"Having found a casket of diamonds among the effects left by my father,"
“在我父亲留下的财物中发现了一个装满钻石的匣子,”
said he, "I set out for Egypt, to live there on the proceeds of their sale.
他说,“我动身前往埃及,想在那儿靠变卖这些钻石为生。
I was obliged by bad weather to put into Jidda, where I soon found myself in want of money.
我不得不在恶劣天气下乘船进入吉达港,结果身无分文了。
I went to the bazaar, and inquired for a dealer in precious stones.
于是,我去了集市,向一位专门经营贵重石头的商人打听。
The richest, I was told, was Mansour; the most honest, Ali, the jeweler.
他告诉我说,这里最有钱的人是曼苏尔,而最诚实的人是珠宝商阿里。
I applied to Ali.
就这样,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.
他对我非常热情,就像对自己儿子似的,他一得知我有钻石要卖,便将我带回家。
He gained my confidence by every kind of attention, and advanced me all the money I needed.
他对我照料备至,赢得了我的信任,向我预付了我正需要的钱。
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,记得晚餐时还喝了葡萄酒,他逐一查验钻石,然后说:“我的孩子,这些钻石值不了几个钱;
my coffers are full of such stones. The rocks of the desert furnish them by thousands."
我的保险柜里装满了这种货色。沙漠里这种石头多的是。”
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.
为了验证他说的话,他打开一个小盒子,从里面取出一个比我的钻石大一倍的钻石,给了服侍我的奴隶。
"What will become of me?" I cried; "I thought myself rich, and here I am, poor, and a stranger."
“怎么会这样?”我喊道,“我以为自己真的变成有钱人了,可是在这儿我是个穷光蛋,是受人欺负的外乡人。”