地下墓穴(4)(在线收听

 

“I won’t interfere with your treasure-trove, but I should very much like to hear about it,” he continued, while Burger very deliberately lit a cigar. “It is evidently a discovery of the first importance. These inscriptions will make a sensation throughout Europe.”

“For every one here there are a million there!” said the German. “There are so many that a dozen savants might spend a lifetime over them, and build up a reputation as solid as the Castle of St. Angelo.”

Kennedy sat thinking with his fine forehead wrinkled and his fingers playing with his long, fair moustache.

“You have given yourself away, Burger!” said he at last. “Your words can only apply to one thing. You have discovered a new catacomb.”

“I had no doubt that you had already come to that conclusion from an examination of these objects.”

“Well, they certainly appeared to indicate it, but your last remarks make it certain. There is no place except a catacomb which could contain so vast a store of relics as you describe.”

“Quite so. There is no mystery about that. I HAVE discovered a new catacomb.”

“Where?”

“Ah, that is my secret, my dear Kennedy. Suffice it that it is so situated that there is not one chance in a million of anyone else coming upon it. Its date is different from that of any known catacomb, and it has been reserved for the burial of the highest Christians, so that the remains and the relics are quite different from anything which has ever been seen before. If I was not aware of your knowledge and of your energy, my friend, I would not hesitate, under the pledge of secrecy, to tell you everything about it. But as it is I think that I must certainly prepare my own report of the matter before I expose myself to such formidable competition.”

“我不会插手你的宝贵发现,不过我非常想听听它们的来历,"他继续说道,而伯格不动声色地点燃雪茄。“显然这是个最重要的发现。这些碑文将在整个欧洲引起轰动,"“那儿的东西比这儿多百万倍!"德国人说。“够十个专家干一辈子的,建立的名望比圣安杰罗堡还要高大。"肯尼迪默默地沉思,漂亮的前额起了皱纹,手指捋着长长的金黄色唇须。

“伯格,你露馅了!他终于说道。“从你的话只能得出一个结论:你发现了一个新的地下墓穴,”

“我毫不怀疑,你在查看这些东西的时候就得出这个结论了。”

“是的,它们当然会有所透露,不过你刚才的话做了进一步的证实。除了地下墓穴没有别的地方能容纳如此大量的古代遗物,”

“的确,没有必要故弄玄虚。我确实发现了一个新的地下墓穴。”

“在哪儿?”

“啊,亲爱的肯尼迪,那可是我的秘密。我能说的只有一点,墓穴的位置极其隐蔽,无论什么人要想找到它,最多只有百万分之一的可能性。它的年代与已经发现的墓穴都不同,而且,由于埋葬的全是基督教最高层的人士,所以随葬品也与以前见过的完全不同,我的朋友,如果我不了解你是个知识渊博、精力充沛的专家,只要你立誓保密,我就会毫不犹豫地把一切全告诉你。然而,我必须先写出我的论文,然后才能向最可畏的竞争对手亮出底牌,“

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/kbyagsjysxs/555619.html