《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 88 男孩快要到达终点

On the seventh day, the alchemist decided¹ to make camp earlier than usual.

第七天傍晚，炼金术士决定改变以往的习惯，早一点安排住宿。

The falcon² flew off to find game, and the alchemist offered his water container to the boy.

猎鹰飞出去寻找猎物了，炼金术士取出旅行水壶递给男孩。

"You are almost at the end of your journey," said the alchemist.

“现在你就要到达这次旅行的终点了，”炼金术士说。

"I congratulate you for having pursued your personal legend."

“祝贺你追随了自己的天命。”

"And you've told me nothing along the way," said the boy.

“您一直默默地为我引路，”男孩说。

"I thought you were going to teach me some of the things you know.

“我以为您会把掌握的本领教给我呢。

A while ago, I rode through the desert with a man who had books on alchemy. But I wasn't able to learn anything from them."

前些时候，我曾和一个带着炼金术书籍的人相处过，但是没能学到什么。”

"There is only one way to learn," the alchemist answered.

“要想学到本事，只有一种方式，”炼金术士回答说。

"It's through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey. You need to learn only one thing more."

“那就是行动。你需要学会的一切，这次旅行都教给你了。只缺少一样。”

The boy wanted to know what that was, but the alchemist was searching the horizon, looking for the falcon.

男孩想知道是什么，可炼金术士的眼睛却盯着地平线，等待猎鹰回来。

"Why are you called the alchemist?"

“为什么人们叫您炼金术士？”

"Because that's what I am."

“因为我就是炼金术士。”

"And what went wrong when other alchemists tried to make gold and were unable to do so?"

“别的炼金术士也在冶炼黄金，都不成功，他们到底错在哪儿？”

"They were looking only for gold," his companion answered.

“他们一门心思追求黄金，”他的同伴回到道。

"They were seeking the treasure of their personal legend, without wanting actually to live out the personal legend."

寻求天命中的财宝，却不愿履行自己的天命。”

"What is it that I still need to know?" the boy asked.

“我还有什么需要学的东西？”男孩追问。

But the alchemist continued to look to the horizon.

但炼金术士仍旧凝视着地平线。

And finally the falcon returned with their meal.

过了一段时间，猎鹰带着食物回来了。

They dug a hole and lit their fire in it, so that the light of the flames would not be seen.

他们挖了一个洞，在洞中点上火，为的是不让任何人看见火光。

"I'm an alchemist simply because I'm an alchemist," he said, as he prepared the meal.

“由于我是炼金术士，所以我是炼金术士。”做饭的时候，炼金术士说道。

"I learned the science from my grandfather, who learned from his father, and so on, back to the creation³ of the world.

“我从我祖父那里学会炼金术，我祖父是从他祖父那里学会的，这样可以一直追溯到创世之初。

In those times, the Master Work could be written simply on an emerald.

当时，炼金术的全部知识可以写在一块普通的翡翠板上。

But men began to reject simple things, and to write tracts⁴, interpretations⁵, and philosophical⁶ studies.

但是人们根本不重视普通的事物，便开始著书立说，作出诠释，并进行哲学研究。

They also began to feel that they knew a better way than others had. Yet the Emerald Tablet is still alive today."

他们还宣称自己比别人更通晓此道。但是那块翡翠板一直保存至今。”

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 falcon   

n.隼，猎鹰

参考例句：

• The falcon was twice his size with pouted feathers.鹰张开羽毛比两只鹰还大。
• The boys went hunting with their falcon.男孩子们带着猎鹰出去打猎了。

3 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

4 tracts   

大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文

参考例句：

• vast tracts of forest 大片大片的森林
• There are tracts of desert in Australia. 澳大利亚有大片沙漠。

5 interpretations   

n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解

参考例句：

• This passage is open to a variety of interpretations. 这篇文章可以有各种不同的解释。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The involved and abstruse passage makes several interpretations possible. 这段艰涩的文字可以作出好几种解释。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。