羊皮卷的故事（5）

And so it came to pass

就这样，

that a heavily guarded caravan¹ soon departed from Damascus

一辆盖得严严实实的马篷车从大马士革出发了。

carrying certificates of ownership and gold

车上装载着各种证明文件和黄金，

for those who managed each of Hafid's trade emporiums.

就要分送到海菲的每个帐房手中。

From Obed in Joppa to Reuel at Petra,

从乔泊的欧贝特到帕特拉的鲁尔，

each of the ten managers received word of Hafid's retirement²

每个帐房都收到了海菲的厚礼。

and gift in stunned³ silence.

他们得知主人退休的消息，个个目瞪口呆，不知说什么好。

Eventually,after making its last stop at the emporium in Antipatris,

篷车驶过最后一站，

the caravan's mission was complete.

它的使命就全部完成了。

The most powerful trade empire of its time was no more.

于是，曾经显赫一时的商业王国从此不复存在。

His heart heavy with sadness,

伊拉玛心情沉重，觉得很难过。

Erasmus sent word to his master that the warehouse⁴ was now empty

他差人禀告主人，说库房已经空空如也，

and the emporiums no longer bore the proud banner of Hafid.

各地分行再也看不到那人人引以为荣的海菲王国的旗帜。

The messenger returned with a request

不久，传话的人回来说

that Erasmus meet with his master

主人要马上见他，

by the fountain in the peristyle, immediately.

要他在喷水池旁等着。

Hafid studied his friend's face and asked,

喷水池旁，海菲深深地端详着伊拉玛，然后问道：

"Is it done?"

“事情办完了吗？”

"It is done*

“都办完了。”

"Grieve not, kind friend, and follow me."

“别难过，老伊，跟我来。”

Only the sound of their sandals echoed in the giant chamber⁵ as Hafid led Erasmus toward the marble stairway at the rear.

海菲领着伊拉玛，向后面的大理石阶梯走去。

His steps momentarily slowed

阔大的房子里，

as he neared a solitary⁶ murrhine vase

只有他们的凉鞋“嗒嗒”响着。

on a tall stand of citrus wood

当他们走近一个搁置的柑木架上的大花瓶时，

and he watched as the sunlight changed the glass from white to purple.

海菲的脚步突然慢了下来。花瓶在太阳光里由白色变成了紫色。

His old face smiled.

看着它，海菲那饱经沧桑的脸上绽开笑容。

Then the two old friends began to climb the inner steps that led to the room inside the palace dome⁷.

接着，两个人开始攀登内梯，阶梯一直通向藏在大厦圆顶里面的房间。

Erasmus took notice that

伊拉玛这才发现，

the armed guard, always present at the foot of the steps, no longer was there.

往日守在阶梯口处的武装警卫已经不在了。

Finally they reached a landing and paused

他们爬上一个楼梯平台，停下来歇息，

since both were without breath from the exertion⁸ of the climb.

两个人都累得上气不接下气。

Then they continued on to a second landing

当他们爬上第二个平台时，

and Hafid removed a small key from his belt.

海菲从腰带上取下一把小钥匙，

He unlocked the heavy oak door

打开那沉重的橡木门。

and leaned against it until it creaked inwards.

他把身体靠在门上，门轧轧地向里面推开了。

1 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。

2 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

3 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

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。

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

7 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

8 exertion   

n.尽力，努力

参考例句：

• We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。
• She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡，她浑身发热。