美國語文第六冊 第242期:磚石切磚石(2)
“在我父親留下的財物中發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個裝滿鉆石的匣子，”
said he, "I set out for Egypt, to live there on the proceeds of their sale.
他說，“我動身前往埃及，想在那兒靠變賣這些鉆石為生。
I was obliged by bad weather to put into Jidda, where I soon found myself in want of money.
我不得不在惡劣天氣下乘船進入吉達港，結(jié)果身無分文了。
I went to the bazaar, and inquired for a dealer in precious stones.
于是，我去了集市，向一位專門經(jīng)營貴重石頭的商人打聽。
The richest, I was told, was Mansour; the most honest, Ali, the jeweler.
他告訴我說，這里最有錢的人是曼蘇爾，而最誠實的人是珠寶商阿里。
I applied to Ali.
就這樣，我去找阿里。
"He welcomed me as a son, as soon as he learned that I had diamonds to sell, and carried me home with him.
他對我非常熱情，就像對自己兒子似的，他一得知我有鉆石要賣，便將我?guī)Щ丶摇?/p>
He gained my confidence by every kind of attention, and advanced me all the money I needed.
他對我照料備至，贏得了我的信任，向我預(yù)付了我正需要的錢。
One day, after dinner, at which wine was not wanting, he examined the diamonds, one by one, and said, "My child, these diamonds are of little value;
一天晚餐后，記得晚餐時還喝了葡萄酒，他逐一查驗鉆石，然后說：“我的孩子，這些鉆石值不了幾個錢;
my coffers are full of such stones. The rocks of the desert furnish them by thousands."
我的保險柜里裝滿了這種貨色。沙漠里這種石頭多的是。”
To prove the truth of what he said, he opened a box, and, taking therefrom a diamond thrice as large as any of mine, gave it to the slave that was with me.
為了驗證他說的話，他打開一個小盒子，從里面取出一個比我的鉆石大一倍的鉆石，給了服侍我的奴隸。
"What will become of me?" I cried; "I thought myself rich, and here I am, poor, and a stranger."
“怎么會這樣?”我喊道，“我以為自己真的變成有錢人了，可是在這兒我是個窮光蛋，是受人欺負的外鄉(xiāng)人。”
