came to live near the castle to tend to the wants of their masters and to find protection in case of danger. 他们来到靠近城堡的地方住下，一面准备应付领主随叫随到的需要，一面也好在发生危险时就近逃到城堡避难。

Sometimes the feudal lord allowed these people to surround their houses with a stockade. 有时遇上主人心情好，他会允许这些人将自己的房子围上栅栏，看上去像是单门独户的居所。

But they were dependent for their living upon the good-will of the mighty Seigneur of the castle. 不过，那时他们的生计完全系于威严有加的城堡主人大发善心。

When he went about they knelt before him and kissed his hand. 当领主外出巡视时，这些工匠跪在路旁，亲吻他高贵的手以示感恩。

Then came the Crusades and many things changed. 之后发生了十字军东征，世界在不知不觉地变化。

The migrations had driven people from the north-east to the west. 以前的大迁移驱使人们从欧洲东北移居西部。

The Crusades made millions of people travel from the west to the highly civilised regions of the southeast. 而十字军运动反过来引导人们从蛮荒原始的欧洲西部，去到高度文明的地中海东南地区接受新知识的洗礼。

They discovered that the world was not bounded by the four walls of their little settlement. 他们发现，世界并非仅限于他们狭小居室的四壁之内，前进一步才知道海阔天空。

They came to appreciate better clothes, more comfortable houses, new dishes, products of the mysterious Orient. 他们开始欣赏华美的衣着、更舒适宜人的住房、全新口味的佳肴以及其他许许多多神秘东方出产的新奇物品。

After their return to their old homes, they insisted that they be supplied with those articles. 当他们返回自己的家园，仍一心想要享用这些稀有商品的供应。

The peddler with his pack upon his back-the only merchant of the Dark Ages-added these goods to his old merchandise, 于是，背着货囊走村串户的小贩（他们是中世纪唯一的商人），便在原有的商品目录里添加上这些紧俏的新品种。商贩们的生意越做越红火，仅靠人力负载已经不够满足人们的胃口了。

bought a cart, hired a few ex-crusaders to protect him against the crime wave which followed this great international war, 于是他们便购置起货车。又雇上几个前十字军战士充当保镖，以防范随这次国际性战争而来的犯罪浪潮。

and went forth to do business upon a more modern and larger scale. 就这么，他们以更为现代的方式、在更大的规模上做起生意来了。

His career was not an easy one. Every time he entered the domains of another Lord he had to pay tolls and taxes. 不过说老实话，干他们这行也不是那么轻而易举的。每进人一个领主的"神圣"属地，他们都得规规矩矩交纳一次过路费和商品税。

But the business was profitable all the same and the peddler continued to make his rounds. 还好生意总归是有利润可赚的，商贩们也乐此不疲地继续着他们的贩运。