羊皮卷的故事（1）（在线收听）

Hafid lingered before the bronze mirror, and studied his reflected image in the polished metal. Only the eyes, have retained their youth, he murmured

海菲在铜镜前徘徊， 打量着自己。 只有眼睛还和年轻时一样。

as he turned away, and moved slowly across the spacious marble floor. He passed between black onyx columns rising to support ceilings burnished with silver and gold,

他一边自言自语着，一边转过身慢慢地在敞亮的大理石地板上走着。 他拖着年迈的步伐 在黑色的玛瑙柱子之间穿行，

and his aging legs carried him past tables carved from Cyprus and ivory. Tortoise shell gleamed from couches, and divans and the walls, inlaid with gems,

走过几张雕刻着象牙花饰的桌子。 卧榻和长沙发椅发着龟甲的微光。 镶嵌着宝石的墙壁上，

shimmered with brocades of the most painstaking design. Huge palms grew placidly in bronze vessels framing a fountain of alabaster nymphs,

织锦的精美图案闪闪发光。 古铜花盆里，硕大的棕榈枝叶静静地生长着， 沐浴在石膏美人的喷泉中。

while flower boxes, encrusted with gems competed with their contents for attention. No visitor to Hafid's palace could doubt, that he was indeed,

缀满宝石的花坛 和里面的花儿竞相争宠。 凡是来过海菲着座华丽的大厦的客人

a person of great wealth. The old man passed through an enclosed garden, and entered his warehouse, which extended beyond the mansion for five hundred paces.

都会说他是一个巨富。 老人穿过一个有围墙的花园， 走进大厦的另一边约五百步远的仓房。

Erasmus his chief bookkeeper, waited uncertainly, just beyond the entryway. Greetings sire. Hafid nodded and continued on in silence.

他的总管伊拉玛正在入口处等他。 老爷好。 海菲点了点头，继续默默的走着。

Erasmus followed, his face unable to disguise concern at the master's unusual request for a meeting in this place. Near the loading platforms,

伊拉玛一脸困惑地跟在后面， 他不懂主人为什么选择这个地方会面。 主仆二人走到卸货台边，

Hafid paused to watch goods being removed from baggage wagons and counted into separate stalls. There were wools fine linens parchment honey

海菲停下脚步，看着一包包货物从马车上台下来， 分门别类地堆放在仓库里。 这些货中有小亚细亚的羊毛、细麻、羊皮纸、蜂蜜、

carpets, and oil from Asia Minor; glass figs nuts and balsam from his own country; textiles and drugs from Palmyra;

地毯和油类， 本地生产的玻璃、无花果、胡桃、香精、 帕尔迈拉岛的衣料和药材，

ginger cinnamon and precious stones from Arabia; corn paper granite alabaster, and basalt from Egypt; tapestries from Babylon;

阿拉伯的生姜、肉桂和宝石， 埃及的玉米、纸张、花岗岩、雪花石膏和黑色瓷器， 巴比伦的挂毯，

paintings from Rome; and statues from Greece.

罗马的油画， 以及希腊的雕像。