海菲终于找到他等待已久的人了（4）

While the two listened,

主仆二人安静地听着。

he spoke¹ of the long Jewish wait for a Messiah who would come and unite them within a new

他说犹太人一直在等待弥赛亚的来临，等待他来把大家团结起来，

and independent kingdom of happiness and peace.

创造一个新的独立王国，充满快乐与和平。

He told of John the Baptist

他谈到施洗约翰，

and the arrival, on the stage of history, of one called Jesus,

谈到一个叫做耶稣的人在历史舞台上的出现。

He told of the miracles performed by this man,

他谈到这个人所行的神迹

his lectures to the crowds,

和所传的道。

his raising of the dead,

他使死者复活，

his treatment of the money changers,

他对税吏的态度，

and he told of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

被钉十字架，埋葬与复活。

Finally, as if to give further impact to his story,

最后，为了加深印象，

Paul reached into the sack at his side and removed a red garment

保罗从行李袋中拿出一件红色的袍子，

which he placed in the lap of Hafid.

放在海菲的腿上。

"Sire, you hold in your arms all the worldly goods left behind by this Jesus.

“老爷，您手中拥有的财富都是耶稣留下的。

All that he possessed² he shared with the world,

他把拥有的一切都分给了世人，

even unto his life.

甚至他的生命。

And at the foot of his cross,

在他的十字架下，

Roman soldiers cast lots for this robe.

罗马士兵以抽签的方式决定这件袍子归谁所有。

It has come into my possession through much diligence and searching

我在耶路撤冷四处寻找，费了好大的周折，

when I was last in Jerusalem."

总算把它拿回来。”

Hafid's face paled and his hands shook as he turned the robe stained with blood.

海菲把这件溅满血迹的袍子翻转过来的时候，脸色苍白，双手颤抖。

Erasmus, alarmed at his master's appearance, moved closer to the old man.

伊拉玛被主人的样子吓了一跳，忙走到老人身边。

Hafid continued to turn the garment

海菲翻来复去地看着袍子，

until he found the small star sewn into the cloth ...

直到他看见里面绣着的两个标志

the mark of Tola, whose guild³ made the robes sold by Pathros.

托勒工厂的星星

Next to the star was a circle sewn within a square ... the mark of Pathros.

和柏萨罗的方框圆圈商标。

As Paul and Erasmus watched,

保罗和伊拉玛看着

the old man raised the robe and rubbed it gently against his cheek.

老人把长袍贴在脸上，轻轻擦着。

Hafid shook his head.

他摇摇头，

Impossible. Thousands of other robes were made by Tola and sold by Pathros in the years of his great trade route.

不可能，当年这种袍子卖出去不止一千件。

Still clutching the robe and speaking in a hoarse⁴ whisper,

海菲仍然紧紧地抱着长袍，用低哑的声音说：

Hafid said, "Tell me what is known of the birth of this Jesus."

“告诉我这个耶稣出生时的情形。”

Paul said, "He left our world with little.

保罗说：“他走的时候，一无所有；

He had entered it with less.

来的时候，也是寒微。

He was born in a cave,

他生在伯利恒的一个山洞里，

in Bethlehem, during the time of the census⁵ of Tiberius."

那时正碰上奥古斯都人口普查。”

Hafid's smile seemed almost childish to the two men,

海菲笑得像个孩子，

and they looked on with puzzlement,

更令人不解的是，

for tears also flowed down his wrinkled cheeks.

老人皱纹密布的脸上淌下眼泪。

He brushed them away with his hand and asked,

他用手拂于眼泪，说道：

"And was there not the brightest star that man has ever seen

“在这婴儿出生的时候，

which shone above the birthplace of this baby?"

天上是不是有一颗最明亮的星星？”

Paul's mouth opened yet he could not speak,

保罗张着口，说不出话来，

nor was it necessary.

其实也用不着说什么。

Hafid raised his arms and embraced Paul,

海菲伸出双臂拥抱保罗，

and this time the tears of both were mingled⁶.

这一回两人都流泪了。

Finally the old man arose and beckoned⁷ toward Erasmus.

老人终于站起身来，招呼伊拉玛道：

"Faithful friend, go to the tower and return with the chest.

“老伙计，去塔楼上把箱子抬下来。

We have found our salesman at last."

我们总算找到等候已久的人了。”

1 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。

2 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

3 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

4 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

5 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

6 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

7 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》