《中英對照讀新聞》German duped into paying thousands for 'exorcism'德國婦女被騙花數千元「驅邪」

◎ 張沛元

A German woman lost more than 5,000 euros （$6,000） after a would-be soothsayer convinced her she was possessed by evil spirits and prescribed an expensive exorcism as a remedy, authorities said.

一名德國婦女在一名冒牌預言家說服她已被妖魔鬼怪附身、並且為她進行昂貴的驅魔儀式以便避邪後，損失超過五千歐元（六千美元），當局表示。

Police in the central town of Northeim said the 44-year-old was told she was possessed by a young woman who read her palm at a Christmas market.

中部城鎮諾錫姆的警方表示，這名44歲的婦女被一名在耶誕節市集上幫人看手相的年輕女子告知，她已被附身。

The victim became agitated and agreed to an exorcism at her home the following day, for which she paid the ’seer’ more than 5,000 euros in cash and jewellery.

這名受害者變得激動焦慮，並同意隔天在她家中進行驅邪，為此支付那名「預言家」價值超過五千歐元的現金與珠寶。

The exorcist then gave her more bad news -- there were other spirits that needed casting out.

這名驅邪者又告訴她更壞的消息－還有其他靈魂需要驅趕。

"That’s when a bad feeling crept over the victim," the police said in a statement. "She informed the police forthwith."

「這時不好的感覺湧上受害者心頭，」警方在聲明中說。「她馬上報警。」

Police have arrested a 17-year-old woman from former Yugoslavia. The victim’s money and jewellery have been returned.

警方已逮捕一名來自前南斯拉夫的十七歲女子。受害者的錢與珠寶也被追回。

新聞辭典

dupe：動詞：欺騙；名詞：易受欺騙的人。例句：She has been making you her dupe for a long time。（她一直把你當傻子騙。）

would-be：形容詞，想要成為的；自稱假冒的。

evil spirits：妖魔鬼怪。

read one’s palm：為某人看手相。