slowly to the chest, his hand extended.

海菲轻轻地走到箱子旁，伸出手去，

The bird leaped into his palm.

小鸟一跃，竟然跳到他的掌心上。

"Thousands of your kind are outside and afraid.

“同样是麻雀，成千上百的在外面不敢进来，

But you had the courage to come through the window."

只有你的胆子最大，敢飞进窗子。”

The bird pecked sharply at Hafid's skin

小鸟在海菲手上啄了一下。

and the youth carried him toward the table

少年接着小鸟走到桌边，

where his knapsack contained bread and cheese.

从背包里拿出面包和奶酪。

He broke off chunks² and placed them beside his small friend who began to eat

他掰了一块面包，用手搓成碎屑，放在小鸟旁边，于是他的小朋友开心地吃起早点。

A thought came to Hafid and he returned to the window.

海菲心中一动，快步来到窗前，

He rubbed his hand against the openings in the lattice.

用手探了探窗格子上的小孔。

They were so small that it seemed almost impossible

那些孔穴小极了，

for the sparrow to have entered.

小鸟几乎不可能飞进来。

Then he remembered the voice of Pathros

这时，他记起柏萨罗的话，

and he repeated the words aloud,

就大声说了出来，

"Failure will never overtake you if your

“只要决心成功，

determination to succeed is strong enough."

失败永远不会把我击垮。”

He returned to the chest and reached inside.

他转身回到木箱旁边，

One leather scroll³ was more worn than the rest.

伸手取出最残旧的一张，小心地展开，

He removed it from the box and gently unrolled it

困扰着他的恐惧

The fear he had known was gone.

早已无影无踪。

Then he looked toward the sparrow.

他回身看看那只麻雀，

He too was gone.

发现小鸟也不见了，

Only crumbs⁴ of bread and cheese remained

只有桌上的面包屑和奶酪

as evidence of Ins visit from the little bird with courage.

让他确信那个勇敢的小精灵曾经来过。

Hafid glanced down at the scroll.

海菲低头看着羊皮卷，

Its heading read The Scroll, Marked I.

见标题上写着：第一卷。

He began to read.

于是他念了下去……

1 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

2 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

3 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

4 crumbs   

int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式

参考例句：

• She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
• Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊，天哪！都这会儿啦？