美国语文第六册 第242期:砖石切砖石(2)

"Having found a casket of diamonds among the effects left by my father,"

“在我父亲留下的财物中发现了一个装满钻石的匣子，”

said he, "I set out for Egypt, to live there on the proceeds of their sale.

他说，“我动身前往埃及，想在那儿靠变卖这些钻石为生。

I was obliged by bad weather to put into Jidda, where I soon found myself in want of money.

我不得不在恶劣天气下乘船进入吉达港，结果身无分文了。

I went to the bazaar¹, and inquired for a dealer² in precious stones.

于是，我去了集市，向一位专门经营贵重石头的商人打听。

The richest, I was told, was Mansour; the most honest, Ali, the jeweler.

他告诉我说，这里最有钱的人是曼苏尔，而最诚实的人是珠宝商阿里。

I applied³ to Ali.

就这样，我去找阿里。

"He welcomed me as a son, as soon as he learned that I had diamonds to sell, and carried me home with him.

他对我非常热情，就像对自己儿子似的，他一得知我有钻石要卖，便将我带回家。

He gained my confidence by every kind of attention, and advanced me all the money I needed.

他对我照料备至，赢得了我的信任，向我预付了我正需要的钱。

One day, after dinner, at which wine was not wanting, he examined the diamonds, one by one, and said, "My child, these diamonds are of little value;

一天晚餐后，记得晚餐时还喝了葡萄酒，他逐一查验钻石，然后说：“我的孩子，这些钻石值不了几个钱；

my coffers are full of such stones. The rocks of the desert furnish them by thousands."

我的保险柜里装满了这种货色。沙漠里这种石头多的是。”

To prove the truth of what he said, he opened a box, and, taking therefrom a diamond thrice as large as any of mine, gave it to the slave that was with me.

为了验证他说的话，他打开一个小盒子，从里面取出一个比我的钻石大一倍的钻石，给了服侍我的奴隶。

"What will become of me?" I cried; "I thought myself rich, and here I am, poor, and a stranger."

“怎么会这样？”我喊道，“我以为自己真的变成有钱人了，可是在这儿我是个穷光蛋，是受人欺负的外乡人。”

1 bazaar   

n.集市，商店集中区

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• We bargained for a beautiful rug in the bazaar.我们在集市通过讨价还价买到了一条很漂亮的地毯。

2 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

3 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。