古董店对许许多多的人有一种特殊的吸引力。
Antique shops exert a peculiar fascination on a great many people.
那种较为高档的古董店通常令人望而生畏——里面的稀有物品精美地陈列在玻璃柜中，以防落灰。
The more expensive kind of antique shop where rare objects are beautifully displayed in glass cases to keep them free from dust is usually a forbidding place.
但走进一家较不讲排场的古董店，则不需要鼓起什么勇气。
But no one has to muster up courage to enter a less pretentious antique shop.
总有这样的希望：在那迷宫般阴暗潮湿、杂乱无章的房间里，能从满地散乱的各类杂物中发现真正的珍品。
There is always hope that in its labyrinth of musty, dark, disordered rooms a real rarity will be found amongst the piles of assorted junk that litter the floors.
没有人能偶然发现一件珍品。
No one discovers a rarity by chance.
一个真正执着的淘宝高手必须具备耐心，尤其重要的是，还要有在一眼看到时就能识别出某物价值的能力。
A truly dedicated bargain hunter must have patience, and above all, the ability to recognize the worth of something when he sees it.
要做到这一点，他至少必须和古董商一样博学多识。
To do this, he must be at least as knowledgeable as the dealer.
就像一心想要有所发现的科学家一样，他必须珍守这样的希望：有朝一日，他将得到丰厚的回报。
Like a scientist bent on making a discovery, he must cherish the hope that one day he will be amply rewarded.
我的老朋友弗兰克·哈利迪，正是这样的一个人。
My old friend, Frank Halliday, is just such a person.
他曾多次向我描述过他是如何仅花50英镑就淘到一件杰作的。
He has often described to me how he picked up a masterpiece for a mere £50.
一个周六上午，弗兰克拜访了我附近的一家古董店。
One Saturday morning, Frank visited an antique shop in my neighbourhood.
由于他以前从未去过那里，他发现有很多东西令他感兴趣。
As he had never been there before, he found a great deal to interest him.
上午的时光飞逝而过，弗兰克正准备离开，这时他注意到地板上躺着一个大木箱。
The morning passed rapidly and Frank was about to leave when he noticed a large packing case lying on the floor.
古董商告诉他，木箱刚刚到货，但他懒得打开它。
The dealer told him that it had just come in, but that he could not be bothered to open it.
弗兰克恳求他打开，古董商不情愿地把箱子撬了开来。
Frank begged him to do so and the dealer reluctantly prised it open.
箱子里的东西令人失望。
The contents were disappointing.
除了一把看起来颇有趣的雕刻匕首之外，箱子里装满了陶器，其中大部分已经破损。
Apart from an interesting-looking carved dagger, the box was full of crockery, much of it broken.
弗兰克轻轻地把陶器从箱子里搬出来，突然发现木箱底部有一幅微型画。
Frank gently lifted the crockery out of the box and suddenly noticed a miniature painting at the bottom of the packing case.
由于这幅画的构图和线条使他联想起一幅他非常熟悉的意大利画作，他决定把它买下来。
As its composition and line reminded him of an Italian painting he knew well, he decided to buy it.
古董商匆匆瞥了一眼，告诉他这幅画值50英镑。
Glancing at it briefly the dealer told him that it was worth £50.
弗兰克几乎无法掩藏他的兴奋之情，因为他知道自己做出了一个真正的发现。
Frank could hardly conceal his excitement, for he knew that he had made a real discovery.
这幅小画被证实是科雷乔的一件失传名作，价值数十万英镑。
The tiny painting proved to be an unknown masterpiece by Correggio and was worth hundreds and thousands of pounds.