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Hafid, with his animal,
海菲騎著驢子，
entered the walled city of Damascus through the East gate.
由東門(mén)進(jìn)了大馬士革城。
He rode along the street called Straight
他沿著一條叫做斯特奇的大街騎著，
with doubts and trepidations
心中充滿了疑慮和惶恐。
ami the noise and shoutings from hundreds of bazaars did little to ease his fear.
趕集者的喧嘩吵嚷聲，都無(wú)法驅(qū)除他心中的恐懼。
It was one thing to arrive in a large city with a powerful trade caravan such as that of Pathros;
以前跟著主人的商隊(duì)，浩浩蕩蕩地來(lái)到這里時(shí)多風(fēng)光呀，
it was another to be unprotected and alone.
如今自己孓然一人，無(wú)依無(wú)靠，前途未卜。
Street merchants rushed at him from all sides holding up merchandise,
街上兜售生意的小販，
each screaming louder than the next
聲音一個(gè)比一個(gè)大。
He passed cell-like shops and bazaars displaying
他騎著驢，看著鴿子籠般的店面。他經(jīng)過(guò)滿地?cái)[著的攤位時(shí)，
craftsmanship of coppersmiths, silversmiths,
琳瑯滿目的銅器、銀器、
saddlers, weavers, carpenters;
馬具、織品、木工制品，
and each step of his mule brought him face to face with another vender,
讓他看不過(guò)來(lái)，每走一步，都會(huì)有小販上前伸出手兜售生意，
hands outstretched, wailing words of self-pity.
發(fā)生自憐的哀泣。
Directly ahead of him,
在他的正前方，
beyond the western wall of the city, rose Mt Harmon.
西墻外，矗立著海蒙山。
Although the season was summer,
雖然時(shí)已入夏，
its top was still capped with white
山頂依舊白雪皚皚，
and it seemed to look down on the cacophony of the market place with tolerance and forbearance.
遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地俯視著熙熙攘攘的市集，似乎已能容忍它的喧嘩。
Eventually Hafid turned off the famous street
海菲離開(kāi)了這條頗負(fù)盛名的大街，
and inquired about lodging which he had no difficulty finding in an inn called Moscha.
開(kāi)始打聽(tīng)可以過(guò)夜的地方，沒(méi)多久就找到一家叫做莫沙的客棧。
His room was clean and he paid his rent for a month in advance
房間很干凈，他預(yù)付了一個(gè)月的房租，
which immediately established his standing with Antonine, the owner.
房東立刻對(duì)他殷勤起來(lái)。
Then he stabled his animal behind the inn,
他把牲口牽到后面拴好，
bathed himself in the waters of the Barada
自己去布達(dá)河洗了澡，
and returned to his room.
重新回到客房。
He placed the small cedar chest at the foot of his cot
海菲把那只香杉木箱放在床腳邊，
and proceeded to unroll the leather strappings.
掀開(kāi)裹在外面的皮革。
The cover opened easily and he gazed down at the leather scrolls.
蓋子很容易打開(kāi)。他凝視了一會(huì)兒里面的羊皮卷，伸手摸了摸。
Finally he reached inside and touched the leather.
一觸到那些羊皮卷，
It gave under his fingers as if it were alive
他突然覺(jué)得它們好像有了生命，
and he hurriedly withdrew his hand.
在底下蠢蠢欲動(dòng)，就又趕緊把手縮了回來(lái)。
He arose and stepped toward the latticed window
他起身來(lái)到花格窗前，
through which sounds poured from the noisy market place nearly half a mile distant
窗外市集上亂轟轟的聲音像洪水一樣灌了進(jìn)來(lái)，聽(tīng)上去似乎只有半步之遙。
Fear and doubt returned again
他循聲望去，
as he looked in the direction of the muffled voices
恐懼與惶惑再度襲上心頭，
and he felt his confidence waning.
臨行前的信心消失殆盡。
He closed his eyes,
他閉上眼睛，
leaned his head against the wall, and cried aloud,
頭靠在墻上，哭了起來(lái)。
"How foolish I am to dream that I, a mere camel boy,
“我真傻，一個(gè)喂駱駝的僮仆
will one day be acclaimed as the greatest salesman in the world
竟然夢(mèng)想有一天成為世界上最偉大的推銷員。
when I have not even the courage to ride through the stalls of the hawkers in the street
現(xiàn)在我連到街上去的勇氣都沒(méi)有。
Today mine eyes have witnessed hundreds of salesmen,
今天總算親眼看到這么多的推銷員。
all far better equipped for their profession than I.
他們看上去都比我條件好得多，
All had boldness, enthusiasm, and persistence.
有膽量，有熱情，有毅力，
All seemed equipped to survive in the jungle of the market.
都比我更能應(yīng)付險(xiǎn)惡的市場(chǎng)，立于不敗之地。
How stupid and presumptuous to think I can compete with and surpass them.
我真是自不量力，居然以為能夠超過(guò)他們。
Pathros, my Pathros, I fear that I will fail you again."
柏薩羅老爺，我又要讓您失望了。”
He threw himself on his cot and weary from his travels
他一頭栽到床上，帶著旅途的勞累，
he sobbed until he slept
在淚水中睡著了。
When he awoke it was morning.
醒來(lái)已是次日清晨，
Even before he opened his eyes he heard the chirp.
還沒(méi)睜眼，就聽(tīng)見(jiàn)鳥(niǎo)兒啁瞅地唱著。
Then he sat up and stared in disbelief at the sparrow
他坐起身來(lái)，睜開(kāi)雙眼，
perched on the open cover of the chest containing the scrolls.
不敢相信地看著一只麻雀停在敞開(kāi)的箱蓋上。
He ran to the window.
他奔到窗前，
Outside, thou- sands of sparrows clustered in the fig trees and sycamores,
見(jiàn)外面成群的麻雀聚集在無(wú)花果樹(shù)上，唱著歌，
each welcoming the day with song.
迎接新的一天的來(lái)臨。
