羊皮卷的故事（9）

However, I was commanded to apply the principles of the scrolls¹ to my own life,

我受命江羊皮卷里所写的东西用到自己的生活中，

until one day

直到将来有一天，

someone would appear

出现那么一个人，

who had need for the help

他比少年时的我更需要帮助，

and guidance contained in these scrolls

更需要这羊皮卷的指引，

far more than I did when I was a youth.

那时我就把这些宝贝传给他。

I was told that through some sign I would recognize the individual to whom I was to pass the scrolls

据说我将通过异象认出那个我要找的人，

even though it was possible that the individual would not know

也许他并不知道

that he was seeking the scrolls.

自己在寻找这些羊皮卷。

"I have waited patiently,

“我一直耐心等待着，

and while I waited I applied² these principles as I was given permission to do.

一面等，一面按上面教的去做，

With their knowledge I became what many call the greatest salesman in the world

结果我成了大家所说的最了不起的推销员，

just as he who bequeathed these scrolls to me

就象给我羊皮卷的那个人一样，

was acclaimed³ as the greatest salesman of his time.

他也是他那个时代最成功的推销大师。

Now, Erasmus, perhaps you will understand, at last,

伊拉玛，你现在大概可以体会出，

why some of my actions through tie years

为什么有时候我会做出你看来莫名其妙、毫无意义的举动，

seemed peculiar⁴ and unworkable to you,

毫无意义的举动

yet they proved successful.

而结果却证明我是对的。

Always were my deeds and decisions guided by these scrolls;

我一直深受这些羊皮卷的影响，照它写的去做，

therefore, it was not through my wisdom that we acquired so many gold talents.

也就是说，我们赚下的财富，并非出自我个人的智慧，

I was only the instrument of fulfillment."

我只是个执行的工具而已。”

"Do you still believe that he who is to receive these scrolls from thee will appear after all this time?"

“过了这么多年，您还相信那个衣钵传人终会出现？”

"Yes."

“不错”

Hafid gently replaced the scrolls and closed the chest

海菲小心翼翼地把羊皮卷放回箱内，然后把箱子盖好。

He spoke⁵ softly from his knees,

他柔声说道，

"Will you stay with me until that day, Erasmus?"

“老伊，你愿不愿意跟着我，知道我找到那个传人为止？”

The bookkeeper reached through soft light until their hands clasped.

老总管在柔和的光线里伸出手去，终于和主人的手紧紧握在一起。

He nodded once and then withdrew from the room as if from an unspoken command from his master.

伊拉玛忠厚地点了点头，然后悄悄地推下，走出了阁楼。

Hafid replaced the leather strapping⁶ on the chest

海菲把箱子重新锁好，用皮革裹住，

and then stood and walked to a small turret⁷

又看了一会儿才直起身子，走出塔楼，

He stepped through it out onto the scaffold that surrounded the great dome⁸.

站在环绕着巨大圆顶的平台上。

A wind from the East

微风由东边吹来，

blew into the old man's face

拂过老人的面颊，

carrying with it the smell of the lakes and the desert beyond.

风中夹着远处湖水和沙漠的气味。

He smiled as he stood high above the rooftops of Damascus

他居高临下，站在那儿，往事也随风掠过了胸际，

and his thoughts leaped backwards⁹ through time....

老人迁动着双唇，微微地笑了。

1 scrolls   

n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕

参考例句：

• Either turn it off or only pick up selected stuff like wands, rings and scrolls. 把他关掉然后只捡你需要的物品，像是魔杖(wand)，戒指(rings)和滚动条(scrolls)。 来自互联网
• Ancient scrolls were found in caves by the Dead Sea. 死海旁边的山洞里发现了古代的卷轴。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 acclaimed   

adj.受人欢迎的

参考例句：

• They acclaimed him as the best writer of the year. 他们称赞他为当年的最佳作者。
• Confuscius is acclaimed as a great thinker. 孔子被赞誉为伟大的思想家。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 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。

6 strapping   

adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• He's a strapping lad—already bigger than his father. 他是一个魁梧的小伙子——已经比他父亲高了。
• He was a tall strapping boy. 他是一个高大健壮的小伙子。

7 turret   

n.塔楼，角塔

参考例句：

• This ancient turret has attracted many visitors.这座古老的塔楼吸引了很多游客。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔楼攀登上了要塞的城墙。

8 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

9 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。