海菲终于找到他等待已久的人了（1）

And so it came to pass

时光如梭

that Hafid waited in his lonely palace for he

海菲孤独地等待着

who was to receive the scrolls¹.

接受羊皮卷的人。

The old man, with only his trusted bookkeeper for a companion,

陪伴他的只有老总管伊拉玛。

watched the seasons come and go,

眼看着春去秋来，一年一年地过去，

and the infirmities of old age soon prevented him from doing little except sit quietly

年迈的他什么事都做不了了，每天只是静静地

in his covered garden.

坐在花园里。

He waited.

他等待着。

He waited nearly three full years after the disposal of his worldly wealth and the disbanding of his trade empire.

自从处理完那世界上最大的财富，解散了浩大的商业王国。他已经等了整整三年了。

And then from out of the desert to the East

一天，从沙漠以外的东方

there appeared a slight, limping figure of a stranger who entered Damascus

来了一个身材修长、跛着脚的陌生人。那人走进大马士革城，

and made straightway through the streets until he stood before die palace of Hafid.

穿过几条街道，一直来到海菲的大厦前面。

Erasmus, usually a model of courtesy and propriety²,

要是在以往，伊拉玛准会彬彬有礼地把门打开，

remained resolutely³ in the doorway⁴ as the caller repeated his request,

可是这回他却站着不动。陌生人只得重复道：

"I would speak with thy master.''

“我想拜见您家主人。”

The stranger's appearance was not one to inspire confidence.

这位陌生人容易让人起疑心。

His sandals were ripped and mended with rope,

他的草鞋破破烂烂，用绳子绑着。

his brown legs were cut and scratched

他那褐色的腿，伤痕累累，

and had sores in many places,

残留着刀疤和抓破的痕迹。

and above them hung a loose and tattered⁵ camel's hair loincloth.

腰上束了条骆驼毛缠腰带，破烂不堪。

The man's hair was snarled⁶ and long and his eyes, red from the sun,

头发又长又乱。眼睛布满血丝，像是被太阳晒红的，

seemed to burn from within.

又像是里面在燃烧。

Erasmus held tightly to the door handle.

伊拉玛紧紧地握着门上的把手，

"What is it your seeking of my sire?"

“你找我们老爷有什么事？”

The stranger allowed his sack to fall from his shoulders

陌生人把肩上的袋子放在地上，

and clenched⁷ both hands in prayer toward Erasmus.

双手合十地哀求道：

"Please, kind man, grant me an audience with thy master.

“好心人，求您让我见见您家主人。

I mean him no harm nor seek I alms.

我没有什么恶意，也不是来求他施舍。

Let him hear my words

我只有几句话要说，

and then I will go in haste if I offend him."

如果我惹他生气，我立刻就走。”

Erasmus, still unsure,

伊拉玛仍然半信半疑，

slowly opened the door and nodded toward the interior.

慢慢地把门打开。他朝里面点了点头，

Then he turned without looking back and walked swiftly toward the garden

转身快步走向花园。

with his visitor limping behind.

来访者一瘸一拐地跟在后面。

In the garden, Hafid dozed⁸,

花园里，海菲正在打盹。

and Erasmus hesitated before his master.

伊拉玛站在他面前犹豫了一会儿，

He coughed and Hafid stirred.

然后干咳了几声，海菲动了一下。

He coughed again and the old man opened his eyes.

他又咳了一声，老人睁开了眼睛。

"Forgive this disturbance⁹, master, but there is a caller."

“对不起，老爷，有客人要见您。”

Hafid, now awake,

海菲现在醒过来了，

sat up and shifted his gaze to the stranger who bowed and spoke¹⁰.

目光落在陌生人的身上。只见他深鞠一躬，说道：

"Art thou he who has been called the greatest salesman in the world?"

“您就是大家说的最伟大的推销员？”

Hafid frowned but nodded,

海菲皱了皱眉，然后点点头，

"I have been called that in years now gone.

“那是以前的说法了。

No longer is that crown on my old head.

现在我老了，配不上这项王冠了。

What seeketh thee of me?"

你来这里有什么事吗？”

The small visitor stood self-consciously before Hafid

来人个子不高，在海菲面前略显不安，

and rubbed his hands over his matted chest.

双手抚在胸前。

He blinked his eyes in the soft light and replied,

他眨了眨眼睛，目光柔和。只听他回答道：

"I am called Saul and I return now, from Jerusalem,

“我叫扫罗，从耶路撤冷来，

to my birthplace in Tarsus.

打算回老家塔瑟斯。

However, I beg you, let not my appearance deceive you.

请您不要因为我容貌可憎就把我当成坏人。

I am not a bandit from the wilderness¹¹

我不是蛮荒之地的强盗，

nor am I a beggar of the streets.

也不是流落街头的乞弓。

1 scrolls   

n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕

参考例句：

• Either turn it off or only pick up selected stuff like wands, rings and scrolls. 把他关掉然后只捡你需要的物品，像是魔杖(wand)，戒指(rings)和滚动条(scrolls)。 来自互联网
• Ancient scrolls were found in caves by the Dead Sea. 死海旁边的山洞里发现了古代的卷轴。 来自辞典例句

2 propriety   

n.正当行为；正当；适当

参考例句：

• We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。
• The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

3 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

4 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

5 tattered   

adj.破旧的，衣衫破的

参考例句：

• Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。
• Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

6 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 dozed   

v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He boozed till daylight and dozed into the afternoon. 他喝了个通霄，昏沉沉地一直睡到下午。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• I dozed off during the soporific music. 我听到这催人入睡的音乐，便不知不觉打起盹儿来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。