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168 The penury percussionist
168 貧困的打擊樂樂手
There was a percussionist on the San Francisco Peninsula, who pursued perfection in every performance.
舊金山半島有一個打擊樂樂手在每一次演奏中都追求盡善盡美。
In addition to practicing her percussion instruments daily, she would, despite her penury conditions, wear an expensive pendant and expensive perfume, for it was her perception that they would bring good luck.
雖然很貧困，每天除了練習打擊樂器以外，她都會戴上昂貴的垂飾，噴上價值不菲的香水。她總有一種感覺，這些東西遲早會給她帶來好運。
Another performer of similar penury conditions knew of her expensive purchases and decided to undertake the perilous task of purloining them.
另一個同樣一貧如洗的表演者得知這位樂手擁有一些貴重物品之后，決定冒著危險去偷那些東酉。
So she made periodic visits to the perimeter of the percussionist's apartment to observe her comings and goings in order to penetrate the premises and procure the pendant ant perfume.
她定期去那個樂手所住的公寓邊緣探望，偵察她出出進進的規律，以便滲透到宅院里面，下手偷取那些垂飾和香水。
Hearing the penetrating percussions of the percussionist on an almost permanent basis, the prospective purloiner perceived that the perennial playing would never cease and that the percussionist was ever present.
但她總是聽到那個樂手練習打擊樂器時發出的尖銳的聲音，這讓這位準竊賊感覺到這種練習有可能將會長年不斷地進行下去，而樂手也可能會永遠在家。
So she entered the periphery of the apartment grounds to perform the pending procurement.
于是她到了樂手所住公寓的外圍，開始執行她那個即將發生的偷竊方案。
She thought nothing of the peril involved, nor that she perchance would perish in the procedure.
她根本不在乎整件事情的危險性，也沒有意識到她自己有可能在這次偷竊中死亡。
Upon entering the percussionist's apartment, she saw the percussionist sitting behind the percussion instrument with a pensive pallor.
進入公寓以后，她看見樂手正坐在樂器后面沉思，面色蒼白。那位準竊賊說道，我是來偷垂飾和香水的。
The would be purloiner said, I am here for the pendant and perfume. The percussionist said, I am more perceptive than you think. I noticed you on the perimeter long ago.
而樂手回答說：我比你所想象的更有洞察力。很早以前我就在公寓附近注意到你了。
As you can see, there are only percussion instruments and peripheral items here.
你看，這兒只有打擊樂器和一些不重要的外圍設備。
My pendant and perfume were purchased by someone else as a result of an ad that I placed in a periodical.
我曾經為一個客戶做過廣告，刊登在一本雜志里，所以實際上我的垂飾和香水都是別人買的。
