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57 The Curious Custodian
好奇的看守人
It was midnight in the old Public Records Depository.
故事發生在午夜時分的公共檔案儲存處。
“Curiosity kills the cat,” muttered the custodian as he nervously descended the stairs.
“不要太好奇。”看守人一邊緊張地沿著樓梯往下走，一邊嘟囔著。
The curious custodian felt drawn to the dark basement.
好奇的看守人感到自己被什么東西吸引著來到黑暗的地下室。
Moisture from an underground river had dampened the walls.
地下河的濕氣使周圍墻壁也很潮濕。
“There's a secret down here, and it's got to be worth some currency,” he said to himself.
“這下邊有秘密寶庫，它肯定能值不少錢幣。”他自言自語道，
“I'll just make a cursory search.”
“我先大致地搜查一下。”
“What is that?” he screamed as his flashlight lit the darkest and dampest corner of the basement.
“什么東西？”當他的手電筒照到地下室最黑暗、最潮濕的角落時，他尖叫起來。
It appeared to be an ancient dagger, angling in the air.
看上去是把古代短劍，它懸在空中。
The situation was rather daunting.
眼前的一切使他畏縮膽怯。
“What should I do?” he asked himself as he dabbed the sweat from his brow.
“怎么辦？”他邊問自己，邊輕輕擦去額頭上的冷汗。
He was not a daring man.
他并不勇敢。
He grabbed a small seat cushion from an old chair and threw it at the dagger.
他抓起一把舊椅子的小坐墊朝短劍投過去，
It triggered a howling sound and a concurrent gust of wind, both of which sent him scurrying up the stairs.
這一下引起一陣吼叫聲和隨之而來的一陣狂風，嚇得他抱頭鼠竄奔上樓梯。
The following night, he returned to the basement with the curator of a local museum.
第二天晚上，他和當地博物館的館長又來到地下室。
The curator was a dauntless man.
館長很膽大。
“Don't dally, go get it,” said the custodian.
“別磨磨蹭蹭的，快去拿短劍。”看守人說。
“Don't be curt.” replied the curator.
“不能魯莽。”館長回答道，
“The study of ancient daggers was not part of my college curriculum.
“我讀大學時全部課程中并不包括古代短劍的研究。
You've just lucky that the museum has a current need for artifacts.
你很幸運，因為我們博物館正需要一些人工制品。
I know you're only interested in the reward money.”
我知道你對酬金感興趣。”
“That's a cynical remark,” the custodian snapped back.
“別挖苦我了。”看守人反駁道。
The curator entered the darkest part of the basement to search for the dagger.
館長開始走進地下室最黑暗的地方去尋找短劍。
The custodian could see him darting back and forth in the darkness.
看守人看見他在黑暗中奔來跑去。
He finally emerged.
最后他終于出來了。
“There's nothing here,” the curator said, staggering out of the darkness.
“這什么都沒有。”館長跌跌撞撞地從黑暗中跑來說，
“Perhaps you should curtail your alcohol consumption.”
“也許你該削減酒的消費量了。”
“Okay, I will,” the custodian replied, as his jaw began to drop, “but what's that stuck in your back?”
“好吧，”看守人回答道，同時他驚訝得張口結舌，“可你背上插的是什么？”
