Chapter 6 Chapter 5 of "The Shepherd Boy's Fantastic Journey"

The next morning, two thousand armed fighters dispersed and took shelter under the palm trees outside Feom.Five hundred warriors appeared on the horizon just before the sun rose high into the sky.They rode straight to the oasis from the north, looking as if they were making a peaceful march, but they had weapons hidden under their robes.When they reached the great white tent in the middle of Feom Oasis, they drew their machetes and pistols, and they rushed into an empty tent. The people in the oasis surrounded the cavalry from outside the desert, and killed all the cavalry within an hour and a half.All the children were hidden in a wood outside the oasis, so they never saw anything.The women all hid in their tents and prayed for their husbands, and of course they saw nothing.If it weren't for the bodies lying on the ground, the day would have been exactly like any other day in the oasis.

The only enemy army captured alive was their commander.In those afternoons, he was caught before the elders, who interrogated him why he dared to break the tradition.The commander said that their men were hungry, thirsty, and exhausted from fighting for several days, so they decided to occupy this oasis so that they could rest before returning to the battlefield. The tribal elder said that he felt sorry for these warriors, but the tradition is too sacred to be broken by anyone, so he sentenced the commander to an unhonorable death sentence.He died not by a bullet or by a knife, but by hanging under a date palm tree and letting the desert wind dry his body.

The tribal elder summoned the boy and gave him fifty pieces of gold.He retells the story of Joseph in Egypt and hires the boy to serve as counselor for the oasis. At sunset, the first star in the sky rises, and the boy goes to the man in the desert.At last he saw a tent.Many Arabs passed by and told the boy that there lived a demon.But the boy sat down in front of the tent and waited. When the moon climbed to the zenith, the alchemist finally appeared on horseback.He carried two dead eagles on his shoulders. "I am coming. ’ said the boy. "You should not have come here," said the alchemist, "is it your destiny to live that brought you here?" 』

"Because of the tribal war, I couldn't continue to cross the desert, so I came here. 』 The alchemist got off his horse and gestured to the boy to follow him into the tent.This tent is like most of the other tents in the oasis.The boy looked around, looking for stoves and other equipment an alchemist would use, but couldn't find anything.There are only a row of books in the tent, a small stove for cooking, and a carpet with mysterious patterns. "Sit down, we can drink and eat eagle meat. ’ said the alchemist. The boy suspected that these were the two eagles he had seen yesterday, but he said nothing.The alchemist lit the fire, and soon a scent filled the tent.This tastes much better than the smell of a hookah.

"Why do you want to see me? ' asked the boy. "The wind tells me that you will come and that you need help. 』 "The wind is not talking about me.That was another foreigner, the Englishman.He's the one looking for you. 』 "He's got to do other things first, but he's on the right track.He had already begun to learn about the desert. 』 "what about me? 』 "When a person really desires something, the whole universe conspires to help him fulfill his dream. ’ said the alchemist, repeating the words of the old king.The boy understood, and another appeared to help him to his destiny.

"So you will come and teach me? 』 "No, you already know everything you need to know.I'm just here to point you in which direction to go to find your treasure. 』 "But right now the desert is at war. ’ said the boy. "I know what happened in the desert. 』 "I have found my treasure.I have a camel, and I have money from the crystal shop, and now I have fifty gold pieces.In my country, I'm already a rich man. 』 "But none of these came from the pyramids. ’ said the alchemist. "I still have Fatima, she is more precious than anything else. 』 The two fell silent.The alchemist opened a bottle and poured some red liquid into the boy's cup.It was the tastiest drink the boy had ever had.

