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181.Preparing for the pyramids
181.準備探索金字塔
As an Egyptologist, I have been to Egypt many times.
作為一個埃及古物學者，我去過埃及多次。
This time, I am going to quench my thirst for adventure and try to solve the puzzle of the Pyramids.
這一次，我想滿足我冒險的欲望，試圖解開金字塔之謎。
To undertake such a questionable task one must purge oneself of all inferiorities, purify one's mind, quell and doubts, and be confident that one is uniquely qualified for such a quest.
要尋求一件如此可疑的事情的答案，你必須清除一切自卑感，凈化心靈，消除疑慮，還要充分自信，相信自己是惟一能夠完成這一次探索任務的合格入選。
In preparation for this journey, I gathered a couple of items:
為了這一次行程，我做了充分的準備：
a newly invented quartz watch, whose quartz was taken from a particular quarry and had undergone a purification process to meet quantitative qualifications based on quantum theory electronics; and a purple quilt for those cold nights in the Pyramids.
我準備了一款新發明的石英表，這塊表的石英是從一個特殊采石場開采出來的，經過多重凈化程序，其質量完全符合在量子論電子學基礎上制定的定量條件要求；同時我還準備了一床紫色的棉被，以適應探索金字塔時寒冷的夜晚的需要。
My first stop in Egypt was in a quaint, quiescent little town not far from the Pyramids.
我在埃及的第一站是離金字塔不遠的一個離奇有趣的寂靜小鎮。
It may seem puzzling to some, but my quest began with a questionnaire.
對某些人來說，這個小鎮是一個不解之謎，但我的探索工作就是在這兒以進行問卷調查開始的。
My first subject was a queer little man who just happened to be walking by.
我的第一個調查對象是一個路過的長相古怪的矮個男人。
I said to him, Excuse me, sir, do you eat quail?
我對他說：打擾了，先生，請問您吃鵪鶉嗎？
My query seemed to have bothered him, because he immediately began shaking his fists over his head and shouting at me unintelligibly in his native tongue.
我的詢問好像使他非常生氣，因為他馬上握緊拳頭在頭上晃了晃，還用土語對我含糊不清地說了一句什么。
After quelling him with a chocolate bar and an unfulfilled promise of my purple quilt, he eventually, after much haranguing, did answer my question.
后來我給了他一塊巧克力，還佯裝許諾給他我那床紫色的被子，他的情緒總算慢慢平靜下來了。最后，他做了一次長篇大論的演講，回答了我的問題。
I then proceeded to ask several other passers-by the same question at random, evoking similar responses from each.
然后，我隨意問了幾個過路人同樣的問題，每一個人的回答好像都千篇一律。
After quite a number of these unpleasant queries, I found someone who could speak good English, who brought to my attention that the quail is an animal that is worshipped in the local religion and that asking this sort of question could put me in serious danger.
做了大量這樣并不令人愉快的調查之后，我發現了一個英語說得很好的家伙，純告訴我在當地鵪鶉被當作圖騰來崇拜，問這一類問題肯定會給我帶來危險。
With my hope in the questionnaire quailed, I decided to move on.
盡管我現在對于調查表已是心驚膽戰，但我還是充滿希望地繼續前進。
