《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 64 男孩打听炼金术士的事

"I had never heard of alchemists before," the boy said.

“我以前从来没听人谈起过炼金术士。”男孩说，

"Maybe no one here has, either."

“或许这里也没人听说过。”

The Englishman's eyes lit up. "That's it! Maybe no one here knows what an alchemist is! Find out who it is who cures the people's illnesses!"

英国人的眼睛一亮。“这就对了！也许这里没有人知道炼金术士！你去打听一下此处有没有一个能治百病的人。”

Several women dressed in black came to the well for water, but the boy would speak to none of them, despite the Englishman's insistence¹. Then a man approached.

又有几个身着黑衣的女人来到井边打水，不管英国人怎么催促，男孩就是不同她们搭话，直到有个男人来到跟前。

"Do you know someone here who cures people's illnesses?" the boy asked.

“您认识能治百病的人吗？”

"Allah cures our illnesses," said the man, clearly frightened of the strangers.

“安拉能治百病。”男人回答。看得出来，在外国人面前他有些惊慌。

"You're looking for witch doctors." He spoke² some verses from the Koran, and moved on.

“你们在寻找巫师？”他念了几句《古兰经》经文，之后便离开了。

Another man appeared. He was older, and was carrying a small bucket.

不一会儿，一个老人走了过来，手里拎着一只小水桶。

The boy repeated his question.

男孩问他是否认识能治百病的人。

"Why do you want to find that sort of person?" the Arab asked.

“你们为什么要找这种人呢？”阿拉伯人用提问代替了回答。

"Because my friend here has traveled for many months in order to meet with him," the boy said.

“因为我的朋友为了找他已经奔波了好几个月。”男孩回答。

"If such a man is here at the oasis³, he must be the very powerful one," said the old man after thinking for a few moments.

“如果绿洲里有这么个人，那么他一定有权势。”老人思忖了片刻之后说道，

"Not even the tribal⁴ chieftains are able to see him when they want to. Only when he consents."

“就连部落的首领们想见到他都很难，除非他自己决定出面。”

"Wait for the end of the war. Then leave with the caravan⁵. Don't try to enter into the life of the oasis," he said, and walked away.

“等战争结束后你们就随商队走吧，不要企图深入绿洲的生活。”说完，他扬长而去。

But the Englishman was exultant⁶. They were on the right track.

英国人欣喜若狂。他们找到线索了。

Finally, a young woman approached who was not dressed in black.

之后，走来一位没穿黑衣的少女，

She had a vessel⁷ on her shoulder, and her head was covered by a veil, but her face was uncovered.

肩扛一只陶罐，头戴一方纱巾，脸露在外面。

The boy approached her to ask about the alchemist.

男孩走上前去，向她打听炼金术士的事。

1 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

2 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。

3 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

4 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

5 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

6 exultant   

adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的

参考例句：

• The exultant crowds were dancing in the streets.欢欣的人群在大街上跳起了舞。
• He was exultant that she was still so much in his power.他仍然能轻而易举地摆布她，对此他欣喜若狂。

7 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。