"Isn't drinking alcohol prohibited here? ' asked the boy. "The devil is not what people drink into their mouths," said the alchemist, "but what comes out of their mouths." 』 This alchemist was really scary, but the boy relaxed a lot while drinking.After eating, they sat together outside the tent, the moonlight was very bright, and the starlight seemed relatively dim. "Have another drink and enjoy." ’ said the alchemist, noticing that the boy was happier. 『Rest well tonight, like a soldier, preparing for the next battle.Remember, where your heart is, there is your treasure.You have to find the treasure, and then what you learn along the way counts.Go sell your camel tomorrow and buy a horse.Camels are not guys to be trusted.They can go on for thousands of steps without seeming to get tired, but suddenly they collapse and die.And horses get tired every time they go, so you always know how far to ask them to go, and you also know when they will die. 』

The next night, the boy appeared before the alchemist's tent, leading a horse.The alchemist was also ready, mounted his mount, and placed the falcon on his left shoulder.He said to the boy, "Tell me where in the desert you can find living things.Only those who can read the biological signs have the ability to discover the treasure. 』 They set out to ride into the desert, the moonlight shining on the road.I don't know if I have the ability to spot the creatures in the desert.I don't know that much about deserts yet, the boy thought. He wanted to say that to the alchemist, but he was afraid of this man.They rode to the rocky place where the boy had spotted the two hawks, and now there was silence in the sky where only the wind was blowing.

"I don't know how to find living things in the desert," said the boy. "I know there are living things in the desert, but I don't know where to find them." 』 "Creatures always attract creatures," said the alchemist. The boy understood what he meant.He let go of the rein on his horse, and the horse galloped forward over rocks and sand.The alchemist rode after him, and walked for about half an hour.They saw no more palm trees -- only the great moon overhead, casting silvery light over the sand.Suddenly, the horse on the boy's lap slowed for no reason.

"There are creatures here. ’ said the boy to the alchemist, ‘I do not know the language of the desert, but my horse understands the language of creatures. 』 They dismounted, and the alchemist said nothing.They moved slowly among the rocks, searching carefully.The alchemist stopped suddenly, bent down and leaned towards the ground.There was a cave in the rock, and the alchemist reached into the cave, and then his whole hand and shoulder went into the cave.Something was moving inside, and the alchemist's eyes -- the boy could only see his eyes -- were squinting with effort.His hands were clearly struggling with something in the cave.Startled by the boy's next move, the alchemist withdrew his hand and jumped to his feet.In his hand is holding a snake's tail.

The boy jumped up too, only away from the alchemist.The snake was fighting fiercely, and its hissing sound shattered the silence of the desert.It was a rattlesnake, and its fangs could kill a man in a moment. "Watch out for its fangs! ’ said the boy, but the alchemist had only put his hand into the cave before, and he must have been bitten.Even so, the alchemist's expression remained calm. "That alchemist is over two hundred years old. ’ the British had told him so.So he must know how to deal with the poisonous snakes in the desert. The boy watched as his companion returned to the horse and took out a machete.He drew a circle in the sand with the blade of his knife, and placed the snake into the circle.The snake immediately relaxed. "Don't worry," said the alchemist, "it won't leave the circle.You've found creatures in the desert, and that's the omen I'm looking for. 』 "Why is this so important? 』 "Because the pyramid is surrounded by desert. 』 Boys don't want to hear about the pyramids.His heart was heavy, and he had been very melancholy since the night before.To continue his quest for his treasure meant he had to give up Fatima. "I'll take you across the desert. ’ said the alchemist. "I want to stay in this oasis. ’ replied the boy. "I have found Fatima, and as far as I am concerned, she is worth more than any treasure. 』 "Fatima is a woman of the desert," said the alchemist, "and she knows that a man must go out in order to be able to return.And she already has her treasure: you.Now she wants you to find what you've been looking for. 』 "Well, what if I decide to stay? 