181.Preparing for the pyramids
181.准备探索金字塔

As an Egyptologist, I have been to Egypt many times.
作为一个埃及古物学者，我去过埃及多次。
This time, I am going to quench my thirst for adventure and try to solve the puzzle of the Pyramids.
这一次，我想满足我冒险的欲望，试图解开金字塔之谜。
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.
要寻求一件如此可疑的事情的答案，你必须清除一切自卑感，净化心灵，消除疑虑，还要充分自信，相信自己是惟一能够完成这一次探索任务的合格入选。
In preparation for this journey, I gathered a couple of items:
为了这一次行程，我做了充分的准备：
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.
我准备了一款新发明的石英表，这块表的石英是从一个特殊采石场开采出来的，经过多重净化程序，其质量完全符合在量子论电子学基础上制定的定量条件要求；同时我还准备了一床紫色的棉被，以适应探索金字塔时寒冷的夜晚的需要。

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离金字塔不远的一个离奇有趣的寂静小镇。
It may seem puzzling to some, but my quest began with a questionnaire.
对某些人来说，这个小镇是一个不解之谜，但我的探索工作就是在这儿以进行问卷调查开始的。
My first subject was a queer little man who just happened to be walking by.
我的第一个调查对象是一个路过的长相古怪的矮个男人。
I said to him, Excuse me, sir, do you eat quail?
我对他说：打扰了，先生，请问您吃鹌鹑吗？
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.
我的询问好像使他非常生气，因为他马上握紧拳头在头上晃了晃，还用土语对我含糊不清地说了一句什么。
After quelling him with a chocolate bar and an unfulfilled promise of my purple quilt, he eventually, after much haranguing, did answer my question.
后来我给了他一块巧克力，还佯装许诺给他我那床紫色的被子，他的情绪总算慢慢平静下来了。最后，他做了一次长篇大论的演讲，回答了我的问题。
I then proceeded to ask several other passers-by the same question at random, evoking similar responses from each.
然后，我随意问了几个过路人同样的问题，每一个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.
做了大量这样并不令人愉快的调查之后，我发现了一个英语说得很好的家伙，纯告诉我在当地鹌鹑被当作图腾来崇拜，问这一类问题肯定会给我带来危险。
With my hope in the questionnaire quailed, I decided to move on.
尽管我现在对于调查表已是心惊胆战，但我还是充满希望地继续前进。