石圈与早班船

布罗德加石圈立在两片湖之间一条窄窄的地带上。石头排成一个直径约一百零四米的圆。周围有一道凿进坚硬岩石的壕沟。它是在四千到四千五百年前建起来的。它属于一处世界遗产。

The Ring of Brodgar sits on a narrow strip of land between two lochs. The stones stand in a circle about one hundred and four metres across. A ditch was cut around it into solid rock. It was built between four and four and a half thousand years ago. It is part of a world heritage site.

从前大约有六十块石头。现在还立着三十六块。那些空缺和石头一样，也是这个形状的一部分。波莉绕着圈子从外面走，石南没到膝盖，光在水面上摊得很平。这里没有一样东西是为访客安排的。

There were around sixty stones once. Thirty-six are standing now. The gaps are as much of the shape as the stones are. Polly walked around the outside of the ring, with heather to her knees and the light going flat across the water. Nothing about it was arranged for a visitor.

接着是离开这件平常事。港务办公室的柜台后面站着一只鸬鹚。“渡轮几点开？”波莉问。“这个多少钱？”她和他一起看那张印好的表。“我想买一张票，谢谢。”

Then came the ordinary business of leaving. At the harbour office there was a shag behind a counter. "What time does the ferry leave?" Polly asked. "How much does this cost?" She looked at the printed sheet with him. "I would like to buy a ticket, please."

“这趟航程要多久？”她最后问。她把票收好。早上，船驶了出去，经过同一道低矮的海岬，群岛一个接一个沉到船后面去。

"How long does the crossing take?" she asked last. She put the ticket away. In the morning the boat went out past the same low headland, and the islands went down behind it one by one.