』 "I'll tell you what will happen.You will be the counselor in the oasis, you will have enough money to buy enough sheep and camels, you will marry Fatima, and the first year you two will be happy.You'll learn to love the desert, and you'll know every one of the fifty thousand palm trees, and you'll watch them grow as if the world keeps changing.You will learn more and more about the omens, for the desert is the best teacher. By the second year, you will occasionally think about your treasure, and the omens will keep speaking to you, and you try to ignore them.You will use your knowledge to benefit the oasis and its inhabitants, and the elders of the tribe will appreciate what you do.And your camel will bring you wealth and power too. In the third year, the omens will continue to tell you about your treasure and your destiny, you will wander around the oasis, night after night, and Fatima will be unhappy because she will feel that she is holding you back pursuit.But you love her, and she returns your love.You'll remember that she didn't ask you to stay because a desert woman knows she has to wait for her man.So you don't blame her.But a lot of times when you're walking on the sand, thinking maybe you should have left then... Maybe you should have trusted your love for Fatima more.Because what's really holding you back and keeping you in the oasis is your fear that once you leave you won't come back.At that time, the omen will tell you that your treasure has been buried forever. Then, in the fourth year, the omens sometimes turn their backs on you because you have stopped listening.The tribal elders will take notice, and you will be dismissed from your position as counselor.Still, back then you were a rich man with a lot of livestock and a lot of business.For the rest of your life, you will know that you did not pursue your destiny and that it is too late. You must know that love does not prevent a man from pursuing his destiny, if he gives up, it is because it is not true love...not the kind of love that speaks the language of the universe. 』 The alchemist wiped away the circles in the sand, and the snake wriggled swiftly away into a patch of rock.The boy thought of the crystal merchant who had always wanted to go to Mecca, and the Englishman who had been looking for an alchemist.He thought of the woman who trusted in the desert, and the desert in front of him brought him to the woman he loved. They mounted their horses towards the oasis, and this time it was the boy's turn to ride behind the alchemist.The wind brought the sound of the oasis, and the boy tried to hear the voice of Fatima. But that night, when he watched the rattlesnakes in the circle, the strange knight beside him with a falcon on his left shoulder told him about love and treasure, the woman of the desert and his destiny. "I will go with you. ’ said the boy. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately felt calm inside. "We'll set off before dawn tomorrow morning. ’ was the alchemist’s only response. The boy stayed up all night.Before dawn, he shook one of the boys in the same tent and asked him where Fatima lived.They went together to her tent, and the boy rewarded his friend with enough gold to buy a sheep.Then he called his friend into the tent where Fatima was sleeping, woke her up, and told her that the boy was waiting outside.The young Arab did as he was told, and got enough gold to buy another sheep. "Let's be alone now. ’ said the boy to the young Arab.The young Arab went back to sleep in his tent, proud that he had helped the counselor of the oasis, and happy that he had got a lot of gold, which would allow him to buy some sheep. Fatima appeared at the door of the tent.The two walked among the palm trees.The boy knew it was against tradition, but he couldn't care less now. "I'm leaving now. ’ he said, ‘and I want you to know that I’m coming back and I love you because…’ "No need to say anything," Fatima interrupted him, "to be loved is to be loved, love does not need any reason. 』 But the boy continued, "I had a dream, and then I met a king.I used to sell crystals and go across the desert.And because the Horde started a war, that's why I went to the spring and looked for the alchemist.So, I love you because the whole universe is helping me find you. 』 The two embraced and it was the first time they touched each other. "I will be back. ’ said the boy. "Until then, I would have been looking longingly at the desert. ’ Fatima said, ‘From now on, I will gaze at the desert with hope.My parents left before, but he came back to my mother, and after that, no matter how far he went, he always came back eventually. 』 They said nothing else but walked along the palm trees, and finally the boy walked her back to her tent. "I will come back, just like your father came back to your mother. "He said. He saw that Fatima's eyes were filled with tears. "Are you crying? 』 "I am a woman of the desert. ’ she said, turning away, ‘but I’m still a woman. 