中文翻译见2楼
As I was preparing to set pen to paper to begin recording my thoughtsat the beginning of my epic undertaking to gather the world's knowledgetogether in one tome, the hand of providence tapped me on the shoulder.The news that a rogue burrower had killed a citizen just outside thecity gave me the wonderful opportunity to see firsthand one of the moredisturbing creatures we share this world with – the savage dunethresher.
Long ago driven away from settled locales to the deep desert wastes ofthe Borderlands, the dune thresher is rarely seen by city dwellers.Every so often, however, whether due to injury or old age, one of theseunholy beasts ventures to the edge of civilization to feast on thefrail human animal. When this happens, a professional like FranklinBurroughs, the famed guide and hunter, is called in to put an end tothe threat.
Fortunately, Burroughs and I, both being men of travel and adventure,have naturally crossed paths before (frequent readers of my works willno doubt remember this grizzled, rough-hewn boulder of a man from myclassic, Xiansai Chronicles). Thus, I contacted him so that I was ableto take part in his quest to rid us of the burrowing nightmare. Heacted reluctant at first, but I could tell he was happy to have mealong.
I met up with him at dusk upon the sandy rocks that ringed the Tardeinwastes. As I approached, Burroughs was kneeling on the black rocks,inspecting something. I looked at the indistinguishable matter he'dbeen staring so intently at, but I could not identify it. He held uphis hand, motioning for me to step lightly. When I asked him what theproblem was, he pointed to the focus of his attention and asked if Iwanted to end up like that poor fool. I laughed, thinking he wasplaying one of his jokes on me yet again. Everyone knew that the dunethreshers attacked from under the sand, and that we were safe upon therocks!
"Tell that to him," he said.
I looked again, and what I saw turned my stomach. The rocks betrayedthe desperation with which the victim had clung to them. Left upontheir bloodstained surfaces were strips of skin that had been torn fromhis hands and fingers.
"They'll jump right up onto these rocks and drag you down. Anexperienced hunter could survive an attack, but someone like you willbe lunch if you keep stomping around here, making all that noise." Hechuckled to himself as he made his way up to his heavily loaded wagon.
Ever viler screams shot forth, cutting through my head likecold, sharp blades. But they were nothing to the sound I heard next –the deathly churning of sand that heralded the arrival of the thresher.
I quickly (and quietly) moved back from the edge of the rocks. And thenI heard the screeching. Burroughs had retrieved a large object, a cageof some kind, covered with a black tarp. This cage was the source ofthe hellish emanations. Thick ropes hung down from somewhere deepbeneath its dark shroud. "That's not far enough," he said. As if toprove his point, he shook the cage he was holding. Ever viler screamsshot forth, cutting through my head like cold, sharp blades. But theywere nothing to the sound I heard next – the deathly churning of sandthat heralded the arrival of the thresher.
"Their sound riles a thresher up something fierce. Better get them intothe sand before we have company up here." With that, he tore the coveroff the cage. The shock of seeing what was contained within overwhelmedme immediately. Everything seemed to wash together in a kind of bland,sickening grayness, and my knees buckled.
Abd al-Hazir is a renowned gentleman, historian, and scholar. He hasrecently taken up the unprecedented task of investigating, researching,and compiling information about the unique locales and denizens of ourworld.
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