本帖最后由 ヮ成熟、羙° 于 2014-7-30 15:21 编辑
三个托钵僧的故事（ 3.1） 荷叶/译 随后他们转向搬运工，看他能不能解开谜团。但搬运工并不比他们明白更多。最后，哈里发再也控制不住了，他宣布要迫使这三位女士告诉他这些奇怪举动的用意。元老已预见到将会发生什么，恳求哈里发想想女主人迫使他们答应的条件，又低声说只要殿下能等到早晨，他就可以作为哈里发召唤这些女人到他面前问话。但不习惯被反驳的哈里发拒绝了这个建议，又讨论了一会儿，最后决定让搬运工去问。佐蓓拉突然转过身来，看到他们很激动的样子，问：“怎么啦？你们这么郑重其事地在讨论什么？” “女士，”搬运工答道：“这些先生恳请您给他们解释一下，您为什么先鞭打这两条狗，然后又对着它们哭，还想知道昏倒的女士为什么遍体鳞伤。他们推举我做他们的代言人。” “先生们，”佐蓓拉挺直身子，问道：“你们真的要求这个人向我提问吗？” “是的，”除了吉尔法沉默不语外，所有人都答道。 “这就是，”佐蓓拉接着说，她变得越来越生气：“你们对我的款待所做的报答吗？你们忘了进入这里时答应的那个条件了吗？快来，”她击掌三次，她继续说道。话刚出口，七个手持马刀的黑奴就闯了进来，虎视眈眈地站在这七个人面前，把他们摁倒在地。时刻准备着，只要女主人一个手势，就砍掉他们的头。 这七个犯了错的人都以为自己的最后关头到了，哈里发痛悔他没有釆纳元老的建议。但除了搬运工外，他们都决定从容赴死。搬运工大声质问佐蓓拉为什么他要代人受过。并宣称如果没有这些总是带来恶运的托钵僧，不幸就不会发生。最后他请求佐蓓拉不要不分清红皂白，要饶他一命。 尽管盛怒，但搬运工呻吟中带有如此可笑的成分，她还是忍不住笑了出来。但她还是抛下他，对别人说：“回答我，你们是谁？除非告诉我真相，你们就活到头了。无论你们来自哪个国家，我很难想象你们是有身份的人。假如是的话，你们更应该为我们想想。” 哈里发自然很不耐烦，一想到自己的生命掌握在一个自己有理由冒犯的女人手里，比其他人更觉得难受。但当他听到这个问题后，他的气出得顺畅多了。因为他相信只要她听到自己的名字和地位，一切危险都会过去。因此，他匆匆低声要身边的元老去公开自己的身份。但比他更加明智的元老却不愿让公众知道他们所受到的侮辱，他只回答道：“毕竟，我们是咎由自取。” 此时，佐蓓拉已转向三个托钵僧问他们是不是兄弟，因为他们都是瞎子。 “不，女士，”一个人回答：“我们一点血缘关系也没有，只是生活方式上是伙伴。” “你，”她问另一个：“是生来就瞎了一只眼吗？” “不，女士，”他回答：“我是在一次非常奇异的经历中变瞎的，这大概在任何人身上也没发生过。此后，我剃了头，刮了眉毛，穿上了这身衣服。” 佐蓓拉问了其他两个托钵僧同样的问题，她得到了同样的回答。 “但，”第三个托钵僧又说：“女士，您会有兴趣知道，我们也不是出身低微的人，而是国王的三个儿子，是世人所仰慕的的国王的儿子。” 听到这些，佐蓓拉的愤怒平息下来，她转向自己的奴隶说：“你们可以给他们一点自由，但不要离开大厅。那些说明自己身世和来这里理由的人，可以毫发无伤地离开，那些拒绝的人——”她停顿了一下，但搬运工立刻就明白了只要他讲述自己的故事，就可以摆脱这种可怕的危险，他立刻插话道： 附：原文 They then turned to the porter to see if he could explain the mystery, butthe porter was no wiser than they were themselves. At length the Caliph couldcontain his curiosity no longer, and declared that he would compel the ladies totell them the meaning of their strange conduct. The vizir, foreseeing whatwould happen, implored him to remember the condition their hostesses hadimposed, and added in a whisper that if his Highness would only wait tillmorning he could as Caliph summon the ladies to appear before him. But theCaliph, who was not accustomed to be contradicted,rejected this advice, and itwas resolved after a little more talking that the question should be put by theporter. Suddenly Zobeida turned round, and seeing their excitement she said,"What is the matter-- what are you all discussing so earnestly?" "Madam," answered the porter, "these gentlemen entreat youto explain to them why you should first whip the dogs and then cry overthem,and also how it happens that the fainting lady is covered with scars. Theyhave requested me, Madam, to be their mouthpiece." "Is it true, gentlemen," asked Zobeida, drawing herselfup,"that you have charged this man to put me that question?" "It is," they all replied, except Giafar, who was silent. "Is this," continued Zobeida, growing more angry everymoment,"is this the return you make for the hospitality I have shown you?Have you forgotten the one condition on which you were allowed to enter thehouse?Come quickly," she added, clapping her hands three times, and thewords were hardly uttered when seven black slaves, each armed with a sabre,burst in and stood over the seven men, throwing them on the ground, andpreparing themselves, on a sign from their mistress, to cut off their heads. The seven culprits all thought their last hour had come, and the Caliphrepented bitterly that he had not taken the vizir's advice. But they made uptheir minds to die bravely, all except the porter, who loudly inquired ofZobeida why he was to suffer for other people's faults, and declared that thesemisfortunes would never have happened if it had not been for the Calenders, whoalways brought ill-luck. He ended by imploring Zobeida not to confound theinnocent with the guilty and tospare his life. In spite of her anger, there was something so comic in the groans of the porterthat Zobeida could not refrain from laughing. But putting him aside sheaddressed the others a second time, saying, "Answer me; who are you?Unlessyou tell me truly you have not another moment to live. I can hardly think youare men of any position, whatever country you belong to. If you were,you wouldhave had more consideration for us." The Caliph, who was naturally very impatient, suffered far more thaneither of the others at feeling that his life was at the mercy of a justly offendedlady, but when he heard her question he began to breathe more freely,for he wasconvinced that she had only to learn his name and rank for all danger to beover. So he whispered hastily to the vizir, who was next to him, to式reveal theirsecret. But the vizir, wiser than his master, wished to conceal from the publicthe affront they had received, and merely answered, "After all, we haveonly got what we deserved." Meanwhile Zobeida had turned to the three Calenders and inquired if, asthey were all blind, they were brothers. "No, madam," replied one, "we are no blood relations atall,only brothers by our mode of life." "And you," she asked, addressing another, "were youbornblind of one eye?" "No, madam," returned he, "I became blind through a mostsurprising adventure, such as probably has never happened to anybody. AfterthatI shaved my head and eyebrows and put on the dress in which you see menow." Zobeida put the same question to the other two Calenders, and receivedthesame answer. "But," added the third, "it may interest you, madam, toknow that we are not men of low birth, but are all three sons of kings, and ofkings,too, whom the world holds in high esteem." At these words Zobeida's anger cooled down, and she turned to her slavesand said, "You can give them a little more liberty, but do not leavethehall. Those that will tell us their histories and their reasons for cominghere shall be allowed to leave unhurt; those who refuse--" And she paused,but in a moment the porter, who understood that he had only to relate his storyto set himself free from this terrible danger, immediately broke in, | 
发表于 2014-7-30 15:19:39
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