』 Fatima turned and went into her tent, and at dawn, she prayed as usual, but for her, everything was different.The boy is no longer in the oasis, and the meaning of this oasis to her is different from yesterday.It is no longer just a place with 50,000 palm trees and 300 springs, no longer a resting place on a long journey.From the moment the boy left, the oasis had become an empty place for her. From that moment on, the desert meant more to her, and she would look at it every day, imagining which star the boy was following to find his treasure.She'll give her kisses to the wind, hoping the wind will blow the boy's cheek and tell him she's alive and well.Hopefully Feng'er will tell the boy that she is waiting for him, for a man who is brave enough to go after the treasure.From that day on, the desert will mean only one thing to her: hope he will come back. "Don't think about everything that's left behind. ’ As they mounted their horses to ride across the desert, the alchemist said to the boy, ‘Everything has been written in the heart of heaven and earth, and it will always be there. 』 "People always dream of going home more than leaving home. ’ said the boy, reaccustomed to the silence of the desert. "If what you find is the most essential, then such things are not wasted, and you can always return; if what you find is only a temporary light, like a comet, then in your When it comes back, it won't be there anymore. 』 He was talking about alchemy, but the boy knew he was referring to Fatima. But it was really hard for the boy not to think about everything that was left behind him.The monotony and seemingly endless desert prompted him to dream.He seemed to see those palm trees, those springs, and the face of the woman he loved.He could see the Englishman working on gold, and the camel driver who had taught the boy many things, though he didn't know it himself.Perhaps alchemists have never been in love, the boy thought. The alchemist is riding ahead of the boy, and the falcon is standing on his left shoulder.The falcon knew the language of the desert, and every time they stopped, it flew away to hunt by itself.The first time it caught a rabbit, and the next day it brought back two birds. At night they spread out their bedding and slept, taking care not to let the fire out.The nights in the desert are cold and darker as the moon wanes.They marched on for a week, speaking little, except when necessary, to warn each other from tribal wars.The war still went on, and occasionally, there was a sweet smell of blood on the wind. The battle was near, and the wind was like a language of omens, always pointing out things that the boy's eyes could not see. "You have almost reached the end of your journey," said the alchemist, "and I would like to congratulate you on coming to seek your destiny. 』 "But you didn't tell me anything along the way. ’ said the boy, ‘I thought you were going to tell me something you know.Not long ago, I traveled through the desert with a man who carried alchemy books, but I couldn't learn anything from those books. 』 "There is only one way to learn alchemy," said the alchemist, "and that is by doing."Everything you need to know, you have already learned from the journey.You just need to learn one more thing. 』 The boy wondered what it was, but the alchemist turned his head to the horizon, searching for the falcon. "Why do they call you an alchemist? 』 "Because I am an alchemist. 』 "Other alchemists also want to refine gold, under what circumstances will they fail? 』 "When they think only of extracting gold," replied his companion, "when they think only of the treasures their Destiny brings, rather than of fulfilling their Destiny. 』 "What else do I need to learn? ' asked the boy. But the alchemist looked at the horizon again.At last the falcons finally brought back their food.They dug a hole in the ground and built a fire, so that the light of the fire could not be seen. "I'm an alchemist, simply because I'm an alchemist. ’ said the alchemist while they were preparing their supper, "I learned alchemy from my grandfather, who learned it from his father, and so on, all the way back to the creation of the world.At that time, Yuan Jing could be simply memorized on the emerald slate, but gradually, people no longer accepted simple things, and began to write in blood, interpret, and do philosophical research.They also begin to feel that their methods are better than others'.However, the emerald slabs still exist today. 』 "What was written on the emerald tablet?" ’ The boy wanted to know. The alchemist started to draw on the sand, and it took him only five minutes to finish.When he was painting, the boy thought of the old king, and the square when they met.It feels like that happened many years ago. "This is what was written on the Emerald Tablet. ’ said the alchemist after finishing the painting. The boy struggled to decipher what was drawn on the sand. "It's a cipher," said the boy, a little disappointed. "It looks a lot like the ones I read in English books. 