《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 43 男孩决定去寻宝

Who knows ... maybe it's better to be like the crystal merchant: never go to Mecca, and just go through life wanting to do so, he thought, again trying to convince himself.

说不定像水晶店老板那样更好：永远不去麦加，依靠对麦加的憧憬而活。

But as he held Urim and Thummim in his hand, they had transmitted to him the strength and will of the old king.

但是他手中攥着乌凌和图明，这两块宝石给他撒冷王的意志和力量。

By coincidence—or maybe it was an omen¹, the boy thought—he came to the bar he had entered on his first day there.

由于机缘巧合，亦或是某种预兆，男孩这样想着，来到了第一天到这个城市时光顾的那家酒吧。

The thief wasn't there, and the owner brought him a cup of tea.

那个骗子已经不在了，酒吧老板给他端来一杯茶。

I can always go back to being a shepherd, the boy thought.

我随时都可以重新成为牧羊人，男孩心想。

I learned how to care for sheep, and I haven't forgotten how that's done.

我已经学会了照顾羊群，永远不会忘记它们的脾性。

But maybe I'll never have another chance to get to the Pyramids in Egypt.

不过，那样的话我也许没有机会去埃及金字塔了。

The old man wore a breastplate of gold, and he knew about my past.

老人有一面纯金胸牌，并且知道我的经历。

He really was a king, a wise king.

他是一位真正的王，一位智慧的王。

The hills of Andalusia were only two hours away, but there was an entire desert between him and the Pyramids.

此处距离安达卢西亚平原仅仅两个小时的船程，但是在他与金字塔之间却横亘着一大片沙漠。

Yet the boy felt that there was another way to regard his situation: he was actually two hours closer to his treasure ... the fact that the two hours had stretched into an entire year didn't matter.

但此种境况也让男孩意识到：他距离自己的宝藏近了两个小时的路程。尽管他几乎用了整整一年，才走完这两个小时的路程。

I know why I want to get back to my flock², he thought.

我知道为什么想回去牧羊。

I understand sheep; they're no longer a problem, and they can be good friends.

我已经熟悉了羊群，它们不会让我费很大力气，并且能讨我喜欢。

On the other hand, I don't know if the desert can be a friend, and it's in the desert that I have to search for my treasure.

我不知道沙漠能不能让我喜欢，但是沙漠里却埋藏着我的财宝。

If I don't find it, I can always go home.

如果找不到那些财宝，我随时可以返回家园。

I finally have enough money, and all the time I need. Why not?

但是生活突然给了我足够的金钱，而且又有足够的时间，为什么不去寻宝呢？

He suddenly felt tremendously happy. He could always go back to being a shepherd. He could always become a crystal salesman again.

那一刻，男孩感到无比快乐。他随时可以重新去当牧羊人，随时可以回水晶店。

Maybe the world had other hidden treasures, but he had a dream, and he had met with a king. That doesn't happen to just anyone!

也许世界上还有很多埋藏的宝藏，但是他曾经重复做过同一个梦，并遇见过一位王。这可不是什么人都能经历的事。

He was planning as he left the bar.

男孩兴冲冲地走出酒吧。

He had remembered that one of the crystal merchant's suppliers transported his crystal by means of caravans³ that crossed the desert.

他想起了水晶店老板的一位供应商，那人是通过商队，穿越沙漠为他带来水晶制品的。

He held Urim and Thummim in his hand; because of those two stones, he was once again on the way to his treasure.

男孩手中攥着乌凌和图明，由于这两块宝石，他正重新踏上寻宝之路。

"I am always nearby, when someone wants to realize their personal legend," the old king had told him.

“我总是在那些为实现天命而奋斗的人的身边。”撒冷王说过。

What could it cost to go over to the supplier's warehouse⁴ and find out if the Pyramids were really that far away?

他没费什么力气就找到了那家货栈，他想知道金字塔是否真的非常遥远。

1 omen   

n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示

参考例句：

• The superstitious regard it as a bad omen.迷信的人认为那是一种恶兆。
• Could this at last be a good omen for peace?这是否终于可以视作和平的吉兆了？

2 flock   

n.羊群，一群，大量；vi.群集，聚集，成群

参考例句：

• A flock of customers were waiting for the store to open.一群顾客在等候着商店开门。
• A few sheep have been lost from the flock.羊群里少了几只羊。

3 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。

4 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。