评论
打印
The boy awoke before dawn. It had been eleven months and nine days since he had first set foot on the African continent.
圣地亚哥在日出前醒来。从他第一次踏上非洲大陆算起，已经过去了十一个月零九天。
He dressed in his Arabian clothing of white linen, bought especially for this day.
男孩穿上白亚麻布的阿拉伯服装，这是他特意为这一天准备的。
He put his headcloth in place and secured it with a ring made of camel skin. Wearing his new sandals, he descended the stairs silently.
他在头上包了块头巾，用骆驼皮做的头箍固定住，穿上一双新凉鞋，悄悄地走下楼梯。
The city was still sleeping. He prepared himself a sandwich and drank some hot tea from a crystal glass. Then he sat in the sun-filled doorway, smoking the hookah.
城市仍在沉睡中。他做了一份芝麻三明治，喝了杯用水晶杯盛着的热茶，随后便坐在门槛上，一个人吸起水烟来。
He smoked in silence, thinking of nothing, and listening to the sound of the wind that brought the scent of the desert.
他默默地吸着，什么都不想，只是倾听着那持续不断的风声。那风带来了沙漠的气息。
When he had finished his smoke, he reached into one of his pockets, and sat there for a few moments, regarding what he had withdrawn.
抽完烟之后，他把手伸进衣服的一个口袋里，然后端详了一会儿从兜里掏出来的东西。
It was a bundle of money. Enough to buy himself a hundred and twenty sheep, a return ticket, and a license to import products from Africa into his own country.
那是厚厚的一沓钱，足够用来买上一百二十只羊、一张回家的船票和一张贸易许可证。有了许可证，他就能往来于西班牙和摩洛哥做生意。
He waited patiently for the merchant to awaken and open the shop.
他耐心地等到店主醒来，开门营业。
Then the two went off to have some more tea.
两个人又一起喝了点茶。
"I'm leaving today," said the boy. "I have the money I need to buy my sheep. And you have the money you need to go to Mecca."
“今天我就走了。”男孩说，“我有了买羊的钱，您也有了去麦加的钱。”
The old man said nothing.
店主没吭声。
"Will you give me your blessing?" asked the boy. "You have helped me."
“请您祝福我。”男孩又说，“您曾经帮助过我。”
The man continued to prepare his tea, saying nothing. Then he turned to the boy.
老板仍旧一言不发，默默地沏着茶。过了一会儿，他转过身来，面对男孩。
"I am proud of you," he said. "You brought a new feeling into my crystal shop. But you know that I'm not going to go to Mecca. Just as you know that you're not going to buy your sheep."
“我为你感到骄傲。”他说，“你为我的水晶店带来了生机。但是你知道，我不会去麦加，就像你知道自己不会回去买羊一样。”
"Who told you that?" asked the boy, startled.
“这是谁告诉您的？”男孩惊讶地问。
"Maktub," said the old crystal merchant.
“马克图布。”水晶店老板淡然地说。
And he gave the boy his blessing.
他祝福了男孩。