』 "No," said the alchemist, "it is like the flight of the two eagles, which cannot be understood by thinking alone.The Emerald Tablet is a shortcut to the Heart of Heaven and Earth. 』 "The wise man understands that this natural world is but an illusion, but a simulation of heaven.The existence of this world is just to assure people that the Paradise of Ultimate Bliss really exists.God created this world, and through all things that can be seen, people can understand his revelation and true wisdom.This is what I mean when you say you have to learn by doing. 』 "Do I have to know about this emerald tablet? ' asked the boy. "Perhaps, if you are in the alchemy room, now is the perfect time to learn the best way to understand the Emerald Tablet.But you are now in the desert, so just blend yourself into the desert, the desert will teach you about the world, in fact, everything on the surface of the earth can do that.You don't even have to know about deserts.You only need to gaze at a grain of sand, and you can see the whole incredible world from it. 』 "What can I do to integrate myself into the desert? 』 "listen to your heart.It knows everything because it originated from the Heart of Heaven and Earth, and it will return to the Heart of Heaven and Earth one day. 』 They continued walking silently in the desert for two days.The actions of the alchemists have become more cautious, because they have come to the area where the tribal wars are most fierce.As they marched, the boy tried to listen to his heart. That's not easy to do.In the beginning, his mind was always trying to tell him its stories, but later it said those stories were not true.Then for a while his heart kept telling him how sad it was, and then at sunset it suddenly became so agitated that the boy had to hide his tears.His heart beat fast as it spoke of treasure, but it slowed down as the boy gazed at the desert horizon.Still, his heart was never still, not even when the boy and the alchemist fell silent. "Why must we listen to our hearts? ’ the boy asked when they were camping that day. "Because where your heart is, there will be your treasure. 』 "But my heart is very disturbed," said the boy. "It has its own dreams, and it is very emotional, especially when it thinks of some desert woman, it gets very excited. 』 "Well, good, your heart is alive.Go ahead and listen to what it is telling you. 』 Over the next three days, the two travelers passed many armed tribal warriors, and many more could be seen on the horizon.The boy's heart began to speak fear to him.It told him many of the stories he had heard at the Heart of Heaven and Earth, about the many people who had gone after the treasure and failed in the end.Sometimes it would tell the boy not to look for the treasure any more, but in the end it didn't work.Sometimes it would tell the boy not to look for the treasure any more, and warn the boy that he might die in the desert, and the thought frightened the boy.There are also moments when it tells the boy that it is content, that it has found love and fortune. "My heart is unreliable," the boy told the alchemist when they stopped to rest the horse, "it told me not to go on. 』 "It is conceivable," replied the alchemist, "in fact it is quite frightening that in pursuing your dreams you may lose all that you have gained. 』 "Then why should I listen to what my heart is saying?" 』 "Because you can never teach it to be quiet, even if you pretend not to hear what it is saying, it will still exist in your soul, constantly telling your views on life and the world. 』 "You mean, no matter how unreliable it is, I still have to listen to what it says? 』 "The unreliability is due to your unpreparedness.If you knew your heart well enough, such things would not happen.Once you understand its dreams and hopes, you'll know what to do with them.You can never escape from your heart, so you better listen to what it is saying so you don't have to fear being caught off guard. 』 When they were on the road again, the boy continued to listen to the words of his heart.He comes to understand its cowardice and cunning, and accepts that it is.He was no longer afraid, and he forgot that he needed to go back to the oasis, because one afternoon, the heart told him that it was happy. "Even if I complain sometimes," the heart said to him, "it's because I am someone's heart, and that's what a human heart is.People are always afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they feel unworthy or incapable of fulfilling them.So we as human hearts, whenever we think about loving someone who is gone forever, or thinking about those moments that are no longer beautiful, or those treasures that should have been found but were buried in the sand forever feel scared.Because whenever these things happen, we are deeply wounded. 