《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 36 水晶店老板的梦想

"What's the fifth obligation¹?" the boy asked.

“第五项戒律是什么？”男孩问道。

"Two days ago, you said that I had never dreamed of travel," the merchant answered.

“两天前，你说我从未梦想过云游四方。”店老板回答说，

"The fifth obligation of every Muslim is a pilgrimage. We are obliged², at least once in our lives, to visit the holy city of Mecca."

“第五项戒律就是所有的穆斯林教徒都要出行一次。一生当中至少要有一次，我们应该去一趟圣城麦加。”

"Mecca is a lot farther³ away than the Pyramids.

“麦加比金字塔还要远得多。

When I was young, all I wanted to do was put together enough money to start this shop.

年轻的时候，我选择了先积攒一点钱，开这个商店。

I thought that someday I'd be rich, and could go to Mecca.

当时我想，等成了富翁，就去麦加朝圣。

I began to make some money, but I could never bring myself to leave someone in charge of the shop; the crystals⁴ are delicate⁵ things.

我赚到了钱，但却不能把店铺交给别人照管，前去朝圣，因为水晶是易碎的。

At the same time, people were passing my shop all the time, heading for Mecca.

与此同时，我看到许多人从我的店前经过，朝着麦加的方向走去。

Some of them were rich pilgrims⁶, traveling in caravans⁷ with servants and camels, but most of the people making the pilgrimage were poorer than I."

有些朝圣者是富翁，他们有仆人和骆驼随行。但是，大多数朝圣者比我当年还穷。”

"All who went there were happy at having done so. They placed the symbols of the pilgrimage on the doors of their houses.

“所有的人前去朝圣和朝圣归来时都兴高采烈，把朝圣的象征物挂在自家的门上。

One of them, a cobbler who made his living mending boots, said that he had traveled for almost a year through the desert,

他们当中有一位鞋匠，专靠替人家修补靴子为生。他对我说，他在沙漠里走了将近一年，

but that he got more tired when he had to walk through the streets of Tangier buying his leather."

但是，每当他不得不在丹吉尔穿街走巷收购皮革的时候，却总觉得比去朝圣还要累。”

"Well, why don't you go to Mecca now?" asked the boy.

“您为什么不现在去麦加呢？”男孩问道。

"Because it's the thought of Mecca that keeps me alive.

“因为麦加是支撑我活下去的希望，

That's what helps me face these days that are all the same, these mute⁸ crystals on the shelves, and lunch and dinner at that same horrible café.

使我能够忍受平庸的岁月，忍受橱柜里那些不会说话的水晶，忍受那间糟糕透顶的餐厅里的午饭和晚饭。

I'm afraid that if my dream is realized, I'll have no reason to go on living."

我害怕实现我的梦想，实现之后，我就没有活下去的动力了。”

"You dream about your sheep and the Pyramids, but you're different from me, because you want to realize your dreams.

“你的梦想是羊群和金字塔。你与我不同，因为你希望实现你的梦想，

I just want to dream about Mecca. I've already imagined a thousand times crossing the desert,

而我只是想保有去麦加的梦想。我曾无数次地想象过，如何穿过沙漠，

arriving at the Plaza⁹ of the Sacred Stone, the seven times I walk around it before allowing myself to touch it.

到达安放着圣石的广场，在触摸圣石之前，围着它绕行七圈。

I've already imagined the people who would be at my side, and those in front of me, and the conversations and prayers we would share.

我曾想象过有些人站在我身旁，有些人站在我前面，还有我们的谈话和共同的祈祷。

But I'm afraid that it would all be a disappointment, so I prefer just to dream about it."

可是，我担心会大失所望，所以我宁愿只保留一个梦想。”

That day, the merchant gave the boy permission to build the display.

就在这一天，水晶店老板同意做陈列架。

Not everyone can see his dreams come true in the same way.

并非所有的人都以一样的方式对待梦想。

1 obligation   

n.（法律、道德上的）义务，责任

参考例句：

• Every player is under an obligation to keep the rules.每个选手都必须遵守这些规则。
• It is the obligation of citizens to perform military service.服兵役是每个公民的义务。

2 obliged   

adj.感激，感谢v.迫使做( oblige的过去式和过去分词 )；使负义务；满足请求；施惠

参考例句：

• We were obliged, faute de mieux, to drink the local beverage. 因为没有更好的饮料，我们只好将就着喝当地的。
• Parents are obliged by law to send their children to school. 法律规定父母必须送子女入学。

3 farther   

adj.更远的，进一步的；adv.更远的，此外；far的比较级

参考例句：

• I can throw the ball farther than you can.这个球我能比你扔得远。
• The farther hill is five kilometres away.那座更远的小山在五公里以外。

4 crystals   

n.水晶( crystal的名词复数 )；结晶（体）

参考例句：

• It is snow and ice crystals. 这是雪和冰的结晶体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Snowflakes are loose aggregates of ice crystals. 雪花是冰晶的松散凝结。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 delicate   

adj.巧妙的，敏感的；易损的，娇嫩的

参考例句：

• Be careful with those wine cups — they are very delicate.当心那些酒杯—它们很容易碎。
• The delicate handicraft works will not bear rough handling.精致的手工艺品经不起粗鲁的摆弄。

6 pilgrims   

香客，朝圣者( pilgrim的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca 前往麦加的穆斯林朝圣者
• Many pilgrims knelt piously at the shrine. 许多朝圣者心虔意诚地在神殿跪拜。

7 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

8 mute   

n.哑子，默音字母，弱音器；adj.哑的，无声的，沉默的；vt.减音，减弱；vi.（鸟）排泄

参考例句：

• He is mute on the subject of social system.他对社会制度的问题保持沉默。
• Her daughter was mute after a serious illness.她的女儿在一场重病之后失去了说话能力。

9 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。