羊皮卷的故事（21）

Hafid rode slowly,

海菲慢慢地骑着，

his head bowed so that he no longer noticed the star spreading its path of light before him.

垂着头，不再理会那颗星星，任它将无尽的光芒洒满在前方的路上。

Why had he committed such a foolish act?

他为什么要做这种蠢事？

He knew not those people in the cave.

他根本不认识洞里的人，

Why had he not attempted to sell the robe to them?

为什么没有想到把袍子卖给他们？

What would he tell Pathros?

这下可好，怎么向主人交待？

And the others?

别人又会怎么看他？

They would roll on the ground with laughter

一定会笑得在地上打滚，

when they learned he had given away a robe

知道他把自己欠了帐的袍子

with which he had been charged.

送给不相识的人，

And to a strange baby in a cave.

何况是给了一个山洞里的婴儿。

He searched his mind for a tale that would deceive Pathros.

他左思右想，打算编个故事，

Perhaps he could say that the robe had been stolen from his animal while he was in the dining hall.

就说他去吃饭的时候，袍子被人偷了。

Would Pathros believe such a tale?

主人会相信吗？

After all, there were many bandits in the land.

反正这年头到处闹强盗。

And should Pathros believe him

不过，就算柏萨罗信了他的话，

would he not then be condemned¹ for carelessness?

难道不会怪他疏忽吗？

All too soon he reached the path

时间似乎过得很快，

that led through the Garden of Gethsemane.

他已经回到了商队扎营的地方。

He dismounted and walked wearily ahead of the mule² until he arrived at the caravan³.

海菲跳下驴子，忧心忡忡地牵着牲口，来到篷车前。

The light from above made it seem as daylight

头顶上的星光将大地照得如同白昼。

and the confrontation⁴ he had been dreading⁵ was

他一路上惴惴不安的场面

quickly upon him as he saw Pathros,

终于出现了：

outside his tent, staring into the heavens.

柏萨罗正站在帐篷外，仰望夜空。

Hafid remained motionless but the old man noticed him almost immediately.

海菲不动声色，止住了脚步。主人还是马上发现了他。

There was awe⁶ in the voice of Pathros as he approached the youth and asked,

柏萨罗惊讶不已，走近少年问道：

"Have you come directly from Bethlehem?"

“你直接从伯利恒回来的？”

"Yes, master."

“是的，老爷。”

"Are you not alarmed

“你没留意，

that a star should follow you?"

有颗星星一直在跟着你？”

"I had not noticed, sire."

“我没留意，老爷。”

"Had not noticed?

“没有留意？

I have been unable to move from this spot

两个时辰前，我就站在那儿，一动没动，

since I first saw that star rise over Bethlehem nearly two hours ago.

从我看到那颗星星在柏利恒的方向升起的时候，

Never have I seen one with more color and brightness.

我从来没见过这么光彩夺目的星星。

Then as I watched,

我看着它出现，

it began to move in the heavens and approach our caravan.

又看着它朝着我们的方向移过来。

Now that it is directly overhead,

现在它就在我们头顶的正上方停住了，

you appear, and by the gods, it moves no more."

你正好出现，天啊，它这会儿一动也不动了。”

Pathros approached Hafid and studied the youth's face closely as he asked,

柏萨罗走近海菲，仔细打量着年轻人的神色，追问道：

"Did you participate in some extraordinary event while in Bethlehem?"

“你在伯利恒有没有碰上什么特别的事情？”

"No, sire "

“没有，老爷。”

The old man frowned as if deep in thought.

老人皱起眉，顿时陷入了沉思。

"I have never known a night or an experience such as this"

“我从来没有经历过这样一个夜晚。”

1 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

2 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

3 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。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 dreading   

v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was dreading having to broach the subject of money to her father. 她正在为不得不向父亲提出钱的事犯愁。
• This was the moment he had been dreading. 这是他一直最担心的时刻。

6 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。