』 "My heart is afraid that it will hurt. ’ said the boy to the alchemist that it was one night when the two of them were sitting in the sand looking at the moonless sky. "Tell your heart that fear is worse than hurt itself.And no heart will be hurt by pursuing dreams, because every moment in the pursuit is an encounter with God and eternity. 』 "Every moment in the pursuit is an encounter with God and eternity. ' said the boy to his heart. "When I'm really chasing my dreams, every day is colorful because I know that every hour is part of realizing my dreams.When I'm actually chasing my dreams, I find things along the way that I never imagined. If I didn't have the courage to try what seemed almost impossible, I'm still just a shepherd now. 』 Because of this, his heart was quiet for the whole afternoon.That night the boy slept deeply, and when he awoke his heart began to speak to him of messages from the Heart of Heaven and Earth.It says that all who have God in their hearts are happy.Happiness can only come from a small desert sand, as the alchemist said.Because a grain of sand is an opportunity for creation, and it took tens of millions of years for the entire universe to create it. "Every man in the world has a treasure waiting for him. ’ The heart said to him, ‘As human beings, we seldom talk about these treasures, because nowadays people seldom want to find their treasures.We just say it to our children, and then we let life go its own way, in its own direction, to its own destiny.But unfortunately, only a very small number of people will follow the path that should be taken - the path that is happy and leads to destiny.Most people think the road is dangerous, and because they think so, the world is indeed dangerous. Therefore, as the heart, we become more and more soft-spoken.We still talk, but we begin to wish that our voices will not be heard: we do not wish for human beings to suffer because they do not listen to their hearts. 』 "Why don't people's hearts continue to encourage people to pursue their dreams? ’ the boy asked the alchemist. "Because that makes the heart suffer more, and the heart doesn't like suffering. 』 From then on, the boy began to understand his heart.He begged his heart never to fail to speak to him.He asked it to advise him and warn him when he strayed from his dreams.The boy swore that every time he heard the warning he would heed its message. That night, the boy told the alchemist all this.The alchemist knew that the boy's heart had returned to the heart of heaven and earth. "So what should I do now? ' asked the boy. "Continue to advance towards the pyramid. ’ said the alchemist, ‘and continue to watch for omens.Your heart can still tell you where your treasure is. 』 "Is this the one thing I still need to learn? 』 "No," replied the alchemist, "what you still need to learn is this: before we realize our dreams, the Heart of Heaven and Earth will constantly test what you have learned along the way.It does this not because it is evil, but because it allows us to master what we have learned, which prepares us for our dreams.Usually this stage is also the moment when people are most likely to give up.At this stage, to paraphrase a saying often said by deserters, "A man often dies of thirst when the palm trees are already on the horizon." Every quest begins with good luck.And the person who can smile successfully in the end must have passed the most severe test. 』 The boy remembered an old proverb from home.That is to say, the deepest and darkest night is always just before dawn. The next day, the first sign of danger appeared.Three armed tribesmen came after them and asked the boy and the alchemist what they were doing here. "I was hunting with my falcon. ’ replied the alchemist. "We're going to search to see if you're armed. ’ said one of the fighters. The alchemist dismounted slowly, and the boy followed suit. "Why are you carrying so much money? ’ The soldier searched the boy’s bag and questioned him. "Because I need money to go to the pyramids. ’ replied the boy. The warrior then searched the alchemist, and found a small chip of water on his body, with a drop of liquid attached to it, and a yellow glass egg, about the size of a slightly larger egg. "What is this again? 』 "This is the Philosopher's Stone and Longevity Lotion.That is, the essence of the alchemist.Anyone who swallowed the elixir of health could live forever, and a tiny piece of that stone could turn any metal into gold. 』 The Arabs laughed loudly at the alchemist, and the alchemist laughed too.They found his answer amusing, and let the boy and the alchemist go away with all their belongings. "Are you crazy? ’ When they had gone a little further, the boy asked the alchemist, ‘Why did you do this? 』 "To teach you a simple truth in life. ’ the alchemist replied, ‘When you carry a valuable possession with you, if you try to tell others about it, often no one will believe you. 』 They continued across the desert.As each day passed, the boy's heart became more and more silent.It no longer wanted to know the past or the future of things; it just wanted to meditate on the desert, drinking with the boy what the Heart of Heaven and Earth had to offer.Now the boy and his heart have become good friends, and they no longer betray each other. When his heart speaks to him, it only inspires and empowers him, for quiet days in the desert can be somewhat tiresome.The heart tells the boy that his strongest qualities are: his courage to give up his flock to fulfill his destiny, and his zeal when he works in the crystal shop. The heart also told the boy something he never noticed: it told the boy how close he had been to danger without realizing it.Xin told him that once the boy stole a rifle from his father, and Xin felt that it was too dangerous. The boy might hurt himself, so he secretly hid the rifle.Heart also told the boy that one day he suddenly fell ill and vomited in the field, and then he fell asleep for a long, long time.At that time, two thieves were ambushing not far away, and they were planning to kill the boy when he passed by, so as to steal the boy's sheep.But the boy never showed up, so they guessed that the boy might have diverted temporarily, so they had to give up and leave. "Will a man's heart help him?" ’ the boy asked the alchemist. "Probably only the hearts of those who want to fulfill their dreams will do so.But the heart does help children, drunks, and old people. 』 "Does this mean that I will never be in danger? 』 "This means that the mind will try to do what it can. ’ said the alchemist. One afternoon they passed where a tribe was camped.Resting around the camp are many Arabs in beautiful white long-distance running clothes, all of them are armed and on guard.The men were smoking hookahs and taking turns telling stories from the battlefield.No one noticed the two travelers. "It doesn't seem to be in any danger. ’ said the boy as they were passing through the camp. The alchemist seemed very angry and said, 'Trust your heart, but don't forget you are in the desert.When someone is fighting, the heart of the world will hear the scream from the battlefield.No one is immune to the consequences of what happens under the sun. 』 All are one, the boy thought.Then, just as the desert was intent on showing him that the alchemist was right, two horsemen charged up behind them. "Stop advancing! ’ said one of the cavalrymen, ‘You are coming to the land of tribal warfare. 』 "I don't intend to go too far," replied the alchemist, looking the cavalier straight in the eye.They were silent for a while, then promised the boy and the alchemist that they could move on. The boy observed the eye contact just now with fascination. 『You just controlled the minds of those two warriors with your eyes. "He said. "Your eyes can express the power of the heart. ’ replied the alchemist. That's true, the boy thought.He noticed that among the group of armed tribesmen in front of the camp, there was a man who had been paying close attention to the two soldiers who were talking to them. Although the distance was too far to see the man's face clearly, the boy could Pretty sure his eyes were on them. When at last they had crossed the ridge of a whole high mountain, the alchemist said they were now only two days away from the pyramids. "Does this mean that we are about to break up? ’ said the boy, ‘if so, can you teach me alchemy? 』 "You already know alchemy.That is a way of looking into the heart of the world, through which you discover the treasures that are in store for you. 』 "No, I didn't mean that.I'm talking about how to convert tin into gold. 』 "The alchemist is silent like a desert.他一直到他们停下来吃饭的时候，纔回答他。 『宇宙万物都是可以提炼的，』他说，『但是对于智者而言，金子是最可以被提炼的金属。不要问我为什么，我也不知道为什么。我只知道传统总是对的。人类从来不曾了解过智者真正的意思，于是，金子没被当作提炼的象征，反而变成人类冲突的根本。 』 『万物说的语言很多，』男孩说，『对我来说，骆驼的嘶鸣曾经只是单纯的嘶鸣而已，然后它变成危险的象征，最后它又变回嘶鸣。 』 他停顿下来，也许这一切炼金术士早就知道了。 『我认得一些真正的炼金术士，』炼金术士说，『他们把自己关在炼金房里，极尽可能地提炼金子。他们也发现了哲人石，因为他们知道，当你提炼一样洞悉的时候，它周围的每样洞悉，也会跟着被升华出来。 另外一些人则是恰巧拥有哲人石。他们老早就拥有这项礼物了，他们的心灵也比多数人都要来得更能接受这样的事。但是他们不算，这种人很少见。 还有其它多数人，他们感兴趣的只是金子，他们从来没发现它的真谛，他们也不希望知道锡啊、铜铁都有它们的天命必须完成。可是任何人只要是阻碍了别人或其它事物的天命，也就无法发现自己的天命。 』 炼金术士的话，在沙漠中回响着，好像一句诅咒。他倾过身来，捡起沙地上一枚贝壳。 『沙漠曾经是海。』他说。 『我注意到了。』男孩回答。 炼金术士要男孩把贝壳放在他的耳际边。男孩在年幼时候也曾经这么做过无数遍，而且也从贝壳里听过海的声音。 『海就活在这个贝壳里，这是贝壳的天命。贝壳会不断地重复着海的声音，直到有一天，沙漠又被大海所覆盖为止。 』 它们跃上马，向着埃及金字塔的方向骑去。 日落的时候，男孩的心忽然响起一声警告。他们正来到四周都是沙丘的地方，男孩抬头望向炼金术士，想看看他有没有感觉什么。可是炼金术士看起来似乎并没有发现任何不对劲的地方。五分钟以后，男孩看见两个骑兵正在前头不远的地方等着他们。在男孩能够对炼金术士说什么以前，骑兵从两个变成十个，然后变成一百个。现在骑兵已经布满沙丘的四周。 这些部族战士穿着蓝色衣服，头巾上还套着黑色的环。他们的脸孔用蓝色布巾盖住，只露出眼睛。 即使相当远的距离外，仍能看见他们的眼睛传递着心灵的力量。此刻他们的眼睛正诉说着：死亡。